Herbal Water, a delicious discovery

HERBAL WATER

I recently made a delicious discovery while my husband and I enjoyed an appetizer at the Desert Rose, a new Mediterranean restaurant on State Street in Media (where the Selene co-op used to be).  The discovery?  A wonderfully, refreshing drink called Herbal Water.

My first to last sip of Herbal Water at the Desert Rose was so delicious that I wanted to find out where I could buy it.  My next trip to Giant Food Store ended my search.  They carry 4 out of the 5 flavors and I love them all!  Now I am able to enjoy my favorite water any time and I am thrilled to be able to offer it to my family and guests when they stop over.  It's a great alternative to sugary drinks, and parents can be confident that their children are actually being hydrated with Herbal Water.  This is especially necessary and important during the warm/hot weather even for all of us.

Ayala Laufer-Cahana M.D., the creator of Herbal Water lives locally.  She believes in and sees the benefits of eating an organic, whole food, nutrient rich diet - music to my ears!  It's so refreshing to see a medical doctor promote a healthy diet.  These are all reasons to support Dr. Ayala.

Besides her role as the creator of Herbal Water, Dr. Ayala is also a mother, a pediatrician and an artist.  Her blog is filled with helpful and important information, recipes and tips. 

Herbal Water can be purchased in participating restaurants, stores (find a store) and online.  Online purchases can be shipped anywhere within the US. 

Dr. Ayala's contact information is below:

Ayala Laufer-Cahana M.D.
V.P. of Product Development
Herbal Water, Inc.
(O) 610-668-4000
308 E. Lancaster Ave. Suite 110
Wynnewood, PA 19096

email: ayala@herbalwater.com
website: http://www.herbalwater.com/
blog: http://www.herbalwater.typepad.com/
follow me on twitter- www.twitter.com/DrAyala

Here's to tasty hydration!

Time to get back in shape

For many of us, the holidays have become a time of over indulgence.  We tend to make allowances for foods, drinks and treats that we might not ordinarily make.  This means weight gain, which means clothes may fit tighter and you may feel tired and sluggish.

Getting back on track isn't easy, as we all know, but it's something we need to do if we want to be healthy.  We can't eat the way we do around the holidays all year long.  If we do, we will surely be unhealthy, maybe not sick right away, but eventually.

So what motivates someone to eat well and keep their body in shape???  Someone else who is looking to do the same thing!  It's simple.  Find someone who would like to get back on track and partner up with them because, first of all, just knowing you're accountable to someone else will encouragement you to stay focused.

Take these ideas and run with them:

• Set up a chart that details your health plan for the week and follow it. Being prepared is half the battle and builds confidence.
• Share ideas and recipes with your health partner and others.
• Open up conversation about health with others.  It's so encouraging to talk to someone who speaks your language and it's a great motivator!
• Write out a weekly menu for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and drinks.
• Be sure to drink at least 8-10 eight oz glasses of water each day.  Include lots of fresh sqeezed organic lemons.
• If you use sugar try something called Organic Agave Nectar instead.  Agave Nectar is sweeter and more expensive than sugar so you will want to use less.  It is said that Agave Nectar has a low glycemic index so it shouldn't spike up your sugar levels.
• Challenge your health partner and/or others
• Buy a pedometer and see who takes the most steps in one day or in a week! 
• Run your own Biggest Loser contest.

Make and take time now to get in shape, otherwise another year will go by before you know it!

My version of Mary Ann Esposito's Roasted Potato Salad Recipe

Easy Potato Salad

Adapted from Mary Ann Esposito's Roasted Potato Salad

Serves 4

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons flaxseed oil

1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt

Fresh ground pepper to taste

½ teaspoon celery salt, optional

1 clove garlic, minced

1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons dried tarragon leaves or 2 tablespoons fresh minced tarragon leaves

4 medium Idaho potaotes, washed

1/4 - 1/2 cup thinly chopped red onion, as desired

Dressing

In a bowl whisk together 2 tablespoons of olive oil, flaxseed oil, the salt, pepper, celery salt, garlic, dijon mustard, vinegar, honey and tarragon. Pour the dressing into a glass rectangular Pyrex type casserole (9 x 12) Set aside. Or make the dressing ahead and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature when you want to dress the potatoes.

Cook potatoes whole in water until fork tender but still firm (not mushy).  Let cool to warm.  Once cool enough, if desired, remove skins.  Cut into bite pieces, 1-inch cubes.  Add chopped onion.  Toss the potatoes and onion with dressing.  Serve warm or cold.

EGG RECALL - Infected with Salmonella

The egg recall is big news at the moment.  So far I haven't heard of any recalls on the east coast.  But that doesn't mean infected eggs haven't made their way to our part of the country.  According to Dr. Mercola, investigations continue in Arizona, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas, so be careful and check your eggs before eating them.  From the FDA website: 

Shell eggs under the August 13, 2010 recall are packaged under the brand names: Lucerne, Albertson, Mountain Dairy, Ralph’s, Boomsma’s, Sunshine, Hillandale, Trafficanda, Farm Fresh, Shoreland, Lund, Dutch Farms and Kemps. Shell eggs are packed in 6-egg cartons, 12-egg cartons, 18-egg cartons, and loose eggs with Julian dates ranging from 136 to 225 and plant numbers 1026, 1413 and 1946. 

Recalled shell eggs affected by the expanded recall are packaged under the brand names: Albertsons, Farm Fresh, James Farms, Glenview, Mountain Dairy, Ralphs, Boomsma, Lund, Kemps and Pacific Coast. Eggs are packed in varying sizes of cartons (6-egg, 12-egg, and18-egg cartons, and loose eggs for institutional use and repackaging) with Julian dates ranging from 136 to 229 and plant numbers 1720 and 1942.

Dates and codes can be found stamped on the end of the egg carton or printed on the case label. The plant number begins with the letter P and then the number. The Julian date follows the plant number, for example: P-1720 223.

When we buy food from a supermarket or restaurant do we really know where it's coming from?  When my mom was young in season food, such as fruits and vegetables, was purchased from farmers who would drive through their neighborhood.  Yes, they bought directly from the farmer, no middleman involved.  Of course, they also had stores but not supermarkets like we have today where you can buy all your food in one place.  Back then, there were no factory farms and no big conglomerates who monopolized the food industry.  Food was much more pure and less processed, not that they didn't have processed foods then.  But even the prepared foods in restaurants were much healthier than they are today because pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, hormones and antibiotics were not readily available.  Today food manufacturers who have no qualms in using the harmful items listed above are making major profits as are the pharmaceutical companies.  One produces foods that are easy, convenient and artificially tantalizing to our pallets while the other capitalizes on our ill health due to all processed and unhealthy foods being produced, purchased and consumed.  It's no wonder our immune systems are so weak that they succumb to the effects of things like salmonella poisoning.

The important thing to understand about Salmonella is that it can be fatal to young children, those who are elderly and those with weakened immune systems.  So what does that tell us?  That it's not as much of a threat to those whose immune systems are strong and functioning properly.  Children are more susceptible because their immune systems are not fully matured.  Many elderly people have weakened immune systems due to the natural aging process however, it's obvious many have much weaker immune systems than they should.  Keeping your immune system strong at any age is the key to good physical, emotional and spiritual health.  Without it, you'll be subject to all sorts of diseases and illnesses.  Isn't that reason enough to be committed to making sure you and your family have healthy immune systems?

For more information about the egg recall visit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO5gnZplJt8&NR=1
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/organic-eggs-easy-greening.html