Tags
acne aging anti-aging beauty detox diet exercise fasting healing health healthy lifestyle healthy living healthy recipes inspiration juicing Living la Vida Raw meditation mindfulness Move Your Body Natural Beauty natural cures Natural Cures natural remedies nutrition nutritionist parasites raw raw food Raw Food for Thought raw foods raw girl Raw News raw recipes Raw Spirit Recipes skin spirulina stress vegan vegan lifestyle vegan recipes vegetarian Veggie Love wellness yogaNewsletter Sign-up
Tag Archives: nutrition
The Many Reasons to Love Avocado
If I had to profess my undying love to any particular fruit or veggie, it would be a hard call between avocados and coconuts. What is not to love about this amazing creamy fruit that can be combined with both sweet and more bitter meals. Plus I can make yogurt or pudding with it, smoothies, and add it to salads. Since I have long been liberated from Standard American Diet purgatory and processed food addiction, avocados do for me what ice cream or yogurt does for die hard dairy lovers. The creamy texture, literally makes my heart sing, and ears perk up when I hear someone say the lovely name avocado. Oh, and the joy of cutting one open and it being completely perfect! I could go on and on. I know I’m tripping, but I really love them that much. They are also on my list of aphrodisiacs, so perhaps (***clears throat and bats eyelashes***), avocados are exciting for me in more ways than one. For grown folks only: the name avocado comes from the Aztec word ‘ahuacatl’ which, um, literally, um, means testicle (I don’t like that word, hence the hesitation). I assume you can guess that avocados got the name from the way they look. So beyond just eating avocados, you also have the option to make some dirty jokes about them. LOL.
So what groovy benefits do you get from eating avocado, which is also known as ‘alligator pear’? Well, they happen to be one of the healthiest foods on the planet! Avocados contain 25 essential nutrients including vitamin A, B, C, E, K, copper, iron, phosphorous, magnesium, potassium, protein, phytochemicals, and fiber. You would actually need to eat at least two bananas to get the amount of potassium in one avocado. Avocados have a large fat content, almost twenty times the amount of fat in other fruits but they are extremely good-for-you monounsaturated fats. People often worry that because of this avocados will make you gain weight. Not the case, but they are calorically dense for a fruit, and like all good things, moderation is important especially if trying to achieve a balanced plant-based or omnivore diet.
Onto the long list of fabulous things avocado can do for you health wise. Some key benefits of including them in your diet: maintaining a healthy heart and reducing risk of heart disease, efficiently lowering bad cholesterol and boosting good cholesterol, helps to regulate blood pressure levels, has anti-inflammatory properties that help ward off inflammation related diseases, promotes eye health and prevents macular degeneration, consumption helps to regulates blood sugar levels, reduces the risk of stroke because of high levels of folate, protects against breast cancer and has been shown to inhibit prostate cancer, contains glutathione which fights free radicals in the body, boosts immune system, slows aging (my fav), and encourages a healthy nervous system. If all of those benefits alone were not a mouthful add to that the fact that avocados are known the world over for boosting the health and natural glow of your skin.
My challenge this week in Brazil: How many ways can I eat huge avocados that are as large as my head? While I go off to work on that, I hope you have now been convinced that avocados are an awesome food to add to your diet. As much as I would love to keep my love for them all to myself, I know there’s more than enough love to go around so you can count on me to continue spreading the gospel. -Xo
Brazilian Fruit: Cashew!
Cashew in Brazil is next level!
I’ve always loved using cashew nuts for nut milks, icings, and even vegan cheese, but never actually knew what a cashew fruit looks like. Cashew nuts grow inside the seeds that hang from cashew apples. The fruit of a cashew tree has a stalk, and here in Brazil, they use all of it. The stalk of the fruit is used for making juices and sweets–you can literal order cashew juice! From the cashew nut you can also extract and make an edible oil, and from the roasted kernel a flour can be made. The false fruit sometimes called a cashew apple which is highly perishable and is high in vitamins A & C, can be eaten raw, cooked, or even used to make liquor.
If you are eating a high percentage of raw food, take care to eat a balanced amount of cashews or nuts in general to ensure the fat content of your diet isn’t too high. Cashew nuts are high in carbohydrates and low in fiber but packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants including vitamins E, K, and B-6, along with minerals like copper, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, iron, and selenium.
References:
Silva, S., & Tassara, H. (1998). Fruit in Brazil. São Paulo, SP: Empresa das Artes.
Brazilian Fruit: Açaí
Happy to be in the land of Açaí 🙂
Açaí bowls were already my favorite and in my opinion are better than ice cream on a hot summer day. Not only do you get fruit that is packed with anti-aging antioxidants, acai contains a generous amount of vitamin A, some calcium, and smaller amounts of trace minerals like chromium, zinc, iron, copper, manganese, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus.
Just in case you’ve never heard of it the ORAC test measures the antioxidant content of foods and gives each an ORAC (Oxygen radical absorbance capacity) score. In the case of acai, 100 grams of frozen pulp has an ORAC of 15,405, whereas the same amount of blueberries has a score of 4,669.
Funny enough acai is not a berry, it actually contains a pit like apricots so it’s considered a drupe. Because fresh acai berries have a short shelf life and aren’t available outside of where they are grown, they are exported and sold as a frozen fruit purée, dried powder or pressed juice.
The dopest part about the way acai is prepared in Brazil is it is more commonly used with savory meals.
References:
Silva, S., & Tassara, H. (1998). Fruit in Brazil. São Paulo, SP: Empresa das Artes.
Free Course: Self-Care 101
It wasn’t until I was wheels up and exhaled that I realized how desperately I needed a break. Traveling for me is a form of self-care. It gives me oxygen. It ignites my curiosity again and allows me to explore my passion for all things healthy, fashion, and food in other cultures. For several years now I’ve gone without real good quality vacations while I was studying towards my Masters. Meaning I may be traveling but I am working at the same time. I’m determined and thankfully have more support to take a REAL moment to breathe again before reaching a breaking point. If you are in need of TLC, find a way to say YES to your self-care and do something for you that makes your heart sing today.
PS Before I left for vacay I created a self-paced FREE Self-Care 101 course that includes a lecture I gave a few months back. It ain’t self-care as you think of it – I address it from a holistic perspective. Feel free to sign up and share the love with someone you know needs it. Tchau for now! XO
The Benefits of Coconut Water (& Hello from Brazil!)
Holy Smokes, I’m in Brazil!
I’ll be here for the next couple weeks and am excited to share info about some incredible tropical fruit and foods available in several posts per week so buckle up! One of the things I was looking forward to most on my bae-cay 😉 is having access to coconuts 24-7! I’m obsessed.
Apparently coconuts first arrived in Bahia in 1553 and then their growth spread all along the coast of Brazil. There are so many dishes that use coconut here from cassava and tapioca puddings, tapioca cous cous, beiju molhado, canjica (porridge), and much more. My favorite way to eat a coconut is fresh, drinking the water and eating the meat (when I’m not managing my macros as coconut milk and meat are higher in fat.
Coconut water which forms naturally in the fruit is 94% water, very little fat, high in potassium around 600 mg, and low in sodium. A diet rich in potassium is key for lowering blood pressure, dealing with sugar cravings, adrenal fatigue and much more. Research has shown that coconut water can lower blood sugar levels and improve health markers in animals, and has an antioxidant effect to modify free radicals so they do not cause harm. Beyond all this coconut water is the perfect post-workout drink for replenishing electrolytes post-workout because it contains potassium, magnesium, sodium and calcium. In two separate research studies, researchers found that coconut water restored hydration after exercise better than water and equal to high-electrolyte sports beverages. XO
Also check out this Past Post on 7 Natural Ways to Replenish Your Electrolytes Post Workout.
References:
Haddy FJ, Vanhoutte PM, Feletou M. Role of potassium in regulating blood flow
and blood pressure. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2006
Mar;290(3):R546-52. Review. PubMed PMID: 16467502.
Ismail I, Singh R, Sirisinghe RG. Rehydration with sodium-enriched coconut
water after exercise-induced dehydration. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public
Health. 2007 Jul;38(4):769-85. PubMed PMID: 17883020.
Saat M, Singh R, Sirisinghe RG, Nawawi M. Rehydration after exercise with
fresh young coconut water, carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage and plain water. J
Physiol Anthropol Appl Human Sci. 2002 Mar;21(2):93-104. PubMed PMID: 12056182.
Neem as Natural Birth Control
I first got hip to neem as natural birth control years ago in conversation with an Ayurvedic doctor. Interestingly enough, neem has already been used as a contraceptive in India for thousands of years. Neem is a spermicide, and is my top choice for a natural birth control for any card carrying progressive woman as it can be taken by both men and women. YEP, ladies you heard me right – how bout we get bae involved!
Why I prefer it is because it does have some research behind it– although most of the testing has been done on animals. To use it and make it completely fool-proof ideally: the female partner would take neem during her fertile window, the male partner would also take it, AND for additional protection neem oil can also be inserted in the vagina during or after sex. It is possible for men alone to take it, or women alone to take it and still prevent pregnancy. For the fertility window to be safe you can track your cycle and take neem for 7 days total. Most women have a 28-day menstrual cycle, which means you have about 6 days each month when you can get pregnant. How long should Bae take it? Animal studies showed 66.7 percent reduction in fertility after 6 weeks, 80 percent after 9 weeks, and 100 percent after 11 weeks. Using a dose of 900-1000 mg daily of a Neem leaf during that period would be ideal.
Research conducted on 20 married soldiers from the Indian Army over the course of one year showed that a daily oral dose of several drops of neem seed oil placed in gelatin capsules prevented pregnancy in each of the wives during the period of the study. The effect took 6 weeks to become 100% effective. The effects were reversed within 6 weeks after subjects discontinued taking the capsules. During the study, none of the men experienced any negative side effects and retained their normal capabilities and desires. (Vietmeyer, 1992). In the studies I found, 3 mg of neem leaf extract immobilized and killed 100% of spermatozoa within 20 seconds. Newer studies showed that neem oil contraceptive kills sperm in the vagina within 30 seconds and remains active for five hours without causing irritation.
To watch a testimonial I found of a woman who has used this method for five years, click HERE. XO
References:
Link to overview: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/d40d/f43dc1193917a79a6a58e9dd715cf39e439f.pdf
Gp. Capt. K.C. Sinha and Lt. Col. S.S. Riar. 1985. Neem oil—an ideal contraceptive. Biological Memoirs 10(1 and 2):107-114.
N.L. Sadre, Vibhavari Y. Deshpande, K.N. Mendulkar, and D.H. Nandal. 1983. Male antifertility activity of Azadirachta indica in different species. Pages 473-482 in H. Schmutterer and K.R.S. Ascher, eds. 1984. Natural Pesticides from the Neem Tree (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.) and other tropical plants. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), Eschborn, Germany.
Shakti N. Upadhyay, Charu Kaushic, and G.P. Talwar. 1990. Antifertility effects of neem (Azadirachta indica) oil by single intrauterine administration: a novel method for contraception. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B: Biological Sciences 242:175-179.
Suryawanshi, Jyotsna, A. Natural contraceptive for male and female.International Journal of Biomolecules and Biomedicine (IJBB), 2011, Jul 30. Vol. 1, No.2, p. 1-6
Buffalo Cauliflower Wings!
I’ve recently fallen in love with cauliflower. I’ve always been more of a broccoli kind of girl, and felt a bit meh about cauliflower. But after realizing how versatile it is, coupled with the amazing nutritional profile it has, I found myself getting down with cauliflower regularly. One cup of cauliflower has a ton of fiber, 77% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C, along with vitamin K, B6, folate, manganese, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorous. You can use food processed cauliflower as a substitute for rice, roast a whole head of it in the oven and make a cauliflower steak, cut it up and add to stir fry or mixed vegetable dishes, or get down with cauliflower “wings.” I’m not a huge fan of fake meats or vegan processed meat products, so when I tried cauliflower wings I wanted to write a love letter to whoever had this genius idea. You can make these wings and use hot sauce for buffalo wings, or use barbecue sauce if you prefer that flavor. Below’s the recipe I used. It’s very simple and takes little to no time at all. -XO Raw Girl
Ingredients:
1 large head of cauliflower cut into chunky pieces (approx 4 cups))
1/2 cup of Almond, Hemp, Coconut, or any nut milk
1 cup of Tapioca Flour
1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 Tsp Onion Powder
1/2 Tsp Salt
Several dashes of Cayenne Pepper (optional if you like extra spicy)
1/2 cup of Hot Sauce or Wing Sauce
2 Tablespoons melted Coconut Oil or Butter (if you are vegetarian)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 450 F and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl mix together dry ingredients: tapioca flower with all preferred seasonings.
- Slowly pour in nut milk and whisk together until batter becomes smooth. If batter too runny add in a bit more of tapioca flour.
- Dip each cauliflower floret into batter and coat completely then place on baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes until the batter has set.
- Mix together the melted coconut oil with the hot sauce or wing sauce, and toss the baked cauliflower into the hot sauce until each one is coated.
- Place back on baking sheet and bake for 10 more minutes.
- If you prefer crispier “wings” broil for 2-3 minutes carefully so you don’t burn them.
Serve & enjoy however you prefer! Add to wraps, salads, or eat as appetizers alone. I made a non-dairy vegan ranch dressing to pair with my wings. Will share recipe soon!
Prep!!
Coated in Batter
All Done 🙂
P.S. Only a few more days to enroll in the summer edition of my 8 week transformative health program Staying Ageless 30+! If you are a woman 30+ Interested in staying fly until you are 99 or close to it, I want to talk to you. Sign up for a call with me HERE. And if you haven’t check it yet, you can watch my FREE webinar 6 Ways to Slow the Aging Process HERE.
Adrenal Fatigue & The Adrenal Body Type
Stress Kills.
The more I learn about the damage that stress can do in the body; the more I believe that it is one of my chief responsibilities as a practitioner to encourage my clients to not only manage their stress, but also sometimes make adjustments to bring themselves back into balance.
Lately I’ve seen quite a few clients struggling with signs of adrenal fatigue. Adrenal issues are way more common than we realize! If you or someone you know: started gaining weight around the midsection, can’t sleep, has a hard time focusing, is losing hair or balding, has frequent cravings for carbs and salt, emotionally irritable, has high anxiety or fixation on problems, low libido, high blood pressure, reliant on stimulants to stay awake, has a hard time getting up in the morning, tired during the day, has allergies or asthma issues, acne, inappropriate hair growth in women, blood sugar issues (stress can trigger the release of insulin!), sleep apnea /snoring, leg cramps, brain fog, bloating (because digestion is affected) etc.
The classic adrenal body type is someone who carries and gains the majority of their weight in their midsection. What happens is as cortisol levels stay elevated from chronic stress, the body moves fat around the midsection to protect the major organs. This is a complete survival mechanism and this kind of weight gain usually starts after prolonged stress or a very stressful event or trauma.
A few things you can do to bring the adrenals back to balance: getting sleep / re-balancing sleep, low impact exercise like walking or light yoga, consume potassium rich foods – potassium helps to restore adrenals and lower insulin, getting rid of stressful relationships or toxic work environments, take an extended vacation to de-stress, reduce/eliminate sugar intake, re-imagine breakfast: healthy fats, protein, and vegetables over high carbs will sustain your energy longer throughout the day.
XO Esosa E, MS AKA Raw Girl
P.S. I am taking FREE one-on-one calls for the next week! If you would like to chat with me, and see how I can help you reach your health goals – sign up HERE.
P.S.S. Read more on Adrenal Fatigue in this PAST POST
The Benefits of Superfood Chlorella
If you’re about that #AgelessLife; strategic supplementation is key.
An awesome way to ensure adequate nutrition daily is to incorporate superfoods into meals. One of my favorite superfoods that sometimes gets slept on is Chlorella!
Why is chlorella the bomb dot com?!
It is a green algae and cousin of spirulina that is high in protein (around 50-60%) with all nine essential amino acids, essential fatty acids, and more than 20 vitamins and minerals including potassium, zinc, iron, calcium, phosphorous, B Vitamins including a potentially active form of B12 (essential for plant-eaters), vitamin C, D,E, and K.
Chlorella is a great source of antioxidants, and one of the highest forms of chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is the life blood of plants and has a structure similar to the hemoglobin in our blood. Chlorella’s high levels of chlorophyll have been shown to protect the body against ultraviolet radiation treatments while removing radioactive particles from the body so it’s excellent for those who are going through chemo.
Chlorella also works to synergistically balance and normalize body functions while supporting immunity, and has strong detoxification properties which aid the body in removing heavy metals, waste, parasites and other toxins.
It can even improve body odor or bad breath y’all! In addition to being a super detoxifier, chlorella has been shown to prevent development of cancerous cells, can help to rebuild nerves in the brain after serious nerve damage,, eliminate constipation, and help to rebalance gut flora which aids in treating digestive and colon related diseases.
It’s also helpful for weight loss and correcting insulin resistance. In a study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food, researchers state, “Chlorella intake resulted in noticeable reductions in body fat percentage, serum total cholesterol, and fasting blood glucose levels.” Chlorella benefits you by helping to regulate hormones, metabolism, improving circulation and promoting higher levels of energy.
Research continues to reveal that chlorella may also slow the aging process! A study published in the journal Clinical Laboratory revealed that chlorella greatly reduces oxidative stress, caused from pollution, stress and a poor diet.
Pretty dope for spirulina’s cousin huh?!
Have you tried Chlorella? What are your favorite superfoods? Comment below or on my Instagram @therawgirl ! -XO
Speaking in DC this Weekend!
I’m really excited to be speaking in DC this weekend for the Greater Washington Urban League’s Health Awareness Day Symposium on the topic of Self-Care and Brain Health! I’ll be on from 12:20-12:40 at First Congregational United Church of Christ, 945 G Street NW.
If you can make it RSVP for this free event HERE:
https://www.gwul-guild.org/events
Hope to see you soon!
XO Raw Girl