Colors of Fruits and Vegetables (information provided by Eminence)

As the colors of Appalachian Mountains change every day from rich gold to deep mahogany and red go outside and enjoy the crisp air and deep blue sky. At the same time, remember to eat healthy and prepare for the cold and dry winter. Yes, dry winter – when many forget to hydrate their skin and body in colder temperatures. Cold, dry air dehydrates the body the same way as summer heat. Please remember to drink lots of water during fall outdoor activities.
Let’s go back to colors of fruits.

RED: Found in tomatoes, persimmons, watermelons and pink grapefruit.

Carotenoids are a fierce cancer fighter and can also help prevent heart disease by inhibiting the formation of harmful LDL cholesterol. The deeper the red or pink color found in fruit and vegetables, the higher the lycopene content. Studies have shown that a high intake of tomatoes, which are rich in lycopene, can significantly reduce the risk of prostate cancer quite.

ORANGE Indicates: Beta-carotene

Found in oranges, carrots, mangoes, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, apricots, squash, rock melons and papayas.

Beta-carotene is a major antioxidant that lowers cholesterol and converts it to vitamin A. Fruit and vegetable skins are nearly always packed with nutrients. Beta-carotene is an immune booster that helps fight off colds, flu, cystitis and skin problems. A study of smokers showed that those who ate more beta-carotene had a lower incidence of lung cancer, but this was only true when the beta-carotene was acquired from food, not a supplement. Like lycopene, beta-carotene is fat-soluble. These orange fruits and vegetables are also high in the immune-booster, vitamin C.

Hmm…hmm… yummy!
To be continued…

Colors of Food

As I look through the windows of Spa Shawnee, I see the beautiful Delaware River and a whole palette of colors on the Ridge of the Appalachian Mountains. October is one of my favorite months. Trees change the color of their leaves; the sky turns into deep, rich blue shades. It is a true blessing working and living in the area where nature changes from beautiful to more beautiful every day. We told you about the influence of colors on our mood and how our instinct tells us to change accordingly. Let’s talk about colors in food – do you think it matters? Of course it does! Apples are not red by accident. Animals use color to identify edible plants and the intensity of the color signifies ripeness. Colored foods (real colored!) encourage animals and humans to eat them and spread their seeds. The pigments in plants are created by a group of highly beneficial antioxidants called carotenoids that clean up harmful free radicals in our systems. Red and yellow hues signify the presence of carotenoids. They boost immunity and cancer fighting properties. We need a variety of colors in our diet, including each of these daily: red, orange, green, yellow, blue, purple and white. We should mix as many hues as possible with every meal. The deeper the color of the food, the higher the nutrient value. We are not able to achieve proper level of protection for our body with vitamin supplements alone, although supplements taken with the right foods are greatly enhanced.

Stay tuned for more information about color-coded foods. We are just getting started!

Natural

Many of us are looking for that quick, easy and guaranteed way of making our body and system as healthy as possible. It would be even better if we would never age after that specific treatment. I really believe there is no such treatment. Our health depends on variety of factors. We can only help to increase the effects of cosmetics, vitamins, treatments and every other way of making “us better” by using them regularly, positive thinking, and what we believe is the appropriate diet. I am saying that after my personal research of my family. Those, who ate the simple foods lived longer, were physically active to the end, and did not have any of the following ailments: overweight, diabetes, high cholesterol, or even high blood pressure. Amazing right? Fortunately, they lived with no preservatives (they used home made preserves, and salt), ate real butter, drank well water, and exercised every day through hard work. Hmmm….. Those times are gone.

Our policy at Spa Shawnee is to use all natural products and mostly organic. That is why we are going to introduce our new services based on the Açai berry. We are going to incorporate Açai juice to our facial masks, and body wraps. The reason we decided to introduce them is that Açai has tremendous health properties and may be one of the best possible foods you can eat to stay healthy. Açai (pronounced (ah-sigh-EE) is a fruit that grows on the Açai Palm Trees in the Amazon Rainforest of Brazil. The Açai berry is small in size (smaller than a grape) and is dark purple in color. Açai is mostly seed, covered in a small amount of pulp. In fact, about 90% of the Açai berry is seed - it is important to note that no one eats the Açai berry seed. Açai has 10 Times the antioxidant power of red grapes and twice that of blueberries. We tested the masks, and body wraps on ourselves. Our skin feels moisturized, smooth and healthy. I personally tried it on my face and did not have to use a moisturizer for almost a week. In addition, the mask smells delicious – to the point that you want to eat it. Of course the results will depend on skin type and treatment, but I invite you to try one of them at our Spa. Just ask for an Açai treatment or facial.