It's an Orange Kind of Day

It's just one of those days where I want to feel gorgeous. And what better way to do so than to eat a TON of orange fruits?

After a run, I was really craving some oranges. I'm a firm believer in giving your body what it wants when it wants it. As long as its craving good, healthy, beauty enhancing foods, don't deprive yourself! And, for the record, oranges and tangerines definitely fit the criteria!

Oranges and tangerines are great for your largest organ, your skin! They can make your skin a beacon of beauty. Just one orange supplies you with over 100% the recommended daily value of vitamin C. Vitamin C is essential to collagen production. Collegen not only strengthens your capillaries, tendons and ligaments, but it also keeps your skin plump and youthful, improving the texture of all skin types. The citric acid also helps in reducing wrinkles, and softening the texture of the skin and reducing inflammation.

If acne is a problem you have, keep in mind that oranges and tangerines are high in vitamin A as well, which protects your skin from pore-clogging toxins and bacteria. They also Alpha-hydroxil acids which will help to topically cleanse the skin.

Afraid of sun damage? These orange fruits are one of your strongest allies. Rife with antioxidants, flavoniods and phytonutrients, they protect your skin from free radicals and radiation caused by sun exposure. Sun damage doesn't stand a chance. Vitamins A and C also help prevent harm from UV rays. The sun actually breaks
down the beautifying vitamin A in your skin, so replenish with plenty of oranges, tangerines, mandarins, or whatever else you can get your hands on! Your skin will thank you, and your tummy will thank you too!

Lavender Kombucha

Oh my goodness!!! I have fallen in love. This drink tastes amazing! It's spicy, musky, and exotic. Delicious. I highly recommend it.

Recipe Time!

 I've been partially bored of salads with salsa, lately. Don't get me wrong, it's super tasty, but when you have it EVERY single day, it can wear a little thin. I decided to make pico de gallo, because it's raw, low-cal, fat free... yum. But i didn't have any tomatoes. What I did have was a red pepper. Thus, Red Pepper Pico De Gallo was born. Super simple, SUPER tasty (I like it better than the tomato version) and absolutely bursting with nutrients your body craves. There are over 30 different carotenoids (including lycopene and zeaxanthin) that will keep your cells healthy and happy, remove cancer causing free-radicals, nourish your skin, and keep down bloat and inflammation.

Red Bell Pepper Pico De Gallo:

1 red bell pepper
1/2 red onion
1 handful fresh cilantro (I like a lot in mine)
1 clove garlic
1 TBS fresh lime juice

You can add jalapeno if you like it spicy
(I don't).

 I use this recipe as a dressing for salads and a dip for veggie sticks. Yummm.:) Happy and healthy!

Sweet Tea is MINE! :D

As a Southern girl, one of the hardest things for me to give up is my sweet tea. It's all in the pursuit of health and well being, so it's worth it, but it is definitely a harder treat to say no to. I've tried adding powdered stevia to my teas, but, UUGH. Not a fan. Thus, my teas have been unsweetened if consumed at all. I've gone the stevia route, pouring little packets of white powder (sketch) into my drinks at the coffee shop. I just haven't been thrilled with the results. But NO MORE! I have found LIQUID STEVIA. Oh happy day! The aftertaste that many complain about, is nonexistent. I am so pleased with the results, i've been drinking tea non-stop for the past 2 days...AHH!
 Being healthy in this rather unhealthy society takes enough discipline as it is. Having a completely guiltless cup of sweet tea is something I have not enjoyed in about 3 years. VIVA LA LIQUID STEVIA!

Great Skin is Just a Salad Away

  One of the best ways to tell how healthy someone is, is the quality of their skin! Our skin is our largest organ, and what we ingest comes to the surface. If we want radiant, glowing skin, we must eat radiant, glowing foods. 

 I've been having skin texture issues for months now. Since early autumn, my skin has been so dry and flaky and gross. Just the surface of it looked uneven, blotchy, patchy...UUGH. I got so sick of it... So, as soon as Christmas (and all its ensuing feasts) passed, I decided enough was enough, and I was going to go plant-based, and mostly raw with my diet. I've stuck to it reasonably well, one day being militant about it, the next a little less than militant, but have overall been very successful in dropping animal products cold turkey. I've lost a little bit of weight, but the main area that I see improvement (in the mere 3 weeks I've been doing this) is my SKIN! Hallelujah! No more foundation for me. Nasty, skin coloured syrupy stuff. Gross.
 My skin has even improved so, that a co-worker told me tonight, "Wow, you have GREAT skin," of course, that felt awesome, and I replied, "I know! It's all those veggies, I don't even have to wear foundation!" I flatter myself to say that she thought I was wearing some. Haha. Anyway, even if you aren't quite ready to go full out vegan, one HUGE huge way to improve your complexion is to drink some green juices in the morning. I swear they hydrate and nourish your body better than anything I've tried so far. All of those detoxifying, beautifying, skin-brightening antioxidants get pumped straight into your bloodstream and right to the surface of your skin. It's magical. And so much less expensive than those mall-counter beauty creams or magazine remedies. I like to add chard stalks, broccoli stalks, spinach, celer, carrot, and red beet. It tastes delicious, and your complexion will thank you! :)

Lemons Are A Girl's (or guys!) Best Friend

  Did you know, Lemons are superfoods? That's right, these "Golden Apples" as they were referred to in ancient Greece, contain over 200 digestive enzymes, bioflavonoids, and countless vitamins and minerals. I drink at least one glass of warm lemon water a day, always in the morning, and often at night to help digest dinner. The benefits of this amazing fruit are boundless.
  Lemon's incredible amount of enzymes help to sweep out a clogged stomach. They reduce and cure belching, bloating, heartburn, nausea, and other GI related issues by making hard to digest molecules easier for the body to push break down and push through. These amazing little proteins also detoxify the liver. The enzymes touch onto molecules of toxin, and break them into much smaller pieces so that the liver can expel them and flush them out of your body. In addition, they dissolve uric acid buildup, liquefy bile, and destroy other toxins.
 Bioflavones contained in lemon are directly responsible for lemon's ability to help those with chronic nose bleeds and hemorrhaging. They stregthen the cappilaries and help the blood to coagulate, reduce bruising and bleeding gums.
  Vtamin C gives your immunity a huge boost. White blood cells build themselves around this essential vitamin, and fight off viruses and baceterial infections, even cancer! Collagen and catilage, the elements that keep our skin looking young, and our joints feeling young, can't form without this vital nutrient. Vitamin C has also been shown to help with ailments such as allergies, asthma, the common cold, glaucoma, high cholesterol and high blood pressure, osteoperosis, and even some forms of depression.
 For Weight loss, lemon aids in a few different ways. Studies have shown that lemon can reduce appetite, and help with sugar cravings, and even regulate blood sugar levels! Regulated blood sugar is essential to get rid of fat, whether you're working on losing that last 5, or 50. The LIVER is the body's primary fat burning organ. So keeping your liver clean and healthy is absolutely necessary to lose weight!

I hope this post has been somewhat enlightening...I could go on and on:) Try drinking hot lemon water at least twice a day! If you're under 150 pounds, half of an organic lemon in water twice daily is great. If you're over 150 pounds, it's best to go with a whole lemon. Add a little stevia if you wish. Enjoy!