Theresa Byrne learned that not only is the green stuff good for powering your body, it’s also good for improving your mood.
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Kale is kind of a big deal lately. Have you noticed? Kale. Kale. Kale.
We’re not really a foodie online magazine, and we don’t often “do” recipes but my belief is living a life in power also means giving power to your body.
I will be the first to tell you I am not a huge fan of vegetables, they aren’t the first things I’d reach for in a pinch. BUT, knowing what I know about food being used as a source of healing and health, hand me some greenery before I have to take a prescription for anything else! Foods can be healing. After a car accident over the summer of 2014 showed me the power in the smoothie again (I was struggling to remember to eat and my taste buds were gone), my interest in healthy (and easy) foods became a health choice.
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I’ll admit that until 2008 I had no idea that kale was actually a thing. Sure I saw it on buffets, it was the leafy green stuff that decorated the plates for the fruit and things. But why would I eat a garnish? Ewwww.
Then I met nutritionist and forever friend Julie Labbe, and we filmed a yearlong documentary about getting kids healthy that aired on ABC Family. Once. You can see the trailer on YouTube here. (Apparently the world wasn’t ready for America’s healthiest drama-free kids as the show premiered one time and wasn’t picked up by the network. It happens to hundreds of shows a season.) The lessons I learned over that year of filming, which then stretched into 18 months working with the families: PRICELESS.
Back to kale. Once I was introduced to kale, I was sold. It was the first vegetable that I could actually feel healthy after I ate. I know you’re rolling your eyes, I would be too. But try this is in the lab of your own life, eat some kale. Twenty minutes later, see how you feel. Check in on your energy, your mood, your stomach, your joints, your feelings, your etc. All the ways a doctor might do a “check up”, do your own mental check up.
At that time, I was definitely someone that was in touch with my body (meaning I was aware of how things felt and what felt good or bad), but this was something new.
I wondered how on earth this was possible? When I met Dr. James, the most positive human being on the planet (I swear he leaves a trail of man happy-dust every where he goes), I learned. Here’s what I began to understand. Certain fruits and vegetables create a biochemical reaction in our bodies that help us create optimism. They make it easier for our brains to reach optimum levels. Aha!
Certain fruits and vegetables create a biochemical reaction in our bodies that help us create optimism. They make it easier for our brains to reach optimum levels.
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Being a lover of the woo woo but having a mind for science, I needed more info. My family already makes fun of me for my unexplainable (to them) intuition and knowledge of the power of energy, so I looked for more info.
From Dr. James Rouse, a self professed “kaleian” and the King of Kale:
“Kale is a member of the cabbage (Brassica) family. Like other cabbages, kale is a rich source of flavonoids and antioxidants, and indoles, which have been shown to help prevent certain cancers. Kale is rich in calcium and carotenoids like beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin. One serving of kale provides approximately 20% of the recommended daily calcium requirement for adults. Kale is a rich source of selenium and magnesium. Kale also contains vitamin E and vitamin C in significant amounts. And kale contains vitamin K, which we need for bone health and cancer prevention. It’s also an excellent source of fiber. Kale ranks at the top of the list for antioxidant-containing foods. Eating kale may even help prevent cognitive decline.”
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How do you eat kale?
It’s a leafy green lettuce-like veggie that makes an excellent salad, but it can be a little bit bitter raw. Add some lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, cayenne, spices of your choice (I like to shake it up in a plastic baggie to make sure the leaves get covered) and voila: you have a delicious salad. Add some blueberries and nuts and you’ll rival the finest restaurants.
Take that same salad (maybe sans blueberries) and heat the oven to 350. Put the kale on a foiled pan and cook about 15-20 mins you have kale chips. I am addicted to them.
Kale is also a smoothie food, add it to your favorite smoothie items and you have added the power of the positive to your mix.
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Photo: Getty Images