The Benefits of Sesame Oil (Part 1): Kale, Brussels Sprout and Soba Noodle Salad!

Image via vataworld.wordpress.com

I've come a looooonnnnnnng way, y'all.

Before moving to New York, I had never even tasted Indian food! Not to mention mussels, oysters, Ethiopian cuisine - you name it, I hadn't tried it. Thankfully, I started dating Adam and even though he hails from a small town with a similar culinary climate as my own, he was an adventurer when it came to food and drink and I quickly followed suit. Now, Indian food is actually one of my favorites. 

Based on this information, I should have known I would fall in love with Ayurveda. 

As you know, I'm currently studying at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. One of our recent lectures was an introduction to Ayurveda, traditional Indian medicine. Now, having gone from zero knowledge of Ayurveda to the equivalent of two books and a lecture's worth of knowledge, I can say quite confidently that I'm literally obsessed with all things Ayurveda. I even find myself daydreaming about going to India to visit a Vaidya (Ayurvedic doctor). It's quite fascinating stuff and I can't get enough.

To embrace my obsession wholeheartedly, I'd like to do a recurring series this month on sesame oil. While this may sound completely out of left field to you, I promise you that sesame oil is a natural medicine that you should know about! It has so many health benefits (especially as we enter spring) and you can use it for much more than just food!

But let's start slow this week with a simple recipe that uses sesame oil! This weekend I made Kale + Slivered Brussels Sprout Soba Noodles from one of my favorite blogs Sprouted Kitchen. I used her basic recipe, then threw in some sauteed shrimp to satisfy my inner carnivore. Here are the dirty deats...

Cut off the ends of 10 Brussels sprouts and slice them paper thin (if you have a mandolin, use it!).

Wash 1 bunch of kale (tuscan or dinosaur kale is recommended, but we used what we had!) and discard the stems.

Now working in batches, stack the kale leaves, roll them up tightly and slice them into long, narrow ribbons.

Grab your sesame oil (or toasted sesame oil) and sea salt.

In a large mixing bowl, add the kale, 1 tsp. of sesame oil and 1/4 tsp. of sea salt. Now, massage the kale with your hands for approximately 3 minutes, until the kale turns a dark shade of green.

Now add the sliced Brussels sprouts.

Toss in 1 bunch of sliced scallions.

Cook 4-8 oz. of soba noodles according to package directions. While they are cooking, pound 1 plump clove of garlic.

In the same bowl as the garlic, stir in 4 tsp. sesame oil, 1 Tbs. rice vinegar and 1 tsp. low sodium soy sauce. Now, pour this dressing over the mixture (I actually doubled this amount because I like things on the saucy side. Use as little or as much as you want).

Add 2 pinches of red pepper flakes and 2 Tbs. of toasted sesame seeds (white or black).

While the soba noodles are cooking, saute the shrimp (we used ghee and peppercorns for flavor).

After draining, add the soba noodles to the mixture.

Top with the cooked shrimp and sprinkle a few more sesame seeds on top for extra flair.

And now, the health benefits behind sesame oil...

SLOWS AGING - Sesame oil is packed with antioxidants that can help slow the signs of aging. Not only this, but consuming the oil keeps your skin hydrated from the inside out.

LOWERS CHOLESTEROL - The vitamin E in sesame oil has been shown to help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and increase HDL (good) cholesterol. Plus, the dynamic duo of antioxidants and poly-unsaturated fats in sesame oil work together to lower blood pressure.

AIDS IN MOOD REGULATION - Many people find that sesame oil helps to calm their anxiety and improve their mood. Also, because sesame oil promotes blood circulation, it has been found to aid in deep, restful sleep.

HELPS PREVENT OSTEOPOROSIS: The calcium and zinc in sesame oil work together to promote bone health, thereby protecting you from the decay that leads to osteoporosis.

See? I told you it was a miracle food! I can't wait to show you sesame oil's other innovative uses next week, but in the meantime, enjoy this wonderful soba noodle salad and let it remind you that spring is upon us!

The Experts Weigh In: Lowering Cholesterol the Natural Way!

Image via alsearsmd.com

I was on the phone with my mother the other day when she shared some very impressive news with me. Because her story is a true testament to the quote 'Let food be thy medicine', I wanted her to come on the blog today and tell you about it. With no further ado...

BY: SHARON YARBROUGH, CONTRIBUTOR

I am here to testify that high cholesterol can be brought down without having to resort to drugs, statin drugs in particular. As you know from my previous post, I have always been a healthy eater and an avid exerciser. I am extremely health conscious, so you can imagine my shock when at my 55 year old checkup, I was told that my cholesterol was too high. In fact, I was so shocked that I was certain it was a mistake (perhaps a mix up in the lab?), but the nurse assured me that the report was mine and kindly explained that as one gets older, cholesterol tends to rise.

I am now 58 and subsequently, every lab work since then has shown my cholesterol to be high. At my most recent visit, my doctor encouraged me to start taking statin drugs and even went so far as to write me a prescription. I just stared and stared at the prescription in my hands thinking, "No way, Jose!". If you're not familiar with statin drugs (Lipitor being the most popular), you may not know that they have many side effects, including muscle pain and weakness, neuropathy, congestive heart failure, cognitive impairment, pancreatitis, depression and possibly the potential to cause cancer.

You can understand my fear of taking them.

Image via barnesandnoble.com

The next morning as I was praying about what I should do, I turned on the TV and found Dr. Stephen Sinatra, a renowned cardiologist, discussing cholesterol. He shared that cholesterol is not the whole problem, but that instead, there are many other factors that lead to heart disease. Inspired by his knowledge, I immediately bought the book he co-authored with Dr. Jonny Bowden, The Great Cholesterol Myth. After reading it cover to cover, I decided that I would try to lower my cholesterol without statin drugs... naturally.

Just recently, I had a check up and I am so thrilled to report that I have succeeded in lowering my cholesterol by 52 points - from 238 down to 186 (over 200 is considered the 'danger zone') - in just 3 months! Today, I'd like to share my dietary secrets with you so that you too can heal yourself through diet alone and avoid the harmful side effects of these popular drugs.

For breakfast, I eat a quinoa porridge sprinkled with chia seeds, flax seeds, honey, sliced almonds and fruit. Because of its recent popularity, you can find quinoa almost anywhere now in the grains aisle. Just cook the quinoa according to package directions and top with whatever ingredients you prefer. I always add chia and flax seeds because of their antioxidant and omega-3 fatty acids. Quinoa stores very well in the refrigerator, so I suggest making enough at one time for the whole week.

Then, for lunch or an afternoon 'pick-me-up', I make a green smoothie. You can use any kind of greens (spinach, kale, swiss chard, etc.). I usually buy my greens mixed in a pre-washed bag. In the blender or Nutribullet, I add 2-3 baby carrots, a sprinkle of flax or chia seeds, some honey and frozen tropical fruit (I like the pineapple, mango, strawberry mix).

Image via blendtec.com

In addition to these two things, I also added Jarrow brand Red Yeast Rice capsules to my diet. I take 2 capsules a day to help support my cardiovascular health. Not only did these changes lower my cholesterol, but they also succeeded in lowering my glucose levels from 99 to 83.

These minor modifications to my diet have given me much more energy and a better quality of sleep. Even my husband (who sometimes eats junk food) has commented on how much more energy he has since he's started following my lead. He just feels better overall.

I realize that not all of you have a problem with cholesterol (and may never have a problem), but I am sure that there are people in your life who could benefit from this information. Even if your cholesterol is fine, I can guarantee that working these modifications into your diet will improve your general health and well-being. I'm a believer because my results speak for themselves. Food can indeed be medicine.

Statin drugs and the side effects that come with them? No way, Jose!

Sharon Yarbrough is the best mother on earth - well, at least according to me. In addition to raising me and my brother Cale, Sharona (as we fondly call her) is an ACE-certified personal trainer and a sales rep for Juice Plus, a whole foods supplement (visit her site here). She has always been extremely active. She was a state-ranked swimmer in Georgia growing up, was on the very first University of Georgia women's swim team and continues to swim to this day. I have my mother to thank for instilling in me a desire to take care of myself through diet and exercise, and I tend to think that IF blogging had been around in her day, she would have beat me to the punch on this whole wellness blog thing.