NaturalCounselor Health and Wellness Blog For Women

In Summer, we need to eat more lycopene rich foods, such as cooked tomatoes, apricots, pink grapefruit, papaya, water melon in order to protect our skin from sun damage.

New studies show that lycopene in our diet can help our skin block UV rays and that there is a connection between lycopene and skin cancer.  Because our body doesn’t produce this antioxidant,  we should incorporate more lycopene rich foods in our diet, to protect ourselves from skin cancer.

Try these three healthy simple and easy summer recipes to keep your skin sun damage free.

1. Grapefruit and Walnuts Salad Easy Summer Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 medium grapefruits
• 1 avocado
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• juice of ½ lemon
• 1/2 cup Immunity Boosting Turmeric Dressing

Directions:

Peel grapefruits and section. Peel avocado and remove pit, cut into chunks. Place avocado and grapefruit into the bowl and gently toss. Drizzle lemon’s juice. Add nuts and drizzle with Turmeric dressing.

2. Spaghetti Sauce Easy Summer Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 medium onions chopped
• 2 Portobello (or 1 cup shitake) mushrooms sliced
• 4 tomatoes chopped or 2 tbsp tomato paste (for paste you need 1/3 cup water)
• 2 clove garlic minced
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp parsley, chopped
• salt and fresh grounded pepper to taste
• 8 ounces spaghetti or angel hair pasta

Directions:

Sautee onions in olive oil for 10 min., add mushrooms and cook for 5-7 minutes. Add tomatoes (if you use tomato paste, add some water), parsley, salt and pepper.

Drain pasta. Toss with tomato sauce and serve.

3. Papaya Fruit Salad Easy Summer Recipe

This recipe is from one of my favorite books Eating for Beauty by David Wolfe:

Eating this fruit salad is a great way to begin the morning. The cinnamon contains the mineral chromium, a great blood sugar balancer, this fruit salad is loaded with enzymes to help stimulate elimination in the morning.

Ingredients:

• 1papaya
• ½ avocado
• 6 fresh figs
• 2 nectarines
• ½ tbsp Cinnamon
• 1 lemon juice
• 1 tbsp raw honey

Directions:

Chop all ingredients, mix and serve.

Bon Appetit!

Breathe, smile and be happy.

© Irina Wardas, HHC

Women’s Holistic Coach and Counselor

I would like to share with you a couple of cucumber recipes for simple detox and homemade beauty remedy.

Do you like cucumbers?  Do you eat them on a regular basis?  Well, if you want to look younger, have healthy kidneys, lower your blood pressure, be flexible, you should.

Here are at least seven reasons why we should eat more cucumbers:

• The high water content of the cucumbers make it a perfect cooling vegetable. They are very helpful during hot or dry period of time.

• Cucumbers are one of the best kidney cleansers because of their diuretic properties. They prevent water retention which normally leads to water weight gain, help wash kidneys and bladder of debris and stones. As a result, cucumber help to get rid of kidney and bladder infection, lower high blood pressure, support the heart.

• Cucumber contains the digestive enzyme (erepsin) to help digest = break down protein and cleanse the intestines.

• Vitamin C in cucumbers help calm irritated skin and reduce swelling.

• Cucumber skin is rich in silica which we need to have healthy bones, hair and nails, wrinkle free skin as well as healthy muscle tissues (for flexibility and elasticity).

• Cucumber juice might relieve all burns including sunburn.

• Cucumber skin is rich in chlorophyll to detox, eliminate bad breath and body odor, have healthy, cavity free teeth; help with anti-inflammation, etc. If you are going to use the skin, try to buy organic cucumbers.

Easy to Make Cucumber Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup  cucumbers, sliced

3 tbsp sliced onions

1 tbsp parsley chopped

2 tbsp plain yogurt or Detox Turmeric Dressing

salt + pepper to taste

Directions:

Mix all ingredients and eat with a smile.

Cucumber Facial Mask

Ingredients:

2 tbsp grated cucumber

Directions:

Apply to your face, leave for 10 minutes, rinse with luke warm water.

Try to incorporate more cucumbers in to your meals to feel and look fabulous.

Breathe, smile and be happy.

©Irina Wardas, HHC

Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition and Relationship Expert

NaturalCounselor.com

If you are ready for a healthy breakfast idea to start your New Year with, then this delicious and healthy Pumpkin and Cinnamon Pancake recipe for weight loss might be a good start for you.

Pumpkin is rich in beta carotene to keep your eyes healthy and your skin look younger, as well as fiber to keep you regular and help you lose weight naturally.

Cinnamon will help you keep your hormones in balance and your metabolism under control which always helps women lose weight or at least not to gain extra pounds.

Oats are not only rich in fiber to lose weight and protein to beet cravings, but also help to stabilize your blood sugar and lower your cholesterol.

Healthy Weight Loss Breakfast Recipe: Pumpkin Cinnamon Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 can pumpkin pure
• 1/2tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tbsp baking powder
• 1 cup oats
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 cup sugar or as needed
• olive oil as needed

Directions:

Mix all ingredients thoroughly, cook on medium heat and serve with sour cream, Maple Syrup or mix or berries and fruits.

Bon Appetit!

Click to listen to the Tips on Weight Management for Women – How to maintain your weight After 40 on Holistic Health Talk Radio for Women “Feel and Look Fabulous with Irina“.

Breathe, smile and be happy.

© Irina Wardas, HHC