Useful Food Chart and Local Resources

Apples	Protects your heart	Prevents constipation	Blocks diarrhea	Improves lung capacity	Cushions joints
Apricots	Combats cancer	Controls blood pressure	Saves your eyesight	Shields against Alzheimer's	Slows aging process
Artichokes	Aids digestion	Lowers cholesterol	Protects your heart	Stabilizes blood sugar	Guards against liver disease
Avocados	Battles diabetes	Lowers cholesterol	Helps stops strokes	Controls blood pressure	Smoothes skin
Bananas	Protects your heart	Quiets a cough	Strengthens bones	Controls blood pressure	Blocks diarrhea
Beans	Prevents constipation	Helps hemorrhoids	Lowers cholesterol	Combats cancer	Stabilizes blood sugar
Beets	Controls blood pressure	Combats cancer	Strengthens bones	Protects your heart	Aids weight loss
Blueberries	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Stabilizes blood sugar	Boosts memory	Prevents constipation
Broccoli	Strengthens bones	Saves eyesight	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Controls blood pressure
Cabbage	Combats cancer	Prevents constipation	Promotes weight loss	Protects your heart	Helps hemorrhoids
Cantaloupe	Saves eyesight	Controls blood pressure	Lowers cholesterol	Combats cancer	Supports immune system
Carrots	Saves eyesight	Protects your heart	Prevents constipation	Combats cancer	Promotes weight loss
Cauliflower	Protects against Prostate Cancer	Combats Breast Cancer	Strengthens bones	Banishes bruises	Guards against heart disease
Cherries	Protects your heart	Combats Cancer	Ends insomnia	Slows aging process	Shields against Alzheimer's
Chestnuts	Promotes weight loss	Protects your heart	Lowers cholesterol	Combats Cancer	Controls blood pressure
Chili peppers	Aids digestion	Soothes sore throat	Clears sinuses	Combats Cancer	Boosts immune system
Figs	Promotes weight loss	Helps stops strokes	Lowers cholesterol	Combats Cancer	Controls blood pressure
Fish	Protects your heart	Boosts memory	Protects your heart	Combats Cancer	Supports immune system
Flax	Aids digestion	Battles diabetes	Protects your heart	Improves mental health	Boosts immune system
Garlic	Lowers cholesterol	Controls blood pressure	Combats cancer	Kills bacteria	Fights fungus
Grapefruit	Protects against heart attacks	Promotes Weight loss	Helps stops strokes	Combats Prostate Cancer	Lowers cholesterol
Grapes	Saves eyesight	Conquers kidney stones	Combats cancer	Enhances blood flow	Protects your heart
Green tea	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Helps stops strokes	Promotes Weight loss	Kills bacteria
Honey	Heals wounds	Aids digestion	Guards against ulcers	Increases energy	Fights allergies
Lemons	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Controls blood pressure	Smoothes skin	Stops scurvy
Limes	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Controls blood pressure	Smoothes skin	Stops scurvy
Mangoes	Combats cancer	Boosts memory	Regulates thyroid	Aids digestion	Shields against Alzheimer's
Mushrooms	Controls blood pressure	Lowers cholesterol	Kills bacteria	Combats cancer	Strengthens bones
Oats	Lowers cholesterol	Combats cancer	Battles diabetes	Prevents constipation	Smoothes skin
Olive oil	Protects your heart	Promotes Weight loss	Combats cancer	Battles diabetes	Smoothes skin
Onions	Reduce risk of heart attack	Combats cancer	Kills bacteria	Lowers cholesterol	Fights fungus
Oranges	Supports immune systems	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Straightens respiration
Peaches	Prevents constipation	Combats cancer	Helps stops strokes	Aids digestion	Helps hemorrhoids
Peanuts	Protects against heart disease	Promotes Weight loss	Combats Prostate Cancer	Lowers cholesterol	Aggravates   Diverticulitis
Pineapple	Strengthens bones	Relieves colds	Aids digestion	Dissolves warts	Blocks diarrhea
Prunes	Slows aging process	Prevents constipation	Boosts memory	Lowers cholesterol	Protects against heart disease
Rice		Battles diabetes	Conquers kidney stones	Combats cancer	Helps stops strokes
Strawberries	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Boosts memory	Calms stress
Sweet potatoes	Saves your eyesight	Lifts mood	Combats cancer	Strengthens bones
Tomatoes	Protects prostate	Combats cancer	Lowers cholesterol	Protects your heart
Walnuts	Lowers cholesterol	Combats cancer	Boosts memory	Lifts mood	Protects against heart disease
Water	Promotes Weight loss	Combats cancer	Conquers kidney stones	Smoothes skin
Watermelon	Protects prostate	Promotes Weight loss	Lowers cholesterol	Helps stops strokes	Controls blood pressure
Wheat germ	Combats Colon Cancer	Prevents constipation	Lowers cholesterol	Helps stops strokes	Improves digestion
Wheat bran	Combats Colon Cancer	Prevents constipation	Lowers cholesterol	Helps stops strokes	Improves digestion
Yogurt	Guards against ulcers	Strengthens bones	Lowers cholesterol	Supports immune systems	Aids digestion

Special thanks to Lisa Luedtke of Juice Plus for sending me this food chart to share with you. Many people are confused about diets and proper nutrition. The easiest thing you can do for yourself is eat real foods. You will notice that none of the above foods have a very long shelf life because they are grown in the ground, not in a factory. If you aren't sure what to eat a good rule of thumb is to grocery shop the perimeter of the store because this is where the freshest foods will be, anything in the middle is most likely processed and contains additives your body really doesn't need. Chinese Medical theory encourages us to eat foods that are locally grown and are in season because these plants have adapted to the same environment we have.


Of course Crystal Lake Health Food Store has great produce boxes that come in weekly year round and the farmer's markets are up and running. Crystal Lake Farmer's Market is Saturday mornings and Woodstock Farmer's Market is Tuesday and Saturday mornings. If you are in need of quality, hand crafted, plant based soaps, herbal lotion bars, or sugar scrubs visit Leslie of Turtle Bay Naturals at the Woodstock market also.


Sarah Zender LAc


Neighborhood Acupuncture Place (NAP)
230 Florence St
Crystal Lake IL 60014
815.893.9825
www.clnap.com

Spring Cleaning and Dandelion Greens Recipe

The first day of spring is quickly approaching, we've already "sprung ahead" with the time change and it seems as though the birds are chirping away trying to wake the earth back up and make it warm again. In Chinese Medicine spring is the time when the liver is most active and is why its a great time to do some spring cleaning in your house and in your body.

Chinese Medicine does not advocate heavy duty cleanses because so often what this does is swing your body out of balance in the other direction. Instead do some mild cleansing through your diet. Our bodies no longer need rich meats and heavy foods to stay warm like they do in the cold winter months. Start to replace red meat with more fish. Now is the time to start eating lighter foods so that they body can in turn feel lighter and more energized. The color of the liver is green and the taste is sour, so leafy greens and other green veggies as well as sour foods like apple cider vinegar are great to eat during the spring.

The liver is also associated with the tendons of the body and the eyes and the body is more susceptible to wind attack. The spring is a great time to rev up your exercise routine and spend some extra time stretching. If you know of anyone that complains of eye disorders in the spring such as dry eyes, allergies, sinus problems etc the liver might need a little help. Wind can manifest in the body as rashes, itchiness, colds, and pain that moves around the body so make sure to take care when outside in the wind to keep your neck covered. Seasonal changes are always a great time to get an acupuncture treatment to adjust to the changes in the environment.

This week our produce box from Crystal Lake Health Food Store had dandelion greens and leeks. Dandelion greens are great for the liver but they can be a little bitter tasting. Here is how I turned dandelion greens into a delicious dinner dish.

If you want the benefits of dandelion greens but are concerned with the taste mix a little spinach with them.
I started with this recipe for Bacon and Kale Adobo but as you can see I didn't really stick with the recipe.

What I used:
1 leek chopped
whole bunch of garlic
tomato cilantro seasoning
splash of soy sauce
couscous-quinoa mix
1 bunch dandelion greens chopped
1/2 bag of baby spinach
bacon (as garnish)

I started by lightly browning the chopped leeks and garlic. Then I added a 1/2 cup of water, the tomato cilantro seasoning and the dandelion greens and spinach. I cooked on low until the greens wilted with a splash of soy sauce. Meanwhile I cooked the bacon and couscous-quinoa mix. Once everything was cooked I mixed the greens and couscous together and crumbled the bacon on top as a garnish. It was a quick and easy dish to prepare and it tasted wonderful. You could easily turn this into a vegetarian dish by taking out the bacon and using braggs amino acid. I didn't let my dinner guest know what the greens were until he decided he liked them and he was surprised how flavorful the meal was.

Tonight we are having chicken, parsnip and apple stew. The granny smith apple is both green and sour, a nice little treat for the liver.

Sarah Zender LAc

Neighborhood Acupuncture Place
230 Florence St
Crystal Lake IL 60014
815.893.9825
www.clnap.com

New Answer To The Old Question: What's for Dinner?

I've mentioned in previous blogs that the organzier in me likes to make a weekly menu so I don't have to come up with something for dinner when I'm hungry and have leftovers for lunch. Recently, I've fallen into a funk of the same old recipes and hearing from Christian "let's make something really good this week."


We just came across the Crystal Lake Health Food store and they offer year round organic produce boxes. Every Monday they email out the menu of what will be in the boxes ranging from small and large veggie boxes, fruit boxes or combo boxes. On Wednesday they call and ask if you'd like to order anything and on Friday they call when your order comes in to pick up.


What's great about the organic produce?


It. tastes. delicious! Really there are no good words to describe the fresh, juicy, satisfying flavor of the fruits and the rich colors of the veggies. Even if you are already buying organic in the store, this produce is just fresher. I've been avoiding fruit all winter because its tasted so bland but now I can't seem to get enough its so delightful.


There is no commitment. You can order or not whatever you'd like each week. If you go out of town you don't have to worry about a week's worth of fruits and veggies to eat or spoil. They also offer fresh baked bread from Dawn's Bread.


Its allows mealtime to be creative. Because each week the boxes are slightly different and the produce is geared towards being what is in season you might get new veggies you've never tried before like fresh artichokes, watercress, collard greens, or kale. See below for the most amazing red chard and artichoke lasagna you've ever tasted that we made last week and sauteed kale with scrambled eggs and salsa for breakfast.


You will commit to getting fruits and veggies into your diet everyday because you will be more conscious of the next order coming in and the faster spoil time of fresh roughage.


If you don't live near Crystal Lake visit  Community Supported Agriculture or Farmers Markets to support local farmers and get fresher produce.


Red Chard and Artichoke Lasagna


1 bunch chopped red chard divided in half
2 artichokes
lasagna noodles
jar of pasta sauce
mozzarella cheese


I used Trader's Joes pasta sauce, no cook noodles and quattro formagio cheese.


First you will need to cook the artichoke. If you've never prepared artichoke before check out these instructions. I steamed my artichokes with 3 or 4 cloves of garlic and a few bay leaves.


Spread a thin layer of pasta sauce and top with a layer of noodles.
Add half of red chard and sprinkle some cheese over it
Add another layer of noodles and sauce
Add the other half of red chard and artichoke sprinkle some cheese over it
Add another layer of noodles and rest of sauce
Cover top of lasagna with cheese


Cook at for 40 minutes covered and an additional 15 minutes uncovered.


Enjoy!


Sautéed Kale with Scrambled Eggs and Salsa


Sautée kale first then add eggs and a sprinkle of quattro formagio cheese. Garnish with salsa (my favorite is traders joes organic tomatillo and roasted yellow chili salsa)




Sarah Zender LAc


Neighborhood Acupuncture Place
230 Florence St
Crystal Lake IL 60014
815.893.9825
www.CLnap.com