Watermelon: The Nutrient Dense Summer Time Treat

Happy National Watermelon Day, a celebration you should be having regularly. Watermelon is chock full of healthy goodness for you. It’s a nutrient dense food, which provides a high amount of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants for a low amount of calories.

With it’s great taste you’d think it’d be in high in sugar content, but in one cup of diced watermelon (152 grams) you’re consuming only 43 calories with zero grams of fat. This is probably due to the fact watermelon is made up of 92% water. This naturally low cal, fat free snack also gives you 17% of vitamin A, 21% of vitamin C, 2% of iron and 1% of your calcium needs for the day. Watermelon power indeed.

If you’re not really a veggie eater, watermelon is a great way to get more greens into your life, since this power produce is both a fruit and a vegetable. Yes, watermelon rind is completely edible with health-promoting and blood-building chlorophyll. By eating the rind, you are actually eating more of the amino acid, L-citrulline, than you would find in the pink flesh.

This is important to note because L-citrulline is related to L-arginine. Once inside the body, L-citrulline is converted into L-arginine. L-arginine increases nitric oxide levels in the blood. Higher nitric oxide levels means your body is relaxing and dilating blood vessels. This increases blood circulation to various organs, including the heart, skin and sexual organs. Drop the rind into a blender with a little lime, and give your cardio vascular system some major love.

Other major benefits of a watermelon treat? 

Asthma prevention: The risks for developing asthma are lower in people who consume a high amount of certain nutrients. One of these nutrients is vitamin C, found in many fruits and vegetables including watermelon.

Blood pressure: A study published by the American Journal of Hypertension found that watermelon extract supplementation reduced ankle blood pressure, brachial blood pressure and carotid wave reflection in obese middle-aged adults with prehypertension or stage 1 hypertension and that watermelon extract improved arterial function.

Diets rich in lycopene may help protect against heart disease.

Cancer: As an excellent source of the strong antioxidant vitamin C as well as other antioxidants, watermelon can help combat the formation of free radicals known to cause cancer. Lycopene intake has been linked with a decreased risk of prostate cancer prevention in several studies.

Digestion and regularity: Watermelon, because of its water and fiber content, helps to prevent constipation and promote regularity for a healthy digestive tract.

Hydration: Made up of 92% water and full of important electrolytes, watermelon is a great snack to have on hand during the hot summer months to prevent dehydration.

Inflammation: Choline is a very important and versatile nutrient in watermelon that aids our bodies in sleep, muscle movement, learning and memory. Choline also helps to maintain the structure of cellular membranes, aids in the transmission of nerve impulses, assists in the absorption of fat and reduces chronic inflammation.

Muscle soreness: Watermelon and watermelon juice have been shown to reduce muscle soreness and improve recovery time following exercise in athletes. Researchers believe this is likely do to the amino acid L-citrulline contained in watermelon.

Skin: Watermelon is also great for your skin because it contains vitamin A, a nutrient required for sebum production that keeps hair moisturized. Vitamin A is also necessary for the growth of all bodily tissues, including skin and hair.

Adequate intake of vitamin C (one cup of watermelon provides 21% of daily needs) is also needed for the building and maintenance of collagen, which provides structure to skin and hair. Watermelon also contributes to overall hydration, which is vital for having healthy looking skin and hair.

The one problem I run into when I bring a watermelon home, “What to do with all this watermelon?” Chopping it up and having some cold, refreshing treats waiting for you in the fridge is the easiest. And when one can only eat watermelon slices for so long, add a little variety to this good for you produce. Throw the slices into the blender, rind and all to really maximize the health benefits. 

You could also make some interesting food combinations like watermelon kabobs with tomato, feta, mint and lime. Or you could make a summer shrimp salad. There is nothing quite like the taste of watermelon, avocado, and protein rich shrimp on a hot summer day. Maybe National Watermelon Day will become a regular celebration in your life. Now if we could also do that with birthdays as well.

Probiotics, Superfoods, Multivitamins, and Omega-Rich Oils: Four Daily Supplements You Need

Adding probiotics, superfoods, multivitamins, and omega-rich oils into your diet could be the four  supplement power punch to make your healthy living a reality. With so many powders, pills, and additives, I wanted to take a step back. I figure a makeover is good for the outside of your body, why not the inside of your body?

Off to the vitamin section I went. I didn’t go in with a list like I normally do, but I did go in with an open mind. I knew the question was, “What am I not getting enough off in my diet?” Probiotics, superfoods, multivitamins, and omega-rich oils the knowledgeable specialist shared. My ears perked up, like Moses receiving the 10 commandants, I guess you would call these the four commandments of health.

Probiotics, Superfoods, Multivitamins, and Omega-Rich Oils are the four basic supplements you should be incorporating into your life regularly. This power combo isn’t normally achieved through the basic American diet, but so necessary to keeps us alined and balanced internally.

So what are these four power punch elements in a little more detail? My favorite chain farmers market, Sprouts, enlightens us a little more.

• Probiotics are live beneficial microorganisms that are widely believed to support healthy digestion and immune function. These friendly bacteria are essential for gut health, as stress, low-quality foods and over-the-counter-medications can destroy probiotic activity, which leads to lower immune function, yeast overgrowth and digestive disorders.

• Red, green or blue superfoods such as salmon, broccoli, goji berries, blueberries and tart cherries are rich in protein and/or packed with phytonutrients and trace minerals that help support overall health and vitality. Their mega boosting performance nourishes your body, strengthens your immune system, and protects you against diseases.

• Vitamins are organic nutrients required by the body for growth, repair, normal metabolism and optimal health, but few of us get the right ones at the right levels. That's because no single food contains all the vitamins and minerals the body requires; moreover, the combination of eating on the run, high levels of stress and consumption of highly processed foods can lead to nutrient deficiencies. The elderly, adolescents, pregnant and lactating women and vegetarians are especially at risk. Multivitamins provide essential vitamins and minerals needed to maintain optimum health.

• Omega-rich oils are found naturally in fish and flax, among other foods. These essential oils offer valuable nutritional support for healthy skin and brain function. Supportive but not conclusive research shows that consumption of Omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

If you caught last week’s blog on kefir, you already know it’s an excellent source of those good for you probiotics. Some other yummy ways to get probiotics into your system is with

• Goat’s Milk Yogurt
• Sauerkraut
• Dark Chocolate
• Microalgae (ocean-based plants such as spirulina, chorella, and blue-green algae)
• Miso Soup
• Pickles
• Tempeh
• Kimchi
• Kombucha Tea

You can add more superfoods into your diet with with those named above, and you can also try 

• Mulberries
• Chia Seeds
• Coconut Water
• Golden Berries

When it comes to a multivitamin, it really is a conversation you should have with a vitamin specialist. Talk to them about your stage of life. I have yet to find one advisor who isn’t passionate about what they do, and want to share their knowledge with you. One thing I would suggest, make sure you avoid synthetic multivitamins. We like our foods natural, same should be said for vitamin supplements.

If you want to get the J. Lo glow without a steady diet of fish, you can also try these foods rich in Omega-3’s

• Grass-Fed Beef
• Edamame
• Flaxseed Oil
• Enriched Eggs
• Walnuts 
• Spinach
• Hemp

These suggestions are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to probiotics, superfoods, multivitamins, and omega-rich oils foods. You can also do a little multi tasking, which is my favorite-smoothies. They are quick, easy, and great to go anywhere. This is my current favorite kefir based smoothie, that has everything in it, but the kitchen sink. Create your own, but make sure not to cut out the elements of the four power supplement combo. 

Kitchen Sink Kefir Smoothie

8 oz Lifeway Lowfat Kefir (Flavor Varies)

4 tbsp Manitoba Harvest Organic Hemp Pro Fiber

1 oz Genesis Today Organic Power4

2 tbsp Lily Of The Desert Aloe Herbal Detox Formula

1 tsp Carlson Super D Omega 3

2 tsp Health Force Spirulina Manna

1 tbsp Golden Flax Seeds

1 tbsp Chia Seeds

Fill to capacity with frozen fruit like blueberries, raspberries, or other high water based fruits.  

Seems like a lot of ingredients, but trust, it tastes great with the kefir base. Hemp powder has a nice, nutty taste, and you won’t believe how much daily goodness you’re putting into your body with one drink. Let me know what you thinks. Happy four power supplement punching.

Dextox Supefood Kefir. Drink Your Way To Health

Oh the grocery store, where some days you have it down to a science, and can get in and out the building like a ninja. Other days, you wonder how you spent two hours reading labels for almost every product you’d been curious about. It’s how I ended up with kefir in my cart one day, and now this probiotic superfood is part of my daily life. 

I’d always thought of kefir as a “drinkable yogurt,” and wasn’t exactly sure what the difference was between the two. I thought consistency was the only real difference, but I was way off base. Kefir has been through a fermenting process. After this 24 hour process, kefir now has 10 to 20 strains of probiotics [in kefir], which is three times what you would find in yogurt. 

Why should you care about probiotics? Simply put, probiotics help keep everything moving. When we eat clean, exercise, and hydrate our goal is to keep everything in balance and release the toxins. It’s why we love a good sweat during our workout, your body is detoxing, and you can feel it happening.

Our guts or digestive system also need to be taken care with the same thinking in mind. You think it’s just the kidneys processing toxins, but it’s everything starting from our mouth, all the way to our gall bladder. 75% of your immune system is housed in your digestive system, and with the help of kefier, you can help it work properly with it’s good bacterias and vitamins. 

Kefir is right up there with the other superfoods like kale, chia seeds, and blueberries for the multitude of health benefits you’ll receive. Drink it regularly and you’ll

• Boost your immunity

• Heal inflammatory bowel disease

• Build bone density

• Fight allergies

• Improve lactose digestion

• Kill candida

• Support detoxification

If you’re lactose intolerant or trying to reduce the amount of dairy you consume, don’t worry, through the fermentation process kefir loses much of it’s sugar or ‘lactose’ as it’s more commonly known, and you end up with lactic acid instead. How?

Fermented foods go through a process of lactofermentation in which natural bacteria feed on the sugar and starch in the food creating lactic acid. This process preserves the food, and creates beneficial enzymes, b-vitamins, Omega-3 fatty acids, and various strains of probiotics. All the good stuff our body wants and needs.

People have been drinking kefir for centuries. Before refrigeration and all these modern conveniences, people did a lot of canning, preserving, and pickling. Without knowing it, people created superfoods, and have been reaping the benefits for centuries. 

Its unique name comes from the Turkish word “keif”, which means “good feeling.” Maybe because tryptophan, an amino acid, is also found in kefir, which we all know is found in turkey. It’s what puts you in the ‘let’s sit on the couch’ and lounge mode. Now you can have the same feeling of relaxation without eating a monster holiday meal.

Kefir is a great way to get extra protein in your diet without extra calories. A single serving of plain, non-fat kefir has less than 100 calories, but provides 10.5 grams of protein, which can help you feel fuller without extra fat. Great for late night when you’re craving a snack or some ice cream. Why not add this healthy alternative into your diet? Just watch out for added calories and sugar if you purchase flavored kefir.

With the benefits of kefir becoming more well, there are so many different brands and varieties of kefir available. You can choose from cow, goat, coconut or water base, and if you’re not a fan of the plain flavored tart taste. You have anything from pomegranate, mangos, or peaches blended into you kefir.

Are you curious about kefir now? I hope so. It tastes greats. Comes in so many varieties. And when you want to feel like you’re having a cheat moment, you’re really not. Kefir tastes amazing, and you’ll feel so good after you stomach is coated with some probiotic goodness. 

Why not put it your morning smoothie? You’ll be starting off the day right, and your body will treat you right the rest of the day, and everyday. 

5 Healthy Snacks To Always Have In Your Purse This Summer

Summer weather is finally in full swing. The days are getting longer, and I couldn’t be happier. Running out for errands sometimes ends up with impromptu hiking dates being made or taking the scenic view home. There’s nothing quite as beautiful as watching those purple rose skies at dusk. Not great is being hungry while you’re out having fun. This is where bad choices happen. Fast food, connivence stores, no buenos. 

Having a couple of healthy nibbles on hand, could help you pass up the candy bar at the gas station in of moment of hunger. Try some of these new products to mix it up with your usual almonds. My goal is to have them in my everyday bag without making my bag squishy at the end of the day. I’m looking at you travel mug. I got your number. I love filling up a two ounce containers full of things like, 

1. Navitas Naturals Organic Superfood Power Snacks 

In combinations like blueberry hemp, cacao goji, citrus chia, coffee cacao, or lemon goldenberry. you’ll be able to find something to please your tastebuds. They are full of tasty goodness, travel great, and offer nutrient-dense organic snacking on the go. 

My favorite is the blueberry hemp which is made with organic superfoods such as chia, maca, lucuma, camu and maqui, as well as other raw foods including sesame seeds, cashews and sunflower seeds. There are no refined sugars, preservatives, or artificial colors and flavors. You’ll also be getting protein from the hemp and chia seeds, along with healthy fats and fiber. All this goodness with the tiniest of snack bites. If you pick my blueberry favorite, you’ll also get antioxidants, vitamins including A, C and E, and minerals such as iron, potassium and calcium into your body.

2. Powbab Superfruit Chews

I talked about these tangy treats before, and cannot stop raving about baobab. One baobab chew a day gives you 100% daily antioxidant dose per chew with daily dose of Vitamins C & E. They’re a good source of Vitamin A, and when you combine them with pomegranate and acai berry, your body will thank you for eating them. All natural, organic, just giving you raw, unprocessed whole fruit & other natural ingredients. Think how good you’ll feel after having some organic baobab fruit pulp which is naturally 50% fiber.     

3. KIND Healthy Grains Bars

I was a little turned off from KIND after the controversy with the FDA, but after I discovered their newest product on the shelf, I had to admit to myself, “Come on, you know it’ll taste good.” They have over 10 varieties of Healthy Grains Bars to choose from, and with a foundation of six super grains, including sorghum, I was willing to be swayed. I throughly enjoyed my Popped Salted Caramel Bar. It was a subtle flavor, with 20g of whole grains in each bar, and fits perfectly in my purse along with my wallet and all of life’s necessities.

4. Justin’s Snack Pack

You’re already familiar with Justin’s healthy nut butter pouches, but if you visit Target starting this week you can pick up Justin’s new Snack Pack. One side has Justin’s nut butter, the other side has gluten-free pretzels, packaged in 100 percent recycled plastic. A dream made in snacking heaven when you want a little crunch with your pick up me protein. You can choose from Justin’s Chocolate Hazelnut Butter and Pretzels; Classic Almond Butter and Pretzels; or Maple Almond Butter and Pretzels. You’ll only be able to find Justin’s Snack Pack at Target, as part of their "Made to Matter" collection, which brings together 31 leading natural, organic and sustainable brands to provide better choices for all. So who knows what else you’ll discover while you’re there.

5. Earthbound Farm Organics Freeze Dried Fruit

There are several brands of freeze dried fruits out there. Freeze-dried fruits are similar to dried fruits, because they’re dehydrated. This makes for a great crunchy texture, as you get your healthy snacking going. You can leave them in your bag without any spoiling. Perfect for our stash and go. I’m partial to Earthbound Farm’s. Their product lines are organic, no additives, nothing but the pure goodness of food. 

Let me know if you have any new products you love to have in your purse without having to worry about them. You never know when you’re going to spend a little more time outside having fun. No reason to go hungry or end up eating some not so good for you sustenance. Now you have some ideas for setting and forgetting your health snacking in your bag.

No more greasy skin with Vaseline Intensive Care Spray!

Since winter is over and summer is here (in case you were living under a rock) a lot of us may neglect the feeling that we need to put lotion on our bodies.  We have entered the warmer, humid climate so why should our bodies still need to be moisturized.  Even if your skin isn’t as apparent right now for the thirst to be moisturized, your skin still needs moisture to keep it healthy.  Especially after some summer activities that can leave your skin extra dry – swimming in the ocean, working up a good sweat than taking a shower, etc.  I know what you are saying in your head as you read this though, but I don’t want to add a layer of thickness on me when I am already hot or feel like my legs are a slip and slide.  Or I don’t have time to apply lotion and wait for it to dry before I put my clothes on.  Well…I have the answer to your concerns. 

Vaseline…um yea that brand that you think of immediate slip and slide petroleum jelly has come out with a new product that will make you a new found lover of and dedicated customer all over again. 

Vaseline Intensive Care Spray Moisturizer

This little baby comes in a spray can, like many of our loved sunscreens.  Yes it is thin enough to come out of a spray nozzle which means it is thin enough to not feel thick on your skin or leave any shiny sticky residue behind. 

Speaking from personal experience it left my skin soft and smelled surprisingly wonderful.  So easy I can take it with me at shoots and add some moisture to my skin between takes!

The spray lotion comes in four different variant to suit your skin’s needs.

Vaseline® Intensive Care Spray Moisturizer Essential Healing™ – with pure oat extract for healthy soft skin

Vaseline® Intensive Care Spray Moisturizer Aloe Soothe™ – with pure aloe for healthy fresh skin

Vaseline® Intensive Care Spray Moisturizer Cocoa Radiant™ – with pure cocoa butter for healthy glowing skin

Vaseline® Intensive Care Spray Moisturizer Advanced Repair- with 2x more moisture* to help heal very dry skin

I was very surprised by how little of time it took to apply the lotion, for it to dry and for my skin to already feel moisturized.  And when I say how little time, I am saying 30 seconds or less.  Spray.  Wait 30 seconds.  Put on clothes.  Out the door.  It doesn’t get any quicker than that.

If you are interested in any of the chemical aspects as to what it is composed of, the components of what the container is made out of or whatever else your little heart desires, feel free to find out more information at their website: http://www.vaseline.us/

Baobab : More health benefits than the acai and goji berries you know

When I was younger I could spend hours in the cosmetics section of Thrifty’s learning about skin cleansers and moisturizers. Now imagine the same enthusiasm for exploring the aisle of superfoods, organic extracts, and natural health remedies at the market. It’s how you discover new things, such as the amazing South African superfruit baobab. The market employee couldn’t stop raving about all the benefits this citrus flavored superfruit. 

Into the cart it went, and after a few weeks of trying it, I was left wondering, “Why I had I not discovered this earlier?” I ventured into the world of baobab by trying out Powbab’s superfruit chews (It sounds like a tongue twister). When the label promises a 100% of my recommended daily antioxidant dosage, along with daily serving of Vitamins C, E & A, I figured why not. These bitesize nibbles combine baobab along with pomegranate and acai berries. The health benefits of the acai berry are well known, so I figured I had nothing to lose, and a whole lot to gain. It was was one of the best gambles I took. 

Among some of the most notable health benefits of the African superfruit are:

A single serving of offers 25 mg of Vitamin C in the form of ascorbic acid, a naturally occurring organic compound with antioxidant properties

• Up to 7 times more Vitamin C than goji berries

• 25 times more Vitamin C than acai berries

A single serving offers 3 grams of soluble fiber and 1 gram of insoluble fiber, which reduces cholesterol levels and to reducing risk of heart disease

• 19 times the amount of fiber of goji berries

• 8.5 times the amount of fiber of acai berries

Being high in antioxidant levels means baobab reduces free radicals, the molecules you hear referenced in beauty treatments. Free radicals are responsible for damaging our body cells. The oxidative stress that oxygen-free radicals cause is held as reason why our bodies age. This superfruit fills your body naturally to fight the anti aging process.

This little African fruit contains so many health and beauty benefits, your body will love you for adding it into your diet. Foods rich in Vitamin C are a cornerstone of the anti-wrinkle diet. Vitamin C, whether derived from foods or dietary supplements, helps your body form collagen and elastin, two structural proteins that give your skin support and elasticity. 

Adding Vitamin C rich foods such as baobab to your diet might also enhance your body's fat burning capabilities during a workout. A team of scientists from Arizona State University discovered that people with low blood concentrations of Vitamin C burned 25 percent less fat during a 60-minute walk on a treadmill, compared with those who had adequate levels of Vitamin C in their blood. 

The potential weight loss effects of Vitamin C may be linked to the fact that it is needed for the production of carnitine, a compound that encourages your body to turn fat into fuel, rather than to store it as body fat. Also, Vitamin C rich foods also combat varicose veins because they help our cardiovascular system work more efficiently. Vitamin C keeps our body working smart, regenerating, and maximizing how our processes work instead of slowing down as we age. 

If you’re still not sold on the superfood benefits of baobab, what would your liver say when it heard this superfruit will help realign it’s internal cleansing. It works hard detoxifying toxic substances, including metabolic wastes, and excreting them from your body. Over time, high exposure to toxins such as cigarette smoke, chemicals, alcohol and other substances can cause damage to the liver and limit its detoxifying capabilities. 

Help your body get it’s groove back by fueling it with restorative superfoods like baobab. This superfruit comes from a tree referred to as “The Tree of Life,” which usually are over 1,000+ years old. They supply your body with a myriad of beneficial minerals including calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc. 

Human beings have been on this planet for a long time. Before there were planes, trains, and automobiles, we had to look to our backyards to feed ourselves with goodness. Let’s embrace what modern technology has given us. Now we can visit every global ‘backyard,’ and learn about their wholesome native foods. The magical African fruit, baobab, comes from a tree named after life. After trying it, my body knows why. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Sous-vide Cooking: Seals in Flavor Without Adding Fat

Want to try a new way of cooking meals that are tasty, healthy, and full of nutrients? Try the Sous-vide method, French for “under vacuum” cooking. Food is sealed inside an airtight plastic bag and placed into a water bath. Your meal is now being cooked at a low, even temperature versus an open flame. This helps retain all the health benefits of your food. In addition, your meat, chicken, or fish will come out juicy, moist, and full of flavor. Now you can bite into your carrots, and have them crunch in your mouth.

Have you noticed the green water after you boil your veggies? It’s where the vitamins and minerals from your veggies now live, instead of you biting into them. Fans of the raw food movement have been sharing this fact for a while. Cooking is a science. Heat changes the molecular structure of dishes. Some foods, unfortunately, loose their health benefits in the process.

This can also result in plates slathered in fats and oils in order to flavor them up, or hide their dryness after they’ve been near a flame for too long. 

Foods cooked “a la sous-vide” come out succulent in the case of meats or crunchy when you prepare veggies. This is because cell walls of the food do not burst. Cooking dishes at a low, even heat keeps foods close to their raw state. 

Besides keeping foods close to their natural state, Sous-vide method packs an intense flavor infusion. Instead of your foods sitting on top of a marinade, they are actually surrounded or immersed in seasoning the entire time they’re cooking. Also, because there is no air, spices and flavoring are more easily absorbed by foods. 

Ready to try some Sous-vide cooking at home. You could get a all-in-one machine like the Caso Sous Vide Center from Williams-Sonoma. It’s an enclosed-chamber system, with circulating water. You set the temperature, and forget it, like a crock pot. It also has a built-in vacuum bag sealer with bags. Retail price $499.95

Not looking for a machine to take up counter space or a hefty price tag? You could also try an immersion circulator like the Nomiku Sous Vide Immersion Circulator. It retails for $299.95, and looks like a hand held blender. Simply fill a pot with water, clip on the Nomiku to the side, and plug it in. Set the temp of the water bath by turning the knob and you’re done. Water quickly heats and circulates to temp. You can use the ‘displacement' method to vacuum seal your bags with this machine. Just put the food in a quart or gallon zip lock, seal up most of the zip, leaving just a bit at the end. Then, submerge the bag slowly in a pot of water. This will push all the air out. Just as the zip lock is getting to the water line, seal it and done.

If want to experiment without purchasing anything first, try this hack for Sous-Vide cooking from chef Christina Tosi, of New York’s Milk Bar. This is her recipe for “Bird in a Bag.” Put a butterflied chicken breast in a plastic freezer bag with your marinade. Seal the bag except for one corner. Insert a straw into the remaining hole and slowly suck out the air with your mouth. Be careful not to suck the sauce into your mouth! Seal the bag to get it as air-free as possible. Bring a pot of water nearly to a boil. Set a piece of tin foil in the pot like a hammock (with the ends crimped over the edge). Plop the bag into the pot of hot — but not boiling — water. The foil will suspend the bag above the bottom of the pot so the bag doesn't burn. If the chicken is thin, it will cook (poach, essentially), in five or 10 minutes. An intact chicken breast may take 20 minutes. You can test the chicken by looking and feeling to make sure it isn't pink inside. Final step? Sear the chicken in a pan briefly to brown it for better presentation.

Go ahead experiment.You’ve got nothing to lose, if anything you might find a new favorite method of cooking. The Sous-vide method started in the mid 70’s by top rated Michelin chefs, because they discovered food kept it’s flavor, moisture, and texture. Why not be your own 4 star celebrity chef at home.

Artificial colors and preservatives found in your 'fresh food' choices

Food oh glorious food. It nourishes our body and keeps us alive. Modern living has changed the way we eat. Take a drive during the work week, and you’ll see cars lined up around the corner waiting to order their combo meals. Take a walk down the grocery aisle, and you’re surrounded by colorful labels making claims ‘low cal, fat free, and healthy.’ Unfortunately, sometimes these manufacturers need to add chemicals, preservatives and additives to make those 99 cent tacos or the meat in the refrigerated section look look more colorful.

It’s not a pleasant thought, but it’s the truth. As you journey towards eating healthy, the motto is “if you can’t pronounce, don’t eat it.” When you’re picking up boxes in the grocery store, you can read the ingredient list, and make your healthy choice. When you’re ordering off a menu, you have no idea how your food got to your plate. Where did it come from? How was it manufactured? The fluffy bread you’re snacking on, maybe it has azodicarbonamide, a chemical used in yoga mats and Subway sandwiches. 

Yes, you read correctly. Ordering a sandwich from the “healthy” fast food chain included a side of rubber with your order. Last year’s scandal rocked American consumers. Subway addressed customers concerns, and said they would be taking the chemical out of it’s products. Azodicarbonamide isn’t the only chemical used by the sandwich maker. Recently, the franchise has decided to remove all artificial colors, flavors and preservatives from its American menus by 2017.

What are they taking out? The chain is cutting artificial flavors and caramel coloring from its new roast beef recipe that involves roasting beef "with increased levels of garlic and pepper." Vinegar will replace propionic acid, a preservative in its turkey. Banana peppers will be given their fluorescent sheen with turmeric, often used in Indian curries, instead of food dye Yellow No. 5.

Subway is joining a list of fast food restaurants and manufacturers taking note of consumers want for ingredients they can name in their food. To name a few, Diet Pepsi is taking out aspartame from their sodas. Not because it’s unsafe, but because consumers have been letting them know they want products without artificial sweeteners. 

Kraft Macaroni & Cheese is removing synthetic coloring and preservatives from it’s beloved kids’ dinner. You have to admit, there was something not right about the strange orange powder you mixed with your milk. Another popular coloring used is caramel by companies like Subway and Newcastle Brown Ale, who have decided to no longer use this additive. 

Knowing what is in our foods is not a passing trend. Consumers are becoming more vocal about having natural products, and spending their dollars on companies who are answering this need. Chipotle will not be serving any GMO ingredients in their fare. McDonald’s has also decided not to serve chicken treated with antibiotics. Shockingly these antibiotics are also being used as prescription drugs for humans. Tyson will also be removing human antibiotics from their chicken products, along with Costco.  You have to wonder how Costco can have so many rotisserie chickens in their stores for only $4.99.

The large candy manufacturers are also taking part in the preservative free revolution. Hershey’s will start using more natural sugar, than high fructose corn syrup in it’s products. Nestle is removing artificial flavors and colors from Butterfinger, Crunch, and other chocolate candies. Think of when you’re in the kitchen baking, most recipes call for vanilla extract. Nestle has been using something called vanillin. At least they’ve been using a cool name for this scientific ingredient.

Lastly, we have Panera Bread dropping roughly one-third of the ingredients used in its food by instituting bans on the likes of saccharin, aspartame, synthetic benzyl peroxide, and maltodextrin. This place always seemed like a good choice when you were looking for something, but like Subway and all these other manufacturers, chemicals are hidden everywhere.

Many of these manufacturers are changing their practices because consumers are speaking up. Food blogger, Food Babe, is credited for blowing the whistle on Subway’s ‘yoga mat bread’. She started the petition on her website which garnered international attention. You have to applaud her efforts. Companies listen to consumers when they speak with their dollars. 

Rose Hip Oil: The Fountain of Youth

In search of living an organic and preservative-free lifestyle, coconut oil became the magic product to buy. It seems there are over 1001 uses for this tropical plant, including  wrinkle fighter, nutrient dense protein, and excellent source of healthy fat. In terms of a beauty product, it might have to let the crown go for ‘best natural beauty moisturizer’ found in nature to rosehip seed oil. Kate Middleton is a fan of the dry oil. She used it during her pregnancy, as part of her daily skincare regiment . Like most of us, Middleton is concerned with where products come from, and how these treatment ingredients are absorbed into our bodies.

What makes this oil from the Chilean Andes so wonderful? So many reasons, first off it’s a natural, vegan, single ingredient beauty option. It’s relatively inexpensive when you compare it to a lifetime of spending hundreds, probably thousands of dollars on expensive moisturizers. Thanks to this extract oil, you can now have a wrinkle free complexion with it’s concentrated Vitamin A and C properties. You’ll see a rejuvenation of your skin, as your wrinkles and sun spots fade away.

“Rosehip seed oil contains a blend of bioactive ingredients that can potentially be beneficial to the skin, for example vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, and essential fatty acids,” says Dr. Julia Tzu, a dermatologist who is also an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at New York University. “It may be potentially beneficial as an anti-aging product because of the antioxidant ingredients it contains. Its high vitamin C content suggests that it may also be useful for treating dark spots, since vitamin C decreases the pigment-producing ability of the skin.” 

The benefits of this natural oil make it a favorite among pregnant women and people suffering from skin conditions like eczema and rosea rash. When your hormone levels are changing or skin has bouts of flare up, rose hips can balance and calm your skin. Remember back to when you were a teenager, and the advice everyone would give you was to keep it simple and natural with your changing skin. The philosophy still holds true, even if we have all these scientifically formulated beauty products available. RHSO is nature’s simple and pure moisturizer.

Even if you aren’t suffering from problem skin, rosehip seed oil is the serum to use. The oil can penetrate deep into your skin due to the vitamin A properties. Its molecules are small enough to be deeply absorbed by the skin, and improve the skin’s moisture levels.  Having well hydrated skin means you’ll be reducing wrinkles and fine lines. With its anti-aging, antioxidants benefits penetrating deep into the layers of skin you’ll see a more refreshed and glowing you in no time. In addition to vitamin A, its vitamin C antioxidant properties stimulate collagen production. RHSO is like having your own dermatologist in a bottle morning, noon, and night.

Not only does roseship seed oil fight wrinkles, but it also helps even out your skin tone and erase any facial scarring you might have. It contains essential fatty acids, which  regenerate your skin cells and repair damaged skin tissue. Regenerating skin means the appearance of burns, scars, wrinkles and stretch marks will fade with continued RHSO use. This is an amazing product for everyone to have in their beauty arsenal or first aid kit. 

As the name implies, rosehip seed oil comes from fruit oil extracted from the hip of the rose. The hip is the fruit that is left after a rose has bloomed and the petals have fallen. It has been used by indigenous population of Chile for hundreds of years, and not just on their faces. Other uses of rosehip seed oil is nail care and hair care treatments.  

Are all RHSOs the same? No. Just like our fresh juices, you want to buy organic, cold pressed oils when possible. There are tons on the market right now, so read those ingredient lists and processing details throughly. If want to feel like a royal, at a fraction at the price, try Trilogy’s Certified Organic Rosehip Oil. It’s Duchess Kate’s favorite, and luckily, not on back order anymore. After her beauty secret got out, this product become hard to find.

If you want the same power of Trilogy’s RHSO, but not sure if want to put down $45 for an experiment, try Mountain Rose Herbs offering. It’s only $16 for a 4 oz. vial, and when you see the magic of this natural moisturizer, you can move up to the larger sizes. Not sure if we’ll order the gallon size, but if you’re a esthetician, this is probably good news.

Not completely sold on this oil as the fountain of youth. Supermodel Miranda Kerr swears by RHSO. She’s developed her own skincare line, KORA Organics. Several of her products contain rosehip seed oil as a main ingredient. Her Luxurious Rosehip Oil contains noni extract, organic rosehip oil, jasmine, sea buckthorn, rose and pomegranate oils for multi purpose use.

Inspired to try something new? We've turned a couple of our friends onto RHSO, and we’ll always get a text the next morning saying, “OMG, it looks like I woke up and spent the night at the spa!” When your friends send you those messages, you know you have a beauty winner product on your hands.