Go Green!

I'm so excited to announce the launching of my new website, GreenAppleFoodTherapy.com!

Why "green apple"? Well, first of all, there's the concept of "an apple a day." If you can make small decisions on a daily basis that support your health over time, you're much less likely to develop a chronic illness. Food therapy

As for the "green," I'm referring to the number one missing food in the American diet: those in the green leafy vegetable category. When some people hear “green leafy vegetables,” they often think of iceberg lettuce, but the ordinary, pale lettuce in restaurant salads doesn’t have the power-packed goodness of other greens.

Numerous studies suggest that Americans aren't eating their vegetables—for two reasons:

• It's too time consuming to buy and prepare fresh vegetables.
• They just don't taste good!

Let me offer a different perspective: Learning to cook and eat greens is essential to creating health. And in the scheme of things, it's far easier and quicker to pick up a bunch of kale on your way through the grocery store than to run for an hour every day, go to the doctor twice a month, or wait in line for your prescription to be filled—as well as numerous other time-consuming strategies people employ in the never-ending quest to lose weight and be "healthy."

Reasons to Eat Your Greens

Greens contain more bioavailable calcium than milk. They also are very high in magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, zinc, and vitamins A, C, E, and K. They are crammed with fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll, and many other micronutrients and phyto-chemicals.

Some of the "side effects" from eating dark leafy greens are blood purification, cancer prevention, improved circulation, strengthened immune system, promotion of healthy intestinal flora, promotion of subtle, light, and flexible energy, lifted spirit and elimination of depression, improved liver, gall bladder and kidney function, and cleared congestion, especially in lungs, by reducing mucus.

Could you use any of these benefits during cold and flu season? Dark, leafy greens are in season now!

Still Not Convinced?

When you nourish yourself with greens, you will naturally crowd out the foods that make you sick—and fat. Because they are nutrient-dense, greens satisfy your body and reduce cravings for unhealthier foods. They also clean out your body, enabling it to burn fat more effectively.

Take Your Pick

There are so many greens to choose from: broccoli, bok choy, napa cabbage, kale, collards, watercress, mustard greens, broccoli rabe, dandelion, arugula, endive, chicory, lettuce, mesclun, and wild greens are can be consumed in any creative way you enjoy. Spinach, Swiss chard, and beet greens are best eaten in moderation and cooked with olive or coconut oil or butter to balance their higher quantities of oxalic acid, which depletes calcium. Try them all; if you don't like one, move on to the next.

Try this tasty recipe and rethink your perspective toward greens!

Spicy Greens

• 1 bunch kale or other dark leafy greens, chopped
• 1 bunch broccolini or broccoli florets, chopped
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• juice of 1 lemon
• cayenne pepper to taste
• salt to taste

In a large fry pan, sauté garlic in olive oil 2 minutes over medium heat. Add bell pepper and sauté another 2 minutes. Turn up heat to medium high and add broccolini, kale, lemon juice, cayenne, and salt. Stir and cook for 3-5 minutes until kale is bright green but not wilted.

Variations: instead of red onion, use red bell pepper or sun-dried tomatoes.

Calcium Shocker from a Surprising Source

Normally I am a fan of Dr. Andrew Weil. However, his article on 4 Foods for Healthy Bones offers, in my opinion and based on research, some pretty dangerous information.

Problem # 1: nonfat dairy products. Nonfat dairy is more processed than full-fat dairy--and the fat isn't hurting you! What IS hurting you, among other things, is the homogenization process. Simply put, before homogenization, "large fat molecules cannot get through the intestinal wall into the bloodstream. ...Homogenization breaks up those large molecules into small ones that DO get into the bloodstream! This becomes an expressway for any fat-borne toxins (lead, dioxins, etc.) into your (otherwise) most protected organs."

Even more importantly, and Dr. Weil should know this, milk fat enables the better absorption of calcium. Dr. Spreen of the Health Science Institute does not even consider homogenized, pasteurized milk to be a food. Non-homogenized, full fat dairy is available in many natural grocery stores.

Problem #2: soy products. To be fair, Dr. Weil lists salmon and dark, leafy greens in the "non-dairy calcium" category. These are great sources of calcium that the body can absorb, and dark leafy greens are among the most missing in the American diet. However, his inclusion of calcium-fortified soymilk and orange juice is shocking. Not only are non-fermented soy products toxic to the body, but the rampant inclusion of soy in everything from bread to soup is contributing to a variety of health problems, including increased instances of mild hypothyroidism and the continued imbalance of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids, which Dr. Weil himself notes!

Not to mention that added calcium--or any added nutrients for that matter--is not as absorbable as calcium that naturally occurs in food. Dr. Weil does make an important point that magnesium is necessary to absorb calcium. Guess what? So is vitamin D, which we are in very short supply of. But the relationship between skin cancer, sunscreen, and the sun, our main source of vitamin D, is a discussion for another day.

The takeaway? Eat more dark, leafy greens like kale, chard, and collards. Not only do they contain absorbable calcium but they also are a great source of vitamin B, which many people are short of, and fiber, as well as being alkalizing, which reduces inflammation and is great for heart health. It might seem scary or gross to try these unfamiliar vegetables, but they can easily be mixed into salads or sauteed with lemon and garlic and a little cayenne pepper.

Check out these delicious recipes from EatingWell and Mighty Foods. If you're really not confident about cooking them, visit the Whole Foods deli counter and ask for a serving of their kale salad--along with a piece of salmon for a delicious dinner combo!