Green Detox Smoothie

I’m alive, I’m alive!
I know you guys were super worried — OK, maybe not “super worried”, let’s go with concerned? Puzzled? Curious? You have to give me curious at least.
Anyways, I’m here in one piece, still alive, typing on the keyboard, with my cup of green tea.
Life seems to be going back to normal, finally.
So what happened?
Well, nothing that exciting.
In a nutshell, when I got back from the holidays on January 4th I got the flu. Just like that.
I’m not complaining, it’s flu season, people get the flu.
However, I didn’t get the flu, I got the super flu, the terminator of flu.

The Feel-Good Equation

Eating well, being active, and positive thinking are the most important factors in the “feeling good/being healthy” equation.
Is it a hard equation to solve?
Of course it’s hard.
When was the last time you have done anything worth that wasn’t hard?
It’s so worth though.
The initial step is usually the hardest. But once you get started, there’s no stopping you.
What matters is that you make changes that you can stick with for a long period of time.
The road to being healthy isn't one that ends, it’s long. At first it might be tough - after that - it takes less and less effort.
You get used to the routine, the routine gets easier. You start feeling better and begin to change your life.

Beet, Carrot, Ginger and Apple Juice (The Pre-Workout Boost)

This is the story of how I started loving beet juice.
A crazy and dimwitted love story.
It begins with my extreme hatred for beets.
Even as a kid, I always LOVED my veggies, but beets were something I have never acquired a taste for.
Seriously, how can you acquire a taste for something that tastes like…ehm, dirt?
I lived a happy, healthy and beet-less life, until a bunch of British lads from the University of Exeter discovered that beetroot juice - being a natural source of nitrate - gives athletes some extra oomph.
Nitrate has basically two physiological effects.
Firstly, it widens blood vessels, reducing blood pressure and allowing more blood flow. Secondly, it affects muscle tissue, reducing the amount of oxygen needed by muscles during activity.
The combined effects have a significant impact on performing physical tasks, whether it involves low-intensity or high-intensity effort.
In other words, beets have a similar effects of those disgusting nitric oxide supplements.
Drinking something natural and healthy instead of synthetic stuff? Too good to be true.
That was it for me. I needed to start liking beets, NOW!

The Amazing Health Benefits of Turmeric

In the realm of herbs and spices, there’s one that stands out in terms of health benefits.
Turmeric, an orangey-yellow spice that comes from a root belonging to the ginger family, is an important ingredient in Indian curries and also gives ballpark mustard its bright yellow color.
The medicinal properties of turmeric have been slowly revealing themselves over the centuries.
Long-known for its anti-inflammatory and immune supporting properties, recent researches have revealed that this spice is a natural wonder, providing benefits in the treatment of many different health conditions.
Turmeric might just end up being the most important spice in your cabinet.

Yogurt, The Power Snack

I've been on a yogurt kick since...well, since as far as I can remember.
Honestly, my love for yogurt is deeper than the ocean and goes back to when I was a toddler (according to my mum at least).
I can say, without equivocation that yogurt is my favorite snack.
I realize I said the same about other stuff already and that you probably think I'm exaggerating a tad and being melodramatic and that I need to dial-it-down and stop saying "This is the best thing in the world, I could live on this!".
But yogurt? With yogurt I think you and I are in the same boat (in a good way though).
Because yogurt is delicious, filling, packed with health benefits and has very few calories.
It can be used in a number of different ways: Smoothies, cakes, marinades, sauces, and when you freeze it...do we even need to discuss about frozen yogurt????
Since we (yes, you and I) love it so much, I've done some research and discovered some pretty interesting facts about it.
Now I love it even more than before, and I'm totally expecting you to do the same. Deal?

Kiwifruit: A Health Powerhouse

Kiwifruit is a small, nutrient-dense fruit that packs a stunning amount of health benefits.
It’s an amazing source of vitamin C, and has almost the same amount of potassium by weight than a banana. It’s also a good source of Vitamin E, and contains a small amount of Vitamin A.
That’s only if you consider the green flesh, if you take into account also the black seeds you’ll get an average of over 60% of Omega-3 ALA acid.
Furthermore, the inner white part of this fruit packs so much fiber, it’s been reported to have mild laxative effects.
Considering such an awesome nutritional profile - which rightfully grants kiwifruit the status of superfood - one would expect kiwifruit to be much more popular than it actually is.
Unfortunately, especially in the US, kiwifruit is not much sought after by consumers.
So what I'm trying to do here is try to convince you to include kiwifruit in your diet.

Goji Berries, The Himalayan Superfood

A couple of readers asked me about Goji berries. I'd assumed that Goji berries were fairly common, hmm...guess I was wrong, my bad.
So here's a couple of facts about this awesome bright red colored berry.

Goji berries (also known as wolfberries) are a bright orange-red berry that comes from an Himalayan tree.
In Asia, goji berries have been eaten for generations.
In fact, goji berries have been used for over 6,000 years by herbalists in China, Tibet and India to: Protect the liver, help eyesight, improve sexual function and fertility, boost immune function, improve circulation and promote longevity.
Goji berries can be eaten raw, cooked or dried. They taste like a vibrant blend of berries, they have mild tangy taste with a mild sweet and sour aftertaste.
Hidden within its ruby pigment is the magic that makes it nature’s perfect energy fruit. Goji berries are actually packed with antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids.

The Amazing Health Benefits of Hemp Seeds

I’m so late to the hemp seeds party, I know.
Better late than never though.
It’s been over two years that I keep hearing about hemp seeds (and, in particular about their amazing health benefits) but never bothered looking into them.
It's time to make amends...

What are hemp seeds?

Hemp seeds are the seeds of Cannabis sativa. Technically a nut, hemp seeds contain over 30% oil and about 25% protein, with considerable amounts of dietary fibers and minerals.
Hemp seeds have been documented as a source of food throughout recorded history. For instance, hemp seed oil has been used as a food/medicine in China for at least 3,000 years.

Always Buy The Best Quality Meat You Can Afford (And Read This Book!)

One of the rules I live by is to eat less meat but better quality meat.
As a health-conscious individual I try to buy only grass-fed, pastured and free-range meat (and fowl and their eggs) — it is said to contain more nutrients and fewer toxins than factory-farmed grain-fed meat.
Yes, it is more expensive and not always easy to find; but it’s worth. Every. Single. Penny.



It’s hard to shy away from huge chunks of wrapped meat from the supermarket — it’s so convenient. But most of the time that meat comes animals raised in factories unable to move, fed unnatural diets, pumped with hormones and antibiotics and living in filth. That alone for me is enough of an incentive not to buy it.
I’m not talking about the ethics involved here, I’m just pointing out that if you care about what you put into your body, you need to choose the best quality meat (and eggs) you can get your hands on. It’s a healthier choice, period.
In addition, it tastes better — pastured meat has a farm-y and robust flavor because the animals are grass-fed, free to roam, and raised sustainably and humanely.
Essentially it comes from animals that have acted and lived like animals.
So a big fat YES to grass-fed, pastured and free-range meat (and eggs).

Eat When You're Supposed To (and Snack Very Little!)

Today, we eat all the time, munching on snacks, convenience foods, or sipping lattes, sodas or smoothies at every hour of the day.
It’s a fact. Just take a look around yourself.
We eat while driving or riding in a car or walking or at our desks or while watching TV. We are snacking more and eating fewer meals.
We do so little eating at the table that sociologists and market researchers - who study American eating habits - report that we have added to the traditional big three meals (i.e., breakfast, lunch and dinner) a fourth one that lasts all day long: the constant snacking meal.
Snacks are less and less the hunger-soothing bridge between formal meals. They have become a meal in their own right.
As a result, we eat much more food than we need and we're gaining weight at an alarming rate.
We’re a nation of overweight and obese people, because we eat too often, not only too much.
The solution? Going back to our roots — eating only at designated meal times and limit snacking.
It’s OK to feel hungry between meals. However, being hungry doesn’t mean you have to eat.
If it isn’t breakfast, lunch or dinner, always ask yourself: “Am I really hungry?”
Maybe you’re just bored, tired, distracted, sad, or happy. Try to understand what you’re really feeling before you grab something to eat.

How To Make Super-Nutritious Germinated Brown Rice

Today we’re talking about my beloved brown rice.
As an athlete, I consume a ridiculous amount of brown rice; it’s an important source of proteins, complex carbs, precious fiber and many important nutrients and minerals.
Brown rice is awesome and you’re getting nothing but goodness in every spoonful.
I was contented with my brown rice, until one day my colleague Sohyoung told me that you can even get more out of it.
She said that if you soak brown rice at room temperature overnight, the rice will germinate and get even more awesome.
Really?
I wasn't convinced, so I looked into that and found out that Sohyoung was right all along.
Sprouted (or germinated) brown rice is the way go!

What I'm Reading: Cooked, A Natural History Of Transformation

I’ve read every one of Michael Pollan’s books and enjoyed all of them; he’s arguably one of my favorite authors.
His latest book “Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation” did not fail to impress me once again. His ability to take the mundane (in this case cooking) and make it interesting has - in my humble opinion - no match.

Dieting? Better Have Someone Hide The Chocolate

Common wisdom tells us that willpower is key in losing weight. That there’s only one way to succeed, you need to set your mind to it and fully commit: clean food, calorie restriction, exercise and healthy lifestyle.
If you don’t have the mental strength to do it, you’re doomed to fail. End of the story.
However, the concept of willpower in diet has been the subject of much criticism. Researchers have long rejected the idea that there’s some innate force that will keep you from resisting bad habits1.
To attribute dieting success or failure just to willpower - researchers say - is a simplification that ignores details of the numerous mechanisms in play behind a successful weight loss program.
Believing that only willpower can do the magic trick entails a further risk. If you assume that it’s just a matter of mental strength, you can feel less in control of your eating habits and conclude that, if it’s not your DNA, there’s nothing you can do about it.
That’s not it though. The success of dieting is made by the sum of several behavioral changes. Willpower is one of them but it’s not the only one. There’s the interaction of brain chemicals, behavioral conditioning, hormones, heredity and the influence of habits. All these factors are part of the diet equation2.

Is There Such A Thing As Too Many Antioxidants?

I’m not sure why, but this question has been daunting me these past few days. So I figured, I must get to the bottom of it, because I’m the type of person that goes bonkers over these sort of things.
Too much green tea? Too much fruit? When too much of a good thing becomes bad? 
You see, over the last decade or so we’ve been relentlessly told that antioxidants are the key to better health. “The more, the better!” is the adage we keep hearing. 
As a result, grocery stores shelves are now chock-full of products with labels bragging that they contain large amounts of antioxidants, implying that you’re just few bites away from better health. 
However, when it comes to antioxidants, as I discovered, more doesn’t necessarily means better.  

Let's Talk About Carb Cycling

Carb cycling is a fat loss strategy commonly used by elite bodybuilders which is recently getting a lot of attention. It promises to make you lose fat and build muscle by keeping your metabolism in top form through a rotation between low carb and high carb days1.
In fact, carb cycling - scientifically referred to as the Cyclic Ketogenic Diet or CKD - is nothing else but a low carb diet with intermittent periods of high or moderate carbohydrate consumption. In other words, periods of low-carb, high protein and high fat intake are cycled with periods of high carb, high protein and low fat2.
Turns out, carb cycling might be one of the most effective ways to lose fat and build muscles.

Cauliflower Power

Not everyone is a fan of cauliflower. I get that. It’s a non pretentious vegetable, that deserves much more attention it’s actually getting.
Cauliflower is cheap, versatile, and features a high concentration of nutrients for the calories contained. The bad rep has something to do with the fact that it stinks badly when it cooks. The taste can also be a bit off-putting. Cauliflower is definitely not a kids favorite and sometimes that also applies to the grown-ups.
Cauliflower is enjoying a revamp lately though. No longer just for dips and soups, this unlikely veggie is taking the center stage in main dishes at some of the best eating spots around.
We have also found new ways to use it: what about cauliflower crust pizza? Or cauliflower rice?
Back in the days, even Mark Twain was very fond of this cruciferous vegetable. In Pudd’nhead Wilson he states “Training is everything. The peach was once a bitter almond; cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.” Conferring cauliflower a college degree.
Cauliflower was indeed an expensive and fashionable vegetable on the Victorian table. It was the queen of vegetables, and was often steamed whole and served elaborately garnished. Cabbage, on the other hand, was on everybody's plate, with no college education.

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What I'm Reading: Making Supper Safe

The topic of food safety is more current than ever before. Over the past few decades, foodborne illness has shifted from being a fairly regionalized threat with the potential to sicken a handful of people in a single outbreak, to a national hazard capable of felling hundreds (if not thousands) of consumers from a single point of contamination.
Food recalls have become so ubiquitous we hardly even notice them. In 2008-2009 the massive salmonella contamination has killed nine people and sickened about 22,500 people. Only few weeks later, a contaminated frozen cookie dough has sent 35 people to the ER. The outbreaks are getting bigger and more deadly. These events are an alarming symptom that there’s something wrong with our food system.

The Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Hollywood’s new diet craze is nothing like the usual offerings. It’s not even a diet; there’s no counting calories, carbs forbearance or faddy detoxing. It’s a scientific based eating regimen that focuses on your body cells not your waistline. It seeks to operates on a biochemical level and it's designed to neutralize the inflammation that occurs inside your body. 
The anti-inflammatory diet got Hollywood hooked promising big benefits such as a clearer mind, fewer cravings, glowing skin and slimmer waist1.

Credit: Image courtesy of drweil.com

Negative Calorie Food: Fact or Fiction?

The term "negative calorie food" has been around for quite some time now, creating a good amount of confusion. 
Allegedly “negative calorie food” identifies certain foods that use up more calories in digestion, absorption and metabolism that they contain in the first place. In other words, calories from these foods are so hard for the body to breakdown and process, that their thermic effects are greater than their calorie values. This in turn could cause a calorie deficit, giving these foods a tremendous fat-burning advantage.  
If this assumption was true, eating these foods will cause weight-loss. The problem is that it’s not true. The calories your body burns in the digestive cycle are minuscule compared with the calories in the food itself1.

Stay Hydrated!

There are plenty of hot days ahead of us and while it's always a good idea to stay hydrated, it's especially important when summer temps start rising. Whether you’re training for the NYC Marathon in Central Park, hiking some peaks or just going on a shopping spree in the street of Soho with your friends. 
Here are some tips for how to stay hydrated during the warm weather months.