You’ve read that eating a rainbow can support and strengthen different functions of the body. This week, let’s go green.

The two words that have become a catchphrase for the eco-movement should be a new mantra for your diet.  Eating fresh, local, organic greens can indeed help the environment, but the real benefit is how dark leafy greens can help your body.  After all, it’ll be tough to save the world if you’re unhealthy!

One of the benefits of green fruits and vegetables is strengthening bones and teeth. Sound similar to milk? That’s because greens, particularly dark leafy greens, contain calcium just like your favorite dairy products. Many believe that the only ways to get calcium is to drink milk or take a supplement, and while those are great sources to build your bones, a yummy plate of boiled collard greens can contain just as much calcium as a glass of milk. In the U.S., milk has its own category in the food pyramid, but some don’t consume dairy for cultural reasons, health reasons, or personal beliefs (ie. a vegan diet). Whether you consume dairy or not, go green to provide enough calcium for your body!

Read the rest for more info on calcium and going green in your diet.

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This week’s pick is Planned Parenthood. Most of us are familiar with the organization, but if you haven’t actually been there, you may not realize the multitude of services they provide, including: STD/HIV Testing, birth control methods (Morning After Pill, they supply FREE condoms), pelvic exams, abortions, and treatment for men’s sexual health as well. The cost of your Planned Parenthood visit and applicable prescriptions are determined by your household income (get an approximation and find your nearest location at their website here). For instance, those that are eligible are able to receive up to a full year of a birth control method at no cost, for which you are given a Planned Parenthood membership card that links your information to your selected pharmacy. The Planned Parenthood facilities are clean, modern, and not nearly as sterile and uncomfortable feeling as most hospitals are, so you are more than likely to have a favorable experience there.

REVIEW:
Cost: $0+ (Depends on household income)
Value: Excellent
Accessibility: Good
Where: http://www.plannedparenthood.org/index.htm

Enjoy and stay posted for more beauty tips and picks to come next week!

Staying fit during the holiday season is one of the most difficult things to do, especially for a food lover like myself. So to get me through the holidays without bursting my seams, I depend on healthy snacks like this week’s pick: Rachel’s Essence yogurts.

I fell in love with Rachel’s Essence yogurts a few months ago when I was handed some free samples during my commute home from downtown San Francisco (FYI: Marketers – FREE SAMPLES WORK!) I am VERY picky when it comes to yogurt, and I was so impressed by the delicious and palatable flavors Rachel’s was offering in their variety of yogurts that I went ahead and bought a dozen to try them out. Flavors like Plum Honey Lavender (Calm Essence) are uniquely wonderful, but my absolute favorite is Pink Grapefruit Lychee (Refresh Essence), which is pure heaven, totally the nectar of the gods in my book.

The Essence flavors aren’t only to die for, but are good for you too, since they, as most yogurts do, contain probiotic cultures, (microorganisms that help maintain your body’s intestinal balance), and are made from all natural ingredients. Most importantly though, Rachel’s yogurts are rbST-free, which means the cows that provide Rachel’s milk are not given any artificial growth hormones. They also include omega-3 fatty acids (see my post on the benefits of omega-3s), which help maintain healthy cholesterol levels. One serving of Rachel’s Essence yogurt has approximately 150 calories and 2.5 grams of fat, and 10 mg cholesterol, and 8 grams of protein. I am totally satisfied eating half a serving at a time, which cuts my caloric intake to 75, perfect for any snack attack!

REVIEW:
Cost: $1.19 for 6 oz.
Value: Good
Accessibility: Moderate
Where to Buy: Whole Foods Market

Enjoy and stay posted for more beauty tips and picks to come next week!

Artwork: “Veruca Salt” by Kathie Olivas
I’m not the healthiest M.I.S.S. out there, but my intentions are good, and I’ll be the first to admit, I struggle with having a healthy lifestyle (getting enough sleep, not eating junk food, exercising) when life kicks into high gear. In the past, especially in college, I used energy/health bars to sustain my blood sugar through long work/project/study hours, but didn’t really care for their chalky, over sweetened flavors and cardboard texture. Recently, a friend gave me a few LÄRABARs, and I was totally blown away by the level of energy they provided and how good they are; a far cry from the health/energy bars of the last decade. It’s really amazing how much delicious flavor could be packed into such a small bar that is completely raw, unsweetened, and 100% vegan. Each bar contains no more than six ingredients, and counts for one serving of fruit as well. These days, I’m all about the LÄRABARs and take them when I’m on the go, eating portions of the bar in-between meals. These bars are really great for traveling, my favorites are Coconut Cream Pie and Apple Pie, they really taste like pie, and that’s on the real tip.

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Since October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month I thought, yes, most women know to check their breasts monthly for changes in skin and tissue texture (see my post from last year on breast cancer prevention tips), and that exercise, eating a healthy well balanced diet, reducing caffeine, alcohol, not smoking, and maintaining stress levels can assist in lowering your risks of developing breast cancer. But what happens if you DO find a questionable lump? Well, that’s what this week’s tip is about, since it happened to me just recently.

I had noticed the lump back in July, thought it might be PMS related and dismissed it the first month. When the knotty tissue didn’t go away, I got scared, and immediately called my doctor. I have never had a serious health concern before, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. My hope is that this week’s tip will provide you with some helpful information in case you ever find yourself in the same situation.

Read all the tips after the jump!

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Soda Free Summer is all about challenging yourself to not drinking soda. It’s a commitment to yourself to substitute healthier drinks in place of sugary soda. You can even enter to win prizes on the website.

Soda is the #1 source of sugar in the American diet which is kinda scary folks. Did you know drinking just one 20-ounce bottle of soda each day for a year can result in gaining 25 extra pounds!?!?! Eliminating something as easy as soda from your diet will make you much healthier while helping to shed those last few pounds. I’m not sure about you but that makes me wanna ditch soda completely. Grab a bottle of water or some 100% fruit juice instead. And if you just MUST have your soda fix, try diet soda once in awhile. Your body will thank you.

Years ago, one of my best friends, an esthetician, gave me a wooden brush made with natural hair and short nubby rubber bristles. She told me to use it on my skin before I showered and that I would like it cause it would “help my poor circulation�. I’m not at all discriminatory, especially when it comes to health and beauty alternatives, so I did what she instructed, and lo and behold, I was hooked because it feels really good. Some years later, after further research into natural beauty regimens, I realized what I was actually doing had a name for it. Turns out it is called, dry skin brushing, which has the additional health benefits of removing dead skin cells and stimulating the lymphatic system, thus flushing toxins from the body. It also makes your skin incredibly smooth and soft. And shoot, I’ve had no complaints! Anyhow, this week’s tip is how to do it.

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Each year, my plan for New Year’s Eve is to have that perfect party outfit to match party perfect makeup. And as most of us know, New Year’s Eve festivities can go well into the wee hours of the morning, and so I like to have eye make up that can hang tough throughout, since lipstick can always be applied quite chicly, discreetly, and with a quickness in public. So my last official pick for 2007 is: Shiseido’s The Makeup Accentuating Creamy Eyeliner.

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