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Most people have heard by now, just how great kale is for you but only eat it because of this. Let’s be honest here. When was the last time you heard somebody say “mmmm Kale is so yummy, I want a nice big bowl of it!”

Kale is a relation in the family of cabbage or the “Brassica Oleracea” species. Much like its cousins, brussel sprouts and broccoli this family has gotten a fairly bad rap over the years. Unless it’s smothered in melted cheese, good luck trying to get a kid to eat some Brassica Oleracea for dinner tonight!

There also may be some blame that isn’t entirely kale’s fault. Did you know there are ways to alchemize this tough ingredient?  Here are a few tips to make kale taste better and get the most nutrition out of it.

We all have those moments where we crave our favourite guilty pleasure. For most, it tends to be something sweet like a big bowl of ice cream or chocolate cake craving that hits out of nowhere. Often the cause of those cravings can be due to an unbalanced day, especially if one of your meals was processed food or high in starch. Eating properly balanced meals not only gives your body energy and fuel for the day but also can help to prevent sugar lows which can cause cravings.

Here are a few tips to help combat sugar cravings naturally.

Fresh Healthy Cafe is thrilled to announce the news of our newest franchise owners Michael and Emily!

At Fresh Healthy Cafe, our menu is specially created to offer customers healthy and convenient choices with their meals, while still keeping things delicious. With the warmer weather, most of us have a shift in appetite. Heavy meals are out. Fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables are in! Salads are a great choice for lighter meals but don’t always pack a powerful nutritional punch to give you energy. Our Power Bowls are the perfect mix of smoothie meets parfait. The ultimate superfood blend. What by the way, actually is a superfood? Well, it’s a non-medical term used to describe foods which are high in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. The best of the best you might say.

We’re thrilled to announce the opening of the newest Fresh Healthy Cafe franchise, in the heart of downtown Boise. We want to welcome the newest additions to the Fresh family, Zaira and Eric. Next time you’re in the downtown area, be sure to drop in to meet the team, check out our healthy choice menu and grab lunch or a healthy fresh squeezed juice! A little bit about Zaira and Eric…

Fresh Healthy Cafe reFresh Juice Program is now available at select locations! Whether you’re looking for a full on juice cleanse, or to add a healthy boost of vitamins and nutrients into your diet; our all natural, fresh squeezed juices offer nutritional options for everyone.

Juice Cleanse

A juice cleanse is meant to reset eating habits, support your body’s natural detox and kickstart a healthy diet. Most commonly done over a three day period by replacing heavy solid foods with healthy, nutrient-packed fruits and vegetables, your body absorbs energy from the juice. Selecting a balanced juice cleanse program is very important. Just drinking one type of juice combination won’t give you all the vitamins and nutrients that your body needs on a daily basis.

Water is vital for all of your body’s systems to function. When you are dehydrated, your body will will experience critical malfunctions, that could be fatal if left untreated. Dehydration causes a drop in blood volume.

Our bodies are made of up to about 65% water, and blood accounts for most of that. This can cause your body to compensate by increasing your heart rate and overheating your muscles. The imbalance will drop your energy levels, and you will lose mental clarity, as your body focuses on trying to conserve fluid.

Salads get a pretty bad rap for being healthy, but unpalatable. Most people imagine limp, bitter greens, that don’t inspire any culinary delight. Most of us know that we should be eating salad, but do you know why?

Salads are a convenient and simple way for you to increase your fruit and vegetable intake in one meal. They’re also the building blocks of good health because of their fiber content. Lettuce, and vegetables like celery and carrots provide fiber that can help to lower cholesterol levels and make you feel fuller for longer.

As a part of a healthy lifestyle, daily physical activity has been shown to lower risk for many types of diseases, including cancer, and diabetes.

If you don’t have time to join a gym, there are some easy ways that you can increase your daily physical activity simply by making a few changes to your regular regimen.

Purchasing a pedometer will help keep track of the number of steps that you can get in a day. Augmented with at least 15 minutes of sustained exercise (jogging, skipping, running, or biking), along with these daily changes, can count towards the other 15 minutes of exercise required to achieve the benefits of regular exercise.

1. Take the stairs. Stairs work two fold by providing resistance/incline along with aerobic activity. Try to take them at a brisker pace to really maximize the benefits of this activity. To really challenge that healthy lifestyle, take them two at a time, or even side ways. Make sure you’ve got your pedometer on you to make it count!
2. Spend at least 20 minutes cleaning your home every day. Keep that core tight when you’re dusting, and sweeping. Make deep squat knee bends when you’re picking up things off of the floor, and flex your thighs and glutes when you’re dusting higher shelves. Not only will your house sparkle and shine, but you’ll will too.
3. Park in a far spot. Instead of looking for the closest spot to the door, park the furthest away. If it’s raining, jog with your umbrella to increase your heart rate. Parking in a further spot will mean you’re out of your car sooner, but also increase the number of steps you’re taking each day.
4. Spend time in your garden. Picking weeds in a sun is a great way to boost your mood, and increase your movement. Digging with a shovel, and tilling dirt is both a cardio and strength exercise. Just make sure you’re wearing a hat and staying properly hydrated in the hot sun.
5. Walk or bike to nearby destinations. Choose steeper or inclines wherever you can will increase your overall output, burn more calories, and strengthen legs and your core.
6. Stand at work. Instead of sitting at your desk, see if you can spend some time standing while you work. This burns more calories, strengthens your cardiovascular system, and improves your core and posture.
7. Walk after a meal like lunch or dinner. As a part of a healthy lifestyle, even a short walk increases your metabolism and accelerates digestion.

To achieve a healthy lifestyle, you’ll need to find unique ways where you can increase your steps and heart rate each day. Kneading multigrain bread vigorously, raking leaves, and moping are small ways to uniquely add physical activity every day.

Eating a balanced meal after a day of physical activity will help to repair muscles, support immune function, and deliver necessary vitamins and minerals. FRESH wraps and panini’s ingredients are chosen to create delicious meals that are nutrient dense. FRESH Turkey Bacon Avocado panini and the Southwestern Fiesta wrap are a delicious way to re-fuel and nurture your body. Visit your local FRESH today.

As a part of a healthy lifestyle, there is one thing you can do every day in order to reduce your risk of major illnesses like cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke. It will even increase your life expectancy.

It has been shown to be more effective than anti-depressants for depression, and for most people, it can its effects can almost be felt immediately.

What is this amazing drug? Well, it’s not a drug, it’s exercise. Physical activity has been shown to improve health and is even linked to a healthy mental state and happiness. That’s right, exercise can lead to a happier and healthier life.

Chronic and degenerative disease risk like diabetes and cancer risk is reduced and research has proven that exercise can reduce the risk of mental illnesses like depression, Alzheimer’s, and dementia.

Exercise and physical activity is beneficial at every age. It is especially beneficial for the elderly, and helps to stave off the effects of aging. Regular moderate activity lasting at least 30 minutes a day, and at least 150 minutes a week is medically proven to lower the risk of diabetes, colon and breast cancer, bone disease, depression, and heart disease and stroke.

In todays world, average adults spend more time sitting at work sedentary than they do moving around, and as a part of a healthy lifestyle, regular exercise helps to combat this.

Opposite stretching (movements that are opposing to what you normally do, like back bends), are essential to balancing the body. Stretching every hour of sitting will reduce repetitive strain injuries, and allow the eyes to take a break as well.

Exercise improves circulation and blood flow, delivering oxygen, essential vitamins, and fluids throughout the body. Physical activity works all systems in your body, from respiration, metabolism, endocrine, brain, muscle, skeletal, and digestive system. High intensity exercises will break fat bonds for energy, and stimulates nor-epinephrine, which triggers the receptors for epinephrine, a hormone responsible for feeling good. All amazing things for your body, and necessary for a healthy lifestyle.

High intensity aerobic activity like running is also linked to growth of brain neuron cells in the hippocampus, which is the area of the brain responsible for memory, learning new skills, understanding new ideas and navigating.

The hippocampus is also the first area to be damaged by memory type illnesses and dementia related diseases like Alzheimer’s.

Regular exercise and physical activity is a part of a healthy lifestyle. Whether you’re growing neurons after high intensity aerobic exercise, or building muscle after weight lifting, FRESH has a way for you to re-fuel and re-hydrate. Repairing muscles? Try one of our protein bowls. Check out a delicious FRESH café near you.