NUTRITION

NUTRITION Crazy for Cucumbers

You may hear “cucumber” and think “spa”—with good reason. Medea Galligan, a functional medicine nutritionist and owner of Medea’s Healthy Lifestyle Concepts in Naples, says that cucumbers can soothe eyes and reduce puffiness, which is why they’re often placed over the eyes during a facial. She says you can even make a scrub with cucumber, mint, Celtic Sea Salt, and coconut oil for your skin. The benefits of cucumbers go beyond the topical, however. Nutritionally, these relatives of the gourd are high in potassium, magnesium, and vitamin K and may help regulate your blood sugar, explains Galligan. Consisting of about 96 percent water, cucumbers help hydrate you while providing fiber that fills you up and helps you stay regular. Research indicates that consuming cucumbers may even help combat bad breath. Galligan recommends eating them in salads, flavored water, or simply as raw, chilled spears. Her nutritious, delicious cucumber tonic recipe is below. (medeashealthylifestyleconcepts.com)

Medea’s Cucumber Tonic

Ingredients (use only organic ingredients washed with filtered water; makes approximately 12 oz.):

2 large leaves of organic lacinato kale 2 large organic cucumbers 1/4 organic lime 1 - 2 oz. organic ginger root Optional: 1/2 organic green apple 1 oz. organic aloe vera juice A dash of Celtic Sea Salt

Instructions:

Juice kale, cucumbers, lime, ginger root, and green apple, and then add aloe vera juice and Celtic Sea Salt. Stir, drink, and enjoy!

BALANCE

By Erika Klein