Archive for the ‘Beauty and Diet’ Category

Mindful Eating For Good Health

Monday, June 21st, 2010

As the farmer’s market begins to flourish with the fruits and vegetables of late spring and early summer, it becomes easier, and more convenient to eat a balanced and colorful diet, locally. During this seasonal shift into summer it is a nice idea to practice mindful eating to prepare our bodies for the steamy summer months ahead and to train our digestion for the dietary changes that come with this seasonal shift.

Mindful eating requires us to pay attention to, and notice what our body is asking for. This is not necessarily a craving, but rather, the food that the body requires for internal balance.

The summer months are a perfect time to cleanse with a more cooling diet. This may include adding more raw food and lighter cooking techniques to your summer menus. The idea is to get accustomed to what your particular body needs. Listen to it. If you tend to overheat, choose cooling foods like celery, cucumbers, watermelon, berries, and almost any raw vegetable. If you tend to feel heavy and lethargic, you may have a weaker digestion that gets overloaded with too much raw food, so use cooling herbs like mint and cilantro to toss into some lightly sautéed vegetables. Mindful eating is one of the best ways to tap into your body’s nutritional needs, by allowing you to uncover some long-term digestive imbalances, which will ultimately benefit your overall complexion.

You can use these basic guidelines to tap into your own digestive energy needs.

1. Pay attention to your digestion twenty minutes after you eat. If your body tends to feel heavy after a meal, or full and bloated, then you probably need to lightly cook your vegetables, eat smaller amounts, and add herbs that will aid your digestion (mint, ginger, cilantro) so that your stomach doesn’t have to overwork.

2. Eat slowly and chew your food. When we eat slower, we tend to enjoy the flavors, digest better, and get more nourishment from our food. This will also improve your digestion tremendously.

3. Eat until you are 2/3’s full. We have grown up in “fast food” culture, which has created a tremendous amount of digestive problems. When you eat to satisfy, rather then to fill up, you learn how to nourish your body in a balanced way. Stop eating before you feel fullness and you will digest better, about 20 minutes later, you will feel satisfied, not full.

4. Prepare your own food. Food is medicine, but cooking is where the healing begins.

Kale with Cilantro/Mint Pesto

1 cup fresh cilantro
½ cup fresh mint
2 handfuls of raw cashews
Limejuice from 1 Lime (about 1.5 tablespoons)
2 garlic cloves
1 bunch of kale, stems removed, rinsed and chopped
2-4 tablespoons olive oil
1 spring onion, chopped
Sea salt to taste
Orzo pasta (Optional)

In a food processor, pulse together cilantro, mint, cashews, limejuice, garlic and 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. You should be able to get the consistency of a nice rich paste. Set aside. (If you don’t have a food processor, use a blender or chop everything as fine as you can).

In a medium pot, cook 3/4 cup of dry orzo until al dente, about 7 minutes, set aside.

In a large pot, add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 chopped spring onion, and sauté for 1 minute on medium high heat. Add in the kale and a pinch of sea salt and stir vigorously for 30 seconds. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water and cover, turn to simmer for 3-5 minutes or until greens are bright green and tender. Add 2 tablespoons of cilantro/mint pesto, orzo, and toss. Freeze the remaining paste for future use. Enjoy!

Laura Kauffmann and Beth Hooper are licensed acupuncurists and Chinese medicine specialists practicing in New York City.

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Spring Cleaning Chinese Medicine Style

Tuesday, April 6th, 2010

Spring marks the entry of the wood energy according to the five-element philosophy in Chinese medicine. Its natural expression is an upward and outward movement with a rootedness to the earth. This is clearly seen in the blossoming that has started in the northeast. Seasonal shifts are nice reminders to the body’s natural rhythm that a change in the routine is needed. The days start to get longer, the body begins to buzz with some extra energy and the digestion tends to crave a lighter variety of food.

As you say good-bye to winter, celebrate the changing of the seasons with a simple mind-body cleanse, Chinese medicine style, of course!

Waking Up The Body

There is no question that a plant-based diet is better for our bodies, but maintaining it can sometimes feel tiresome. Much of the time, the body just needs a push to initiate its own natural ability to cleanse, so a dietary change is often the thing we need most. Moving into spring requires lightening up the diet and changing some of the food preparations that we use in the winter months. Now is the time to switch from slow roasting to stir-frying, and trading heavy meats for lighter poultry and fish. Be sure to include plenty of whole grains, fruit and spring vegetables, which stimulate the cleansing action of the intestines, helping the body to eliminate toxins that build up over the winter months.

Here are two great recipes that will add some zing to your spring menu:

Asparagus Stir Fry

One bunch of organic green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 bunch of organic asparagus, cut into one-inch pieces
1 cup purified water
2 cups of organic sugar snap pears, cut into pieces
6 organic radishes, sliced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon

Rinse and chop vegetables. In a large sauce pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sauté onions for about a minute, add peas, asparagus and water and simmer for about 2-3 minutes until asparagus is tender, stir in mustard and tarragon and serve.

Sautéed Greens With Cashew, Lime And Cilantro

1 1/2 cups organic cilantro, chopped
2 handfuls of raw cashews
Limejuice from 1 lime (about 1.5 tablespoons)
2 garlic cloves
4 cups of organic greens, chopped and rinsed well (Kale, chicory, collards, Swiss chard, broccoli…etc)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 scallion, chopped

In a food processor, pulse together cilantro, cashews, limejuice, garlic, and one tablespoon of olive oil. You should be able to get the consistency of a nice rich paste. Set aside.

In a large pot, add one tablespoon of olive oil and one chopped scallion and sauté for 1 minute on medium high heat. Add in the rinsed greens and a pinch of sea salt and stir vigorously for 30 seconds. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water and cover, turn to simmer for 3 minutes or until greens are bright green and tender. Add 2 tablespoons of cashew/cilantro paste to greens and toss. Freeze the remaining paste for future use.

Waking Up The Mind

The mind wakes up in spring from the deep slumber of winter. A great way to enhance this natural process is to create an exercise routine that activates your mind-body connection. We always like to pick something that requires a bit of focus and balance. Using your intention, or Yi, as we call it in Chinese medicine, is all about making that mind-body connection stronger. What better way to do this then with a basic yoga standing pose.

Standing poses, whether they arise from yoga, qi gong or a martial art practice all require the same thing…intention. With out it, you cannot retain a strong posture and therefore don’t get the added benefit of waking up the mind. Our favorite stance for spring is Tree Pose, or Vrikshasana. Not only does it symbolize upward growth, it also focuses on the importance of rooting one’s energy into the ground.

• Standing with your feet shoulder width apart, weight evenly distributed in both feet, take your weight onto your left leg. Bend your right knee up, placing it on the upper thigh of the left leg with the toes pointing down. To get the foot higher, hold the ankle with your right hand and move the foot up. Allow the bent knee to press the heel in against the thigh, while the thigh is strong in return against the foot.

• Keep the standing leg strong and straight. When balancing, feel the vertical action of gravity drawing you straighter over your supporting leg. If the balance is difficult, place your hand on the back of a chair.

• Drop your weight down through your tailbone while lengthening your spine up to the crown of your head.

• Place the palms of your hands together in the prayer position a few inches from your chest. If you feel ready, raise your arms above your head. Spread your hands apart and visualize them as branches. Don’t be afraid to sway a little: trees sway. Let your breath move in and out easily.

• After holding the pose for a few moments, lower your arms and foot and repeat the pose standing on the opposite leg.

Create your own ritual this spring or celebrate with tree pose and spring vegetables. Whatever you choose, we wish you a happy, healthy, refreshing seasonal change!!

Laura and Beth

Laura Kauffmann and Beth Hooper are licensed acupuncturists and Chinese medicine specialists with private practices in New York City. We have a passion for educating the general public about natural and organic skincare, so please send this link along to anyone who you think may be interested. You can visit our home page at www.sheessentialbeauty.com

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Seasonal Beauty: Introspective Autumn

Monday, November 16th, 2009

Autumn is an important time for cleansing internally to nourish the skin. As the air cools and the drying effects of these months takes its toll on your hair, nails and skin tone, your diet should become fuller, richer and more warming to counteract these climate changes.

In Chinese Medicine, autumn is related to the Metal element, and associated with the Lungs and the Large Intestine. The lung governs the skin and body hair, and sends Qi downward to activate the detoxifying effect of the large intestine. If the lungs become weakened then the digestion gets impaired, which can wreak havoc on your skin. So, as we think about autumn and witness the changing of the leaves, we should also think about how our body’s beauty needs change.

Internal Beauty

The dietary needs that come with the seasonal changes should be logical, but the climate has varied so much that it can be confusing at times. The way to think about fall foods is easy. Eat seasonal, local, organic food and focus on the heartier variety of fruits, vegetables, grains and meats. Just as the leaves turn brilliant orange, red, and yellow, so too should your diet. These colors are best represented in the roots, tubers and squashes, which tend to be loaded with beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A and a very popular anti-aging ingredient in natural skincare today. By eating these foods, you moisten and nourish internally and ultimately enhance your complexion.

Autumn fruits and vegetables help sustain us by reinforcing our stomach Qi, and activating its warming nature and upward action. In turn, supplementing the downward direction of the lung energy.

We always tell our patients that this is the time to break out the crock-pot and slow cook foods on low temperatures for longer hours. Not only does this cooking method keep the nutrients in tact, it also creates a richer dish that gives your lungs and large intestine a boost, ultimately nourishing the skin.

Our Favorite Fall Beauty Foods

Kale: high in fiber, calcium, and beta-carotene, which has anti-oxidant qualities and is a precursor to vitamin A, a very important beauty nutrient and very beneficial to the health of the lungs and large intestine.

Mustard Greens: Studies have shown that mustard greens, like other greens, have anti-cancer effects. They contain high amounts of C, E and beta-carotene, all useful for benefiting the luster of the skin. According to TCM, mustard greens are warming and enter the lung channel, thus making it the perfect food to add to your fall recipes.

Beetroot: Has a downward action and clears congestion and is a great vegetable for promoting better circulation. Beetroot is very effective for cleansing the colon and therefore benefits the skin.

Brussel Sprouts: Loaded with vitamin A, beta-carotene, Vitamin C and Folic acid, this vegetable packs a strong anti-aging punch. The cabbage family is important for intestinal cleansing and according to TCM, important for blood purifying, two areas that we think are important for healthy looking skin.

Acorn Squash/Pumpkin/Butternut Squash: Again, another group of foods high in the beta-carotenes. Generally, the richer the color the higher the amount. Also a good source of C and fiber. These veggies are great for reducing sweet cravings and can be stomach tonics when eaten moderately: good skin starts with strong digestion!

Broccoli: Like brussel sprouts, this veggie is loaded with vitamin C, beta-carotene and has anti-oxidant power. This green food is a must have all fall and winter!

Onions: Warming and pungent, onions are great for warming up the lungs and stomach.

Apples: Has a moistening effect on the lungs and generates fluids; a great addition to the diet for those of you with a lot of dryness.

Pears: This fruit is notorious for it’s ability to generate fluids and moisten the lung. It is a great addition to the diet after a high fever and respiratory conditions that heat up the lungs. Poaching pears is a fall favorite in my family and helps combat the drying effects of heated homes and apartments.

Red Cabbage: Like the brussel sprouts, this super food are loaded with vitamin C and fiber, but more importantly, it has a high level of antioxidants, making it an anti-cancer food. And to us, that is beautiful!

Our Anti-Aging Beauty Soup

A vitamin packed, nutrient rich soup that is good for your complexion and your health.

Ingredients:

2 lbs broccoli
1 lb mixed dark green leafies
1 medium onion
5 clove garlic
2 large carrots
2 celery stems
1 quart chicken or vegetable broth
Grated gruyere cheese (Optional)
¼ lb shitake mushrooms
2 tblspn canola oil
1 lemon cut into slices

Dice onions and garlic and sauté until they become translucent (about 5 minutes). Chop mushrooms and add to onions, 1-2 minutes. Chop celery and peel carrots and add to onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes, add in broccoli florets for 1-2 minutes. Pour broth over vegetables, add greens. Salt and pepper to taste. Let mixture come to a boil, turn down to a bubbling simmer for 25 minutes. Puree in blender and serve with lemon and grated gruyere cheese. Delicious, healthy and a great skin tonic from the inside out.

Laura Kauffmann and Beth Hooper are licensed acupuncturists and Chinese medicine specialists with private practices in New York City. We have a passion for educating the general public about natural and organic skincare, so please send this link along to anyone who you think may be interested. You can visit our home page at http://www.sheessentialbeauty.com

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Eating for Beauty Inside and Out

Wednesday, August 5th, 2009

As summer comes into full bloom, we are once again surrounded by an abundance of high quality, organic, local produce at neighborhood farm stands and green markets. Whether it is the sweetness of freshly picked corn, the zing of a tomato, or the juiciness of a peach, this season sharply reminds us of why it is important to eat seasonally and locally.

To put it simply; the fresher, the better. The Chinese ancients wrote about the Qi (pronounced “chee”) of food in a very matter of fact way. Food was considered medicine and therefore had properties that could heal. A vital energy source found in every living thing, Qi gives food its healing nature. Internally, it corresponds to the energy that gives us our life force. One way we replenish our Qi is by eating nourishing foods. So, when you eat local, organic, seasonal food, the amount of Qi available is at its peak. This is how we should think about what we put into our bodies. Know where your food is coming from, and choose it because it resonates with you.

How does this relate to our skin? Beauty starts on the inside with the digestive system, so choosing foods that are fresh and colorful will ultimately have a positive effect both inside and out. According to Chinese medicine, the digestive energy sends the nutritive energy of the food upward. All the digestive channels start or end in the face, so a strong nourished digestion will reflect in your complexion first. There is nothing to get overwhelmed with here: Eat simply, eat fresh, and pick it yourself.


Our favorite local beauty foods this summer are:

Watermelon: Clears heat, relieves irritability, and replenishes the skin. A great dietary addition for those with hot-type skin conditions like rosacea and acne.

Dandelion greens: Clear heat, detoxify the liver. Do you tend to be irritable, or break out in the summer? These are your greens.

Cherries: Benefit the skin by regenerating fluids, and strengthening digestion. Apply topically to heal burns.

Lettuce: Invigorates the Qi, and removes stagnation, making it a great addition to summer meals. Stick with the darker green and bitter varieties as these are better for the skin. Eating lettuce at the end of the meal can give your digestion an extra boost.

Spinach: A great detoxifying leafy green that strengthens all organs and lubricates the intestines. Apply a poultice to bug bites and hot toxic skin conditions for soothing relief.

Cucumbers: Clear heat and relieve irritability. Apply topically to hot scratchy swollen eyes for 10-20 minutes. You will be amazed at the results!

Remember, just because a certain food may be good for a condition that you experience never over do it. Too much of a good thing will always have a negative effect. Eat a variety of colors and eat in moderation, always.

Laura and Beth

Laura Kauffmann and Beth Hooper are licensed acupuncturists and certified Chinese herbalists practicing in New York City. Co-Founders of Shē Essential Beauty, a natural and organic skincare line based on the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

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