Food Focus: Figs
Fresh figs are delicious! I love their teardrop shape, and biting into a fresh fig is like a little taste of heaven. They are sweet, creamy, and I love the crunch of the tiny seeds. They are such a treat. Summer is the season for figs, and the season is short, so take advantage!
Figs are indigenous to southwestern Asia. Siddhartha Gautama is said to have become awakened after he sat under the Bo species of the fig tree.
Ayurveda - The Science of Life
Ayurveda is an ancient Indian method of healing. Ayuh is Sanskrit (an ancient Indian language that is no longer commonly used) for life, veda means knowledge. So together, Ayurveda means knowledge of life. The purpose of Ayurveda is to heal and maintain equilibrium within the body. That being said, I have found Ayurveda to be helpful in discovering the causes of imbalance within the body.
Managing Seasonal Allergies Naturally
Spring has sprung in most areas, even though as I type this in NYC, it is 30 degrees outside. Many of my friends and family are suffering from allergies this spring. Even my dog, Bella is suffering! Her poor eyes are runny, as they were last spring. I am fortunate that I am not really affected by spring allergies, but I hope my article will help those that are suffering.
Spring Clean with Spring Greens!
Spring is a time of renewal and repair and is the ideal time to cleanse your body for the warm summer months that follow. Nature does a great job providing exactly what we need when we need it. Eating seasonally and locally is best because the foods available in any given season are generally what our bodies require at that particular time. Winter is a time for roots, heavier on starches, protein, and fats to help keep us warm. Springs provides us with foods that help to cleanse what winter built up. Summer provides us with cooling fruits and vegetables to combat the heat, and the fall gives us foods that will sustain us through winter.
Healthy and Delicious Smoothie Recipes
I recently lead a smoothie tasting workshop and was asked to post the recipes on my blog. So here they are! The green smoothie may sound odd, but believe it or not, it was everyone’s favorite!
Leafy green smoothie
Types of Detox Programs
There are many different types of cleanses and fasts out there for you to try. I have listed a few below:
Healthy, Homemade Dog Treats
Many of us consider our pets like family. I make a point to eat healthy foods so it makes sense that I would want my dog to eat healthy food and snacks as well. Just about everything I've seen in pet stores is junk. Some of you may think making your dog homemade cookies is very time consuming, rest assured, it is not! You can double the batch and freeze them in an airtight container.
Breath-Freshening Biscuits
Nutritious and Delicious Winter Squash
Squashes fall into two categories – the harder winter variety and softer summer variety. Today I will be speaking about winter squash. The low-carb craze of a few years ago has turned many people away from vegetables deemed “too starchy”, with winter squash being one of them. This is a real shame because winter squash is chock full of nutrients and fiber.
The most well-known winter squashes are acorn, butternut, pumpkin, and spaghetti squash. While winter squash is higher in carbohydrates than its summer cousin, you should not shy away from these amazing vegetables!
Dandelion - The Nutritious Weed
“A weed is just a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.” – Waldo Emerson
Many people groan every spring when dandelions start to pop up on their front lawn. If they only knew the medicinal qualities of this plant, they would rejoice instead! Dandelion greens and roots have been used for medicinal and detoxification purposes in China, Japan, Russia, and Europe for over a century.
Tone Your Liver…And Your Mood!
Coconut Water: Nature's Electrolyte
Yesterday I took a very tough hot vinyasa class. For 75 minutes I sweat as if I was sitting in a sauna, combined with rigorous yoga. I made the mistake of eating a fairly large lunch soon after, and even though I drank a lot of water throughout the day, the food in my stomach was affecting how fast the water was getting into my blood. As a result, I was very dehydrated and had a very bad headache for the rest of the afternoon and evening. I am not big on commercial sports drinks – I never really have been because of the taste. I prefer to reach for nature’s sports drink: coconut water.