WITH RACHEL PINKSTAFF
Salt is probably one of the last foods that comes to mind when you think about skin hydration...which is part of the reason I chose it as my last Inside Out Beauty Food! I love when I can take a food or ingredient and shed a new light on it. Especially a food as vilified as salt.
And here's the thing - regular table salt is just as bad as you have been taught to believe.
Read MoreToday's Inside Out Beauty Food is...drumroll...the wonderful, the magical, the beautiful...sweet potato!
You've no doubt heard of and tasted this delicious root vegetable. Maybe it's even a part of your regular diet. I'm so happy sweet potatoes have gone from something we drenched in marshmallows, brown sugar, and butter on the holidays to a more savory everyday food. Not that I have anything against this Thanksgiving day favorite - my sister, Carrie, makes
Read MoreThere's a reason I used coconuts not once but twice in my Beauty Foods series (link to my post on coconut oil) - they are basically the holy grail of plant foods! Plus they are so versatile and delicious.
When I decided to focus on hydration, coconut water was the first thing that came to mind. Not only is it a liquid, but it is full properties that help hydrate our bodies from the inside-out. Hydrating foods will be the topic for the next three days!
Growing up in (the very non-tropical) state of Oregon in the 80s and 90s, I can't say coconut was a big part of my life. In fact, I thought I didn't like coconut since my mom disliked the fakey taste of Almond Joy candy
Read MoreMicrogreens certainly aren't news to you if you're a restaurant regular or farmers' market lover. And while I can say microgreens have graced my plate a time or two, I didn't start to incorporate them into my at-home meals until very recently. In fact, I didn't even realize I could buy them at the grocery store. I've been hearing all about the amazing health benefits of microgreens through the holistic nutrition program I'm in, so when I spotted the little beauties in the refrigerated section, I promptly popped them into my basket.
If you're newer to microgreens, like me, you're in for a treat!
Read MoreI know what you're probably thinking - "WTF is that?! It looks like you found it at the bottom of the ocean or something!"
Aaaand you would be right.
But before you write me off as totally off my rocker, consider this fun fact - "studies indicate that sea vegetables have been eaten since at least 8000 B.C.E. by cultures in the Japanese region" (1). And the ancient Chinese considered them a delicacy fit for guests of honor and royalty. So really, we're just late to the party!
Read MoreFennel is one of those foods that, until recently, I only looked at in the grocery store's veggie section. If it ever made it out of the store with me, I had no idea what to do with it. That is until I started juicing.
If you're like me, when you embarked on juicing, you quickly realized that the higher the water content in a vegetable, the more bang for your buck you'll get. Leafy greens like kale and spinach were quickly 86'd from my juicing parties, while celery, cucumber, and broccoli became regulars. And then, while cutting up the fennel for juicing, I'd find myself snacking on it. And then I realized it was so tasty! I would dip it in hummus, or just eat it plain, or add it to salads. I became a big fan. It has subtle licorice notes, an extremely cleansing, refreshing taste and a satisfying crunch.
Read MoreToday's Inside Out Beauty Food is the ever-popular and delectable avocado!
In fact, as I write this, I am enjoying the most delicious avocado toast, at one of my fave coffee shops, topped with radishes, carrots, goat cheese, and pickled onions. Just. So. Good.
Clearly the secret is out about about avocados. But, being the healthy food nerd that I am, I always love learning more about why a particular food is so healthy and what exactly it supports in our bodies. And the more I learn about avocados, the more in awe of them I become.
Read MoreToday's beauty food is coconut oil! I've chosen coconut oil because it has some pretty magical properties, and I've seen the results at work in my own life.
While it goes without saying that oils should be a small portion of our diet, when we swap out processed and oxidized or damaged oils, and add in less-processed oils in their more natural state - fresh-pressed and unrefined, especially from foods with healing properties like the coconut, it is majorly beneficial to our bodies and our skin. Upgrading our oil game is also good news for our livers, which are freed up to run more smoothly.
Read MoreSeeds are one of those things in life that has me so totally blown away by the power(s) that be. The fact that a tiny little seed holds everything a new life needs to sprout is just mind-bending and so freaking cool. Add to it a healthy place to grow (soil), and the energy to draw it to the surface so that it can sprout (sunlight) and you're on your way to whatever beautiful plant that seed was destined to become; be it a giant redwood sequoia, a nutrient-rich carrot, or in this case, an adorable chia pet.
Read MoreNutritional yeast is a funny one. For those of us who have tried it, or been using it for years, it has somewhat of a cult following. It's no doubt graced your beloved bowl of popcorn, or dusted your pasta, or been added to your favorite homemade "cheesy" sauce. But ever tried introducing it to someone who hasn't heard of it? Their face morphs into a terrified "you want me to eat what?!" look. And you come off feeling like a weird mix of patchoulis-wearing hippie and just plain crazy...that is until they try it and love it! Or maybe you don't tell people about it out of fear they'll think you're weird.
Read MoreHappy day two of my 12-day blog series where we explore beauty foods that will have you glowing from the inside out!
Today's beauty food is SPIRULINA!
Have you used this powerful little super food before? You've no doubt heard of it, as it's made it's way through the trendy health circuit. The first time I heard of spirulina, I was a bit confused, wondering how to best use it - how much to use and what flavors or recipes to pair it with. Now that I feel like a bit more of a spirulina aficionado, I'd like to share my favorite easy way to incorporate spirulina in my daily routine.
Read MoreIn the realm of detoxing and beauty foods, lemons hold the number one place in my heart. I picked lemons as the first food because their effects can literally be life-changing. I know that's a big claim, but I believe this happy, sour little citrus stands up to the challenge.
This beauty food aligns perfectly with the first Beautycounter regimen I chose - No. 1 Brightening + Vitamin C, not only because it is notoriously rich in Vitamin C, but also because it's effects are literally brightening for the skin!
Read MoreFor the next twelve days, I'll be sharing one food per day that helps with beauty from the inside out.
As women, we spend hundreds of dollars a year on beauty products. And while I love me some quality skincare and makeup goods, my best ever skin, hair, and nails, has come with changes to what I put in my mouth (and has less to do with what I put on my skin/hair/nails). I have also been someone who bought my favorite beauty products without looking so much at the ingredients. That is, until recently.
Read MoreI think we have all found ourselves buying trail mix when we're in a pinch for a "healthy" bite. It is high-density nutrition, packed with protein and all the things our bodies crave when we're running low on energy - salt, sugar, and fat.
The trouble is - while packaged trail mix is a great option when compared with other processed on-the-go options - there can be a lot of sneaky beauty-busting ingredients hiding inside that innocent little snack pack. Think added sodium, hydrogenated oils, artificial colors and flavorings, and ingredients from genetically modified organism (GMO) crops, like high fructose corn syrup and soy lecithin.
Read MoreThese chilly winter days have me wanting to curl up in front of the Winter Olympics in the evenings with a hearty and nourishing dinner.
As someone who craves veggie-heavy, warm dishes, I usually find myself in a bit of a winter soup rut - it's my lazy go-to when I'm tired and can't seem to think of any other options. But when a recent winter veggie promo caught my eye, my mind instantly dreamed up this dish. What I love about it is that it's packed full of all the seasonal goodness our bodies are craving during the winter months - cancer-fighting cruciferous cauliflower, sulphur-rich mushrooms, garlic, and eggs to support our mitochondria, and colorful, phytonutrient-packed squash.
Read MoreYesterday morning I was on the local radio station here in Sonoma - KSVY 91.3. It was my first time ever on air and it was so much fun! We talked all about ways to improve digestion. I know, I know, "digestion" sounds like a total snooze fest...but hear me out - when you improve the way your body processes the nutrients you are putting in, you free up energy to access all the goodness from the healthy food you are eating. This means that not only will you shed excess lbs., but you'll also, in time, have more radiant and clear skin, shinier hair, stronger nails, and more energy...not boring at all, right?! In addition to the aesthetic benefits, freeing up your body's energy by optimizing digestion lets it focus on the important things like fighting the common cold and, over time, even fighting disease.
Read MoreIf you're anything like me, your experience with cheesy kale chips has gone something like this...
1) see irresistible kale chips in the healthy, snacky section of the grocery store...promptly add to basket/cart.
2) use every ounce of self control not rip open the bag and eat said kale chips while still shopping.
3) curious as to how they taste, remove from grocery bag so that you can try just one on your drive home.
Read MoreToday I tried something for the first time that I've been wanting to try for a very long time - pottery on a wheel!
It was around the time that I started cooking more healthy meals for myself that I noticed a beauty in natural foods that just blew me away - the colors, the textures, the realization that eating real, quality food is appealing to us as human beings with eyes that can see colors, noses that can breathe in aromas, hands to feel hot and cold, to peel and dice and sautée, brains to think up delicious concoctions, and of course, mouths to savor the flavors....all because healthy, whole, natural, foods are what we are meant to eat. So simple, and yet, pretty miraculous.
Read MoreEvery year, sometime in October, I bust out my Pumpkin Spice Cookie recipe. The recipe was given to me by my sister years ago and I still use the tattered, butter-stained original copy she hand-wrote and sent to me. It's the only recipe I would call a "family secret" and the only one I don't give out (plus, it's a surefire way to secure my invitation to fun fall get-togethers!). I usually let Pumpkin Spice Cookie season taper off sometime after thanksgiving and before the twelve days of Christmas begin.
Read MoreMaca is both a starchy root vegetable and a tonic herb. About the size of a radish or turnip, maca is, surprisingly, a member of the cruciferous family (like broccoli, cauliflower, and kale) and native to the high Andes of Peru and Bolivia. The maca root is usually sun-dried and then powdered. The flavor of maca is nutty, earthy, and comforting, with a slightly bitter aftertaste. Its aroma reminds me of cozy fall and winter flavors and pairs well with berries, coconut, chocolate, oats, and cinnamon.
Maca has long been used as a natural medicinal herb with some pretty awesome properties. Most notably as an adrenal and hormone balancer. Maca is in a special class of plants known as adaptogens (1).
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