There is something magical about being outside, surrounded by nature — grass, rocks, trees, water, wildlife, dirt, fresh air. The natural world has the ability to calm, center, and clear our minds on our most scattered days. I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to spend many cumulative months immersed in nature, camping, backpacking, boating, hiking, and exploring. For me, those adventures coupled with emerging research, have illuminated the transformational power of being outside.
Kimkraut
It is increasingly clear that human health is directly tied to the health of our gut and the microbial community that resides there. Historically, we consumed a wide variety of foods with microbial activity, but in modern times, we’ve increasingly sterilized our foods and our gut health has suffered. Our lifestyles are also detrimental to gut health, with overuse of antibiotics in both humans and animals, over-sanitized homes and offices, and epidemic stress-levels.
Gut Health
Living within your gastrointestinal tract are 100 trillion microbes from over 1000 different species, collectively referred to as the gut microbiome. Recent research into the microbial world within our bodies has illuminated many previously unknown connections to our overall health. Indeed, the human body is an ecosystem with many sub-ecosystems (such as the gut), and just like the environment, when one of those ecosystems malfunctions, it compromises the entire system.
Thai Peanut Sauce
Warning. This thai peanut sauce is addictive. It’s also gluten-free and vegan. I love it as a dipping sauce served with spring rolls, sweet potato fries, or fresh or cooked vegetables (it’s fantastic on top of roasted cauliflower, broccoli, or as a stir-fry sauce).
Spring Rolls
These spring rolls were inspired by my recent trip to California, where my partner and I discovered a vegetable spring roll made with a collard green wrapper. We both thought the collard green leaf worked infinitely better than lettuce and is considerably more nutritious than a rice paper wrap.
Sleep
The three cornerstones of optimal health are: diet, physical activity, and sleep. Yes, sleep. Although Americans are very good at minimizing the importance of sleep, it is critical to vitality. Because we pretend we’re superhuman, needing far less rest than we actually do, and we try to minimize non-productive time — sleep, a time when we are resting and not producing something of tangible value, is dramatically undervalued. But viewing sleep as a time of unnecessary rest and of non-productivity is faulty logic.
Avocado Mousse
In addition to being possibly the most tasty and nutritious food on the planet, there are dozens of ways to use avocados. They’re a great source for monounsaturated fats and have the most luxurious mouthfeel. I think it’s the one-two punch of flavor and nutrition that has people going crazy for avocados. My most sincere apologies for adding to the cultural avocado obsession, but it really is well deserved.
Sweet Potato Fries
Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite comfort foods and because of their high vitamin, mineral, and fiber content they also happen to be a very nutritious alternative to standard potatoes and grains. Although I don’t eat sweet potatoes everyday, I do eat some form of this root vegetable several times a week, making it one of my primary sources of starch. The fry variation is great way to introduce sweet potatoes to skeptical family members or friends.
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Chia Seed Pudding
If you haven’t tried chia seed pudding, it’s time. These tiny seeds which were prized by Aztec warriors for the energy, strength, and stamina they provided, are packed with omega-3 fats, fiber, protein, and many essential vitamins, trace minerals, and antioxidants.