I look at her shocked.  “You don’t peel your lemons before you juice them, do you?  Because I don’t have that much patience.”

“Of course I do!  I thought there was something toxic about the peels or something…”  Her voice trails off as her lips twist in thought.

“According to my raw cookbooks you can juice a whole lemon with the peel,” I say.  “At least that’s how I always do it and it tastes amazing.  The peel actually makes the juice taste more ‘lemony’.  I know you have to peel oranges and grapefruits before juicing because some people are allergic to the skins, but I think whole lemons and limes are okay.  Of course, there is only one way to know for sure…”

I open my cabinet and get The Complete Book of Juicing: Your Delicious Guide to Youthful Vitality and look up citrus fruits.  It ends up Eve and I were both half-right.

1. NEVER JUICE THE RIND OF AN ORANGE OR A GRAPEFRUIT
According to Dr. Murray, citrus peels contain some oils that can interfere with body functions.  In order to avoid a toxic reaction, never juice the peel of an orange or a grapefruit.  Always peel the fruit first and then feed the segments through a juicer.  (Or, just save time and buy a citrus juicer!)

2. NEVER JUICE MORE THAN HALF A LEMON OR LIME WITH PEEL
To minimize the citrus oils and keep them at a healthy level, never juice more than half a whole lemon or lime.  If you juice half a lemon and desire more lemon taste in your juice, simply peel the other half of lemon and feed it through the juicer without rind.

3. JUICING LEMONS AND LIMES HAS MANY HEALTH BENEFITS
Lemons and limes are rich in Vitamin C, Potassium, and Limonene.  Dr. Murray writes that limonene has been shown to eliminate gallstones and has “promising” anticancer properties.

After reading all about citrus, Eve and I were pretty thirsty for some juice.  I offered to help her peel half of a lemon and a lime, and look what we made without sugar and full of vitamins and enzymes:

NO-SUGAR-ADDED LEMONADE RECIPE

Juice 4 apples and 1/4 lemon with peel and serve over ice.

NO-SUGAR-ADDED LIMEADE RECIPE

Because I like a real lime taste, we used a whole lime half-peeled in this recipe.  You can substitute just a half lime with peel and the recipe still turns out delicious.

Juice 4 apples and one lime (half-peeled) and serve over ice.

“It really isn’t,” I say. “The myth is epilators are ridiculously painful–”

“I read one woman online who said she ices her vagina down before she epilates–”

“She does? That seems so unnecessary,” I say. “I have paid for waxes that left me unable to walk for three days, and the epilator was not anywhere near as painful as that. I used the epilator for the first time two weeks ago, and yeah, I had some red bumps the first night. But the next day my skin was smooth and soft and perfect.”

“Smooth and soft and perfect…? Isn’t that how you always feel?

“No,” I say. “That’s how you always are.” And Clara giggles from across the miles.

WHAT IS A GIRL TO DO ABOUT HAIR REMOVAL IN A BAD ECONOMY?

For $60, you can purchase the Bliss Bikini Perfect Deluxe Kit at Sephora. This fabulous device is a rechargeable, cordless razor and epilator, that will tweeze and groom your pretty private spaces quickly. It even has a feature that will groom your eyebrows! All for the cost of one brazilian bikini waxing (with tip) at a salon. (If you have an epilator you like to use, please let me know in the comments section.)

TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH YOUR NEW EPILATOR

1. Before you begin hair removal – especially in the pubic area – make sure the hair is at least 1/2″ long as it will make the hair easier to grab. (After the first epilator session, shorter hair will be easier to remove.)
2. Make sure to bathe or shower and thoroughly dry off before hair removal.
3. Start by practicing on your legs or armpits. When you do your armpits, remember to stretch your skin with your other hand. The “tighter” the skin is, the less painful the hair removal will be.
4. When you do your bikini, make sure to start with the bikini line first. Always epilate AGAINST the direction of hair growth. So, when you do your bikini line, you want to move outward and upward (usually). As you move into the more private nooks and crannies, make sure to use your other hand to keep the skin stretched and tight as it will make hair removal easier and definitely less painful.
5. Where there’s a lot of hair, the first pass of the epilator will be painful (again, to me, not nearly as painful as waxing.) But, it is important to know that each subsequent pass of the epilator will be less and less painful. And, unlike waxing, it will still pull out the hair when you just can’t get yourself to yank anymore!
6. Between hair removal procedures, make sure to exfoliate the bikini area often. I like to use a dry brush before I shower to exfoliate the area and ensure no ingrown hairs appear. Try it! It really works.
7. If a few hairs grow in between hair removal sessions, the epilator works great on just a few hairs, too. Unlike waxing, you don’t have to wait for everything to grow back in to “clean up” those stray hairs. Epilate every day if you want. It’s rechargeable!

XOXOXOXOXO

THE HEALTHY FOX

My family is not vegetarian, but they enjoy eating healthy, good-tasting, gourmet food.  Who doesn’t?  So over the holidays, I whipped up Green Tea Cupcakes with Green Tea Glaze, Tiramisu Cupcakes, Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting and Sexy Low-fat Vanilla Cupcakes with Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting.  All of these recipes were simple to make after a trip to Whole Foods and were eaten as quickly as they were made.  The adults really loved the Green Tea Cupcakes, although the kids preferred the Chocolate ones.

When I got back home to Hollywood, my husband and I decided to detox from the holidays by eating a wheat and gluten-free diet.  In Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World, there are two gluten-free recipes and I decided to test them out and see if they were as good (or better) than the wheat-based recipes.

The only problem was, when I went to Whole Foods in West Hollywood, I could not find one of the key ingredients: quinoa flour.  The authors write that in order for a cupcake to be moist and fluffy, you should blend three to four non-wheat flours.  In the Chocolate Gluten Freedom Cupcakes recipe, they recommend blending tapioca flour, white rice flour and quinoa flour.  They even go on to write that quinoa flour is the ingredient that has given many chefs wonderful results.  So, when I was in Whole Foods and could not find this key ingredient, I had to improvise.

As I looked over the possible replacement flours– millet flour, spelt flour, almond flour, corn flour — I discovered Bob’s Red Mill Organic Coconut Flour.  The package said the flour absorbed liquid well and added a light sweetness to baked goods.  Since I love coconut and use it frequently in my vegan puddings and ice cream, I figured it may just work in cupcakes.

After making my own Chocolate Freedom Cupcakes, I can tell you that Coconut Flour is wonderful in gluten-free baking.  And let’s just say the proof is in the pudding:  the entire batch of cupcakes were gone within 14 hours.

Here is my version of the Chocolate Freedom Cupcakes (adapted from the recipe in Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World) to make Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes with Coconut Flour and Almond Milk:

1 cup almond milk (unsweetened)*
1/3 cup canola oil
3/4 cup Sucanat evaporated cane juice (To read why Sucanat is healthier than refined sugar, CLICK HERE.)*
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup tapioca flour
2 tablespoons ground flax seed (I ground my own in a coffee grinder.)
1/3 cup unsweetened organic cocoa powder
3/4 cup white rice flour*
1/4 cup coconut flour*
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:
1.  Preheat oven to 350*F and line muffin tray with cupcake liners (or use silicon cupcake pans and grease them well.)
2.  In a large mixing bowl, combine almond milk, canola oil, Sucanat and extracts.  Mix with an electric mixer on medium speed to make sure the Sucanat is thoroughly combined.  Add tapioca flour and flax seed and mix with an electric beater until the tapioca flour is dissolved and the mixture is well emulsified.
3.  Add the cocoa powder, white rice flour, coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Mix on medium-high for about 2 minutes.  It’s important to mix really well and you don’t have to worry about over-mixing because there is no gluten.
4.  Fill cupcake liners a little over three-quarters full.  These won’t rise as much as traditional cupcakes so you can fill them a little more than usual.
5.  Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, until a toothpick or knife inserted through the center comes out clean.  Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely before frosting.

Alternately, if you would like quarter-sized cupcakes, I recommend using a Mini Silicone Muffin Pan.  This makes bite-sized cupcakes, so you don’t feel forced to eat a whole large cupcake.  Just make sure to grease the pan and only bake for 10 to 11 minutes.  Using this recipe, you will have enough batter to fill 2 Mini Muffin Pans.

* Ingredients I modified from the original recipe.

XOXOXO
THE HEALTHY FOX

I am having an early Thai feast with my man and our friend, J.P. A brilliant make-up artist, naturalist, and vegan, J.P. seems the perfect person to ask whether or not it is time for my color to join the green movement and go “natural.” Besides, she has long, gorgeous hair and her color is always perfect.

“That’s just the marketing rage, these days,” she says with a sigh. “Everything has to be green and organic. But, no, I wouldn’t bother. The natural dyes are hennas and limited in color. Plus they don’t last as long.”

“What about the chemicals in hair color,” I ask. “My next door neighbor swears her mom got cancer from dying her hair too often.”

“All the cancerous stuff they took out of dyes in the early ’80s,” J.P. says as she brushes her long locks back over her shoulder. “Look, I only dye my hair 4 times a year and that won’t hurt you.”

From my dinner with J.P, I learned that when hair is colored less frequently, exposure to harmful chemicals and the risk of cancer is also reduced. So, it is in our interest, dear readers, to do what we can to make our color last until better natural dyes are produced.

TIPS FOR MAKING YOUR HAIR COLOR LAST

1. SHAMPOO ONLY WHEN YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED TO
Washing your hair with shampoo is the fastest way to make your color fade. Each shampoo strips hair of color, which is why if you goof on your hair color and make it too dark, stylists recommend washing it with shampoo until the lighter color you want is achieved. Avoid shampooing, and just rinse your hair with conditioner, which will “wash” your hair and strengthen it from any chemical damage.

2. IF YOU MUST SHAMPOO, USE A COLOR SHAMPOO
Shampoo manufacturers have created shampoos specifically for color treated hair. Pantene’s line is nice and inexpensive. Just pick out the shampoo that matches your color (blonde, red, brunette) and make sure to throw away your other color-stripping shampoos.

3. USE A COLOR CONDITIONER AT LEAST TWICE A WEEK
As I have written before, because my hair is very dry and curly, I NEVER wash my hair except when I am at the salon getting it colored or cut. I do, however, alternate conditioners when I shower. I love Pantene’s line color conditioners and have had excellent results with their line for red hair. I put the conditioner in as soon as I get in the shower and leave it in until I am about to get out. After I towel-dry, I add some moisturizing conditioner into my hair to style it, and my color stays.

4. ONLY COLD/WARM WATER SHOULD TOUCH YOUR HAIR
Hot water is another great enemy to your color. Avoid hot water at all costs as it strips and damages hair. Try rinsing your hair in cold water for a week and see how much shinier, well-moisturized and strong it becomes.

5. CONDITION YOUR HAIR BEFORE SWIMMING IN CHLORINATED WATER
Summer is a tough time for chemically-treated hair. Swimming in chlorinated water will strip your color faster than you can read this sentence. In order to protect it, before you enter the pool, run conditioner through your hair and tie it in a bun (if your hair is short, just run conditioner through it.) The conditioner will “seal” your hair and protect it from the chlorine. Make sure to rinse with fresh water as soon as you are done swimming.

6. SUNLIGHT DAMAGES COLOR, TOO
Make sure to wear sun hats to cover your hair on sunny days, as direct sunlight can strip hair color. You may want to use a hair masque product with SPF to protect your color, too.

And, of course, if you really want to avoid the chemicals in hair dye and make your natural color last as long it can, just don’t color your hair… But that’s not so fun, now, is it?

XOXOXOXO
THE HEALTHY FOX

One of the most common questions I am asked when people discover I am vegetarian is, “Do you take an iron supplement?” As many of you know, I am not a fan of vitamins and supplements. I prefer to eat my vitamins and minerals by eating a variety of whole foods. My pretty and chic dark-haired neighbor writes for a California health magazine. She believes many vitamins are toxic and may even contribute to the development of cancer. So, if you are a vegetarian with a family history of cancer, you may want to replace your bottle of iron capsules with good old fashioned whole foods rich in iron.

1. WHICH VEGETARIAN FOODS ARE RICH IN IRON?

Many vegetarian foods are high in iron, including beans and peas, silken tofu, tempeh, kelp, wheat germ, pumpkin and sesame seeds, blackstrap molasses, dried prunes, miso soup, parsley, nettles, dandelion root, amaranth greens, and almonds

2. ISN’T IT EASIER FOR YOUR BODY TO ABSORB THE IRON IN ANIMAL PRODUCTS?

There is a pervasive myth that the only iron our body can digest comes from animal products. There are two forms of iron: heme and non-heme. It is true that the heme form of iron found in animal products is more easily absorbed than the non-heme form found in plant foods. However, the key here is even iron in animal products is BETTER absorbed when eaten with Vitamin C. To ensure you get the most iron out of your vegetables, seeds, and nuts, eat them with foods rich in Vitamin C, like lemons and limes. The Vitamin C will help your body to maximize iron absorption and you will have no need for the heme form of iron.

3. ARE THERE VEGETARIAN FOODS RICH IN IRON AND VITAMIN C?

Yes! Save yourself some time and eat these vegetarian foods that are high in both iron and Vitamin C: dried fruits, beets and beet greens, chard, spinach, prune juice and grape juice.

4. COPPER CAN INCREASE IRON ABSORPTION, TOO

These foods are also good to pair with iron rich foods to increase iron efficiency: legumes, nuts, dark dried fruits, molasses, avocados, brazil nuts, and soybeans.

5. WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO ENSURE I AM GETTING IRON?

Darling, girls, the simplest way to make sure you are getting enough iron is to cook in iron pots. That will up the iron level of all of your veggies and grains.

RECIPE SUGGESTION FOR A VEGGIE IRON BONANZA: SPINACH SALAD WITH TEMPEH CROUTONS
From Judith Benn Hurley’s wonderful cookbook, Savoring the Day.

4 ozs. tempeh cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T toasted (dark) sesame oil
1 t. honey
dash of hot pepper sauce, or to taste
1 T lemon juice
1 t. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 t. grated fresh ginger
3 cups spinach leaves, rinsed
1 cup torn pieces romaine lettuce
2 scallions, minced

To make the croutons, heat the tempeh in a large nonstick saute pan on medium high, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Remove the croutons from the heat and let them relax while you prepare the salad.

In the bottom of a salad bowl, combine the garlic, sesame oil, honey, hot pepper sauce, lemon juice, soy sauce and ginger and whisk well. Add the spinach, romaine and scallions and toss until all of the leaves are lightly bathed with the dressing. Serve the salad on chilled plates and garnish with the croutons.

I recently became very ill and, as a result, had to have my body COMPLETELY flushed. As a result, I am having a really hard time dealing with “normal” food. Even before my illness, I had been considering becoming vegetarian for health reasons, but never really saw it as convenient. I was willing to tolerate my problems with food in exchange for yummy stuff! The more I research it, though, the more I am realizing I don’t have to trade taste for health, but can combine, thanks in part to your lovely blogs about a decadent and healthy lifestyle.

Now more than ever (and because of my illness) I am very seriously considering giving up meat. If you get a chance, I would love your opinion on it, tips on eating healthily, anything. Also…is your delightful husband health-conscious as well? My fiance is an amazing chef who delights in creating wonderful things with food, but he’s never tried cooking anything without meat. I think this could be a challenge for both us – more for him, honestly, because he does all that cooking (I know, I’m totally spoiled. ).

I guess all I’m asking for is your input. I know living in California and New York probably makes it easier for you because you have more top-quality produce available to you, but here in Atlanta, it seems people haven’t yet discovered the meaning of the word health.

I know you’re a terrifically busy woman, and if you never get a chance to get back to me, I understand. But I would love to hear your thoughts, maybe glean a bit of wisdom from you.

Love from afar!
Sick of Meat

Dearest Sick of Meat,

I very much understand how scary it must be to know that you no longer have a choice when it comes to food. Due to weak health, you have to dramatically change your diet to return to your vibrant self and the implications of this change do not only affect you, but affect your partner, as well. In a relationship, it can be hard to have different dietary needs, especially when one partner is the primary cook.

When I first became vegetarian six years ago last week (my veggie anniversary), my partner panicked. A dedicated carnivore, he liked very few fruits and vegetables and since I was the primary cook, he knew immediately, that my choice to stop eating animals would affect his life, too. At first, I thought it would be easy to continue as we had eaten before. When we stopped at Burger King, I ordered the veggie burger. At Subway, I ate the “veggie delight” sandwich (which basically is a cheese sandwich with lettuce, tomato, pickles, olives, etc.). I ordered pasta with marinara sauce at Italian restaurants and asked for salads without the meat in more traditional places. Basically, I tried to adapt without affecting the way my partner ate because I always saw my vegetarianism as “my choice” and never wanted to push it on my love or anyone else in my life.

But soon, I became bored of icky-tasting veggie burgers and cheese sandwiches. I didn’t want to get fat on carbs and dairy by making the mistake many vegetarians do of overindulging in macaroni and cheese and margherita pizzas. I knew that I had to learn how to cook if I was going to be a happy and healthy veggie girl. And, if I was going to be a vegetarian chef, my man’s diet would have no choice but to change, as well.

WAYS TO HELP TURN YOUR PARTNER ONTO A VEGGIE LIFESTYLE

1. FAKE MEAT HAS NO CHOLESTEROL AND DOES NOT CAUSE HEART DISEASE

Many transitional vegetarians feel confused as to what to eat to replace meat. In the beginning, I could not imagine a meal that did not have some kind of “protein”, so I tried to make my favorite dishes with “fake” soy meats because I had not learned to enjoy tofu and seitan yet (that took a good couple of years) and I also hadn’t realized how many marvelous dishes there are just veggies and grains. I made my man tacos with ground soy “meat”, and stir-fried veggies with soy “chicken” strips. For breakfast, we would make scrambled eggs with soy “bacon”. Even though it was not as satisfying as meat, we learned to enjoy how little cholesterol we were eating and my man got behind the idea that we were lowering our heart disease risk and losing weight. I encouraged him to continue cooking meat for himself, but he did not feel comfortable doing this, and so I tried to think of vegetarian dishes that were “almost” like his favorite foods – all with soy meats.

2. BEING VEGETARIAN IS THE BEST WAY YOU CAN FIGHT GLOBAL WARMING

Goveg.com reports that “A 2006 United Nations report found that the meat industry produces more greenhouse gases than all the SUVs, Hummers, cars, trucks, planes, and ships in the world combined.” So tell your man if you both reduce your meat intake, you can help stop global warming and ensure there is a beautiful world for your future children and grandchildren. To read Fight Climate Change with Diet Change, CLICK HERE.

3. LEARN TO ENJOY VEGETARIAN MEALS BY EATING IN ETHNIC RESTAURANTS

For some transitioning vegetarians with meat-eating partners, the best way to find new veggie dishes you like (and that he may like, too) is to visit ethnic restaurants that serve both veggie and non-veggie entrees. Indian, Thai, Chinese, and Italian restaurants all have vegetarian options. He can order the flesh meal, and you can try veggie entrees and have him taste them. He might just prefer the meal you chose!

4. ASK HIM TO KEEP THE MEAT ON THE SIDE

Many home-cooked meals can easily be modified to be vegetarian. If he cooks pasta with meatballs, ask him to keep the meatballs on the side so you can have veggie pasta with marinara sauce. If he’s making chicken with a salad, ask him to make an extra large salad for you and augment its protein by adding nuts or cheese. Or, have him pull a soy chicken breast from the fridge and cook that for you. At first, this can seem like a drag, but soon enough, it will get you helping him in the kitchen which can be a lot more fun and good for your relationship.

5. THE BEST PRODUCE IS AT THE FARMER’S MARKET

Even in California and New York, the best produce is not found in the grocery store, but at the Farmer’s Market. And, guess what, darling reader? There are Farmers’ Markets even in Atlanta, Georgia. CLICK HERE to see the many markets in Georgia. Shopping in Farmers’ Markets supports local farmers and also helps stop global warming because you are purchasing food that was not packaged or shipped, wasting precious natural materials, gas and oil. Plus, at the Farmers’ Markets, the prices are cheaper, the produce is fresher, and you get to taste food before you buy it. I personally find it moving to meet the people who make and harvest my food and it is easier to get good, non-pesticide-sprayed organic foods at the Farmer’s Market. Many markets also have musicians, fresh flowers and are a wonderful way to spend a Saturday or Sunday morning with the person you love.

6. WHEN HE FEELS MORE COMFORTABLE, GO TO VEGETARIAN RESTAURANTS TO FIND NEW ENTREES YOU BOTH LIKE

When I did a quick google search of vegetarian restaurants in Atlanta, Georgia, many options came up. So, when you are feeling ready, do a search and explore some new places and new foods in your area.

7. GET ONE NEW BIG VEGETARIAN COOKBOOK

I rarely cooked before I became vegetarian. But when I grew bored of the three or four veggie dishes I knew how to make, I finally purchased Marilyn Diamond’s massive cookbook, The American Vegetarian Cookbook From The Fit For Life Kitchen. With over 400 pages of recipes, you can find some dishes you will both like. And, since they are healthy for you, your new entrees will help you both be thinner, fitter and healthier while not denying you yummy taste.

7. BE GENTLE HELPING YOUR PARTNER TO ACCEPT YOUR NEW DIETARY HABITS

After six years of my being vegetarian, my man is now a vegetarian 26 days of the month. I have never tried to force him to be veggie and understand that sometimes his body needs meat. When it does, we try to purchase clean, organic meat in restaurants we trust. He understands that I will not cook meat and he does not feel comfortable bringing animal flesh into our home, but that is his choice, not mine. The number one thing to being successfully vegetarian is to notice how your body feels when you eat veggie dishes. As your body becomes healthier, you will naturally reach your ideal weight and trust me, your partner will want to be more like you!

DRY BRUSHING

Ms. Rose recommends dry brushing your entire body before showering in the morning. This will wake you up, remove dead skin cells, and help your body tone and remove cellulite. It does this by stimulating the lymphatic system and helping it to remove lactic acid and other wastes that can contribute to cellulite. It also increases oxygen in the body which helps to wake the body up.

At my Longs Drugstore, I was able to purchase a body bath brush with a long wood handle for only $4.99. I followed Ms. Rose’s technique and began first by brushing the tops of my feet, then up my calves, and then up my thighs. If there is any fat you don’t like on your legs, take a moment and brush those areas in circles to tighten and firm those areas.

Move to your backside and brush the buttocks upward. Again, if there’s any fat you don’t like, take a moment to brush those areas in circles.

Then go to your hands and start brushing up your arms. Make certain to brush the armpit area thoroughly as this is the major lymphatic drainage region. Then down your chest, down your breasts and slowly around the abdomen (circling the abdomen too fast can upset the digestive tract).

Finally, brush your back in downwards strokes. The whole process should take between 3 and 5 minutes.

Your body should feel alive and energized, and each day you brush, you will see your skin tighten and get softer and smoother.

Within a week of dry brushing, I had no need for body lotions and my dry skin problem was gone. My husband could not believe how soft my skin became so fast and started dry brushing his skin, too. He was amazed at how awake he felt each time he dry brushed his skin in the morning, and you will, too!

ALSO, RAW ORGANIC COCONUT OIL MAKES A GREAT SKIN MOISTURIZER AND CAN HEAL SCAR TISSUE IF USED DAILY!

When you become vegetarian, everyone asks the same questions, “How do you get protein?” and “Are you taking enough vitamins and supplements?” It is hard for many Americans to believe that one can stay healthy eating fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds and nuts alone. When I tell them I get my protein from veggies and nuts and the occasional egg, and never take vitamins, they look at me like I am crazy. “What about the B-vitamins? Vegetarians have to take B-vitamins!”

SHOULD VEGETARIANS TAKE VITAMINS?

A couple of years ago, I started going to a wonderful chiropractor in New York’s West Village. In the early 1980s, he participated in a longitudinal study researching the effects of vitamins on the body. After five years of medical doctors, researchers, and holistic practitioners studying patients and recording data, he said the only vitamin that the body absorbed in pill-form was Vitamin C. “Vitamins,” he told me, “are best absorbed into the bloodstream and the body when they come from whole, unprocessed food.”

Many friends I know swear by vitamins and say they give them more energy and make them more immune to colds and flus. Many medical doctors say that it is always a good idea for adults 40 and over to at least take a multivitamin daily.

For my birthday, my man gave me a copy of Michael Pollan’s new book, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto. Pollan argues that prevailingly scientific research has not improved our health, but made us fat and diseased. For decades, scientists have supported “nutritionism”; the theory that health does not come from whole food, but the individual nutrients within food. It is not the orange that is good for you, but the vitamin C within the orange. In “nutritionism,” then, vitamin C can be removed from the orange, be made into a pill, and be considered equally as “nutritious.” But what if there is something else within the orange that helps humans to absorb the natural vitamin C?

IF I CAN’T GET VITAMINS FROM PILLS, WHAT SHOULD I BE EATING?

1. “Eat mostly plants, especially leaves.” From interviewing numerous nutritionists, Mr. Pollan says that the best place to get Vitamin C and many other nutrients necessary for vibrant health, is to eat leaves. Obviously, when he says “leaves”, he means salad: lettuce, spinach, kale, mustard greens, chard, mixed greens, etc. One thing scientists do agree on, he says, one can never eat too many greens.

2. Where do I get vitamin B12? Vegetarians need to be concerned about Vitamin B12 because the only natural source for it is in meat or bacteria. However, Mr. Pollan points out, humans need only a very small amount of B12 and vegetarians may get enough from eating fermented produce or fermented teas, like Kombucha. The Vegetarian Society disagrees with this statement and argues that “the only reliable unfortified sources of vitamin B12 are meat, dairy products and eggs.” They recommend that vegans eat food fortified with B12. One egg a week will supply a vegetarian with enough B12 to not need to take supplements.

3. Juicing! If you missed my blog, Drink Your Vegetables, I recommend checking it out. Juicing fresh, organic vegetables is a great way to inject pure vitamins and minerals directly into your bloodstream.

DO YOU TAKE VITAMINS?

Once again, many people have many different opinions about what vitamins you should take when. I would like to hear from you, darling readers. What vitamins are you taking? Do you feel better than when you aren’t taking vitamins? Let me know!

We all have those days. Right around the start of our period, we suddenly find ourselves in the hair product aisle of Rite Aid. Ignoring the sane side of our brain that is saying, “Why aren’t you buying the product you normally use? You know, the one that works,” we let the other side take over. We decide to experiment and purchase NEW hair products. After all, if it’s in flashy, designer packaging, it must be great for our hair, right? And, if it’s two dollars LESS than my normal product, it MUST be better, right?

Well, ladies, that was me last week. Dismissing the bottle of Pantene that I knew would leave my curls springy and frizz-free, I placed my fragile locks in the care of “London Stylist” Charles Worthington.

My love affair with Charles was brief to say the least. I rarely, if ever, shampoo my hair. Shampoo strips color and destroys curls so I avoid it at all costs. Instead, the second my hair is wet, I apply conditioner and leave it in the entire time I bathe. I then rinse, towel off and after I get out of the shower, apply more conditioner to leave in during the day. With Pantene’s Moisturizing conditioner, I get amazing ringlets that last even after a night of sleep.

However, the first time I left Charles Worthington’s Frizz Smoothing Conditioner on my hair I could tell right away it was going to leave my hair a disaster. After 15 minutes on my head and a rinse in cold water, my hair was dry, frizzy and knotted. They bottom inch and a half of hair was kinky, breaking and full of frizz.

For the sake of science, I did factor in the possibility that my hair was in a horrific state because it had been four days since I last conditioned it, so I did not blame Mr. Worthington’s product at first. I used it a second, then a third time, and each time, the texture of my hair became drier, frizzier and more unruly.

So if you are blessed with curly-locks, don’t waste your time with Charles Worthington. If there’s one man who will let your curly locks down, it is this Brit.

DO YOU HAVE A HAIR PRODUCT THAT LET YOU DOWN? TELL ME ALL ABOUT IT.

XOXOXOXO
THE HEALTHY FOX

Telia, a professional make-up artist, vegan chef, and dear friend, nods. “With skin care the number one thing is how pure your water is.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, the water in Los Angeles is bad – you’ve tasted it. After you cleanse your face, any chemicals in your water supply will be on your face. So after I cleanse, I use rose water to rehydrate my skin while removing any residual chemicals. Then I add a moisturizing essential oil to seal all the moisture in.”

Telia is a little older than I am, and her skin is simply flawless. Many of the women who work with her say they cannot get over how gorgeous she is. So if there is someone to trust when it comes to natural skin care, Telia is the girl in the know.

My skin is always worse in LA then when I am in New York, which made me think Telia might just be onto something. Luckily, my man bought a bottle of Keihl’s rosewater the year before, so I already had the necessary materials to test Telia’s technique.

After using Suki’s all-natural, vegan, non-allergenic Lemongrass cleanser, I rinsed my skin with tap water, dried then re-moistened and cleansed my face with Keihl’s rosewater. Afterwards, I took the soaked cottonball, added a few drops of Suki’s essential moisturizing oil, and again, swept the cottonball over my face. I repeated this process for a week, and my skin got clearer with each day.

If you don’t want to change your products or your skincare regime, here’s one more tip:
The more water you drink, the better your skin will look. Often in the winter, we drink more caffeine and less pure, clean water. Dehydration can be causing your skin to show more fine lines or be making you break out more often. So drink another bottle of water! Your skin will glow because of it.