Ayurda Skin Care Products Make North American Debut

Following a whole foods lifestyle extends beyond the kitchen.

One of my New Year's resolutions is to reduce chemicals in my cosmetics bag. So, I'm often researching the equivalent of whole foods for my skin. While doing some research for one of my articles on Daily Glow, I came across information about Ayurda Skin Care Products. Although I have not tried this line of cosmetics, I'm intrigued.

The organic facial cleansers, exfoliants, body cleansing gels and skin moisturizers were released in North America at the start of the new year. Previously, the ayurvedic products were only available to women in Australia and New Zealand, according to BioMed Reports.

Flowering lavender.
Photo from Wikimedia.

Caring for the Earth

The company does not test its products on animals or use animal by-products. In addition to being cruelty-free, no artificial fragrances, dyes, parabens or synthetic fillers are used in the products. Women with sensitive skin due to allergies or illness may tolerate Ayurda USA products better than chemical-filled body care products. Ladies with dry skin can benefit from the products lack moisture-wicking alcohol.

A Less Irritating Option

The company not only grows the plants and herbs used in their skin care products, they also process the plants and create the formulas with a holistic approach. Cold-pressed oils, wild herbs, organic plants and natural fragrances are used. This is a welcome change from lab-created chemicals and pesticide-laden plant products used in non-organic beauty products.

A Natural Approach

Ayurda USA is also environmentally conscious. In addition to making products that will naturally biodegrade when placed in a landfill, the company uses recycled packaging, according to the company website. Women who are advocates for reducing and reusing will appreciate the company's desire to decrease waste and utilize post-consumer content.

Have you tried Ayurda USA Products? Please let me know what you think -- the good, the bad and the ugly.

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela

My Gluten-Free Pasta Choice: Mung Bean Noodles

Giving up pasta isn't easy. So, I decided I didn't have to. I just had to get creative.
After realizing my wheat consumption aligned with joint inflammation, I decided to venture into a gluten-free diet. Since I prefer eating whole foods, I was thrilled to find a preservative-free one-ingredient pasta alterative at the grocery store: mung bean noodles.

Mung Bean Noodles
Photo by Wikimedia Commons

After trying rice-based pasta noodles (mushy and flavorless), I was skeptical. But now I have a new favorite go-to noodle.

Mung beans are also known as cellophane noodles, mung bean threads or glass noodles. The gluten-free pasta earned these odd names because it turns from white to clear when boiled. The thin strands remind me of angel hair pasta or a very slender spaghetti. Even after boiling and baking them in pasta sauce, the noodles retain a common chewy noodle texture.

Mung beans don't have much natural flavor, so they absorb the flavor of other ingredients. I've been pairing them with homemade alfredo sauce and sauteed vegetables to create a calorie-heavy indulgence. That is the downside to the noodles; They aren't friendly on the figure.

One cup of dehydrated mung bean noodles contains 491 calories and 121 grams of carbohydrates. The beans don't offer any protein and very little fiber to your diet. However they contain iron, phosphorus and selenium. To boost the nutrition factor, pair the noodles with vitamin-packed veggies, lean proteins and low fat dairy products.

Although the noodles are a splurge, it's nice to have a gluten-free option that withstands boiling, baking and tossing with other ingredients without falling apart (like some gluten-free carbs).

Do you use mung bean noodles? What are you favorite recipes? Please share in the comments section below.
 
Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

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The Perfect Wheat Flour

I love to bake. With the holiday season around the corner, I'm itching to try a few new recipes. When the weather turned cool for a few brief days, I broke in my pie pans with homemade apple and pumpkin pies. Part of my excitement for the baking season is my new found love: Wheat Montana Flour. (And, no I'm not being paid to say that.)

Cookies can be made from wheat flour.
Photo by Snowbear, Morguefile.

I've searched for the past few months for a perfect baking flour. My criteria is strict: it can't be bleached or bromated, it must be grown in the United States and minimal processing is a bonus. I've tried organic rice flour, too many wheat flours to count and garbanzo bean flour (don't laugh).

Rice flour made my cookies too crumbly. One whole wheat flour made my rolls into hockey pucks. And flour made from beans, well, tasted like beans. I love beans, but not bean-flavored bread. It was just plain weird.

Over the past several months I've given the Wheat Montana Hard White Spring a good work out. Pie crusts. Oatmeal molasses cookies. Chocolate chip cookies. Chocolate birthday cake. Lemon bars. Honey wheat rolls.

I did mention I love to bake, right?

Every recipe made with this flour turned out great. Here are a few details straight from the company's website:

• Wheat Montana is family owned and operated.
• The flour is Certified Chemical Free and Certified Organic.
• The flour is milled at a low 94 degrees to maintain the nutrient value of the wheat.

Do you have a flour or baking ingredient that you can't live without? Tell me about it. I'm always up for trying a new product. It gives me an excuse to spend a little more time in the kitchen!

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy,
Angela

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Tiger Woods Endorses Fuse Science Sports Nutrition Supplements

It's not uncommon for pro athletes to endorse products. Nobody bat an eye when David Beckham promoted Adidas sneakers, or when Maria Sharapova showed off her photography skills behind the Canon Powershot Digital Camera Series.

Tiger Woods
Photo by Molly A. Burgess,
Wikimedia Commons

Last week Tiger Woods announced he will endorse Fuse Science sports nutrition products. The nutritional supplements aid in vitamin and electrolyte levels and absorption. The oral drops absorb directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the digestion process.

Tiger Woods says the products will "enhance every athlete's ability to perform at their natural best" and increase energy levels.

But, isn't that the role of a healthy diet?

Athletes who consume fresh fruits, vitamin-packed vegetables and lean proteins have more energy and endurance on the field than their fast-food eating counterparts.

For example, adding protein to your breakfast staves off the mid-morning munchies and helps muscles build and repair themselves after a sunrise run or pre-practice yoga session.

Will Tiger Woods' endorsement of nutritional supplements lead athletes to believe supplements are healthier than absorbing vitamins naturally from fresh foods?

Whether you're an on-the-go high school athlete or squeeze workouts into a busy work schedule, time-saving nutritional options are appealing and an excellent boost to a healthy diet. But, supplements don't cure a growling stomach or satiate a post-workout appetite.

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!
Angela

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