Tag Archives: greens

The Many Reasons to Love Cruciferous Veggies

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If I was stranded on a remote island “Survivor” style and could only pick one class of veggies to bring with me, it would be the crucifers, without contest. Cruciferous vegetables (also known as Brassicas) include broccoli, broccoli rabe, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, collard greens, turnips, turnip and mustard greens, arugula, watercress, bok choy (Chinese cabbage), kohlrabi, radishes, and daikon. Although all vegetable have nutritional benefits, the crucifers are superstars in the veggie world as they have been proven by research to assist in detoxification, stimulate the immune system,  reduce degenerative damage in the nervous system, protect against cardiovascular disease, slow and even reverse decline of brain functioning and cognitive performance, and can help to restore balance to the endocrine system. Besides their stellar benefits to the bodies’ systems, crucifers have a great nutritional profile containing vitamins, minerals, and fiber that we need to maintain healthy elimination and weight.

There has been quite a bit of research conducted that has shown that increased consumption of cruciferous vegetables lowers the risk of contracting cancers including breast and prostate. The phytochemicals found in cruciferous vegetables can stimulate enzymes in the body that will remove carcinogens through the body’s’ detoxification pathways before they damage cells. By now you may be aware of the harmful effects stress can have on your body. Well oxidative stress, which occurs from the overload of harmful molecules called free radicals, accelerates our aging and can lead to disease or health conditions over time. When you consume large amounts of cruciferous vegetables, you reduce oxidative stress which in turn helps to reduce the risk of colon, lung, prostate, breast, and other cancers. In animal studies, cruciferous vegetables have been shown to reduce inflammation; which may point to an anti-inflammatory effect as one of the benefits for human consumption.

Just in case you aren’t convinced that #TeamCrucifer is the greatest, there are some vanity reasons to consume them as well. For those struggling with acne for hormonal reasons, cruciferous vegetables can provide some relief because they assist the body in restoring hormonal balance. This also makes consuming cruciferous vegetables wonderful for women struggling with fibroids or endometriosis who may have an issue of estrogen dominance. Whatever reason you chose to join #TeamCrucifer know that getting your greens in will help improve your overall health, skin, youthfulness, and vitality. -XO Raw Girl

References:

Abdull Razis AF, Noor NM. Cruciferous vegetables: dietary phytochemicals for
cancer prevention. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2013;14(3):1565-70. Review. PubMed
PMID: 23679237.

APAPollock, R. L. (2016). The effect of green leafy and cruciferous vegetable intake on the incidence of cardiovascular disease: A meta-analysis. JRSM Cardiovascular Disease, 5, 2048004016661435. http://doi.org/10.1177/2048004016661435

Jiang Y, Wu SH, Shu XO, Xiang YB, Ji BT, Milne GL, Cai Q, Zhang X, Gao YT,
Zheng W, Yang G. Cruciferous vegetable intake is inversely correlated with
circulating levels of proinflammatory markers in women. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2014
May;114(5):700-8.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2013.12.019. Epub 2014 Mar 13. PubMed
PMID: 24630682; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4063312.

Wu QJ, Yang Y, Vogtmann E, Wang J, Han LH, Li HL, Xiang YB.  Cruciferous vegetables intake and the risk of colorectal cancer: a meta-analysis of observational studies. Annals of Oncology 2013; 24(4): 1079-1087.

 

Healthy Action of the Week: Get Yo Greens In!

GREENSEvery day this week try to incorporate fresh organic green vegetables in at least one meal. Your body will thank you. -Xo Raw Girl 

Some benefits of chlorophyll found in green vegetables include:

  • Increases the functioning of the heart
  • Improves the health and wellness of the intestines
  • Cleanses the liver
  • Improves the overall health of the vascular system
  • Maintains healthy bones and strong muscles
  • Protein. Yes! Greens have protein
  • Lowers or maintain healthy blood pressure
  • Helps body to detox and cleanse of impurities naturally
  • Improves the quality of your skin
  • Can increase the quality and quantity of your red blood cells because the compound has a chemical composition very similar to hemoglobin
  • Can lower your risk for developing certain types of cancer

***Warning: eating a larger amount of green vegetables may accelerate healing or cause an increase in joie de vivre, sexiness, youthfulness, and overall magnetism. Heed this advice at your own risk.****

Juice! Swiss Chard Energizer

Swiss Chard Energizer FINAL

The Art of Eating for Beauty

Healthy Living Photo shootI’m sure you have at some point in your life heard the saying: “you are what you eat.” If you truly take that statement to heart you realize that with every meal you have the opportunity to reinvent yourself; the nourishment you choose can either fuel your body or leave you feeling and looking like you’re running on empty. When considering optimal health, we have to think about food for the mind, body, and spirit. We all want to feel beautiful or appreciated for the uniqueness that we are but beauty is much deeper than a pretty face. True beauty could be considered the fullest most energetic expression of one’s soul. Below are some simple ways you can step into your true beauty and fill yourself up with spiritual and physical nourishment. -XoXo Raw Girl 

Eat Whole, Unprocessed Foods. If you are what you eat do you want to look like a stale bag of salt encrusted potato chips? Or would you prefer to radiate the energy from a fresh bowl of organic leafy greens? Sounds like an easy choice, but sometimes our taste buds get the better of us. Nowadays it is more important than ever to know that what you are eating is actually food, because the majority of packaged and to-go meals out there are full of chemicals, preservatives, harmful additives, or even hormones. Consuming these toxins does not only diminishes your outward appearance, it also has a direct effect on your emotional stability and joie de vivre.

Get Your Beauty Vitamins In. Food is one of the most powerful tools we have at our disposal to alter our physical body, increase our magnetism, and boost our overall sexy factor. As David Wolfe so eloquently sums up in his book “Eating for Beauty,” there are a number of nutrients that are essential for maintaining and cultivating an attractive appearance including vitamin A, C, E, silicon, sulfur, and zinc. In addition to these you’ll want to make sure you get enough magnesium, manganese, iron, and B vitamins which are all essential for the proper functioning of metabolic pathways that convert our food into energy.

Embrace Silence. Meditation, in whatever form you choose to practice, is the ultimate food for the soul. Not only is meditation a stress reliever, it can actually boost your mental performance. Research conducted at the University of California, Santa Barbara found that college students trained in mindfulness performed better on verbal reasoning sections on the GRE and also had improvements in retention of material. The outcome of the study suggests that mindfulness improves overall cognitive function. In addition meditation helps to balance out emotions and moodiness, and has been shown in numerous studies to reduce the risk of depression.

Do Yoga. Not only is yoga is healing modality that can help release bodily toxins, improve flexibility, boost your immune system, and improve blood circulation, it is another incredible way to give your soul the food it needs. On your mat as your learn to focus, breathe, and move through challenges without letting your mental chatter get in your way, you slowly but surely free yourself up to be the fiercest most beautiful version of you, outside in the real world.

Pursue Your Purpose. When someone contracts a serious illness or chronic disease, they expect their doctor to prescribe medication, and if their lucky some lifestyle changes. Often times in addition to those recommendations, the best prescription is to simply find what you love and do it daily. It is far too common to find ourselves living a life that is not our own and neglecting our true passions and calling. To be the best, healthiest version of you, find what it is that makes your heart sing and do it NOW. Not next week, ten years from now, when you have more money etc. When you love what you do and are walking in your purpose you will be happy, and a good dose of happy is an essential ingredient for optimal health.

Want to get your vegan glow on just in time for spring? The 7 Days of Raw challenge begins on March 1st! Like the Facebook Page for details and updates.

 

 

4 Reasons to Love Collard Greens

COLLARDSCollard greens are dark leafy veggies that are related to kale, broccoli, and cabbage. In fact collards, are actually the descendants of wild cabbage. Most of us may know and love collards as a side dish (that sometimes is cooked to death), and accompanies a larger meal. Although these greens tend to be rough you can cut them finely and  steam sautee them easily or enjoy eating them raw with the right preparation in salads and or use them as a tortilla substitute for a wrap filled with veggies. If you grow them or if you can buy baby collards, they tend to be less bitter and really easy to add into salads like any other green. Collard greens are an excellent source of vitamin C, K, A, beta-carotene, manganese, folate, calcium, magnesium, iron, and fiber. Individuals who have pre-existing or untreated kidney or gall bladder issues should avoid collards because of the measurable levels of oxalates. If oxalates become concentrated in bodily fluids, they can crystallize and cause a host of health issues. Below are a few brief reasons why adding some collard greens to your life every now and then is not a bad idea. Whether you steam them, wrap them up, or toss them into a salad, know that these super greens are a great way to boost your nutrition. -XoXo Raw Girl 

  • Consuming collards protects against cancer. Collard greens provide nutrients and support functioning of the bodies’ detox, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory system, all of which must become compromised for cancer to thrive in the body.
  • Collards support weight loss, because like most greens they come with little to no calories and a nice serving of fiber to support digestion and proper elimination.
  • These cruciferous veggies have also been show to have very powerful effects on heart related conditions and lowering cholesterol. THey contain niacin, a vitamin which is known to reduce cholesterol and prevent diabetes and heart disease.
  • Collards also have anti-inflammatory benefits as they are an excellent source of vitamin K and a good source of omega-3 fatty acids (in the form of alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA), two important anti-inflammatory nutrients. Vitamin K acts as a direct regulator of our inflammatory response, and ALA is the building block for several of the body’s anti-inflammatory messaging molecules.

For a salad recipe using collards, check out this past post: Collard Green Salad w/ Grapefruit Vinaigrette

VEG Transition Recipe: Steam Sauteed Kale w/ Bell Peppers

KALEI really do not mind preparing vegan dishes from time to time, but for whatever reason, it actually pains me to cook the life force out of my greens!  Last week my cooking class assignment was to make steam sauteed greens. Because I got to do what I got to do to get my degree I made this simple meal as instructed, and it took no time at all. Although I much prefer to season and massage my greens and eat them raw, this is a really great recipe for anyone looking to add more greens into their life, transition into veggie living, or those who have an aversion (gasp!) to raw greens. The combination of the carmelized onions and the bell pepper adds a sweetness to it, and throwing in some garlic and ginger makes it even yummier. Just make sure NOT to overcook your greens so you still have some of the glorious nutrients available. This is a great side dish to a main course or you could pair it with an additional hefty food like quinoa and call it a meal. If you despise greens give it a try you may find a new easy and simple way to add some more essential veggies into your life. -XoXo Raw Girl 

             Steam Sauteed Kale w/ Bell Peppers

1 bunch Green Kale roughly chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic diced

1/4 ginger root diced
Splash of good olive oil

 

1/2 Onion chopped

1 organic red bell pepper chopped 

 

Sea Salt

 

Heat a pan, or wok with a lid. Add a dash of good quality olive oil and then add in your diced onions. Cook the onions until almost translucent and then add in your peppers. Cover the pan and let the peppers and onions steam for a minute. Add your greens on top and add in your garlic and ginger with sea salt to taste. Cover and steam until cooked but not overcooked. Serve and enjoy!

Juicing Parsley for Flawless Skin

Parsley Power Tonic from my 7 Day Detox for Beauty, Weightloss, & Rejuvenation

Parsley Power Tonic from my 7 Day Detox for Beauty, Weightloss, & Rejuvenation

Perhaps parsley doesn’t get much attention because it is used frequently as a garnish. Despite the fact that a lot of people think if it as side fare, this power herb can do more wonders for improving your health and giving you a radiant glow than your main course. Parsley is rich in vitamin A which is a power beauty vitamin, and helps to clear blemishes and maintain an even skin tone while also cleansing the urinary tract, liver, and kidneys. It has a high vitamin C content which helps to stimulate the production of collagen and reduces fine lines, scars, blemishes, and pore size, all at a severely discounted price compared to Botox. Parsley also has high levels of vitamin K which can improve skin elasticity and speed up the wound healing process and is extremely chlorophyll-rich which increases blood flow and metabolizes oxygen in the body. Like many raw vegetables and fruits parsley is  rich in antioxidants which rid the body of free radicals and slow the aging process. Not bad for a garnish, huh? One of the best ways to harness the power of parsley is to juice it in combination with other veggies. Several of the recipes in my detox plans contain parsley because of its super power ability to cleanse and boost beauty.  If you have not yet tried juicing parsley I highly recommend you experiment with different combinations and find variations you love. -XoXo Raw Girl 

For 21 awesome original juice recipes, a detox calendar, a detox guide, and shopping list, check out my 7 Day Detox for Beauty, Weightloss, & Rejuvenation.

Smoothie! Cilantro Rejuvenator

Cilantro RejuvenatorCilantro Rejuventor

4-5 Kale Leaves

1/4 Green Melon

1-2 Cucumbers

1 Banana

Organic Pineapple Juice 

(preferable if you run pineapple through the juicer, but you can also use store bought if you like)

Put all ingredients in the blender, blend, serve, enjoy!

-XoXo Raw Girl

Got Chlorophyll? The Benefits of Eating Your Greens

Photo By Briana Monet

A couple weeks ago I stumbled upon a few of those “got milk?” ads and a light bulb went off in my head. I wanted to create an ad that promoted greens and their true healing power. So much of the information that is fed to us by the media has more to do with weight loss fads and corporations meeting their bottom line. Since I was a little girl I’ve been lactose intolerant, so I never felt that milk did my body good. In fact it was quite the opposite. I felt bloated, cramped, lethargic, or even nauseous after drinking milk. Later when I became a vegan and cut out absolutely all dairy, it was like a fog had lifted. My allergies decreased and I felt lighter, clearer, and healthier.

I’m all for each person finding the right diet for them, but we must start championing the power of fresh fruits and vegetables by any means necessary. These are essentials that should be a large part of any diet. Our country is at a crossroads and it’s up to us to take control of our personal health and demand that good wholesome foods be readily available and affordable to anyone willing to consume them. Below are benefits of getting your daily dose of chlorophyll. Just in case you don’t know what chlorophyll is, it’s the molecule that gives green plants their pigment. During the process of photosynthesis chlorophyll absorbs the sunlight. Without this essential ingredient green leafy vegetables would loose their life force and power and wouldn’t be able to convert sunlight into the energy they need to grow.

If you are sold on the benefits, be sure to eat or drink your green leafy vegetables every day if possible. To get a mega-dose of chlorophyll start adding a liquid chlorophyll supplement, chlorella, or spirulina to your diet. Chlorella and spirulina can be bought in pill or powder form and blended into smoothies. Please share this post and the ad, like it, love it, talk about it. Let’s keep pushing the GREEN movement! More to come…-XoXo Raw Girl

Some benefits of chlorophyll found in green vegetables include:

  • Increases the functioning of the heart
  • Improves the health and wellness of the intestines
  • Cleanses the liver
  • Improves the overall health of the vascular system
  • Maintains healthy bones and strong muscles
  • Protein. Yes! Greens have protein
  • Lowers or maintain healthy blood pressure
  • Helps body to detox and cleanse of impurities naturally
  • Improves the quality of your skin
  • Can increase the quality and quantity of your red blood cells because the compound has a chemical composition very similar to hemoglobin
  • Can lower your risk for developing certain types of cancer

***Warning: eating a larger amount of green vegetables may accelerate healing or cause an increase in joie de vivre, sexiness, youthfulness, and overall magnetism. Heed this advice at your own risk.****

Go Alkaline! Shed Pounds, Change Your Mood, & Renew Your Health

The issue of alkaline vs. acidic diet is a very important one for veggie lovers and meat-eaters alike. Below is a video clip of CNN coverage featuring Dr. Robert Young, author of “The pH Miracle,” where he stresses this fact and shows the results some of his clients have had by focusing solely on making their diets more alkaline. He basically emphasizes elimination of meat and dairy which cause acidic build up in the body. I love that he talks about eating greens in the morning. I can get down with greens in the morning, noon, and night. Also, he makes an important mention about our thoughts creating acidity. If you are still on the road of eating highly acidic foods, you will will find yourself more often than not sick, tired, depressed, or highly irritable. Next time your about to go on an emotional rampage, please get down with some greens.  It’s like taking a chill pill. – XoXo Raw Girl

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