Archive for May, 2009

Apples and Alzheimer’s

This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food

Apples and Alzheimer’s

A recent study from the Center for Cellular Neurobiology and Neurodegeneration Research at the University of Massachusetts found that drinking apple juice could reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers gave mice two cups of apple juice a day for one month. They found that the mice who drank apple juice produced less beta-amyloid, a small protein that harms normal brain cells and forms the plaques found in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease.

Lead study author Thomas B. Shea, PhD. said his findings “suggest that regular consumption of apple juice can not only help to keep one’s mind functioning at its best, but may also be able to delay key aspects of Alzheimer’s disease and augment therapeutic approaches.” The researchers did not identify the specific component in apple juice responsible for the healing effect.

Food, Inc. Trailer

This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food

Food, Inc. Trailer

I just watched a trailer for another movie I want to see, Food, Inc. It’s coming to theaters in New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco on June 12th. Check it out!

http://www.foodincmovie.com/

Buy Fresh, Then Freeze

This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food

Buy Fresh, Then Freeze

I love to buy fresh vegetables, especially on the weekends when I have time to prepare them on the same day. But, with little spare time, I don’t always get to buy fresh when I need it. Also, my farmer’s markets and Whole Foods stores are across town. I love that my Publix is just down the street, but I really have to go to the health food stores or fresh markets to get things like kale, swiss chard, and other organic/local produce.

So, I got a great tip from someone recently and wanted to share. When you go to the health food store or farmer’s market, buy your fresh greens (or other favorite  produce) in bulk. When you bring them home, chop them up and store them in air-tight containers or freezer bags. This way you always have fresh produce and it won’t spoil before you eat it all. Great idea, right?

Yesterday I went to Whole Foods and went crazy with greens and herbs. I bought fresh mustard greens, kale, swiss chard, parsley, basil, oregano, and time. When I got home I chopped up everything and transferred them to freezer containers.

Now I have fresh greens ready to cook or throw in salads for weeks to come. I can take a little out at a time and either splash them with water to defrost or toss them right in a pan to steam or saute.

Here’s a picture of my kale as I was chopping it up and putting it in a tupperware.

Finished product!

Check Out This FRESH New Movie

This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food

Check Out This FRESH New Movie

I recently heard about a new independent film called FRESH while I was up in school in NYC. I had a chance to see the trailer and wanted to share it with you. FRESH features “farmers, thinkers, and business people” in the U.S. who are making positive changes in our industrialized food system. Some of the main characters include urban and sustainable farmers and supermarket owners.

Check out the trailer at the FRESH website: www.FRESHthemovie.com

I’m a Florida girl, and so far there are zero screenings of the movie in my state. But, I’d love to see it. If you want to host a screening in your home town, you can fill out a request here.

Nectarine Pie with Quinoa Walnut Crust

Preheat oven to 350°. Place quinoa in a blender and grind about 5 minutes until it becomes fine flour or grind in a flour mill. Remove and place in a mixing bowl. Coarsely grind the walnuts in the blender and place in the bowl. Add sea salt, mix, and add the oil, Edensoy and maple syrup. Mix thoroughly. Press the dough evenly into a 9" pie plate to form the crust. Pre-bake the crust for 10 minutes. While the crust is baking, place the nectarines, juice and sea salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the flame to low and slowly add the dissolved kuzu, stirring constantly to prevent lumping. When thick, about 1 minute or so, pour the filling into the pre-baked crust. Bake another 10 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Remove and cool before slicing.

Spicy Wasabi Asparagus Spears

Place the first four ingredients into a small bowl and whisk to dissolve the wasabi. Preheat the oven to 400° to 425°. Place the asparagus spears on a baking sheet and evenly brush the water/shoyu/oil/wasabi mixture over the asparagus. Bake for about 15 minutes until tender. Remove, place on a serving platter and sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt if desired. Variation: place the seasoned spears on a hot grill and grill for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and grill another 2 to 3 minutes or until tender. They can also be broiled in a similar manner on a baking sheet.

Asian Vinaigrette

Place all ingredients in a blender and pulse until creamy. Pour over fresh salad, bean and vegetable or pasta salad. To store refrigerate in a sealed glass jar.

Save Your Eyes

This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food

Save Your Eyes

My eyes are really sensitive. When I was little, I was allergic to something that caused them to puff up so badly in the mornings that I couldn’t see. These days I have chronic dry eye and allergy flare-ups that make them burn and itch. I’m also really near-sighted…so, walking around without my glasses or contacts is just not an option. Knowing that my eyes need extra care, I try to drink tons of liquid and cater my diet to eye-friendly fare.

You can bet I was happy this morning to read some new research on diet and healthy eyes.

CNN Health reports that newly published studies from the U.S. and Australia found that healthy fats can reduce your risk of age-related macular degeneration (the eye disease called AMD).

Scientists from the University of Sydney studied 2,454 men and women for about 10 years. They found that “people who ate a serving of fish every week were 31 percent less likely to develop early AMD than those who did not.” In addition, those who ate a few servings of nuts every week were 35% less likely to develop AMD.

Another study from the University of Melbourne followed over 6,700 people ages 58-69. The researchers found that “those who consumed the most omega-3 fatty acids were at 15 percent lower risk of early-stage AMD.” Those who consumed the most olive oil were about 50% less likely to develop late AMD.

Elizabeth Johnson, Ph.D. is a research scientist who works at the Carotenoids and Health Laboratory at Tufts University in Boston. Johnson says that our nervous tissue and retinas both contain a lot of omega-3 fats, especially DHA. The link between omega-3s and healthy eyesight just makes sense.

Healthy fats already play a big role in my daily diet, but here’s to having more reasons to eat olive oil, nuts, avocados, fish, and flax!

Lunch at My Desk

This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food

Lunch at My Desk

Here’s a picture of a cute little salad I made at work today. I whipped it up while sitting it at my desk using only my hands, a butter knife, and a little plate. Why? Well, I overslept this morning but was determined to have a good lunch, so I just grabbed handfuls of veggies from my ‘fridge and threw them in a bag to take with me. I poured some olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a plastic baggie for dressing and headed out the door.

Once it hit lunchtime, I found some bags of cashews that someone left after a conference meeting. So, you can bet I grabbed some to top off my salad with something filling! I was surprised at how nice it came out after cutting up everything with a butter knife.

Here’s to making the best of what you got!

I used: romaine lettuce, raw kale, cucumber, orange bell pepper, tomato, celery, cashews, and balsamic olive oil dressing. Yum!

p.s. I’ve got a sweet potato for when I get hungry again in a few hours. : )

Vit C and Blood Pressure Linked

This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food

Vit C and Blood Pressure Linked

Did you know that your blood pressure is linked to the amount of vitamin C you consume? A study published in the Nutrition Journal found that young women who take in the most vitamin C have the healthiest blood pressure stats.

The study followed 242 women between 18 and 21years old for a ten year period. At the conclusion of the study, researchers found that the blood pressure of women with the highest levels of vitamin C was an average of four points lower than women with the least amount of vitamin C. (Women’s Health, May 2008, p. 26)

Study co-author Gladys Block, PH.D., said that the vitamin C reduces inflammation in the body by decreasing the amount of C-reactive protein in the blood. The authors concluded that “vitamin C may be an important factor in BP regulation even among healthy young adults, and that further study is warranted.”

Remember that you can get vitamin C from a variety of fruits and vegetables. You’re not limited to oranges and citrus fruits…though they are wonderful! Some other excellent vitamin C sources are bell peppers, broccoli, strawberries, kiwi, kale, cantaloupes, and papaya.