Food For Healthy Skin

Healthy Skin 101

We all want beautiful skin, but there is so much confusing information available to us. Let’s begin with some basic nutrition education for healthy skin:


Free Radicals and Antioxidants:

A free radical is an unpaired electron that is highly reactive and can cause
tissue damage at a cellular level, accelerating the progression of cancer, heart disease and age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Free radicals are a natural by product of oxygen metabolism, and most are either recycled or excreted. Exercise creates free radicals as does sunlight, pollution, smoking and even digestion. Normal processes in the body eliminate free radicals but if you've had a lot of activity that promotes free radicals, your body may not be able to eliminate all of them. Antioxidants quench free radicals by donating their own electrons to them and, simply put, the chain reaction of oxidation is broken. The best way to ensure adequate intake of the antioxidant nutrients is through a balanced diet consisting of 5-9 servings of vegetables and fruit per day, while avoiding foods that can increase free radical activity such as processed and refined foods and ‘bad’ fats. The following foods are some of the highest in antioxidants:

Beans-small red, pinto, red kidney and black beans.
Blueberries
Cranberries
Artichokes
Blackberries
Dried prunes
Raspberries
Strawberries
Apples
Pecans
Potatoes

Vitamin A:
Components of certain foods are naturally supportive of healthy skin such as vitamin A, which is also known as retinol. Although vitamin A is found only in foods of animal origin such as calf’s liver and yogurt, some fruits and vegetables contain compounds called cartenoids that can be converted into vitamin A by your body. Carotenoids are plant pigments, responsible for the red, orange, and yellow color of fruits and vegetables. Here are some good choices of vitamin A rich foods:

Calf’s liver
Yogurt- preferably plain yogurt that has no added sugar
Raw carrots
Spinach
Sweet potatoes- leave the skin on for added dietary fiber
Leafy Greens- kale, turnip greens, chard and collard greens.

Note: Remember that much of vitamin A can be lost when it’s heated, so eat your
fruits and veggies raw when possible. Avoid frying; steam, bake and broil when
you can.

Vitamin C:
Vitamin C helps maintain the collagen in our skin, keeping it firm. Vitamin C
also improves iron absorption and increases the effectiveness of vitamin E. Good
sources of foods high in vitamin C are:

Papaya and Mangos
Red, yellow and orange peppers
Broccoli
Brussels’ sprouts
Cantaloupe
Oranges
Cauliflower
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Kiwis

Vitamin E:
Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that decelerates the aging of skin cells, is
known for its ability to diminish the appearance of scars, and protects the skin
from ultra violet (UV) radiation. Vitamin E is even good for our immune systems.
Good sources of vitamin E are:

Sunflower seeds
Almonds
Olives
Spinach
Papaya
Chard and other leafy greens
Blueberries
Wheat germ and oil
Broccoli

Selenium:
Selenium is a trace mineral required in only small amounts (large amounts can be toxic) but is essential to good health and healthy skin. Selenium is incorporated into proteins to make selenoproteins, which are important antioxidants, helping to prevent cellular damage from free radicals. Foods high in selenium are:

Brazil nuts
Oysters
Tuna
Beef
Cod
Turkey
Eggs
Cottage cheese
Black walnuts
Brown rice
Brewer’s yeast
Wheat germ

Zinc:
Zinc helps maintain the integrity of skin and mucosal membranes. Men need more zinc than women, as concentrations of zinc are very high in the prostate gland and semen. Foods high in zinc are:
Oysters
Beef shanks
Crab
Pumpkin seeds
Fortified breakfast cereals
Pumpkin seeds
Garbanzo beans
Yogurt
Turkey

Note: Techniques to increase zinc bioavailability, especially important for vegetarians, include soaking beans, grains, and seeds in water for several hours, then allowing them to sprout before eating raw or cooking.

Healthy fats:
It is imperative that you consume enough essential fatty acids (EFA), as your body does not make them. Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce the body’s production of inflammatory compounds involved in the aging process that affect how healthy the skin looks and feel. Foods high in Omega 3 fatty acids are:

Salmon and other cold-water fish
Flax seeds and oil
Safflower oil
Walnuts
Sardines
Fortified eggs
Soy

Note: Look for oil labeled cold pressed, expeller processed, or extra virgin as they are less processed.

Water:
Your body is 70 to 80 percent water, and if you are not drinking enough, your cells don't regenerate properly and remove waste, resulting in a buildup of impurities. Drinking ample water allows all of your organs to function properly, affecting the health of your skin.

Drink 8 glasses a day! Herb tea with no caffeine can substitute for water.

Don’t forget to dry brush your skin, which helps to remove dead skin cells and improve circulation. With proper nutrition, which begins with simple health education, glowing skin can be yours!


Enjoy in good health!

Patty
http://www.pattyjames.com/
http://www.shinethelightonkids.org/
http://www.youtube.com/user/OrganicCooking
Patty James, M.S., C.N.C

Patty James is a certified natural chef with a master’s degree in holistic
nutrition. She founded the Patty James Cooking School and Nutrition Center, the
first certified organic cooking school in the country. Patty also runs Shine the
Light on America’s Kids, an organization that educates children on how to live a
healthy lifestyle. She is the author of More Vegetables, Please! For more, visit
PattyJames.com.

52 Simple Ways to Be Healthier in 2010

I would know it's January even without a calendar as my phone rings and rings with people who are determined to do whatever it takes to regain their good health this year-for sure! "I'll do whatever you say," is the mantra. They are willing to empty their kitchen cupboards, replace with all new healthier choices, completely change their way of eating, join the gym moving from a sedentary life to spin classes all in one fell swoop. A week later they are so sore they can't walk, hungry from eating nothing but broccoli and if they have a family, said family is ready to jump ship.

It's best to think small and sustainable. You will stick with it and feel good about that fact. Big changes that you cannot maintain leave you feeling disappointed with your self, paving the way to the Ben and Jerry's. Promise yourself to make one small change a week and by year's end those small changes will be well used habits and you will feel healthier and quite pleased with yourself (as you should!) that this year you ended the year healthier than you began it!


1. Drink 8 glasses of pure water a day.
2. Get rid of any junk food in your house. If it's not there, don't go get it.
3. Limit your caffeine intake: 1-2 cups of coffee a day.
4. Plan your weekly meals on your day off.
5. Spend 30 minutes twice a week cutting up fresh veggies to have them ready at all times.
6. Keep seasonal fruit at home and eat it when you're hungry or when a sweet tooth strikes.
7. Substitute raw nuts and seeds for processed granola bars.
8. Don't drink alcohol on an empty stomach; it's hard on your stomach and burns up B vitamins.
9. Eat raw vegetables every day. Raw veggies contain important enzymes that can be lost when they're cooked.
10. Purchase as much of your food organic as you can. Your body will appreciate it as will our planet.
11. Next time you make cookies or cake, substitute half of the butter with applesauce, pumpkin or prune puree. Less fat; more nutrients.
12. Get at least 8 hours of sleep a night.
13. Vary your food; if you eat it today, don't eat it for 4 days.
14. Different colored food has different nutrients, so eat from the rainbow. Red peppers, orange carrots, green kale, etc.
15. Thicken soups with pureed beans. Delicious and added nutrition.
16. Don't drink water from plastic bottles. Polycarbonate water bottles (labeled #7) contain bisphenol A (BPA), which leaches from the plastic and has been linked to chromosome damage and hormone disruption.
17. Start your day with a glass of fresh lemon water. 1/2 to 1 juiced lemon in water. Your liver loves it.
18. De-stress. Find out what works for you. Warm baths? Exercise? Reading? Yoga? Walks in the woods? Find out what calms and soothes you and practice daily.
19. Move daily. Find the movement that moves your body and eases your mind and make it a part of who you are. If you enjoy it, you will do it.
20. Eat at a table, cloth napkin on your lap and chew well. Be thankful.
21. Next time you want scrambled eggs (or tofu), sauté some veggies first, then add eggs. Try eating your veggies all day!
22. Dry brush your skin before you shower in the morning. It's good for your lymphatic system and your skin will be so much softer and healthier.
23. Have at least one day a week without meat. Meatless Monday perhaps.
24. Eat more beans! They're high in protein, dietary fiber, and taste so good.
25. Use whole grain flour in your baking instead of white flour. Whole-wheat pastry flour is a fine grind and much healthier than the white stuff.
26. Remove white sugar from your diet or at least limit it. Use maple syrup, honey, agave or stevia instead.
27. Don't eat fake food! No artificial anything!
28. Don't eat out as much. Cook more.
29. Exercise your mind! Learn a new dance, read a good book. Learn a new language. Keep your mind moving as well as your body.
30. Learn to communicate better. Speak your mind, kindly, and be done with it. Don't hold grudges. Forgive yourself and others.
31. Make your own vinaigrette for your salads. Olive and/or flax oil, lemon juice or vinegar, a little Dijon mustard, a minced garlic clove and a little salt and pepper.
32. Use sea salt instead of the highly processed salt you find in many grocery stores.
33. Reduce salt intake. Use fresh herbs and lemon juice to boost flavor.
34. Try to stay off computers and away from anything electronic two hours before bed for a better night's sleep.
35. Use plain yogurt instead of sour cream.
36. Switch to whole wheat, corn or quinoa pasta (there are many selections) instead of pasta that uses refined flour.
37. Don't eat or drink any food with trans-fat. Watch those non-dairy creamers!
38. Add more leafy greens to your life-kale, chard, spinach, radicchio, etc. They are wonder foods! Steam the greens for a couple minutes, drain and set aside. In a pan sauté some onions, garlic and shitake mushrooms in olive oil for a few minutes. Add the kale back in, stir and serve. Yum.
39. Use less cheese in casseroles that call for cheese. Instead sprinkle grated cheese on top.
40. Begin each day with a good stretch and some deep breaths.
41. Try new ingredients. Buy a kohlrabi or something you've never tried before and go from there. Keep yourself inspired.
42. Don't reward yourself or your family with food.
43. Try to eat whatever food is in season; it's more nutritious and tastes better.
44. Don't go hungry. Eat healthy snacks so you don't overeat later.
45. Watch what you put on your skin. Many products are loaded with chemicals that you shouldn't rub into your skin.
46. Bake instead of frying your meats and fish.
47. Increase Omega 3 fatty acids in your diet. Sources include walnuts, flax seeds and oil and cold water fish such as salmon. Healthy fats are important to good health.
48. Increase your intake of legumes: lentil, beans and peas. They are good sources of protein, dietary fiber and blood sugar regulators. Try split pea or lentil soup for breakfast! Think outside the box.
49. Take supplements. Begin with a good multivitamin and speak with your health practitioner about others that may be needed for your optimum health.
50. Watch your portion sizes as well as your plate and utensil sizes. Some forks and spoons look like garden utensils. Try chopsticks and eat slowly.
51. Shop in the outside aisles of the grocery store. Most of the more processed foods are located in the middle isles.
52. Play! Everyone needs to have fun!


Enjoy in good health!

Patty
http://www.pattyjames.com/
http://www.shinethelightonkids.org/
http://www.youtube.com/user/OrganicCooking
Patty James, M.S., C.N.C

Lessons, Thanks, and Hope

Reflection of the year's events while looking forward to the future is what we do this time of year. How was your year? When you think back years from now, what do you think you'll remember? On a very personal note, here is my life-version 2009-what I learned, what I am most thankful for and what I wish for myself, and for you. 2009 began for me with the formal dissolution of my marriage. How's that for an intense way to begin a New Year? For all intents and purposes, it ended the April before, but legally it was January 2nd, 2009. The end of any relationship is difficult, but detangling one's life when it has been entwined with someone else for fifteen years is sad and disconcerting. Life begins anew. I chose to learn from my experiences. I chose to trust. I chose to breathe deeply, pull myself up by my bootstraps and move on. I chose to dig deep and learn about the parts of myself that I forgot were there. During times of self-reflection many of us have reinforced what we already knew, and that is that family, friends and community are, basically, everything. I have chosen (it is a choice!) to move past fear and to believe in myself. Do you believe in yourself? If you believe in yourself and your gifts-and we all have them-others will believe in you too. If you have lost someone in your life under any circumstances, I wish you peace, happiness and love. Choose to be openhearted. The best is yet to come. Believe it...I do! My new life involves my professional life as well. I finished my very first book, More Vegetables, Please! It feels good to know that I may make a difference in someone's life that I have yet to meet! I am working on two more books; collaborations with colleagues, and they should both be complete sometime in 2011. The big news for me this year is starting a non-profit. The name of it is, 'Shine The Light On America's Kids.' In 2010, I will travel to all 50 states in a 22' R.V. with my two dogs, interviewing kids about their health and at year's end, with the help of many wonderful and brilliant people, we will be developing programs, By the Kids, For the Kids! If kids are part of the solution, they will be more likely to participate in programs to improve their health. This project is a major risk for me personally, but I feel it is my calling. Everything that has happened in my life has brought me to this point. I am putting my money (what I have of it!) where my heart is and that is with this project helping our nation's kids. Leap and the net shall appear! I'm leaping! If you suffered the loss of a job, then I wish for you a prosperous New Year filled with the passion of doing work that you love to do. When you do what you love, you are always rich in spirit. Gregg Levoy's inspiring book, Callings, is wonderful and may help you find your calling. Do you long for a more spiritual life? I did. This is yet another silver lining to starting life anew. My new life is a more spiritual life. I have read so many books about various religions and ways of spiritual practice. My mind is open and eager to learn. Whenever I feel judgmental or angry or in any way that doesn't feel right in my heart, I practice my newfound skills. It has really helped me. Remember that your biography becomes your biology; a term coined by the author Caroline Myss. Be happy, forgive everyone, and look for the best in people and situations; practice being softhearted and kind. You'll be healthier for it, emotionally and physically. I am thankful for my family and friends. I wish for you to love yourself and be loved. I am thankful for my health. I wish you health. I am thankful that I do work that I love. I wish for you to be fulfilled. I am thankful for today and all that comes next. I'm sure you wish for the same. Here we come 2010! With love,       Patty