3 x 5 Reasons Why Dancers Should Love Avocado

Dancers are a special kind of athletes, and Avocado is a special kind of fruit!

A dancer works toward health and strength. A dancer works toward grooming and beauty. A dancer’s pursuit of perfection never ends. Anything that helps, earns the tag of “awesomeness” in dancer’s life. Avocado has that tag! Why? Well…

First, let’s start with BEAUTY

1. For super soft and shiny hair: Mix mashed avocado, the yolk of one egg and ½ teaspoon olive oil and apply the mix to your hair. Rinse after 30 minutes, then shampoo and condition for unbelievably soft and shiny hair.
2. To get rid of puffy eyes from one too many late nights: Put avocado slices under your eyes for 20 minutes then rinse. You will look fresh and of course, gorgeous!
3. Soften your skin so you look better with or without make-up: After washing your face, rub the inside of an avocado peel all over it and leave the avocado oil and nutrients on your skin for 15 -30 minutes, then splash with cold water. Your skin will be as soft as a baby’s.
4. For soft hands that your partner will love: Mash half of a medium sized avocado and 3-4 table spoons oatmeal, 1 egg white and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Smooth mixture over your hands, leave on for 10-15 minutes, rinse and dry for skin like butter.
5. To sooth battered feet and cracked heels: Use mashed or pureed avocado and massage well into both feet and leave on for about 15 minutes.  This is faster, cheaper and better than many salon treatments

Now, for HEALTH

1. To fight the wear and tear on your body: Avocados offer powerful anti-inflammatory benefits. Their unique combination of Vitamins C and E, carotenoids, selenium, zinc, phytosterols and omega-3 fatty acids helps guard against inflammation. This is great news for your joints, skin and mental sharpness.
2. Pack on the healthy protein: Avocados provide all 18 essential amino acids necessary for the body to form a complete protein. Plus, it is much easier to digest than meat. Plus, it contains lots of fiber. Where else are you going to find that?
3. Great fats: Avocado, like olive oil, boosts levels of HDL (the “good” cholesterol). HDL cholesterol omega-3, and the oleic acid, that avocados are rich with, can help protect against the damage caused by free radicals and improve heart heath. Avocados also regulate triglyceride levels, which helps to prevent diabetes.
4. Regulates your blood pressure: Avocados are full of magnesium and potassium, which are both known to reduce blood pressure. This fruit provides more magnesium than twenty other fruits, including bananas, kiwi and strawberries. Magnesium is beneficial for many things including migraines.
5. Avocados help you get the most nutritional value from other foods: This is because the mono-saturated fat in avocados helps the body to better absorb other nutrients.

Finally – the PURSUIT OF PERFECTION

1. To get the most nutritional value from avocados, avoid the over-riped. Over-riped avocados have dents and feel overly soft. They should even be avoided for guacamole.
2. To determine the right ripeness, all that is needed is the gentle yet firm pressure from a full hand, never just fingers. If the beautiful fruit responds with a small give without loosing it’s form, it’s ready for consumption.
   PS. This is a great reminder for all great dance leaders. If forceful or finger-full pressure will bruise a precious avocado, it won’t be great for you partner either.
3. Avocados are also great when you are on the go (which you probably always are). If you are peeling it by hand instead of cutting, choose the Pinkerton avocados. They are very long and pear-shaped with medium green skin that turns dark green when they ripen. You will have peeling grief with Ettinger avocado. They are also pear-shaped but with smooth skin, that will stay green when they ripen.
4. You can swap avocados for butter in most baked goods. Chocolate chip cookies, banana bread and of course brownies are all great for a great ingredient super swap.
5. There is an avocado flavored ice-cream that is absolutely amazing!.. Which quite frankly is all I really needed to be convinced that avocado is exactly what I need.

Author: Miss P [Celebrate DanceSport]
Photography: Egorich.ca
Exclusively for Dance Comp Review