The watchdog organization, Environmental Working Group, just
came out with their annual list of the fruits and vegetables most
contaminated with pesticides. Believe it or not, celery tops the list.
Here are the ten most pesticide-contaminated foods, in descending order:
Celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, blueberries (domestic),
nectarines, sweet bell peppers, spinach, kale/collard greens, and
cherries.
The least contaminated fruit or vegetable? Good ole onions. Aww, brings a tear to my eye (couldn't resist). FYI, at Veggie Barbara's we use
organic ingredients, unless they're unavailable at the time of purchase.
Here's the link to the full list:
http://www.foodnews.org/walletguide/php?key=36840015.
Rescue Miracle
Summer's here and the livin' is...still stressful. Many of you already know about Rescue Remedy, a combination of flower essences made in England by Bach Flower Remedies, Ltd. Rescue Remedy is truly a miracle de-stressor. It's a liquid dilution of a combination of flower essences that, when sprayed or taken in drops on the tongue, has an immediate calming effect on the body and on your emotional state of mind.
I keep it in my purse and have seen it work on myself and others many times -- like when a work colleague's boyfriend suddenly broke up with her. She was so shocked and distraught she was verging on panic. A few drops of Rescue Remedy later, she was a new person -- calm, collected and very curious about what I had given her. Another time, a friend and I were driving to the movies. She was behind the wheel and accidentally fender-bendered the car in front of us. There was no damage, but any kind of car accident -- or close call -- can leave a person shaky and upset. I gave her some Rescue Remedy, and it calmed her down right away.
Rescue Remedy also works well with sudden physical trauma and works beautifully for calming down pets. Does your dog freak out when going to the vet? A few drops of Rescue Remedy on your pet's tongue will settle him or her down right away.
When someone experiences acute physical or emotional trauma, the body's immune system can go haywire. Rescue Remedy keeps the immune system in balance, thus helping to prevent an acute emotional or physical trauma from turning into a chronic disorder down the line.
Rescue Remedy is available at your local health food store or pharmacy in the homeopathics section.
(Important note: Rescue Remedy contains a small amount of alcohol as a preservative, so people who avoid drinking alcohol should refrain from taking it.)
Morning Boost: Cinnamon and Turmeric
Recent studies have shown that cinnamon lowers blood pressure and regulates glucose levels in the blood and that turmeric is a powerful anti-inflammatory. Inflammation is implicated in many degenerative conditions, such as hardening of the arteries and Alzheimer’s disease. In fact, scientists theorize that the low rate of Alzheimer’s in India is due to the high quantities of turmeric in the Indian diet.
However, in the United States most people don’t eat curry every day. What to do?
An easy way to include ground cinnamon and turmeric in your daily diet is to sprinkle both spices on your morning toast and oatmeal—or sprinkle some turmeric on your eggs. It’s delicious and adds a little zest to your morning meal. Be sure to buy the organic versions of the spices. Non-organic spices contain a high concentration of pesticides.
Loosen Up! Fun with Probiotics
Constipation. We all have it sometimes, some of us have it all the time, and no one wants it any time. Often, constipation results from not drinking enough water or from eating a high protein diet with too little fiber. It’s exacerbated when traveling and can flare up simply from stress. I have a friend who likes to eat hard-boiled eggs for breakfast, a dark green leafy salad with chicken for lunch (leafy greens contain lots of great nutrients but not much fiber), and salmon and a bit of broccoli (thank goodness) for dinner. She’s trying to lose weight, which is great, but no wonder she can’t poop!
A great way to battle constipation is to include a high-quality probiotic in your diet, either through live-cultured yogurt or through supplements. If you go the supplement route, make sure to buy a refrigerated supplement and don’t take it with hot food. I like Natural Factors’ Acidophilus & Bifidus made from goat’s milk, which is good for people who are lactose intolerant. Probiotics can also keep candida overgrowth in check and are wonderful for overall digestive health.
The Cravings Game
Did you know that sugar is more addictive than heroin? Wouldn’t it be great to be able to stop a sugar craving in its tracks—before reaching for that diet-blowing, unhealthy fix?
Well, you can! A study out of Roosevelt hospital in New York City showed how the scent of vanilla—not the actual flavor, just the aroma—acts as a natural cravings buster and general stress-reducer.
I’ve tried it and it works. Get a bottle of vanilla essential oil from the health food store, usually located in their aromatherapy rack or nearby, and take a couple deep whiffs when the sugar temptation hits. Go back to whatever you were doing, and before you realize it, the craving will be gone. I’ve tested it on some friends who concur. My mom even said that she couldn’t remember she had been craving sugar until I reminded her of it about five minutes later.
By the way, studies have also shown that the scent of vanilla is a powerful aphrodisiac. So what’s not to like?
