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When the summer heat breaks and the first cool days arrive, I feel melancholy, because it means the end of our local farmers market is nigh and the variety of summer produce will soon be gone.  While I savor the rest of our ripening tomatoes, my thoughts turn to fall’s produce, with its rich red and orange hues, mirroring the turning leaves.  Fall produce reminds me of rich, hearty dishes that fill you up during the harvest season.  Here are five fall fruits and vegetables (and meal ideas) that are great sources of nutrition and the basis of many delicious dishes.

The sun can boost brain levels of serotonin which is the neurotransmitter directly associated with good mood. Sun induced smiles are so wonderful. The best part is this happens simply when you see sunlght. So while taking a stroll outdoors for an hour is ideal, just ten minutes of fresh sunlight and a little glimmer in your eyes will help more than you know.Today, I’d love to share some glorious, all natural, summer skin savers, many of which you may have in your cupboard. These ingredients are all from nature and may help keep you healthy in the sunshine. Treats like apricots and pomegranate with refreshing tea and aloe coolers create healing elixers that will give you that summer glow naturally.

Green Tea contains Camellia Sinesis (its plant of origin) which is rich in polyphenols. Polyphenols are compounds that demonstrate protection from uv sun damage and prevention of oxidative stress. In fact it had been proven that applying green tea to the skin reduced the number of sunburn cells! I suggest making a toner from your extra tea bags because this summer we need all the skin saving shortcuts we can find.