Beets Me!

Organic Beets, Apple, and Lemon

Orange You Glad You Woke Up?

Fresh Organic Orange/Clementine Juice

Protein Power!

Organic eggs sunny side up, Organic asparagus (garlic oil)

Organic onions, garlic, mushrooms, bok choy, fennel, parsley, cilantro, dill, and avocado 

Organic salt, herb blend, olive oil 

Wild Alaskan Salmon

Organic Grapefruit

Bringing Brussels Back!

Wild Alaskan Pacific Cod with Fresh Organic Dill, Herb Blend, and Cayenne Pepper

Organic Quinoa with Herbs

Organic Beets, Onions, Garlic, Fennel, Parsley, Cilantro with Olive Oil, Garlic Oil, and Herb Blend

Organic Brussel Sprouts with a drizzling of olive oil and dash of Cayenne Pepper

Diabetes Type 1 & Type 2 Explained

What is the new epidemic across America that is causing obesity, heart problems, and death?

According to American Diabetes Association, about 75 million Americans have diabetes or pre-diabetes. The U.S. population is almost up to 300 million, so that means one in four Americans are becoming diabetic.

There are two types of diabetes; type 1 is genetic, and usually found in someone before the age of twelve. Type 2 however is caused by a poor diet that focuses on sugars and carbohydrates, which turn into sugar. The American Diabetes Association has found that type 2 is on an increasing rise especially as it is beginning to affect younger and younger individuals.

Both types of diabetes deal with the pancreas. Type 1 the pancreas stops working on its own, whereas with type 2 you are causing the pancreas to stop working because you have overworked it from lack of nutrition in your diet, and over excess of sugar and processed foods.

Your Pancreas naturally creates insulin, so type 1 has to be supplied insulin. While type 2 can be healed with change of diet completely, type 2 is controlled mostly with pills that help to maintain a flow of insulin that is vital in the pancreas. Both of the types of diabetes must do regular blood sugar level checks by a prick of the finger.

“I can eat sugars, but you have to be careful,” Jordan Wagner, a freshman at SPU, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of five. His greatest role model growing up with diabetes was his uncle who just recently passed away after suffering from type 1 diabetes. Wagner day to day consists of maintaining is pump that controls his blood sugar levels. The insulin is injected after every meal and helps keep it steady throughout the day. If there is ever a lack of insulin or not enough achieved Wagner can suffer from “flu-like symptoms” that alert his body that he is in dire need of insulin.

Wagner wants to make people aware of what diabetes is all about and the importance of awareness. “Its important to research something before you make an assumption, because someone with type 1, first of all does not cause this, but also can help keep the diabetes under control by staying healthy and being in shape.”

One important thing Wagner says to remember is, “Sugar is not bad, but people greatly abuse it.”

Although Wagner genetically acquired diabetes, there is still type 2 that is a concern for the youth of our nation and the epidemic of sugary, fatty, and processed foods.

There are two main ways to decrease or eliminate the chance of ever dealing with type 2 diabetes and that is to maintain a healthy diet of low sugar intake, maintain the fatty and “packaged” foods, and stick with the foods that come from the earth. The other important thing that goes hand in hand with a healthy diet is maintaining a high amount of daily exercise. Overall creating a healthy lifestyle of a balance of food and exercise can not only eliminate your chance of suffering from type 2 diabetes, but it can lead to change in the epidemic of diabetes, obesity, and death from these in America.

Superfoods

There have been many new fads introduced in today’s culture for health benefits, weight loss, and overall glowing beauty.

One that embodies them all is “superfoods”. Superfoods are foods that have been known to increase health and help support a weight loss while helping your skin glow. They are common foods that have been researched and been found to increase an overall well-being.

Blueberries are one of the top superfoods, it is not only a great antioxidant, but it helps to increase the longevity of the brain’s memory function. Spinach, another superfood, is rich in Vitamin K that supports heart and bone function; it also plays a key role in enriching healthy hair and nail growth.

One of the superfoods that not only is good for your soul, but also is now found as helping your blood and heart function more effectively is dark chocolate. Finding chocolate with as much cacao, the root of chocolate, is the best way to reach the optimum amounts of benefits from this yummy treat.

Beta-carotene and potassium that are known to boost eyes, bones, skin, and heart health can be found in another superfood, pumpkin. Salmon is another omega rich superfood that can help prevent Alzheimer’s.

One of the doctor’s that Oprah recommends, Dr. Perricone, speaks about his top picks for “superfoods”. They include acai, barley, beans, lentils, buckwheat, green foods, hot peppers, nuts, seeds, sprouts, and kefir. These were his choices because of their “brain-beauty connection”. All of these Perricone chosen superfoods help regulate a healthy metabolism, prevent inflammation, support the digestive system, help fight against cancer, heart disease, and harmful toxins that can cause diseases and cause organ failure.

When choosing the superfoods that are not only accessible to you and your wallet, find the ones that personally benefit you and create your own top superfoods list. Health and beauty all deal with a sense of balance and the importance of caring about your body and taking the extra step further to put the best foods, no matter how super, into your system to help keep you functioning healthy and beautiful.

Bon Appétit

'Veganic' Sprouted Bread with Organic Avocado oil

Organic Avocado with Organic Greens (Spinach, Baby lettuce, Romaine lettuce, Red and Green Oak Leaf, Mizuna, Red Chard, Arugula, Frisee, and Radicchio), Organic Mushrooms

Topped with Organic Olive Oil and Herbs

Soup for the Soul

100% Organic: Vegetable Broth, Hemp Oil/Olive Oil with Cabbage, Mushrooms, Leeks, Parsley, Herbs and Spices

Avocado Amazing

'Veganic' Sprouted Bread with Organic Avocado oil

Organic Avocado with Organic Greens (Spinach, Baby lettuce, Romaine lettuce, Red and Green Oak Leaf, Mizuna, Red Chard, Arugula, Frisee, and Radicchio)

Topped with Organic Olive Oil and Herbs

Aphrodisiacs

It's the day of old love, new love. Valentine’s Day came to be by Saint Valentine in AD 269 who was persecuted for marrying soldiers who were forbidden to be wed.

Before Saint Valentine and much of Christianity came to be in BC mythology was a popular belief. Mythology contained stories of gods and supernatural heroes that all represented and controlled human actions or nature.

Aphrodite was the goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation. While Greek and Roman mythology is still studied today, it is rare to find true believers. However we have molded certain theories and words from the mythological times.

One such word is aphrodisiac which comes from the goddess, Aphrodite. Aphrodisiacs are any type of action, trait, or food that excites or creates a desire within the body.

According to Reader’s Digest the top ten aphrodisiacs foods are avocados, bananas, chili peppers, honey, pine nuts, figs, arugula, oysters, coffee and the number one is chocolate. While none of these foods have one specific chemical they all have been found to stimulate the production of hormones and positively affect our libidos.

Aphrodisiacs foods usually take on a “feel good” sensation such as chocolate or bananas, but they can also make the body feel hot which is why chili peppers makes it into the top ten. This “feel good” sensation leads to a more energized mood and leaves the body with an overall light feeling, without the constant stresses and anxiety that can plague our minds today. Most foods can become aphrodisiacs because of the way they symbolize procreation, love, or simply sexuality.

Miri Rotkovitz, who studied Nutrition and Food at NYU, comments on how ginger is not a commonly talked about aphrodisiac, but creates a “warm woodsy” aroma that stimulates the blood flow. Another rare aphrodisiac is saffron, a spice that has made its way from Cleopatra to relax and boost the mind.

All the way from the Incans came Maca root that is considered one of the most powerful aphrodisiacs. Maca root not only possesses high levels of vitamins, minerals, and iron, but also holds healing powers that the natives of the Peruvian Andes have found beneficial in their high elevation. Maca root helps to decrease anxiety and stress, while increasing energy and stamina.

A famous aphrodisiac that is warned against using for the cause of inflammation, convulsions, and even death is the Spanish fly. This beetle creates a juice called cantharidin. The Spanish fly was crushed and used to create a powder that was thought to arouse and bring on a sexual sensation that was later found out to be nothing more than a burning in the urinary tract. Although it was found to be toxic, this powder is still available today, most commonly sold in a form of pepper.

Although aphrodisiacs commonly are associated with foods, they can also be traits such as respect that creates a mutual bond or an action like getting in shape. These both are positive aphrodisiacs that help to decrease stress and increase healthy endorphin levels that create a feeling of well-being.

Enjoy the chocolate, add the maca root in a smoothie, respect those around you, go for a walk, and stay away from the Spanish fly. Don’t wait another day to love because life is too short to be filled with doubt and stress. Enjoy the sensations and experiences that come your way because at the end of the day, the greatest aphrodisiac is love and the breaths we are given each day to do so.