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Antioxidant Juice Recipes for the Summer Season

July 26, 2016 by

 

Juicing is incredibly popular, and it’s no surprise why!

Fresh juices taste great, are packed with antioxidants, and deliver the nutrition your body needs to stay healthy.

The best news of all?

When you add antioxidant rich juices into your diet, you’re giving your body the protection it needs to fight against disease and chronic illnesses.

Juicing is by far one of the easiest ways to protect your body and keep it healthy!

So easy, in fact, that all you need is a juicer or blender and some fresh ingredients to get started.

So what are you waiting for? Give juicing a try with some of our favorite antioxidant juice recipes for the summer season!

Breast Cancer Awareness Juice

Ingredients

 ½ of one lemon

1 large whole tomato

1 large wedge of watermelon (approx. 1/8 of melon)

Directions

#1 Add juice from lemon and whole tomato into blender and mix.

#2 Slowly incorporate wedge of watermelon until all ingredients are mixed together.

#3 Enjoy.

Fun fact: Lycopene from red watermelon, along with limonoids from lemons, is known to inhibit the growth of cancer cells.

Recipe source: https://juicerecipes.com/recipes/breast-cancer-awareness-juice-40

Fruit Punch

Ingredients

1 apple

2 kiwi’s

¼ lemon with rind

¼ lime with rind

1 peeled orange

½ pineapple

Directions

#1 Juice all ingredients with a juicer.

#2 Mix juice of all ingredients together.

#3 Enjoy.

Fun fact: Liminoid is a compound found in oranges. It helps fight cancers of the mouth, skin, lung, breast, stomach, and colon. The high vitamin C content acts as a good antioxidant that protects cells from free radicals.

Recipe Source: https://juicerecipes.com/recipes/fruity-punch-twist-60

Cucumber Melon Juice

 Ingredients

 2 large cucumbers

1 large wedge (about 1/4) of honeydew melon

3 celery stalks

 Directions

#1 Peel the melon and cucumbers (optional).

#2 Chop the ingredients to fit through your juicer.

#3 Juice all ingredients.

#4 Enjoy!

Fun Fact: Honeydew holds the second highest level of vitamin C compared to all other melons. The high content of vitamin C found in honeydew juice has been proven to aid in fighting and preventing various forms of cancer.

Recipe Source: http://www.rebootwithjoe.com/a-surprisingly-not-too-sweet-cucumber-melon-juice/

 Do you have a favorite juice recipe?

Share it in the comments below!

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5 Cancer-Fighting Foods

July 5, 2016 by

If you’ve had cancer, or know someone who has, you understand the importance of nurturing and protecting the body from developing this horrible disease.

While there isn’t yet a foolproof method to prevent cancer, you can make lifestyle changes to keep your body healthier.

We suggest starting with your diet and add cancer-fighting foods into your daily meal plan.

Eating these foods will not only help decrease your risk of cancer, but will also give you the energy and strength to look and feel better as you go throughout your day.

Here are 5 cancer-fighting foods that we recommend to add into your diet.

Steamed Broccoli

Broccoli is one of the most powerful foods for cancer prevention.

It has a sizable amount of sulforaphane, a particularly potent compound that boosts the body’s protective enzymes and flushes out cancer-causing chemicals.

Add steamed or raw broccoli into salads, pasta dishes, or sprinkle on top of pizza.

Blackberries

Blackberries make a sweet and delicious snack.

While all berries are packed with cancer-fighting phytonutrients, blackberries stand out because they contain very high concentrations of phytochemicals called anthocyanins.

These anthocyanins slow down the growth of premalignant cells and keep new blood vessels from forming, which could potentially feed a cancerous tumor.

Blackberries taste great picked fresh off the plant, in fruit salads, or in cobblers.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a fantastic source of lycopene.

This is what gives a tomato its red color. Lycopene has also been known to stop endometrial cancer cell growth.

Slice up a fresh tomato to munch on, add it into salads, or enjoy tomato sauce on pasta and pizza.

Garlic

Many people use garlic as a spice to flavor food.

It’s a good thing because the phytochemicals in garlic have been proven to halt the formation of nitrosamines, which are carcinogens formed in the stomach.

Garlic is delicious when used to flavor meats and veggies.

Black Beans

Black beans are in the legume family.

When you eat them, you increase the levels of the fatty acid butyrate, which in high concentrations has protective effects against cancer growth.

Use black beans as a simple side dish, or incorporate them into burritos or rice dishes.

What are your favorite cancer-fighting foods? Comment below!

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Protecting Your Skin in the Summer Sun

August 4, 2014 by

<alt="sunrise"/>Skin cancer is a major concern among adults every year. In 2013, there were over 82,000 cases of skin cancer in the United States alone. Additionally, last year there were roughly 12,600 skin cancer-related deaths.

Skin cancer can start from an irregularity in your skin and develop into something more serious. It’s possible to keep your skin safe from the sun. Before getting into those options, like sunscreen and protective clothing, here are some skin cancer warning signs to look for:

Warning Signs of Skin Problems

The best way to detect skin problems is to pay close attention to changes in your skin. Look out for things like growths or discoloration. If you notice a new lesion or a change in the shape, color, or size of a pre-existing mole or patch of skin, you should seek the consultation of a physician. Often times something very small can lead to something greater. Don’t take the risk. See a doctor when you notice changes on your body.

Non-Sunscreen Protection Options

When it comes to keeping your skin safe from the sun, you have more that a few options to consider.

1. Avoidance

The best skin protection is avoidance. Try to stay out of the sun as much as possible. Keep cool in the shade, and your skin will thank you for it. If you must be in the sun, wear tightly woven clothing and a wide brim hat to keep the sun off of your skin. When clothing like that isn’t a possibility, use plenty of sunscreen.

2. Sunglasses

Wear sunglasses to protect the sensitive skin around your eyes. Children in particular are susceptible to sun damage, so it’s highly recommended you keep their eyes protected, too.

3. Tanning Beds

Some people think tanning beds are safe because you’re away from the sun. The reality is: you should avoid anything related to a tanning bed or a heat lamp. These devices not only have the same harmful UV rays as the sun, tanning beds include additional harmful UV radiation.

4. Sunscreen

When choosing a sunscreen, you should always aim for an SPF of 30 or higher. Sunscreen will not fully protect you, so try to keep in the shade as much as possible.

Other factors make a difference in what sunscreen to choose. For example, babies and toddlers require different types of protection than an adult. Here are some sunscreen options out there to try:

Sunscreen for Momentary Sun Exposure

If you don’t plan on spending time in the sun for more than a few minutes, an SPF of 30 should be okay. We recommend applying lotions that have an SPF in them so that you’re always protected—even if you’re sitting in traffic in your car! The sun’s damaging rays are everywhere.

Broad Spectrum Protection

It’s very important that your sunscreen has both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) protection. This allows protection from both sides of the light spectrum. If you plan to stay in the sun for long periods of time — such as the beach or near a pool — you should use an SPF of at least 30 or higher. With an SPF of 30, you filter out 97 percent of the sun’s UV radiation. You could also try an SPF of 50, which filters out up to 98 percent of these rays.

Sunscreen For Children

Chemicals are especially harmful for children’s skin, so you should avoid sunscreen with PABA and oxybenzone when using it on a child. Sunscreens with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide tend to be okay for people who have sensitive skin, so it’s okay if these ingredients are in your children’s sunscreen.

One more tip for sunscreen for children: try using alternative applications, like sprays, with colorful packaging that are “fun” to use. Why? Because — and parents already know this — getting sunscreen on children can be a challenge. When using sprays, don’t spray on their faces. Instead, spray on the hands and spread on their faces.

Sunscreen For Sensitive Skin

If you have to manage allergic reactions, acne, or rosacea-prone skin, avoid sunscreens containing:

  • Preservatives
  • Fragrances
  • PABA
  • Oxybenzone
  • Anything “greasy” in substance

Sunscreen For Dry Skin

People with dry skin will find great benefit from moisturizing sunscreens. Apply after showering to “lock in” the moisture to your skin, and be sure to re-apply every 30 minutes.

Have a favorite sunscreen you use daily? Share it in the comments below!

Photo Credit: Werner Kunz

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Best Spring Workouts to Stay Fit and Energized

May 28, 2012 by

woman-working-outWhen the chills of winter finally recede (and we start to remember that bathing suit season is just around the corner), the thought of working out becomes more appealing than it’s been for months. Here are some ways to take advantage of longer, warmer days to build fitness habits that will keep you healthier all year long.

  • Ride your bike. Whether you cycle on a nearby trail or pedal to run errands, biking is a great way to get exercise, spend time outside, and save money on gas. For added enjoyment, recruit a friend or two to ride with you.
  • Take a hike. Walking through the woods connects you with all the beauty of spring and lets you get away from the stresses of civilization. Kick the health level up a notch by combining a hike with a hunt for morel mushrooms and other edible spring blossoms (but be sure to double check the identity of everything you pick before eating!)
  • Go for a swim. True, it’s not warm enough in most of the country to swim outdoors yet, but warmer temps make indoor pools seem much more appealing than they did during the depths of winter. Bonus: find an indoor pool with diving boards, and you can make it a family event.
  • Help your garden grow. Vigorous gardening (such as preparing ground for spring planting) lets you work up a sweat for a bigger purpose. There’s no motivation to get active than thinking about the crop of succulent tomatoes that awaits you in a few months!
  • Mow the lawn. Powerless mowers provide the best workout, but even gas-powered push mowers let you work up a sweat while exercising most major muscle groups.
  • Hit the net. Call a friend for a game of tennis or set up a net in your backyard for volleyball or badminton. Lawn games are a great addition to springtime barbecues because they offer a non-eating, non-drinking way to interact with others.
  • Wash your car. Scrub away the caked pollen and get your heart rate up in the process.
  • Play a game of pickup. Basketball, soccer, softball—any game that lets you run around outside without feeling foolish is okay in our book. And don’t feel as if you have to recruit two full teams—one-on-one matchups are possible in almost any sport!

Exercise is one of the easiest and most important ways to maintain your health after breast cancer or to lower your chances of developing cancer and other diseases, so head outside and enjoy the season!

 

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Eat with the Season for Better Health

May 16, 2012 by

seasonal fruitOnce upon a time, before refrigerated trucks and supermarkets, people ate according to what was grown nearby in any given season (or according to what they’d thought to preserve during the previous months).

While today’s agricultural and supermarket industries offer us many more choices in how and what we can eat, doing things the old-fashioned way comes with a number of health benefits. Here’s why you can do your body a huge favor by adding more local, seasonal produce to your diet.

  • Higher nutrient content. Produce has its highest nutritional value at peak ripeness, and starts losing that value as soon as it’s harvested. Many fruits and vegetables [link to ] destined to be shipped long distances are picked before they achieve optimum ripeness and lose nutrients during the long shipment process (and while they sit on your shelves). Eating locally and in season lets you avoid both problems and enjoy more of the nutrients that protect against breast cancer [link to] and other diseases.
  • Better taste. The fresher produce is, the better it tastes. It’s as simple as that. If you’re unfamiliar with the various offerings at your local farmer’s market, you can enjoy an assortment of tantalizing flavors by researching recipes designed for the vegetables and fruits available to you. Or ask the people you buy produce from: chances are, they’ll have plenty of ideas for enjoying the season’s freshest offerings.
  • Smaller carbon footprint. The less distance food travels, the less gasoline is required to get it from the field to your mouth. This creates a greener, healthier planet for everyone.
  • Better prices. When a crop is ripe, farmers have to harvest it and sell it before it goes bad. This means that prices will be lower for you—it’s a simple matter of supply and demand. Take advantage of your favorite food’s peak seasons by learning to preserve batches of whatever you want to eat when the season has passed.

Eating a diet rich in plant-based foods has been shown to be one of the most effective ways to prevent cancer of all kinds. Treat your body right by indulging in the delicacies blooming outside your doorway, and enjoy the rich flavors and high quality of life that brings you!

 

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