Cooking with Fall Greens: The Health Benefits of Kale

Fall is here and with it rich greens like kale, spinach, arugula, and spicy mustard greens -- all of which can be grown in your fall garden! Greens add flavor and color to meals, as well as necessary nutrients to support optimal health.

Kale, for example, is a rich source of antioxidants, including carotenoids and flavonoids, which may help protect the body from the effects of oxidative stress*. Dr. Weil includes a useful definition of oxidative stress on his website here.

Kale also may support the body's natural detox process.* Its sulfur compounds are thought to support Phase II detoxification - the step in which toxins in the liver are turned into neutral substances, making them easier to eliminate from the body.

Plus, it's tasty eaten raw or added to cooked meals. We like to saute our kale with onions, garlic, olive oil, and a sprinkle of fresh nutmeg. >> Download this kale recipe and a recipe for baked kale on ACHS Facebook (facebook.com/ACHSedu) here

Have tips for growing leafy greens like kale in your fall garden? Post them here! We'd also invite you to share your favorite kale recipes - variety is the spice of life!



*This information has not been reviewed by the FDA. It is intended for educational purposes and is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent disease. Before making any significant changes to your health and wellness routine, it is always best to consult with your primary care physician or naturopathic doctor.

Welcome to the First Day of ACHS Fall Term 2011

Hey there-

Just a quick note welcoming you to the first day of fall term 2011. We hope you enjoyed your summer and are ready to start a brand new school year. We're looking forward to working with you and are honored you have chosen to study with us.

At ACHS, we value a warm, friendly, small-college atmosphere and care very deeply about each and every one of our students. Heading back to school can raise some unanticipated questions. To help you start the fall school term confident and focused, we've posted answers to some questions we’re frequently asked about online studies, work-life balance, and careers in holistic health.

To review the frequently asked questions, stop by ACHS Facebook (www.facebook.com/ACHSedu) or click here: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150297431273733

ACHS Facebook is a friendly, easy forum to learn more about the ACHS student experience. We encourage you to post comments, ask questions, and start a conversation with other ACHS students and graduates here and on Facebook.

Have a great start to fall term 2011!

Thanks Suzanne Monroe for Yesterday's Fantastic Teleconference, Client Attraction Secrets

A special thank you to Suzanne Monroe, founder of the of the International Association of Wellness Professionals, for leading a fantastic American College teleconference yesterday: Client Attraction Secrets - The Holistic Professional’s 5 Step Formula to Find the Right Clients.

Suzanne not only covered her five steps for how to attract clients (including building a community and the importance of speaking on your subject), she also shared a few extra pieces of wisdom for holistic health practitioners establishing their business (download the Mp3 below to listen). One of Suzanne's suggestions we really like is free speaking. Free speaking provides practice talking to clients, which also builds confidence and helps to refine your expertise and consulting goals.

In fact, Suzanne thinks public speaking is so important (whether by teleconference, live lecture, webinar, etc.), she challenged all call participants to schedule five talks in the next two months. We encourage you to take Suzanne up on the challenge and to take action towards achieving your goals.

IF YOU ATTENDED YESTERDAY'S TELECONFERENCE, we'd love to hear your feedback. PLEASE POST any comments or further questions for ACHS and/or Suzanne here.

For those who were not able to attend, we have included a link for you to download the teleconference. Click here to download the Mp3. We invite you to POST any comments or questions you have about this holistic marketing teleconference here.

Enjoy!

**Note this audio file is large and may take a while to download. Please right-click, select Save Link As, and download the MP3 to your hard drive for optimal performance.

Audio files are © ACHS 2011. You may use this recording for personal use only. However, unauthorized distribution, duplication, or broadcast or performance for financial gain is prohibited.

You're Invited to the First Annual ACHS On Campus Graduation Ceremony October 8, 2011

Hey there -

Just want to make sure you know about the historic ACHS event coming up ... our first annual on campus ACHS Graduation Ceremony taking place October 8, 2011, at the ACHS campus in Portland, Oregon. We hope you can make it!

Friends, family, and the local community are welcome to attend in celebration of ACHS graduates’ accomplishments. This is a relaxed, open-house style celebration and free to attend. So, if you're a recent ACHS graduate, current ACHS student, or a holistic health supporter in the Portland area, we'd love to see you on campus for this event honoring ACHS graduates.

The Details
Name: ACHS Graduation Ceremony
Date: October 8, 2011
Time: 5-8 pm, PST
Place: American College of Healthcare Sciences, 5940 SW Hood Ave., Portland OR 97239
RSVP: Contact Tracey Miller at (800) 487-8839 or via email at traceymiller@achs.edu

> Read the full-length press release online at http://www.achs.edu/news/news-detail.aspx?nid=274

If you have questions, need lodging or green travel suggestions, feel free to post your questions here. We look forward to seeing you at graduation.

Introduction to Aromatherapy Distillation and ACHS Distillation Manual for Download

Distillation is the most widely used method for producing essential oils, and while the basic principle of distillation remains the same, the process of distillation is carried out in different ways depending on the plant material being distilled.

In general, the process of distillation requires steam to be passed through the plant material. The basic process is:

First plant material (this can be leaves, flowers, etc. depending on the specific plant) is loaded into the “retort” of the still. Then, steam is passed through the retort. The steam carries the essential oil out of the plant in droplets in the steam. The oil moves into the still’s condenser and the steam changes back to water. The water and oil then separate passively. In most cases the oil floats on the top. (There are exceptions depending on how heavy the oil is compared to the water.) The oil is separated from the water by dripping or pouring off the water from the top, leaving the essential oil.

To learn more about the art and science of aromatherapy distillation, download the American College Distillation Manual free here. Note, this PDF manual is password protected -- if you attend our recent distillation workshop on the ACHS campus, the password has been emailed to you.

If you were unable to attend our distillation workshop in person, not to worry! Subscribe to our holistic health and aromatherapy YouTube channel ACHStv, "Like" us on Facebook, then post a comment to this blog letting us know you're now an ACHS fan, and we'll send you the password to download our distillation manual (just be to sure to include a valid email).

Introduction to Aromatherapy Distillation and ACHS Distillation Manual for Download

Distillation is the most widely used method for producing essential oils, and while the basic principle of distillation remains the same, the process of distillation is carried out in different ways depending on the plant material being distilled.

In general, the process of distillation requires steam to be passed through the plant material. The basic process is:

First plant material (this can be leaves, flowers, etc. depending on the specific plant) is loaded into the “retort” of the still. Then, steam is passed through the retort. The steam carries the essential oil out of the plant in droplets in the steam. The oil moves into the still’s condenser and the steam changes back to water. The water and oil then separate passively. In most cases the oil floats on the top. (There are exceptions depending on how heavy the oil is compared to the water.) The oil is separated from the water by dripping or pouring off the water from the top, leaving the essential oil.

To learn more about the art and science of aromatherapy distillation, download the American College Distillation Manual free here. Note, this PDF manual is password protected -- if you attend our recent distillation workshop on the ACHS campus, the password has been emailed to you.

If you were unable to attend our distillation workshop in person, not to worry! Subscribe to our holistic health and aromatherapy YouTube channel ACHStv, "Like" us on Facebook, then post a comment to this blog letting us know you're now an ACHS fan, and we'll send you the password to download our distillation manual (just be to sure to include a valid email).