Neti Pot

Growing up with a doctor for a dad, I was often told that I was lucky to have one in the house for those sick days. But whenever I was sick I only got two replies from my dad – one was “It’s the naughtiness coming out of you” and the second was “Go gargle with salt water.”

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Sleep Better

I know many people who take a sleep aid at night. Over-the-counter sleep aids are extremely prevalent given that many of us lead hectic lives that seem to leave less and less time for sleep. They are advertised as harmless, but I wonder about the long-term effects of taking a pill every night to help you sleep.

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Spinach is an amazing green (packed full of Vitamin C, dietary fiber and favonoids) which takes on any flavor added to it. You get all the benefits of a dark leafy green without the super ‘earthy’ taste and texture. Ginger adds a zip as well as aiding your digestion while lemon and celery help to flush your system while the carrot and apple adds sweetness. I drink this everyday and call it my super juice. Give it a whirl!

You’ll be feeling like Popeye in no time:)

Sweet and Delicious Daily Green Juice

Ingredients:
1 bag organic spinach
1 carrot
2 stalks of celery
1 inch of ginger, peeled
1 apple (such as Fuji)
1/2 lemon (leave the rind on)

Peel your ginger with a spoon, scraping the skin off by dragging the edge along the skin. Run your spinach through the juicer first followed by lemon, carrot, celery, ginger and apple. Serve it up!

Jerusalem Artichoke

Last night I had the most amazing appetizer that consisted of sautéed Jerusalem artichokes, arugula and goat cheese. As soon as I get home from traveling I am going to try to re-create it. It definitely got me thinking about and craving this little-known root vegetable.

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Waste-Free Sack Lunch

Every morning as I pack healthy and organic lunches for my kids, I feel guilty about the amount of waste that can be created with one small meal. There’s the plastic sandwich baggie, another baggie for a snack, a packaged snack or juice and possibly yogurt, fruit, or a dessert package. After recognizing that one lunch can generate so much trash, I started thinking to myself that there has to be a better way.

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Yacon Syrup

America’s sweet tooth is alive and well. Unfortunately so are diabetes, obesity and other ailments that make us have to limit our intake of sugar. Agave nectar and Stevia are some natural alternatives to highly processed simple sugars, but recently I’ve seen more recipes that use yacon (pronounced ya cone) syrup as a sweetener. This sparked my curiosity about this little-known product.

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Small Changes

I’m not very good at self-deprivation. If I’ve learned anything over the years though, it’s that making changes that used to seem like a big sacrifice often enrich my life. Like being more spiritual, exercising more and eating better for my body.

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Sustainability in our programs is of paramount importance to us. We’re really excited about the organic food gardens we’ve begun to implement. One of the objectives of these gardens is to educate the children in food security, and whilst doing so, give them access to nutrient rich, sustainable food that they can produce themselves. As many students suffer from the crippling effects of HIV/AIDS, supplying them with a constant, healthy food supply is vital to maintaining health and boosting immune systems.

At our pilot school we’ve planted a variety of winter crops including spinach/chard, cabbage, lettuce, beetroot, carrots and leeks. Intercropped are herbs such as rosemary, parsley, lavender, comfrey and citronella. Community volunteers are responsible for garden maintenance, and are assisted by learners and one educator from the school. The social aspects of community gardens have far reaching positive impact. They help create a sense of community by offering a place where participants can gather, network and identify with one another. Since the gardens are organized by the community, they form a social network that is necessary for management, which results in socialization, an increased sense of community, and often increased self-confidence among the participants.

By offering this resource to the students, we are giving them a safe and healthy place to be, keeping them off the streets, away from violence and drugs, and giving them something that they can be proud of.

We thank Pure Bar for their commitment to our mission, and to the students. To help us build on the progress we are making, and to further extend our efforts in helping these impoverished and at-risk children, we encourage you to LIKE our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/thelunchboxfund and FOLLOW us on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/#!/thelunchboxfund

Warmly,

Topaz Page-Green
Founder, The Lunchbox Fund

Photographs copyright © 2010 Jonx Pillemer

5 Great Holiday Plants

Are you in need of a last minute gift? Or maybe just craving some green around the house? Why not be truly green this year and give the gift of living plants to yourself and others. The traditional amaryllis and poinsettia are pretty, but also very common. If you’re looking for something more special this Holiday season, it’s good to know that there are so many great choices when it comes to beautiful, unique and easy to care for plants.

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Delicious and Easy Eggless Eggnog

I’ve never been a big fan of eggs. When I realized I only enjoy them smothered in butter, cheese and salt, it made me wonder why I continue to eat them. After all, you could smother just about anything in butter, cheese and salt and enjoy it.

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