Grace O blog Archives - Page 27 of 38

December 18, 2016

Published by Grace O

Recipes for Aging Beautifully

After I finished The Age GRACEfully Cookbook, I had so many more ideas for age-defying recipes that I immediately started working on a new cookbook. It’s The AGE BEAUTIFULLY Cookbook: Easy and Exotic Longevity Secrets from Around the World. Both cookbooks have won gold awards in the Independent Publisher’s Living Now Awards. The Awards celebrate the innovation and creativity of newly published books that enhance the quality of people’s lives. It makes me proud and happy that the cookbooks have been recognized for the very reason I wrote them – to help people live more vital and healthy lives. I dedicated […]

December 13, 2016

Published by Grace O

A Little Help From My Friends

Friends and faith help get me through all of the big and small stresses in my life. I spend time every day meditating, praying and reflecting on all of the blessings I have in my life. Every day I think about how grateful I am to have so many loving friends in my life, and to have such joy in my work. Stress is a serious threat to our health whether it’s emotional or mental. Chronic, long-term stress can wreak havoc on the body’s systems, causing imbalance. So what can you do? One way to combat stress is to look […]

December 3, 2016

Published by Grace O

What the Heck Is a FOODTRIENT?

You may ask, What the heck is a FoodTrient? I needed to come up with a term to encompass the anti-aging properties of food, but couldn’t really find a good word, so I created one and called them FoodTrients. Think of them as nutrients that lead to our overall wellness and help us age well. FoodTrients are wholesome foods and spices that have nutrients our bodies need to maintain optimum function stay healthy from the inside out. I focus on these FoodTrients in each of my recipes. I start creating a dish only after I find a fruit or grain […]

November 19, 2016

Published by Grace O

Some of My ‘Fountain of Youth’ Food Favorites

There’s little doubt that we all would love to look and feel younger, especially if you’re over 40 (or even over 50 like me). Certain FoodTrients like omega-3 fatty acids and the Vitamins C & E are very good for building collagen, hydrating skin, keeping skin elastic, and helping to build strong nails and hair. Vitamin C also aids tissue regeneration, which is especially helpful after a facial, dermabrasion, or an acid peel. Citrus fruits, berries, melons, and peppers are all good sources. A spicy salsa with hot peppers and lime juice can be a real skin saver. While all […]

November 18, 2016

Published by Grace O

We Should All Be Longin’ For Longan

Longans are natives of Southeast Asia and related to lychees and rambutans. Growing up in the Philippines, we ate longans like candy (but longans are much better for you). Like lychees, the fruit is sweet and succulent, but they are a little smaller and the sweetness is a little drier. They’re eaten fresh and also used soups, snacks, desserts, and sweet-and-sour foods. They’re also easy to eat — just peel off the smooth skin to get to the fruit, then eat it like a cherry, removing the seed. It better to wait until just before serving to peel the fruit. […]

November 16, 2016

Published by Grace O

Drink Up! The Power of Good Smoothies

I like to drink raw coconut water from Harmless Harvest if I don’t have time to make my own juice or smoothies. Good coconut water is very hydrating and that helps your skin. I also detox with cold pressed juices whenever I need to. My recipe for Mind and Beauty Juice blend (featured in my new cookbook, The AGE BEAUTIFULLY Cookbook) is specifically formulated to help the skin look young and beautiful while protecting the mind. I use my Blendtec® Tabletop Total Blender to pulverize the carrots, cantaloupe, and cucumber. Carrots and melons have the FoodTrient carotenoids, an antioxidant (Ao) that fights […]

November 13, 2016

Published by Grace O

Rambutan Exotically Delicious

An exotic fruit that I love to eat is rambutan (available at Melissas.com). These Malaysian fruits, which mean “hair” (rambut), look like small, red, hairy monsters. The somewhat rubbery brownish-red outer shell is peeled away to reveal a white, moist oval that is very similar to a lychee. It’s sweet, juicy, and subtle in flavor, not unlike the mangosteen. Rambutans are botanically related to lychees. They contain the vitamin C, iron, and phosphorous. Vitamin C helps the body resist infection, helps prevent cataracts, and aids in tissue regeneration to keep your skin young and fresh looking. Vitamin C also reduces […]

October 11, 2016

Published by Grace O

Lives of the Reishi and Famous (Mushrooms)

Mushrooms are a major FoodTrient food! Both edible and medicinal mushrooms contain properties including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant , immune boosting , and disease prevention effects. Two mushrooms backed by significant research that contain potent health benefits include Reishi (immune-boosting, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and good for cardiovascular health) and Turkey Tail (immune-boosting, anti-viral, anti-fungal) mushrooms. Our FoodTrients nutritionist Ginger Hultin did some digging into the benefits of both. You can learn more about the amazing health benefits of Reishi mushrooms here. Find out more about the incredible benefits of Turkey Tail mushrooms here. Reishi mushrooms aren’t something you will find fresh in your local […]

September 27, 2016

Published by Grace O

It’s Not a Felon To Love Bitter Melon

Even though I can stop into Asian or Latino markets on any corner in Los Angeles and find fresh bitter melon or soursop, I know that most people across the country aren’t so lucky. For them, I recommend visiting melissas.com, an exotic produce company which will ship fresh and sometimes dried produce anywhere in the U.S. Melissa’s is also the largest distributor of specialty produce in the country. Bitter melon, which resembles a wrinkly, light-green cucumber, is something of an acquired taste. Soaking it in salted water to remove the bitterness is the first step in getting people to fall […]