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Do you Drink Kombucha? A trip on Chicago’s Green Line made me immediately rethink all of kombucha’s health benefits

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Picture of Kombucha in a bottle

Have you ever heard of kombucha? It’s a fermented tea that’s increasing in popularity due to its health benefits. It’s like tea mixed with vinegar with a loose piece of tissue floating in it—sounds appealing right? If Gatorade is the drink of athletes, kombucha is the unofficial drink of hipsters. If there were a hipster Olympics, with games like mustache twisting, latte art, and inexplicable scarf wearing—kombucha brands would surely line up to sponsor it. For the record, I can appreciate the beauty of a good latte leaf, but I’m NO hipster.

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Can High-Intensity Interval Training Protect You From The Risks Of A Fast Food Diet? See What One Study Says

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Can high intensity interval training protect you from the risks of a fast food diet?

The worst riot I’ve seen in my life wasn’t televised, nor did it occur in Los Angeles.

It happened when I was a teenager working at McDonald’s, and we ran out of french fries shortly after a tourist bus pulled into our parking lot. Chaos ensued quickly after I made the announcement that we were out of fries. People were yelling, screaming, and threatening us teenaged employees. I remember looking out into the angry mob, hoping to catch a glimpse of decency, only to see an elderly woman with a “rollator” perform an obscene hand gesture towards me. There was no decency—all I saw was a sea of eyes jaundiced by the aroma emanating from fry-less vats of cooking oil. That day, I witnessed the dark side of humanity because of an unfortunate shortage of french fries.

This event almost inspired me to write a short story called, “The Lord of the Fries.”

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Strawberry Spinach Salad with Chia Seed Vinaigrette: A Salad with Multiple Health Benefits

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Strawberry Spinach Salad with Chia Seed Vinaigrette

We need to eat more fruits and veggies

Most people in the U.S. do not eat the recommended amounts of fruit and vegetables despite their well-known health benefits. There are numerous reasons why people fall short in eating enough fruits and veggies. Countless studies cite busy schedules, lack of knowledge, costs, and taste preferences as common barriers to eating fruits and vegetables. I can understand the impact of a lack of finances—food insecurity is a real issue. However, taste preferences, time limitations, and knowledge are surmountable obstacles. Simple salads, like this Strawberry Spinach Salad with Chia Seed Vinaigrette, are the perfect tool for overcoming these barriers. If there were such a thing as “gateway dish” for veggies and fruit, a salad with fruit would be that dish.
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