Showing posts with label avocado. Show all posts
Showing posts with label avocado. Show all posts

Monday, July 4, 2011

4 FOODS THAT WILL KEEP YOU LOOKING YOUNG

Hello, hello, hello and happy 4th of July to everyone! So, I have been super-duper busy, as you already know, I am SUPERWOMAN lol, Mom of two (7 year old and 10 months old), wife, author, photographer, 3G MOM and the list goes on and on, but I'm not complaining :) creativity fuels me and gives me a RUSH wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee (see, I told you)

I am going to share with you four of my favorite foods that keep me (hopefully) looking young, see picture below:

By the way, I braided my hair myself, nice huh?



Anyway, I am going to skip the obvious combination of water/fruits/veggies, as we all know their benefits.

1. Olive Oil/ Avocado: I've known about olive oil since I was a little girl because my mother always added a tablespoon to her body lotion, well, here's my FYR mama, 52 year old mom of 5 (ages 32 (me), 27,25, 24 and 17). I am so happy my mom has been following the FYR guidelines since she returned home almost two years ago. The first picture is when she just arrived in Atlanta and the second she sent to me a few days ago from Cameroon.
As you can tell she looks younger and obviously slimmer.
I love cooking with olive oil, I have not followed my mom's idea of adding olive oil to my lotion but I do add coconut oil to my lotion sometimes.Olive oil is very rich in monounsaturated fats and antioxidants which slows aging and helps prevent age-related diseases. As for avocados, some people avoid eating them because they fear it is fatty when actually a medium size avocado has approximately 30 of fats, mostly monounsaturated fats, and have the same health benefits as olive oil. I also use avocado as a mask for my face and yes you may catch me licking it at times :) edible-beneficial-goodness!

2. Nuts/Seeds: I love nuts, especially brazil nuts, walnuts, cashews, almonds, pine nuts and macadamia nuts. Back in Cameroon we used a lot of pumpkin seeds in many of our vegetable dishes. But then I was only interested in how good the dish tasted, don't blame me, my mom is an extra-ordinary cook. Nuts and seeds are high in unsaturated fats, vitamin, minerals and phytochemicals. When something is good for me I eat and/or drink it. I eat to live.

3. Blueberries: If you don't get the right kind you may end up with a sour taste in your mouth and end up disliking them for no reason. Some of the inorganic blueberries I've bought in the past have usually tasted a little sour, I am yet to discover a sour organic blueberry. Yes, they can be a little pricey but boy do I monitor how we eat these at home hahhaha, I am a mother hen over my blueberries. I have a blueberry addict called Nina Lakota who lives in my house and LOVES fruits and VEGGIES especially blueberries. Blueberries prevent oxidative damage and are highly anti-inflammatory. You can add them to smoothies, salads or make a blueberry pie. Okay when it comes to blueberry pies, no one does it like my mother-in law, she is an amazing cook and her desserts are SIMPLY ADDICTIVE. Hold on, let me find a picture of her blueberry pie, you have to see to believe:
Sorry that's all you can get, a picture!!!

4. Lemons: I used to be one of those who thought that lemons are extremely acidic and bad for the body. But do you know that lemons are basic in the body as opposed to being acidic? and are extremely beneficial to your health? They are supercharged with tons of vitamin C and antioxidants. Lemons are not only great for cleaning your house but they act as a super cleanser for your body against toxins. So next time you see a lemon, instead of running away from it reach for it. Add it to the water you drink, squeeze it over your salad and foods in short marry a lemon, it is good for you :)

DRINK AND EAT TO YOUR HEALTH, YOU'LL THANK ME LATER!