Sunday, September 22, 2013

{All Natural} Pumpkin Pie Sugar Scrub

Greetings wellness lovers!

Today I have a very special guest blogger... my dear sister Alyssa from Alyssa's Cooking Adventures! She has a heavenly health and beauty recipe to share with you! Mmmmm... I almost want to eat it!


Pumpkin Pie Sugar Scrub
by Alyssa Craft
It is officially fall! That means that we can all consume pumpkin-flavored and pumpkin-scented EVERYTHING without guilt. Or maybe you never felt guilty, but it felt wrong to me if I was craving something pumpkin-flavored in August. Fall is one of my favorite seasons so I like to indulge in it to the fullest.

To kick off fall, I wanted to create something with ingredients I already had around the house. I settled on making a pumpkin face scrub. This face scrub is very easy to make as it only requries a few ingredients. I prefer homemade face scrubs because store-bought scrubs typically have a long list of chemicals which is not good if you have sensitive skin like me. 

The benefits of this pumpkin scrub include:
Exfoliation: This helps to remove dead skin cells that can leave skin looking dry, resulting in brighter and softer skin.
Moisturization: The jojoba oil used in this recipe has a similar structure to sebum, allowing it to absorb easily into your skin.
Acne-control: Coconut oil has antimicrobial properties that can help destroy acne-causing bacteria. This may help in preventing future breakouts.
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Pumpkin Face Scrub
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Ingredients
  • ¾ c. brown sugar
  • ½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ tsp. cinnamon
  • pinch of nutmeg
  • pinch of cloves
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp jojoba oil
Instructions
  1. Bring oils to liquid state if they are cold.
  2. Mix all ingredients together.
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I hope you enjoy this recipe. If you are up to it, get creative and experiment with different oils, scents and even sugars. Also, feel free to stop by my blog for more fall recipes to come!

Friday, September 6, 2013

Is it Really "Paleo?"

Well, hello there wellness lovers!



As I sit here blogging from the middle of the woods, haha... just kidding, I am actually "condo camping" with my fiance and family in Mammoth Lakes, CA for our annual summer vacation... I am excited to share with you, an excellent article about the paleo diet! 

For those of you that have been readers of "Taste for Healthy" since 2010, you may remember that I was 100% vegan.

However, after graduating from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition... I became a complete believer (and follower!) of the paleo diet. 

(I really did not believe it at first when they said "the students who come to Integrative Nutrition as vegans usually graduate the program eating meat!")

Anyways... I am honored to introduce you to to Virginia Cunningham, a freelance writer from southern California who specializes in health, wellness, and nutrition.

Is it Really "Paleo?"

by Virginia Cuningham

peleo1
Image Courtesy of Suat Eman
What is the Paleo diet?

Paleo is short for “Paleolithic” and it is also known by other names, such as the Hunter-Gatherer diet and Cave Man Diet.

During the age when farming first began is when people’s diets began to look similar to the modern day diet. According to the Paleo diet, today’s farming processes are not the best way of providing nutrition for our bodies. The Paleo diet follows the premise of what our ancestors ate long ago, before the farming age, and it is the proper diet to accommodate our genetic makeup. Thus, it is best to mimic this particular diet today. Those on the Paleo diet already, or are those who are considering the Paleo diet, should be aware of some of the foods that this particular diet deems unhealthy or insufficient.

Meat 
A predominant amount of the Paleo diet is meat-based. It is important to know that studies show that a diet high in red meat poses many health risks. Additionally, while the diet opposes processed meats, such as hot dogs, sausage and lunch meats, it allows for the consumption of other meats, like grass-fed beef, clams, salmon and venison steaks. Bacon is high in cholesterol and high in fat, which can impact heart health. It also contains nitrate, a food preservative that has been shown to be detrimental to one’s health. Those on the Paleo diet may eat bacon; however, just be sure to select the right kind of bacon and prepare it correctly.

Eggs
Despite the myth that eggs are high in cholesterol, eggs are an absolute staple to the Paleo diet, especially since they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, vitamin A, vitamin D, B vitamins and some minerals. They can be prepared in a variety of ways; however, when overcooked, the oxidized cholesterol in eggs may lead to chronic inflammation.

Fats 
The Paleo diet encourages a high protein diet is rich in monounsaturated fat; however, it is the type of meat and fat consumed which makes the difference for the Paleo diet. Monounsaturated fats lower blood cholesterol and help in the prevention of atherosclerosis. Polyunsaturated fats are also prevalent in the Paleo diet as they are rich in omega 3s (found in oils in fish, like salmon). The standard consensus is that fat leads to heart problems. It would be a good idea to see your doctor to monitor your labs and blood levels before and after being on the diet to see its effect on your body. Also, while avocados are good for combating bad cholesterol, they are high in fat as well.

Legumes 
Although legumes, such as peanuts, are not considered to be “junk food”, they contain phytic acid, which binds to nutrients in the food and prevents your body from absorbing these nutrients. Beans and legumes stop your body from getting the nutrients that other Paleo-acceptable foods contain.

Added Sugar 
Sugar is sugar. For instance, some think that agave syrup and honey are accepted in the Paleo diet; however, it still contains sugar. Avoid high sugar foods as they provide unnecessary and unhealthy fuel for the body. Almost all processed foods contain sugar, including low-fat dressing, mustard, ketchup, dried fruit, breakfast cereals, yogurt and, above all, fast food. If you want to lose weight, you need to cut down on these from your diet.

Nuts
Avoid processed nuts that contain salt and hydrogenated oils. Furthermore, avoid macadamia nuts and pecans as they have the lowest amount of protein and are high in fats. In general, some people encourage that you eat as much as you want of the approved foods on the Paleo diet – that means no portion controlling. However, your body does not need all of that food. It needs only enough to provide you with energy. It is important to monitor the impact of the diet on you to ensure you are doing what is best for your body type.

Virginia Cunningham is a freelance writer from the Los Angeles area whose writing specializes in personal health, fitness and healthy cooking. When starting a diet, she is always sure to be well-informed what a particular diet involves.