Although coffee gets a bad rap, it’s actually a medicinal food. In fact, this stimulating bean isn’t nearly so bad as we’ve all been taught. Although I’m skeptical about grande latte supplementation in the long run (it’s a drug, after all), I found myself surprised by much of the science on coffee. Poor Ponce de Leon; all this time he should have been searching for the espresso machine.

Step aside, acai. Here are 20 surprising health benefits of coffee.

Apparently, coffee and alcohol really do go together. Believe it or not, alcohol drinkers who also drink coffee regularly have a lower chance of developing cirrhosis of the liver. That’s not to say it’s a healthy lifestyle – obviously, lowering your alcohol consumption is better. But…science says…

Caffeine reduces risk of skin cancer. Sorry, venti quaffers, this prevention method is topical. Lotions containing caffeine (both from coffee and green tea) have been shown to prevent the occurrence of cancerous tumors on the skin – in murine trials, anyway.

Have a smile with your morning brew! If you’re a caffephile, you don’t need this Johns Hopkins study to tell you that a cup or two a day increases your sense of well-being and happiness. You can thank dopamine for that, which also contributes to coffee’s addictive nature. But be aware, the study also noted that more than 2 cups daily increases the risk of anxiety and panic attacks. Some people respond more readily than others – if you find yourself feeling jittery or nervous, ease up on the joe.

Caffeine may reduce chance of Parkinson’s Disease. A 30-year study has shown that non-coffee drinkers have a higher chance of developing Parkinson’s Disease than their coffee-drinking counterparts.

Most Americans get their antioxidants from coffee. That doesn’t mean it’s the best source of antioxidants, just that it’s the most consumed. But, it’s true, coffee is very high in antioxidants. As for me, I’ll stick to fruit.

Black gold. After petroleum, coffee is the second most valuable economic product in the world. Imagine the financial potential of running our cars on coffee grounds.

Coffee may cut colon cancer in women. A 12-year study on Japanese women found that drinking 3 or more cups of coffee per day may actually halve the risk of developing colon cancer. They found no beneficial effect from green tea on the colon – in this case, it was strictly a coffee thing.

Coffee and diabetes, that’s a tricky one. Even though a Finnish study shows that drinking large amounts of coffee can reduce the risk of developing Type-2 Diabetes, coffee drinkers who already have diabetes have a harder time controlling their blood sugar levels.

Coffee reduces muscle pain. After a hard workout, a cup or two of coffee has been shown to reduce muscle soreness (in women, anyway) more effectively than naproxen, aspirin and ibuprofen. (But don’t replace your water thermos with coffee.)

Coffee will detox your liver in surprising ways. This remedy is not one for drinking: we’re talking about the coffee enema. Some people swear by it – using a tube to introduce coffee into the rectum and colon in order to stimulate the liver to remove toxins. Definitely not for the squeamish.

Coffee may reduce chance of death from heart disease. Studies show that drinking 4-5 cups of coffee a day can make you less likely to die from heart disease. The researchers think it may have something to do with coffee’s anti-inflammatory effects.

The devil is in the grounds. When coffee, which originated in Ethiopia and became popular in the Arab world, was first introduced to Western culture, Christian priests denounced it as the devil’s drink, given to the Muslims as a substitute for the wine (Christ’s blood) they weren’t allowed to consume. The belief at the time was that any coffee-drinking Christian risked burning in hell forever. Hooray, progress!

Coffee may help with short term memory. It’s probably because of caffeine’s stimulant effects, but an Austrian study showed that volunteers given caffeinated coffee had better reaction times and short-term memory function than those who were given the cup of decaf.

For women, caffeine may prevent long term memory loss. Because caffeine is a psychostimulant, older women who drink 3 or more cups of coffee or tea a day have less memory loss and cognitive decline than their counterparts who drink less or none. Unfortunately, caffeine consumption doesn’t seem to have any preventative effect against dementia.

Caffeine won’t cause hypertension. Some of the studies can be contradictory and confusing. What we do know is that for non-habitual coffee drinkers, those first few cups will cause a temporary rise in blood pressure, but for regular drinkers, a tolerance develops and won’t cause any long term, permanent increase.

The injustice of cheap coffee. No, it’s not just an injustice to your connoisseur taste buds; conventional coffee farming exploits workers and destroys communities in third world countries. On average, 5% of the profits actually make it back to the farmers, who are hungry, underpaid and treated badly. Why do they work on coffee plantations at all? Because in many cases, the plantations own the most fertile land (which was most often acquired unscrupulously) and the local people won’t survive from subsistence farming alone. How can you avoid supporting the cycle of poverty, corruption and injustice? Only buy Fair Trade certified coffee.

Pesticides in your brew. Because almost all coffee is grown in third world countries with less stringent laws than Europe or the United States, your non-organic cuppa is probably laden with chemicals. That’s not just bad for you, it’s bad for the farmers and the tropical ecosystems in which the coffee is grown. Go organic, will ya?

Pick your poison – literally. Caffeine is an alkaloid, which is a type of poisonous, bitter substance found in plants. Other alkaloids include strychnine, nicotine, morphine, mescaline, and emetine (the deadly ingredient in hemlock). Fortunately, in small quantities the bean is harmless, but it’s worth thinking about if you choose to use other drugs (both pharmaceutical and recreational).

The FDA has approved caffeine for babies. This doesn’t mean you can wake up your sleepy infant with a bottle of latte. Caffeine injections have been used medicinally since 1999 in the United States to stimulate breathing in infants who are experiencing apnea. It’s still recommended that pregnant and breastfeeding women keep their caffeine intake to a minimum, but a modest amount is safe.

Coffee can fight cavities. Just avoid all the sugar and milk! Actually, roasted coffee has some antibacterial properties, particularly against Streptococcus mutans, one of the major causes of cavities. By the way, these properties have nothing to do with caffeine, so decaf drinkers will get the same protection.

Despite the positive health studies, it’s best not to intentionally pick up the caffeine habit if you’re not already a regular coffee drinker. Even though some of the studies suggest drinking 3 or more daily cups to get the benefits, everyone is different. If it makes you jittery and sick to your stomach, stick to a milder pick-me-up like green tea or yerba mate. But if that morning cup makes you feel awake, alive and eager to greet the day, you might as well indulge (in moderation) in the world’s most well-loved drink.

Editor’s note: Sarah Irani is not responsible for the contents of your EcoSalon headline.

Image: One2c900d

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For those of you who are culinary artists (and I’m quick to admit that I’m not one of them), feast your eyes on this: the G Living Network’s entire section devoted to the “Organic Gourmet Food Lifestyle” including featured chefs, videos, recipes and articles.

Maybe you’re thinking “So what. There are websites like that everywhere.” But trust me, this one is gorgeous and totally geared to the epicurean fanatic with an exquisite sense of style. I went straight to an article by Sarma Melngailis (you know, that raw Goddess who’s got the glow) about her obsession with Dunkin’ Donuts (and no, it’s not a glowing review!). I also drooled over a recipe for a raw beetroot ravioli stuffed with cashew-chive bourson cheese and sprinkled with green garlic oil and aged balsamic.

Now, I’m an impatient, artless ogre in the kitchen, so I won’t even make the attempt, but are there any readers out there willing to whip up such a tasty delight and invite this hungry writer over for dinner?

The post Ecosalon Recipes: Eye Candy for Gourmet Foodies appeared first on EcoSalon.

True, we modern mavens can fill up our own gas tanks ($3.29 a gallon in San Francisco) and run for Veep ($150,000 on clothing and make-up). But we’re losing our link to our ancient Gaias, our inner wisdom and serenity. We need this not merely to co-exist with men in that testy Mars-to-Venus dynamic, but to navigate through the rough and often disturbing waters that engulf us.

The planet is hurting, the global economy is limping, our soldiers are dying, our food prices are soaring. How does the true goddess cope? Perhaps these suggested acts from diverse spiritual mothers on the web will guide you down the path of healing and bliss.

Act 1: See Yourself as a Goddess

Austrialian author Anita Revel tells us the ancient goddess was honored for reaping an abundant harvest or for safely escorting souls to their after-life. Today, she says, we should honor ourselves by staying very present and making choices with intention. “Every action, thought, projection of self, and treatment of others, is a reflection of the goddess within,” she observes. Look in the mirror and say “I love you” and act with integrity for the highest good at all times. Revel has written The 7-Day Chakra Workout as a how-to for aligning all aspects of your life in harmony. Regardless of our individual spiritual inclinations, it’s a lovely exercise.

Act 2: Learn How to Pole Dance to Tap Your Sensuality

Sounds funny, I know, but not only is it an awesome form of burning cals, it is central to learning how to love your  body and cultivate good feelings about who you are. At any size! This, according to Nicole (above, left), the founder of Goddess Academy in Salt Lake City, Utah. The exotic dancer and self-described yogini runs workshops to inspire women to experience their own inner love and sensuality. One of the instructors called The Russian Goddess (above, right) sings the praises of the pole: “Everything depends on your desire and determination, not on your age, strength or flexibility.” Friends of mine who pole dance say it has really spiced up their love life.

Act 3: Take Spiritual Baths

Forgo the quick and dirty shower. A good soak is healing and restorative. Isn’t that why we love spas? As with yoga, bathing lets us contemplate and indulge. Just ask Lady Bridget who details the ins and outs of the spiritual bath, including when to take one (after the Full Moon, on a Monday, to banish your hostility); what to put into the water (epsom salts, baking soda, scented oils); optimum ambience (burn candles and incense); and Goddess blessings to recite (“O water, I charge thee – be purified”). Bathing is such a divine ancient ritual, it’s no wonder so many bath companies incorporate goddess names, such as the Organic Goddess Line of red tea and vitamins from the Organic Bath Co.

Act 4: Get out the Eco Garden Gloves

Tie back your lovely locks, slip on a vintage smock, grab a hoe, and nurture your inner earth mama. Writer Peg Streep (above) digs up  the benefits we reap in the garden in her book, Spiritual Gardening. As she sees it, planting seeds makes us active participants in the cycle of life, while tending our gardens teaches us about larger patterns of the cycle that are beyond our control. “We learn patience from the long wait from planting to sprouting to blooming, as we learn acceptance when nature takes its own course,” she writes. “We gain humility when we catch a true glimpse of the extraordinary complexity of the natural world.” Protect your goddess hands with green gloves from Organic Style and check out gardening tools from our own VivaTerra.

Act 5: Simplify Your Complicated Life

Karen Hudson and Lily Hills (below) are the directors of Goddess to Goddess in Carmel, California,  which offers seminars for regaining your focus on your inner goddess. “Oftentimes distracted by the sheer volumes of things we feel we have to do, we lose contact with our Goddess Self and life becomes a blur of tasks and responsiblities frequently accompanied by tension and anxiety,” they teach. Their seminars include Stress Reduction, Eating in Alliance, and Leadership Excellence. Simplify your life at home, as well: cut down on your child’s lessons and acitivities; reduce and recycle your wardrobe. Eliminate clutter. Minimalism is close to goddessism.

Act 6:  Be a Natural Beauty

In Sarah Dunant’s stunning novel, The Birth of Venus, (below) we’re reminded how the olive-skinned Italian beauties of 15th-Century Florence were encouraged to bleach their hair and lighten their skin to appear more beautiful. Even today in Italy, many women prefer blonde. The multi-billion dollar global beauty industry relies on media-warped ideals of beauty, rather than the goddess image so clearly depicted by early artists and sculptors. Try using only natural skin and beauty products that promote healthy glows rather than the chemicals that disguise your outer beauty and threaten your health, as well.

Act 7:  Switch to Tea

The web site Women of China explains afternoon caffeine breaks work wonders for white collar workers in China to boost labor productivity. Can’t you just hear the tea goddesses scream? We green beings equate sipping a cup of organic green, black, red, white or herbal tea with slowing down and relaxing. Caffeine will block your inner goddess, contributing to tension and nervousness, while tea will soothe your soul and keep you goddess smile white and bright at the same time. Take time out to brew a pot and read The Story of Tea: A Cultural History And Drinking Guide by Mary Lou and Robert J. Heiss. It chronicles 2,000 years of tea-totaling and explores the development of organic production and fair trade practises. I like the recipe tips and resources for buying tea.

Act 8: Walk Softly

Reduce your carbon heel print by wearing soft, comfortable shoes that don’t cramp your goddess style. How many of us are grouchy when are feet hurt? How many are suffering from Plantar Fasciitis or bunions and still squeezing into narrow heels? The eco-friendly options from Planet Shoes will make a fashion statement without compromisng your soles.

Act 9: Talk Softly

As you walk softly, learn to speak to loved ones without harsh tones and to perform acts of kindness. How we communicate with others is essential to cultivating goddess serenity. Anita Revel tells goddesses to choose their words wisely to facilitate understanding. At my daughter’s k-8 school, the one teacher who refuses to raise her voice has the greatest upperhand with the kids. She told me it is her rule to never yell, and boy, do they listen. She is one of the most blissful and spiritual women I have met. Related to this is random acts of goddess, kindness we practice daily, from volunteering to sort tin cans at the food bank to donating Halloween costumes to the poor. According to the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, good deeds are actually good for your health (diminishing the effect of diseases and disorders, psychological and physical). Kindness towards others releases endorphins that relieve stress and promote emotional well-being.

Act 10: Make Daily Goddess Affirmations

 Sirona Knight reinforces the benefits of divine daily affirmations in her book Goddess Bless. Among them: “Goddess bless, for I am a reflection of you; Goddess bless, for your love and compassion.” Simple stuff. You can certainly create your own. I truly believe we need to affirm our inner strength and beauty to survive these very challening times. Along with that, positive visualization can be key for using our healing powers to help friends in need. A dear friend of mine who gave her own kidney to her son, asked a group of us to envision a fuzzy yellow blanket wrapping her and her son in love prior to the surgery. We did, and the operation was a great success. Let’s honor and believe in our goddess power!

Top image panel: Dmitry Kichenko, Felipe Lee, Hello, halogen eyes,

The post Calling on Mother Earth: 10 Acts to Unlock Your Inner Green Goddess appeared first on EcoSalon.

Remember when leggings first came into vogue? I might be dating myself, but I even remember when they were sold with stirrups. What  a gift that was for gals who hated being confined in structured, fitted pants. Oy.

Well, the stirrups are gone and stretchy workout wear is totally acceptable as urban street wear, replacing the little tennis outfit for what we wear at the organic grocery store or to pick up the chemical-free dry cleaning. Thank goodness shops like the new Clary Sage Organics in San Francisco gives us chic options for green apparel. Exit stirrups. Enter chic active drawstring pants with contrasting welts.

Opened in July, the shop on trendy Fillmore Street is visually beautiful and inviting, showcasing stunning knit sweaters, Prairie Underground jackets, and an active yoga wear line designed exclusively by the store’s co-founder, Patti Cazzato. 

“With thousands of consumers passing through Fillmore Street each year, the store will be a shopping haven for people looking for organic brands from Northern California,” she says, adding that her goal is to establish a business model that will help sustain our natural environment.

I purchased a soft and fluid brown cotton shawl jacket there prior to my trip to Europe and wore it constantly. I’m extremely particular about the feel of fabric on my skin and was thrilled to find another Bay Area source for stylish organic separates. The shop also sells lingerie and clothing by Linda Loudermilk, Loomstate, Del Forte, Eco Centric and Stewart + Brown.

In addition to the boutique, Clary Sage runs a holistic wellness center with diet programs and restorative treatments, operated by co-founder Dr. Daniel Kalish.

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Abundant joy doesn’t come from big spending or exhausting work. It’s a truism that many of life’s best pleasures are the simplest ones. 

Browse through your favorite photos. It could be the pictures from your 12th birthday at Disneyland, your college graduation (so happy you were done with that!) or your sister’s wedding. Indulge in a stroll down memory lane and smile along the way.

Set up iTunes to play only your 5-star songs. Spend a whole day rockin’ out to your very favorites. Including those embarrassing 80s hits. And don’t be afraid to hit repeat.

Splurge on the finest dark chocolate you can find. Even the priciest chocolate bar at the natural foods store won’t set you back too much. It’s worth spending a few extra dollars to treat yourself and besides, chocolate has mood-enhancing properties so after the first few bites, you won’t mind the price.

Give yourself an entire Saturday afternoon to read a favorite novel or try a new one. Turn off the phone and shut yourself away in a cozy corner or room of your own.

Write someone a playful secret admirer note. Or even just a note of sincere appreciation. It always feels great to know that you’ve perked up somebody elses day.

Walk barefoot in the grass. Enjoy these last days of summer. There’s nothing quite like curling your toes around nature’s own soft, green carpet.

This is really a tiny list of tiny things you can do; the possibilities are endless. Don’t worry, there are more to come! And feel free to let us know what brings you simple delight – share in the comments.

Image

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By August, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all my cute sandals and fun flip flops as well as plenty of pretty toenail polish.Yet even with all the pedicures and buffing rituals I get those heels that most closely resemble rhinoceros skin.  

Dry, cracked heels are a common complaint as our feet are exposed in the summer.Not only does it happen to women who wear sandals and other open shoes, but men get it, too.  Buffing with sandstone helps slough off the dry and dead skin, but we still need to moisturize and heal the skin. 

Looking around at the options for our lovely feet that have taken us so far are plenty foot creams on the market, but none have been as successful for me as African Gator Balm.Just the name transports you to a hot desert vision, or perhaps one of your poor feet facing the hardships walking the Nile river all day, or fighting through the jungle climbing over rocks and limbs (sounds just like Fifth Avenue).

Save your feet, because African Gator Balm is made from all natural ingredients and the mix is just right.You’ve heard of shea butter, oils of avocado and almond as your best friends for keeping your skin smooth and healthy. The rich balm has this and more, including colloidal oatmeal, coconut, mango and caprylic and linoleic triglycerides, a whole host of vitamins and comfrey that smooth and heal.

Comfrey alone has been reported to promote healthy skin with its mucilage content that moisturizes and soothes while another compound in comfrey, allantoin, promotes skin cell growth.  No more scratchy, cracked heels that look like a leathery beast.

Image: Torsten Mangner

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As firm believers in bodycare products relying on natually-occuring ingredients (from butter to balm), we’re delighted to welcome Tracy Perkins of Strawberry Hedgehog. All her enticingly colorful handmade face and bodycare products are 100% vegan, and are available at Strawberry Hedgehog (U.S. delivery only).

I asked Tracy a few questions about the production of her range and the sourcing and choices of her ingredients.

EcoSalon: As a college student, you were inspired to
produce your own vegan body products because of the lack of affordable alternatives on the market. What sources of expertise did you draw on when you first started soap-making, and did you have to track any specialist equipment down?

Tracy Perkins: You would be surprised how much you can do with a good stainless steel pot and some pyrex! I did hold myself back for a while at first researching and thinking I didn’t have the proper equipment. Really the most specialized equipment I had to get was soap molds, but if one is just starting out you could just as soon line any box with parchment paper and use that to pour your soap into.The hardest part was seeking out quality ingredients for my products and that just took time, trial, and error. There are several good books out there on natural products and I am working on my own e-book, but the key for me was just figuring out what the purpose was for all of the ingredients in conventional products, then finding a natural alternative.
EcoSalon: Soaps (or, more strictly, detergents) made by multinationals such as Unilever use synthetic chemicals (for example, sulfates and parabens) that have been associated with a variety of health problems. What do you feel are the most harmful side-effects of these large-scale commercial soapmaking processes, and how would you like the mass-producers to change their ways?

Tracy Perkins: I think the best thing the large scale companies could do is to go back to basics.We have over engineered everything and the most wholesome, healthy products seem to be the ones with the least processing.The focus needs to shift from infinite shelf life and synthetic foaming agents, unnatural colors and artificial fragrances to what is naturally available and effective.

  –  Sulfates and parabens get mixed reviews in the broader cosmetics industry but are frowned upon by people concerned with natural skin care products. Sulfates are added to products (usually shampoos, bubble baths, body wash, toothpasteand laundry detergent) to add lather. While they are effective at making suds they are at best a skin irritant and at worst, carcinogenic. With quality soaps available detergents like sulfates are totally unnecessary and with the potential health risk they just aren’t worth it.

  –  Parabens, too, are widely used in personal care products as a preservative due to their effectiveness and their low cost. Again, there are people on both sides of the fence but there is increasing awareness and interest on this topic with growing health concerns about parabens. Some people in the industry claim the bacteria that is prevented through the use of parabens is far more dangerous than the parabens alone. I don’t think this has to be so black and white though. If you use freshly-made products with natural preservatives (like grapefruit seed extract, rosemary extract, or even vitamin E) and use the products within a reasonable amount of time bacteria is not a problem. Parabens (usually Methyl or Propyl paraben) can build up in your system, they have been found in cancerous breast tissue, and they can lead to severe allergies.

EcoSalon: How much do you rely on locally-sourced ingredients for your products?

Tracy Perkins: I buy my ingredients from distributers in Tucson, AZ, New Mexico and Washington State. I try to use products that are grown in this region when possible, such as the jojoba oil grown in Arizona and used in my lotions and the carnuba and candelilla wax found in my lip balms and body bars grown in Mexico. Occasionally I use herbs from my own garden, such as dried lavender for my soaps or dreamy steam facial tea. Unfortunately, a lot of the products I use cannot be grown in the U.S. so my distributers import them from across the globe.
EcoSalon: You have an impressive and unusual range of ingredients and fragrances for your body products – from lotus to lemongrass. Are there any ingredients that you feel have become "lost" to the large-scale markets, and need to be rediscovered for their naturally soothing or medicinal properties?

Tracy Perkins: This is such a great question and difficult to narrow it down. If I had to name a few essential oils that are powerful and often overlooked due to scale I would say lotus is a big one in facial skin care, tea tree in its overall ability to fight bacteria, and lemongrass for its skin brightening properties and its cheering scent.The important point here, rather than a specific ingredient lost is the loss of an entire group of healing ingredients. I believe that the huge industry of cosmetics and personal care products has lost sight of the importance of actual plant-derived ingredients. Most products have synthetic fragrances that attempt to smell like something natural, however, in doing this you lose all of the benefit of the natural plant that you would find in its essential oil or extract and heap on loads of potentially dangerous chemicals under the name "fragrance." It is the plants that do the work in my products, not something that is similar to the plants, not a clever synthetic imitation; plain old Mother Nature does it far better than we can.

Many thanks for your time, Tracy!

Images: woodleywonderworks

The post Strawberry Hedgehog Vegan Bath and Body: Interview with Founder Tracy Perkins appeared first on EcoSalon.

Are you tired and worn out, feeling full of regret and worry? It’s exhausting and depressing to feel this way. Hey, it’s okay to love yourself. Actually, you’re supposed to! How else are you going to be the wisest, greenest, friendliest soul on the planet? It all begins with feeling good, and that delicious glow that comes from it. Not gloating, glowing.

The world needs you at your best. The cultural creatives are waiting on you, so step up, love yourself, and put your best into the world. Here are some ways to love yourself today:

Give Gifts & Compliments. Gifting, as regular practice, shows that you wish happiness upon others, and you can easily give the gift of a genuine compliment. Seeking out that which is beautiful and bringing positive attention to it is a sure way to create smiles and good feeling all around.

Do one eco-friendly thing you don’t usually do, and feel good about doing that.

Call your grandma. Seriously, there’s someone out there who would love to hear from you. People want you around!

Start each day with a simple prayer or intention. “Today I pray for peace in my day,” or “Today I intend to create easy communication.”

Write yourself an email expounding your greatest qualities and finest features. Don’t forget to flirt! Be sassy, erotic, vivacious. You are the coolest creature on Earth!

Do that thing you’ve been putting off. It’s that one thing that’s not so easy and you really have to do it. Until you do what’s right, you won’t feel good about yourself. Tackle it now.

Write a Mission Statement. You were born on this Earth for a reason. What’s your Mission? Why are you here? What does life want from you?

Create a self portrait. Draw, paint, sculpt, show it, grow it, craft it. What do you really look like?

Treat Yourself. Spend that extra few bucks for the gourmet chocolate, or splurge on that yoga therapy treatment you’ve been thinking about. You get to decide what you’re worth – it’ll do you well to up the ante.

Healthy Fuel. You can’t convince us you feel good about yourself if you’re feeding yourself dirty fuel. Eat the cleanest, most wholesome foods available to you, and feel good about that.

Image: bionicteaching

The post 10 Ways To Feel Great About Yourself Today appeared first on EcoSalon.

Located amongst towering pines just 55-kilometres from the hen-and stag-filled hustle and bustle of Prague, Chateau Mcely is the perfect venue for weddings, corporate events or for couples looking to get away from it all.

Comprising 25 well-appointed suites and rooms, all of which are decked out to the highest standard, the old-world-style hotel has more than enough room for its well-heeled guests to enjoy the all-important privacy they crave. Aside from accommodation, Chateau Mcely is renowned for its Alchymist Club, where the expert bartender considers drink-making something of science and serves the best international wines and malt whiskies this side of the globe. When guests are a little wobbly on their feet, they can move to the adjoining Piano Nobile restaurant, where exquisite gourmet food awaits courtesy of chef Libor Krusinsky. When not eating, drinking or indulging in general merriment, guests can unwind in the on-site spa, where a sauna, Jacuzzi and a number of treatments will ease away the stresses and strains of the daily grind.

Set amongst natural surroundings, and using natural resources wherever possible inside, Chateau Mcely truly sets the standard for hotels everywhere. A standard that is by no means, er, standard.

Images: Chateau Mcely.

Intrigued by this eco five-star hotel? This is a guest post by Gunpowder Magazine. Go on over and take a peek for more fine living finds.

The post Guest Post: Gunpowder Magazine on Chateau Mcely: Czech Mate appeared first on EcoSalon.

Smoothies are the perfect breakfast. Not only do they taste like dessert (for breakfast!), they’re as healthy as can be – all that good fibrous pulp combined with just-released vitamins and minerals that haven’t had the time to oxidize. And making them is easy. My only gripe is the noise: I should probably invest in a Krups near-silent model before my housemates vote to have me evicted.

Variety is the key to a happy relationship. So when you can’t even look at another apple, here are a few more unusual ingredients to play around with.

Frozen fruit. Ever tried leaving grapes in the freezer? They become crunchy sorbet. Grind them into a smoothie and drink quick in the middle of a baking summer’s day. Then wonder if it works with other fruit. (Yes, it does).

Organic milk and yogurt. You’re probably way ahead of me, but it surprised me how many recipes don’t cream their smoothies up. If you’re non-dairy, soy milk is just as good (better, in my opinion).

Vegetables. Carrots add a rich tang and are as good as apples for providing a base flavor. Against all the odds, broccoli is great in the mix, fresh and thickening. Cucumbers and tomatoes (technically fruit) are mostly water anyway, perfect for diluting a mix. Cabbage? Erm, that’s my line in the sand.

Herbs and spices. Want to add some summery zing to your carroty drink? A scrunch of chopped parsley will do nicely. Cinnamon makes for a smoky undercurrent of taste – cayenne pepper is a spike of fire, lifting a blander mix into the realm of Wow. If you’re really bold, try a pinch of chilli powder.

Nuts and dried fruit. Grind them in a mortar or chop before adding if you don’t want the final inch of your smoothie to be like fruit cake.

Spreads and preserves. The latter are just fruit and sugar anyway, but…spreads? A spoonful of organic peanut butter, a banana, a little almond butter – and I’m in a different, better world.

Chocolate, ice cream, coffee, espresso beans. When is a smoothie not a milkshake? I’m no philosopher, so I’ll try adding a lump of high-cocoa chocolate to any mix. The trick here is to play around between two extremes – sweet and savory. Experiment, challenge your taste buds a little. Add an espresso to a banana-based mix. A scoop of low-fat or no-sugar-added ice cream transforms carrot juice. Explore.

Candy. Here in England there’s a shop that makes milkshakes by blending popular candy bars with ice-cream and milk. Delicious, decadent – ridiculously unhealthy. But in moderation, a tiny bit of candy bar can work wonders – say, a square of Kinder Bueno for a nutty aftertaste. Be a little bit bad, and you may end up with something better than good!

Image: sonicwalker

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The post 8 Ways to Strange Your Smoothie appeared first on EcoSalon.