August 2009

  • Jean season: Another Reason for Fasting this Fall

    By lafeeverte on 8/31/09 7:48pm
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    Fashion forward shopping addicts all know what the approach of the autumn season really means. This year, it's about the procuring and wearing of extra skinny jeans, Mad Men inspired fitted suits of wool and tweed, romantic evening dresses with cinched waists for that nostalgic 40's look that is so in again. And t'is the season of thigh high boots worn over skin-tight leather biker pants and looking good naked in the bedroom for the coming cold winter nights (above the covers)! While the pressure of swim season is over, inner thighs and potbellies simply never lie when dressed in low rise stove pipe distressed denim or a well-fitted suit. Do they?

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  • Stay Away From Sweets by Playing with Them

    By sarajean on 8/30/09 8:52pm
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    The other day I tossed a few of those chewy, bite-sized yummy miniature Twizzlers on my desk as I went to work, and found myself playing with them with my daughter instead.

    Do you ever find that you mindlessly eat while you work at a desk? You think the sugar is helping you to stay awake or alert but in reality, it’s just packing on more pounds. My daughter taught me that I don’t necessarily have to eat the candy, however; just by messing around with it I was able to have a laugh, keep myself awake and get back to work!

    Funnily enough, it also kept her engaged, which was a blessing; these days, the only thing that really keeps her occupied while I work are pasting stickers to everything in sight, which is tedious to remove later.

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  • Add Some Ninja Cancer-Fighting Foods to Your Diet

    By sarajean on 8/30/09 1:20pm
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    With cancer leading the way as the second largest killer in America (just behind heart disease), it’s no wonder that people are turning to preventative measures to protect themselves against this widespread killer. Like many areas of your health, cancer prevention can start in your kitchen. There are many foods that can help reduce your cancer risk; all you have to do is shop (or grow) and start cooking up some of these ninja foods:

    Broccoli: Yes, your mother was right—you should eat your broccoli! It’s full of cancer-fighting compounds that can even slow the growth of cancer cells. Kale, cabbage, and other cruciferous veggies can also do the trick.

    Flaxseed: Yes, it’s a great source of omega 3 fatty acids; but did you know that flaxseed is also full of phytoestrogens, which can reduce your risk of cancer? Whole grain foods will also help do the trick.

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  • Spiderman Says Support Healthy School Lunches!

    By sarajean on 8/27/09 7:38am
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    You don’t need a Spider Sense to detect the low quality of today’s school lunches. From greasy tater tots (remember Napoleon Dynamite?) to basically anything marinated in gravy to “chef’s surprise,” which is usually leftovers, there’s not usually many fresh or healthy choices available.

    President Obama admits that it’s due to costs—that schools are able to buy these pre-packaged, frozen foods cheaply. But he’s also said that we need to do something about it. “Let’s get some fresh fruits and vegetables in the mix,” he said.

    With a problem like this, we need a hero to step up to the plate—literally!—and add some green food to it. A hero like… Spiderman!

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  • Natural Detoxifying Herbs and Foods

    By sarajean on 8/15/09 5:36pm
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    Detoxification and cleansing are pretty popular health measures to take these days, and have been shown to produce some positive results. Some experts say that detoxification plans can help rid your body of unwanted and damaging chemicals and junk; others say that it’s probably a waste of time. Our livers, they say, work as natural detoxification factories, and if you’re giving your liver enough supply—as in good foods and nutrients—it can surely meet the demand.

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  • Celebrate National Apple Week

    By sarajean on 8/13/09 4:49am
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    Mmm… apples. Remember that scene where Matt Damon gets Minnie Driver’s phone number in Good Will Hunting and he’s all like, “Do you like apples? Well I got her number—how ya like them apples!” Good scene. Not necessarily a great reason to like apples, though.

    Here’s a better one: the saying “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” is around for a good reason. Apples are super low in calories—only 81 per juicy piece—and full of stuff to help give you superpowers. OK, maybe not superpowers, but cancer prevention, bone protection and low cholesterol come pretty close.

    Apples are also known to help people with asthma, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as people trying to lose weight. Known as heart-healthy foods, they are also good sources of fiber and vitamin C.

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  • What are you going to do with those MELONS?

    By lafeeverte on 8/6/09 3:41pm
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    Thinking about that question today, on this hot summer afternoon in southern California, between fits of periodic deep house cleaning, led me to daydream about melons. Indeed, melons. Melons of all kinds, the kind, even of your imagination... "What are you going to do with those melons?" Possibly the sexiest thing anyone could say or think in a kitchen. Cantaloupe, honeydew, Crenshaw, Juan Canary, Persian, Santa Claus, Seedless Watermelon, Yellow-flesh Watermelon, Pepino, Casaba.... ai, Casaba.

    Spritz it with lime juice, sprinkle crushed red cayenne pepper all over it and eat it barely dressed with someone you love, or at least have a decent crush on! Caliente! Don't forget the tequila! Also, good appetizers for just about anything that happens at night! Drizzle it with orange blossom honey at will!

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  • Health Benefits of Peaches

    By sarajean on 8/3/09 8:44pm
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    If you’ve seen Ice Age 3, you know what “peaches” mean—something sweet, round, and fuzzy! And round is good—according to Manny, round is foxy.

    Though eating peaches isn’t about to make you sweet, fuzzy, or round, it can give you a burst of sweet, juicy flavor in every bite. And seeing as it’s National Peach Month, and Manny and Ellie are apparently into the fruit, why not have yourself a peach? If not for the mammoths, then how about for the following health benefits:

    Heart Protection: Because peaches are considered good sources of lutein and lycopene, powerful phytochemicals that have been linked to preventing certain health problems, they may help fight heart disease as well as cancer and macular degeneration.

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