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Remember how your mother used to tell you when you were a child you should eat your fruits and veggies because they are good for you? But “Wash them well before you eat them!” she said. And this is a good advice indeed. Especially nowadays when most of the fruits and vegetables we consume are laden with pesticides and all sorts of growth-enhancing chemicals. Removing those is an absolute must if you care for your well-being. Sadly some amounts of chemicals remain in the produce even after washing - bad news for all “fruit-bats” out there. High pesticide levels may lead to a number of health problems including long-term cancer and lowered immunity. That's why we offer these simple tricks for toxin-free produce so you can actually benefit from their consummation. Adopt them to avoid damaging your health.

Wash your fruits and veggies the right way

Never, we repeat NEVER, consume fruits and vegetables before washing them first. Even if you have grown them in your very own garden they are still covered in dust. Wiping them just won't do! That's why you should wash all produce with cold water – this is said to remove up to 80 percent of pesticide residue from the produce' surface. For optimum results you can wash them with salt water. Be especially careful with some types of leafy vegetables like lettuce, spinach, Napa cabbage and kale – many people do a sloppy job washing them but mind you wash carefully each single leaf under running water before consummation.

Peel!

You have probably heard most of the vitamins and micro-nutrients are concentrated in fruits and vegetables' peel. True, but the same is valid for chemical and pesticide residue. So next time you decide to add a few slices of cucumber to your sandwich make sure you peel it first. This goes for potatoes, eggplants, parsnips, apples and so forth. But bare in mind that even if you plan on removing the skin so and so, you should always wash first! Another efficient way to rid your veggies of toxins and pesticides is to blanch them which basically means you should soak them in boiling water for a few seconds before plunging them in cold water. In addition blanching also helps vegetables to retain their colour, as well as most of their nutrients. Plus, if you decide to sauté them they will absorb far less oil.

Soak the Produce in Vinegar

We suggest you use apple vinegar for best results. Soak the veggies or fruits in a bowl filled with water and several tablespoons of vinegar and let them sit for five to ten minutes. If you hate vinegar feel free to use lemon juice – it's just as effective. With some fruits like nectarines, peaches and apricots you can skip the sitting as it may damage their soft and gentle skin. Then you can take them out and wash them carefully with a brush under running water. Make sure you don't use this brush for any other purposes though. Finally, you can dry the fruits or veggies with a clean piece of cloth and they are chemical-free and ready for consumption.

Yet Another Vinegar Method – Cleaning Spray

Vinegar is very effective when it comes to cleaning in general and used by many companies like TenancyCleaning Acton. That's why we offer a second vinegar cleaning method for maximum convenience. If you don't want to soak your produce in water you can easily prepare a produce cleaning spray. You will only need some clean spray bottle, half a cup of vinegar and the same amount of water, one tablespoon of lemon juice and one of baking soda. Mix the ingredients and pour them into the bottle. Spray your fruits or veggies with the solution, allow them to sit for several minutes and rinse. This will insure all chemicals are removed from the surface.

Today even the healthiest foods may produce some undesirable effects on your health. This goes especially for fruits and vegetables. With those quick and easy to follow tips you will rid your produce from all pesticides and chemical residue so that they can serve their purpose and keep you healthy and energetic.

1. Follow your hosts My So-Called Chaos and A Peek at Karen's World to keep up with this link-up.
2. Write up a post recapping last month's goals and setting goals for next month.
3.  Make sure to include the button in your post by grabbing the code above.
4. Link up your goals post with the monthly linky which goes live on the first Thursday of the month.
5. Visit other links in the party to show support and offer advice for other goal setters.
6. Have fun and make some new friends!

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I don't know about you, but I'm at a constant battle between wanting healthy, fresh, food, but being pressed for time to prepare them. Being home for break, there's so many people to see, places to go, things to do, etc. Not to mention, I'm working a lot to pay for my Greece spring break. Sometimes, I just want to heat up something remotely "carb-y" and have an apple or carrots on the side when it's time for my break.

In times like these, it can be hard to succumb to just picking up an EasyMac or a Celeste Pizza. Though those are delicious, there's also healthier, fast alternatives that are equally as tasty. Here are my top picks:

3. GoPicnic Meals

This last one needs no ad-ons, and requires no heat! GoPicnic "ready-to-eat" meals are grown-up, nutritious Lunchables, essentially. They have numerous delicious varieties such as black bean dip and plantain, thee bean dip and tortilla chops, peanut butter and crackers, red pepper hummus and chips, and more. My mouth is actually watering, and my mind is beating myself up internally for not buying these... I may have to make a trip to the store tomorrow. Anyway, if you want to combine a few of these for a full meal and add some green tea on the side to compliment all the super foods in these, you'll be golden.

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The indulgences have been made: mashed potatoes made from scratch, thick with sour cream in the food processor, molten lava cake with nutella oozing out, juicy turkey with gravy smothered all over it. I think I may have just made my own mouth water there. However, the holidays are over, and January first is approaching. No more Halloween candy, no more Thanksgiving pumpkin pie, and no more Christmas ham.

According to quora.com, "12% of new gym memberships come in January come by percentage, but it actually represents about a 33-50% increase in volume." That's a looot of newcomers at the gym. Like I discussed last year, resolutions shouldn't involve numbers. Numbers won't change your mindset from negative to positive. Numbers won't give you that extra pep in your step. Most certainly, numbers won't make your new years resolutions worthwhile. What you should be striving for is a feeling. I wish instead of numbers on a scale, they'd have levels of self-confidence and happiness. Instead of saying  "I want to be in the 140's" say, "I want to be in the glowing confidence level."

So, what will be your step ahead of those bandwagon gym-goers? What will be your assurance that you will accomplish your mental and physical health and wellness goals for the new year?

A good start could be trying a cleanse. This doesn't mean a full-on cleanse, it could be making small adjustments to your diet to rid toxins, promote weight loss, and increase energy. Once you flush out some holiday good toxins, your body can focus on reshaping itself inside out. Here are three ways to kickstart your health goals for 2015:

Good luck with your 2015 resolutions, lovelies! I have all the faith in the world in you all. Just like in the movie "Unbroken", "If you can take it you can make it."  GREAT movie, by the way! See you in the new year!

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Hello my lovelies, you've officially tuned in to the final installment of  the #MacronutrientBreakdown, in which I blog about how much of those pesky macro nutrients (carbohydrates, protein, and fats) we really need. In a world that tells us to "eat no carbs after 6/ but then don't eat carbs at all/ but only eat carbs once a week/ you need your body weight in protein after a workout/ there's good and bad fats", it can be hard to differentiate the myths and the truth. That's why I'm here to be the myth buster!

Lipids or "fats" are viewed as the most rich, dense, and naughtiest macro nutrient, although carbs are taking a close second. We need to remember that nothing we consume as food is essentially bad for you, it's the amount that you eat of it that can be dangerous. "Fat", "fatty", and "fattening" have become the new F-bombs. However, if something is "fattening", it's only storing unused energy.

The reasons that lipids are given this stigma is scientific: lipids contain the most carbons so therefore make the most energy. Lipids also have the highest energy yield of all three macro nutrients. While protein and carbs create 4 calories per gram, lipids create 9 calories per gram.

Lipids are essential in fueling exercise. We use fat stores to fuel our energy when we are going for a long duration at a moderate pace. Examples of this include a long run, a moderate bike ride, a long walk, or even a pilates class. Those that are less in shape will use fat at 60% of maximum heart rate, athletes will use fat at 70-80% maximum heart rate.

Like the other two macronutrients, lipids are made up of carbons, hydrogens, and oxygens. Lipids include a glycerol molecule with three fatty acids molecules attached to it. Lipids are fats, oils, and waxes. Saturated fats include EVOO, coconut oil, peanut oil, palm oil and more. These are found in butter, margarine, creamer, and whipped toppings. Trans fats are found to harden processed foods such as potato chips, cookies, and some salad dressings.

Lipids main function is energy storage. They also protect and line major organs. So, like I've said in all of these posts, you need fats, no matter how much of a taboo stigma it has picked up. The rule I learned in class concerning RDA (recommended daily average) was, "no rules, just make better choices." If you eat too much fat than you use, it'll be stored. That's that!

Keep in mind that cholesterol is a "derived" fat. It's not the best for you because it's derived from an animal source, so its not as good for you. Good cholesterol comes from good fat sources such as avocados, fish, coconut oil, and more. Bad cholesterol comes from red meats, donuts, fried food, etc. Keep the bad cholesterol to a minimum, and keep good the cholesterol levels up. 

Lipids should make up 20-35% of your total calorie intake.


Hope you guys picked up some facts about lipids, Stay healthy!

It's time for the second of three installments of the #MacrobreakdownMania, where I, the nerdy Nikki tell you the bitty gritty of exactly how much of the three macronutrients (carbs, lipids, and protein) that we really need to survive. However, carbohydrates (CHO) seem to have the worst rep. Little do most people know, they're actually the most vital macronutrient out there. Where would we be without carbs? We'd be energy-less, tissue-less, and motion-less.

Carbohydrates consists of CHO (carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen). It's functions are to make energy to preserve tissue, and to fuel your central nervous system. So, next time you're feeling sad about eating that last bread stick, think of it this way: would you feel sad for not fueling your metabolism or your central nervous system?

Carbs give us energy during workouts/activity by producing ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which kickstarts your metabolism to give off energy essentially. Not only do we need carbohydrates to fuel our workouts, but to replace the tissue lost in our workout if our workout was high duration or intensity.


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Part of the reason that carbs get a bad rep is because the composition does break down into sugars. Simple carbohydrates inclue monosaccarides and disaccarides (single and two sugars). These easily break down, so if you don't use them ASAP they will store as glycogen in either muscle or tissue. These are found in processed foods, table sugars, fruits, and milk products
However, polysaccarides are complex carbs, which don't break down as easily. They include starch and fiber. They're found in vegetables, potatoes, rice, and whole wheat pasta and bread.

I can't tell each and every one of my readers exactly how much carbs you need (unless you e-mail me), however I can say that the recommended daily value for carbs is 45-65% of your calories. That's a big percent, more than the other two macronutrients combined. So, long story short, don't sweat it! Unless we're talking about exercise, then in that case, yes, sweat it. Happy carbo-loading, lovelies!

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We've gotten get general requirements of Recommended Daily Amounts (RDA) of our vitamins and nutrients shoved down our throats from birth. Yes, they're constantly changing, however so are our bodies. I am me, and you are you, and we are different. We have different hair color, skin color, digestive tracts, muscles, activity levels, BMIs, genders, and lifestyles. Why does the FDA try to put us all in one box with a big "RDA" bow" on it?

Luckily for you, my lovelies, I'm a huge nerd. Yes, I'd describe myself as a health-nut, however my "Nutrition and Physical Performance" class is turning me into a health NERD! I now have all of these calculations and facts about how much we need to eat and what we need to eat, based on our weight and lifestyle. I've decided to do a series called "Macro-breakdown Mania" where I get down into the dirty details about each of the three macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats, and protein), and to hopefully shed some light on some myths about each of them. Why don't we start off with protein?

To determine how much protein our bodies need, we need to determine how active we are. A "sedentary" person, who doesn't exercise regularly needs 1.0 - 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram. An endurance athlete, who exercises regularly mostly with cardio and light lifting, needs between 1.2 - 1.4 grams of protein per kilogram. A resistance athlete, who does a lot of lifting at a heavier weight, and wishes to gain muscle mass, needs between 1.4 - 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram. Where you lie in your category depends on how often you exercise and the intensity of your exercises.
After your determine where you lie, you must convert your weight into kilograms. This can be done by dividing you weight in pounds by 2.2. For example, a 150 lb person weighs 68 kilograms. So, you take the weight in kilograms and multiply it by where you lie in the intensity scale. A cross country runner would lie at 1.4 for example. Here's the calculation for a 150 lb cross country runner:

68 kg * 1.4 g/kg= 95 g of protein.

A gram of protein = 4 calories, so, that's 380 calories (95*4) of protein in your diet. That's 1/4 of your daily intake, the other 1/4 is lipids/fats and the other 1/2 is carbohydrates!

Proteins surprisingly are not a typical source of energy. One of protein's main functions is tissue formation. We can easily understand protein's function if we understand why runner's are naturally so skinny. Runners are endurance athletes that work out for an extended amount of time. Carbohydrates can only be fuel for so long, eventually your body will start breaking down a non-traditional form of energy, like protein. Breaking down protein means breaking down tissue, which means losing mass, which means looking skinnier and leaner, which means boom. Life mysteries solved.

What foods can we find this tricky macronutrient in? Complete proteins that contain every single amino acids include animal products (meat,fish, dairy, eggs, hemp and chia seed, buckwheat and quinoa). Incomplete protein sources that are missing an amino acid are vegetables, legumes, nuts and seed, and grains. However, if you eat them together, they make a full protein. For example, rice and beans together make protein (Chipotle fans rejoice). Plant protein is prominent as well, so enjoy that salad but maybe add some chicken, seafood, or tofu to get that extra punch.

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However, just like everything else in nutrition and exercise science, everything is relative to the person's activity level, metabolism, and diet. Protein is very vital in the post-workout recovery process. If you eat more than your daily value (see above), then it will be stored in fat or glycogen unless it's used right away!


I hope this blog post helps you navigate this slippery slope of protein. Think of me next time you're wondering whether to put one or two scoops in your protein blender bottle!

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I love salad and I love pasta... My life is constant love triangle between the two loves. My mind wants me to eats carbs all day every day, but my thighs want me to eat salad forever. However, I think I may have found a compromise to keep both sides happy. For my birthday party, I concocted a pasta salad as neutral as Switzerland.

I skimmed pinterest and found a post something along the lines of "19 pasta salads to try this summer." Some looked deliciously decadent, some were asian-infused, however I always like to stick to my Mediterranean styles. I found one that was a "lemony-orzo" salad with feta and cucumber, and another one with tomatoes and broccoli. I did a mash-up of both!

Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

Look at how many vitamins and minerals you're getting! These dark veggies are choc-full of 'em and green vegetables mean fiber. This picture above is like food porn to me. Eating pasta doesn't always have to be with a thick, creamy alfredo or garlic-wine sauce; it can be light and filling as well.

The reason I think this salad is a good mix is that it has the attributes of a salad and a pasta dish, but not too much of each. The orzo is a pasta, but it's a small pasta. The sauce is olive oil and lemon juice, it's refreshing. The veggies and cheese give it some hearty texture. It's a square meal!

First, I would cook the Orzo according to directions on the box. Then, I would get a pot of steaming water and steam the broccoli until the color is darker. You can skip that part, but I prefer steamer over raw broccoli. Then, you can chop up your veggies. Make sure your broccoli isn't overcooking.

Whenever your broccoli is soft and your pasta is all cooked, drain them both. You can keep the broccoli with the other chopped veggies, and put the orzo in the refrigerator to let it cool. It's very important to let the orzo cool so that the feta doesn't melt away!

In a bowl, mix the oil and lemon juice. You can use a cheese grater to zest the lemon by grating the skin. Mix that in, too!

When the orzo is cooled, mix in the veggies, feta, and dressing (oil and lemon). 

There you have it! This salad was a huge hit at my party might I add. I had a few people ask me for this recipe. Now, I can just tell them to look on my blog.

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To some people, August first is the end of the summer. However my mind is on a permanent vacation, and for at least this week, I'm on a real vacation. This week is my family's annual trip to Cape Cod, Massachusetts. We rent the same exact house in Yarmouth every year, so it feels like our own.

In the dog days of summer, August can harvest some of the brightest and most dangerous sunshine. So naturally, I keep my beach bag packed with essentials that keep me safe, hydrated, fresh, and protected. Check out my beach bag essential video!

Here's some more pictures of my vacation. We stayed in Yarmouth, but we adventured off quite a bit. We took a ferry from Woods Hole over to Martha's Vineyard. The island is gorgeous; its a mix of beachy, farmy, and residential. We went to the beache on the foggy cliffs and shopped in high-end Edgartown. (I picked up my first Lilly planner - a post on that later.)

We also took a trip to Provincetown to see the shops, Race Point Beach, and the Pilgrim monument. We also took in all of the local flavor of Yarmouth: catching tan on the beach and catching crabs on the dock. Enjoy!

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