by Cascade Ice on July 19, 2011
The Flavorful Life is featuring several “healthy living journey” stories from Cascade Ice fans around the country, where guest bloggers tell us their thoughts on how they face challenges and come up with new ideas to pursue better health and fitness lifestyles. The following is the latest update from Dawn Sievers of Knoxville, TN, and blogger for “The Healing Morning”
Fennel? Calming, you say? Yes, I do! Fennel is one of those overlooked vegetables, not all that common here in the southeastern region where I live. I have to go to a specific grocery store to find it, but it is well worth the extra trip. Once I began to research the health benefits of fennel, I found that it has been an ages old remedy for a wide range of ailments.
Fennel provides an excellent source of potassium, vitamin C and fiber. It is also a very good source of folic acid and phosphorous. In addition, fennel is a good source of iron, calcium, magnesium, molybdenum and manganese.
So, how is it calming? Consumption of fennel has been proven to release endorphins into the bloodstream. Endorphins are the feel-good chemical that helps calm fears and anxiety levels. You may have heard of “runner’s high” that marathon runners feel after running long distances. I don’t know about you, but I’d just as soon find a different method to access endorphins than tormenting my joints with marathon running! And I can report from my own experiences in my kitchen that fennel does give a sense of calm, without the carbohydrate overloads that you would have with chips, pasta or potatoes.
Fennel also aids in digestion and is often eaten at the end of a meal, in raw form. The taste is similar to licorice, and is stronger in raw form, milder after being cooked. My favorite method is cutting the fronds (leafy, feathery greens at the top of the bulb) off, splitting the bulb in half and brushing with balsamic vinegar, then grilling. You can also save the fronds and snip them into salads for a light, licorice flavor. Being a Cascade Ice Water fanatic, the other day I had leftover fennel fronds in the refrigerator and I snipped them into a glass of Cascade Ice Strawberry Lemonade – it was delicious!
Has anyone out there made any special dishes with fennel? Please share below!
by Cascade Ice on July 13, 2011
It’s so hot out we thought we would cool off with some fun, blogger-created, skinny cocktails using Cascade Ice 2-calorie water.
Lindsay, Laurel, and Tara, our 3 bloggers, have stirred up some clever creations that are not only delicious but also healthier than your typical cocktail! You can still enjoy a poolside beverage and be bathing suit ready.
We are so excited about these tasty summer treats that we want to share the fun! We are giving away a Cascade Ice prize pack to a lucky winner.
Entering the giveaway is easy! All you have to do is vote on your favorite Skinny Cocktail on our Facebook Page and enter!
Good luck!
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Healthy Living
by Cascade Ice on July 11, 2011
With all the activities we try to cram into one day it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and stressed out. While the body works its best under moderate amounts of stress, continuously being stressed can really harm your health. Stress can negatively affect your blood sugar metabolism and cause diabetes. It can also harm your immune system and make you more prone to getting sick. You can reduce these health risks by reducing your stress.
Decrease the amount of stress in your daily life by following these easy steps:
- Give your brain a break. Each day find about 10 minutes to unwind by listening to music or just sitting on a park bench and enjoying the scenery.
- Don’t multitask all the time. Sometimes it’s unavoidable, but limiting your time spent multitasking can help you feel calmer.
- Take a vacation. This one might seem a little obvious, but this mental break will help your creativity and productivity when you get back to work. It will also put you in a better mood!
Giving yourself these small mental breaks can really impact your stress levels. Lowering your stress can keep your body and mind healthy.
What do you do to get rid of stress?
by Cascade Ice on July 8, 2011
It seems like everyone fills their days with a ton activities, especially now because it’s summer and there are so many fun things to do! Naturally this can cause us all to feel a little tired from time to time. These new tips from Real Simple can really give you that energy boost you need to power through the day:
- Do something new! Novel experiences boost your brain activity and your energy.
- Move around, if you sit at a desk or at home all day try to get up once every hour.
- Breathing deeply can really give you a surge of energy, so if you’re feeling stressed remember to take a deep breath.
- Spend time doing something you enjoy! Whether it be good music or chatting with friends, these fun activities can give you that recharge you need.
- Drink plenty of water. Staying hydrated will give you energy and can help you avoid headaches.
How do you recharge when you’re feeling drowsy? Please share with us below!
The Flavorful Life is featuring several “healthy living journey” stories from Cascade Ice fans around the country, where guest bloggers tell us their thoughts on how they face challenges and come up with new ideas to pursue better health and fitness lifestyles. The following is the latest update from Dawn Sievers of Knoxville, TN, and blogger for “The Healing Morning”
