We've Updated Our List of Favorite Blogs and Links

Happy Wednesday!

We've updated our list of favorite blogs and links to share with you. Some of these updates are from suggestions made by ACHS students, the blogs they like to follow.

Elana's Pantry, for example, is a blog our holistic nutrition students like to follow. The blog features healthy recipes the whole family will love. Right now there's a recipe for honey mustard dressing over fresh greens featured. Looks delicious!

We also added a link to the Healthy Recipes Index from the Mayo Clinic and to Simply Sugar and Gluten Free, a fun blog by Amy Green that provides many flavorful options for people with Celiac disease (or those just seeking a healthier way of eating!).

For the eco- and organic-conscious we added links to The Oregon Tilth magazine, In Good Tilth, and the Mother Earth News blogs Grow It! and Healthy People, Healthy Planet, among others!

Be sure to check out our toolbar of favorites and if you have any suggestions for holistic health and wellness blogs our readers and ACHS students would find useful, please share!

The Many Health Benefits of Blueberries

Blueberries are a summer fruit staple. They add a splash of vibrant color to fruit salads and desserts, and a punch of sweet, yet tart flavor. But did you know that blueberries also provide an excellent source of vitamin C, fiber, manganese, and antioxidant properties.

Research shows a serving of blueberries can contain as much as 25% of our daily requirement of vitamin C, which helps promote a healthy immune system as well as helping to maintain healthy gums and the absorption of iron. Blueberries also contain fiber, which helps support heart health and healthy cholesterol levels, as well as healthy digestion.

In addition, "according to the USDA database of the antioxidant activity of selected foods (ORAC values), blueberries rank among the highest on a per serving basis," as noted by the Nutrient Data Laboratory Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center (BHNRC) Agricultural Research Service (ARS).[1]

For more information about the many health benefits of incorporating blueberries into your daily diet, check out the below sites. Then comment with your favorite blueberry recipes, collection and preserving tips!!

For general information and research links, visit the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council: http://www.blueberrycouncil.com/nutrition.php

"12 Surprising Reasons to Eat More Blueberries": http://www.care2.com/greenliving/12-surprising-reasons-to-eat-more-blueberries.html

"Blueberries: Fountain of Youth" from Mother Earth News: http://www.motherearthnews.com/grow-it/blueberries-fountain-of-youth.aspx

For blueberry recipes like whole-wheat blueberry bars, visit the Eating Well website here: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/whole_wheat_blueberry_bars.html


References
[1] Accessed online 8/16/10 at http://www.blueberrycouncil.com/nutrition.php

The New Dirty Dozen and Clean Foods You Don't Have to Buy Organic

The Dirty Dozen--the list of 12 foods you should eat organic--has been updated for 2010. The new list includes fruits, vegetables, and other foods with a high pesticide residue. It is highly recommended to buy organic when shopping for these foods. So, what are they?

The New Dirty Dozen includes:

• Celery
• Peaches
• Strawberries
• Apples
• Blueberries (new to the Dirty Dozen list, blueberries are reportedly treated with 52 pesticides, making them one of the dirtiest berries available)
• Nectarines
• Bell Peppers
• Spinach (also new to the Dirty Dozen, spinach may have as many as 48 different pesticides)
• Kale
• Cherries
• Potatoes
• Grapes

For more information about this new list, as well as information about how to shop for meats, milk, and leafy greens check out The Daily Green website.

By the way, carrots have been removed from the Dirty Dozen list, but made the list in previous years because of the up to 26 pesticides used. Carrots are a great source of beta-carotene and add great texture to vegetable dishes, so if you can't find organic, just be sure to scrub them before eating and you may consider peeling their skin as well.

The good news ... there are 15 identified "Clean Foods" you can eat without having to buy organic! Also from The Daily Green website, this list includes:

• Onion
• Avocado
• Sweet Corn
• Pineapple
• Mango
• Asparagus
• Sweet Peas
• Kiwi
• Cabbage
• Eggplant
• Papaya
• Watermelon
• Broccoli
• Tomato
• Sweet Potato

For more information about what "organic" means and why to buy organic, download our free ACHS Wellness Guide here. It also includes lots of practical tips for natura bodycare and holistic living.

Are you interested in exchanging recipes? We're collecting healthy, holistic recipes on ACHS Facebook for exchange. Get some new ideas, share some new ideas here: http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=99091122240&topic=13172

Eating for Summer: What's Fresh Now?

It's summer, which means lots of fresh fruits and veggies are in season. Whether you grow your own or go to your local farmer's market every Saturday, it's a great time to eat fresh (and can fresh so that you have yummy fruits and veggies year-round).

Canning and cooking at home are not only great ways to save money, they can also provide great family time and fun activities to share with friends. Plus, you know what you're eating! You can pick all your favorite seasonal items and herbs, and grill them or eat them raw or make delicious salads ... or, or, or however makes you feel healthy and satisfied.

But, how to know what's in season now? The Mother Earth News website has taken the guesswork out of eating for summer. Here's a summary of what's in season by category from their article "Summer Recipes: Fresh, Easy and Healthy":

Herbs: basil, borage, chives, cilantro, dill, garlic, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, summer savory, thyme

Salad Greens: arugula, beet greens, lettuce, mizuna, radish greens, sorrel, spinach, tatsoi

Cooking Greens: bok choy, chrysanthemum greens, collard greens, kale, mustard, turnip greens, Swiss chard

Garden Veggies: artichokes, avocados, beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, kohlrabi, leeks, okra, onions, peas (field, snow and snap), peppers, potatoes, radishes, tomatillos, tomatoes, summer squash, zucchini

Sea Veggies: dulse, Irish moss, various kelps, nori (laver), sea palm, wrack

Fruits: apricots, berries (blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, mulberries, raspberries, strawberries), cherries, figs, grapes, lemons, melons, nectarines, oranges, peaches, plums

Ephemeral Garden Treats: edible flowers (the blossoms of arugula, basil, calendula, chives, cilantro, lavender, marjoram, nasturtium, oregano, roses, rosemary, sage, thyme and violets), squash blossoms

Wild Edibles: beach peas, burdock, cat brier, lamb’s quarters, purslane, red clover, wild berries, yellow dock

Animal Products: Eggs and milk from animals eating summer’s bright green grasses are highly nutritious. Summer is prime chicken season, and lamb is most tender in early summer.

Fish: bass, bluegill, catfish, crappie, trout, walleye

Nuts & Seeds: almonds, sunflower seeds, walnuts

Mushrooms: bearded tooth, bolete, cauliflower, chanterelle, coral fungi, fairy ring, maitake, lobster, matsutake, mousseron, oyster, porcini, puffball, shaggy mane, shiitake, sulfur shelf, wood blewit (Note: Before you go out harvesting mushrooms, get a good field guide and be sure you know what you’re doing. Learn to identify various mushroom species with absolute certainty, so that you won’t pick anything poisonous!)

Are you interested in exchanging recipes? We're collecting healthy, holistic recipes on ACHS Facebook for exchange. Get some new ideas, share some new ideas here: http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=99091122240&topic=13172