Have You Ever Heard of Sulforaphane?

 

Sulforaphane might possibly the most health-promoting antioxidant in the world.  It helps in fighting inflammation, protects your brain, detoxing your liver, prevents cancer, supports your heart health and even helps in weight loss.  But, the crazy thing is, this wonderful nutrient is NOT actually in foods! 

It is a compound that's created when you chew certain vegetables, thereby releasing components that mix in your mouth and create this life-giving antioxidant.

The richest source of compounds your body needs to produce sulforaphane is Broccoli sprouts. Sulforaphane is created from only raw cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale, cauliflower etc.

For more information on the benefits see:

Watch this first: 

Beautiful Broccoli

Sulforaphane:What is It?

Have a great week. 

Please wear your mask!

Judd

Recommended Reading 04/05/20

It's April Recommended Reading time.

With most people staying at home now, there is plenty of time to spend time with family. to be creative, catch up on reading and exercise.  Hopefully you will be able to continue working while at home.  Please make time for yourself and take care to keep up with your mental, physical and spiritual habits.  Also, don't get caught up eating a crapload of processed junk food.  Eating a healthy, whole foods plant-based diet will keep your immune system strong, which is even more critical now.  One thing I have noticed, is with this crisis, people have been connecting to their creativity and kindness for one another.  Let's not forget that when we get back to the "new"normal.

Let's get started:

WELLNESS

I know the media is bombarding us with Coronavirus information, but this from Food Revolution is useful info on overall wellness, Staying Healthy

Here are 7 Tips on Staying Healthy from Spartan Life.  Also from Spartan Life: Your Guide to Eating Smart and Healthy when you're stuck at home.

How to Boost Your Immunity During Coronavirus Outbreak from FoodmattersTV. FMTV is like Netflix but all about total wellness, food, yoga, meditation etc. Check it out!

FOOD/RECIPES

Here in Florida we are blessed with a year-long growing season.  With everyone needing to practice social distancing the local farmers are having their own drive up farmers markets and some plant-based restaurants are having "virtual" farmers markets where you can order many different types of produce, local coffees, honey and even prepared foods weekly and then a curbside pick up!

To keep a healthy immune system you need a healthy gut biome.  Fermented foods are one of the best ways to do this.  Here is a very easy recipe for Beetroot Sauerkraut 

Roasted radishes will become your new favorite veggie with this flavorful recipe.

Roasted Veggies:

We take a variety of cubed root veggies like potatoes, onions, heirloom carrots, zucchini and squash. Mix with a few tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

Roast in oven at 450' until potatoes are tender(40-45 min)

Serve on a bed of prepared whole grain or rice spaghetti noodles which has been "fried" in an oiled skillet until it is a little crispy.

For the sweet tooth in us, try these Jammin' Almond Thumbprint Cookies

ENVIRONMENT

Wild For Life is an awesome learning site about our oceans health. Children(and adults) will like Reef Rider Journey, by learning how coral reefs work.

This company in Switzerland is sucking carbon out of the air and making soda.

Why's There's Never Been a Better Time to Combat Climate Change

3 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day

10 Surprising Dolphin Superpowers

VIDEOS

Broccoli- The DNA whisperer

"Home" Is A Poem by IN-Q

Have a great week.

Please be kind.

WASH YOUR HANDS

Judd

Recommended Reading 01/25/20

It's the first 2020 Recommended Reading time!

Introducing the newest addition to our family:

Miso and Mochi

The sweetest sister and brother rescues who joined our family at the end of the year.   They were just 8 weeks old and have 7 other siblings who all have been adopted.  It is quite an enjoyment to watch them play and grow.  They will never take the place of the Queen Lizzie, but they definitely are creating their own Kingdom,

The Queen

Let's get started with:

CRAZY SHIT

U.S. households throws out $240 billion dollars a year worth of food, that's crazy!  Don't go to the grocery store hungry.

This is both crazy and scary: One Nation, Tracked,  12 million phones, one dataset, zero privacy.

GM is bringing back the Hummer, thank God it's electric.

For a blast from the past, check out a new hotel at JFK airport that recently opened: TWA Hotel,  our daughter Bree spent some time there this past week while on a short business trip in Manhattan,  She was very impressed, saying it would be great to spend the night there while on a layover/early flight to Europe.

ENVIRONMENTAL

8.3 billion tons of plastic have been produced since introduced in the 1950's.  Most all of it is still here and 91% of it is not recycled.

New technology from RESYNERGI know just what to do with it.  They have compact mobile equipment that turns chipped plastic waste into clean fuel sources.

4 Environmental laws that athletes(and everyone) should know and fight for.

Possible BLUE/GREEN  -Green New deal proposed by Elizabeth Warren.

A short important video from Ocean Unite: #Love30x30. 

The ocean gives us life: it provides half the oxygen we breathe, has absorbed a quarter of our CO2 emissions and over 90% of the excess heat trapped by those emissions, it puts food on our plates and is home to 80% of all life on Earth.

I know there are endless issues we all face everyday.  But the most important issue the world faces right now is the climate crisis.  If we all don't work together and solve this, all else really doesn't matter.  WHAT IF WE SURVIVE?

EXERCISE, FOOD and WELLNESS

Build strength, stamina, stability and power with these 4 Essential Bodyweight Exercises.

Another reason why we should just give up sweeteners all together, Not Sweet Nothings.

Joking aside, for health reasons we need to "cut the cheese"  Nut cheeses  have come a long way and are way more healthy and earth friendly.

Here's another take on "Crazy Shit", Wasting Food: Steps You Can Take to Stop Food Waste.

How to order a healthy plant-based meal from any restaurant menu.

For a rainy afternoon video, watch Rich Roll and Dr. Zach Bush at the Nantucket Project.

For a quick and delicious meal whip up Chef Chloe's vegan Avocado Pesto Pasta and steam some fresh broccoli topped with nutritional yeast.

Have a great week.

Be kind.

Judd 

Beautiful Broccoli

I could eat broccoli everyday. 

A phytochemical found abundantly in broccoli called sulforaphane has been found to dramatically minimize the damaging effects caused by strokes.  Scientists from The Kings College in London found the enzymes are useful in removing dangerous free-radicals.  The study was funded by the British Heart Foundation to find new and better options to treat damages caused by strokes.  These findings are hailed as a major breakthrough in helping at-risk individuals to help prevent strokes or minimizing the damage already caused.  They believe a simple "pill" could be taken to help to prevent a stroke.  Could possibly eating broccoli on a regular basis do the same?

Broccoli is part of the Brassica family, which includes kale, cauliflower, cabbage, brussel sprouts,

collards, bok choi, mustard etc.  This diverse group includes plants that the leaves, flowers, stems and roots can all be cooked and eaten.  They are the most commonly eaten plant group worldwide.  Broccoli is inexpensive and can be found at just about any grocery store.

Broccoli is a great source for the antioxidants vitamin C, beta-carotene and quercetin.

They are renowned for quenching free-radicals and reducing risks for prostate and breast cancer, Alzheimer and Parkinson's.  They are essential

for good health, promoting healthy immune systems, nutrient absorption (e.g. iron)
and overall vitality.

Broccoli is rich in calcium, making it an excellent vegan source of the nutrient that supports strong bones, which prevents osteoporosis.

Broccoli is an source for glucosinolates, which are sulfur containing chemicals.  These have

been shown to prevent oxidative stress, stimulate the immune system and reduce cancer growth.

They are anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and help to eliminate toxins from our bodies.

Broccoli is a great source of potassium and soluble fiber which help in blood sugar levels,

preventing heart disease and managing diabetes.

The best way to eat broccoli is raw.  Cook or steam it for only about 5 minutes to retain its nutrients.

Nutrient fact: Sprinkle on a pinch of ground mustard

to reactivate the glucosinolates, so to get all the health benefits.

Here's a informative video on broccoli:

Broccoli- the DNA whisperer

BELIEVE IN
KINDNESS

Have a great week.

Judd

Crazy Cauliflower

Cauliflower is one of the  most versatile and delicious vegetables with numerous health benefits.   Here are some reasons why this Cruciferous or Brassicaceae vegetable scores off the chart for nutrition: Cauliflower contains glucosinolates, which trigger our bodies own antioxidant systems.   Which correlates with a decreased risk of cancers including lung, stomach, breast and bladder.

A half-cup of raw or cooked cauliflower has more then half of our RDA vitamin C, which is important for immune health.   One cup provides roughly 2 grams of both soluble and insoluble fiber which is very important for good colon health.   This combination of both types of fiber are excellent for weight management while being low in calories (27) compared to a typical pretzel pack (110).   Have some raw cauliflower for a snack instead.   It also provides us with over 10% of our RDA for vitamins B 5 and B 6. B 5 is required by dozens of enzymes that produce energy from food, while B 6 supports more than 100 enzymes needed for essential functions including the release of stored glucose.   Glucose is form of simple sugar that fuels our brain, carries out nerve cell conduction, assists muscle contractions and provides energy to go the extra mile.   Being high in fiber, just remember don't eat cauliflower as a pre-exercise or workout snack as it could cause digestive issues.

There are many different varieties and colors of cauliflower, but most grocery stores only carry white.   You will have to go to your local farmers markets to find others. (You should be doing this anyway!). 

One of my favorites is Romanesco, called both broccoli and cauliflower, it is pretty crazy looking!

Here is an easy recipe using Romanesco or any type of cauliflower:

Preheat oven to 425'.

Cut Romanesco into bite-size florets.

Coat with olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, garlic salt and smoked paprika.

Sprinkle with lemon juice, and rosemary and thyme seasoning.(or any blend you want)

Roast in oven for 10-20 minutes until desired tenderness (crunchy is better)

Using leftover quinoa and brown rice (you should have some prepped for easy weekly recipes).

Add some black beans and mix all together.

Top it off with some Green Goddess Dressing.

If you have the rice, quinoa and beans already in the fridge, it's a quick and easy nutritional powerhouse!

Have a great week.

Be kind.

Judd