GREEN Smoothies

In honor of  St. Patrick's Day, I wanted to share with you the power of GREEN smoothies.  Everyone needs more greens in their diet becaue they are so full of minerals.  From colds to cancer, greens are powerful healers.  Greens consist of the leaves of plants such as lettuces, spinach, collards, kale, chard, dandelion, arugula, watercress, parsley, sorrell, cilantro, etc. The problem, however, is that most of us don't LIKE the taste of greens! No need to fear! Using a blender to combine lucious ripe fruit with the greens, you can create amazing, delicous, antioxidant rich smoothies to enjoy every day.
What do Green Smoothies do for you?  They -

• boost your immune system, helping to preventing and heal disease
• improve digestion and elimination (who wants to be constipated?)
• support weight loss
• boost your mental and physical performance
• reduce cravings
• support your liver and kidneys
• balance your body pH to help reduce aches and pains
• increase energy and focus
• hydrate your cells creating clearer and smoother skin

How do we make a Green smoothie?
You start with a blender. (Depending on it's strength you may find you need to put the greens in at the beginning with the liquid rather than at the end.)  Have your greens and fruit washed and ready to go. In the blender you will put:

• 1 cup of either water,  juice, or nondairy milk
• 1 medium banana; the riper the sweeter. (You can use frozen ones too.)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh or frozen fruit (frozen makes it thicker so you may need more liquid)
• 1 scoop of plant based protein powder (optional).  I like to use Juice Plus Complete Powder.
• 1 handful (about 1 cup) of  torn up fresh or frozen greens (spinach, kale, chard, or frozen wheat grass cubes). The more you make these the more greens you are able to add.
• some people find if they need more sweetness they can add a pitted Medjool date.  I also sometimes add a dash of cinnamon or other spice.

Put the lid on the blender and start low and then go to high and blend it until it is smooth, but not so long that it gets warm.  Depending on the blender, you may need to stop and push down the greens to get them all mixed in.  This will make about 16 ounces.  You can easily double or triple the recipe depending on how many hungry people you have standing by.  Below are a few of my recipes.  There are more in my book, The Busy Mom's 10 Minute Guide to a Healthy Happy Family.

Pineapple Escape 
1 cup water or coconut water
1 tip of fresh ginger (1/2 tsp)
1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
1/2 cup strawberries
1 cup spinach leaves
1 scoop vanilla powder

 Berry Yummy

   1 Banana
   ½ cup strawberries (or 1/3 cup raspberries)
    1 hand size piece of Romaine or spinach
    1 cup water, soy, rice milk, or coconut water
  

 Minty Melon Medley

  1 cup water

     1 or 2 sprigs of fresh mint
     1 cup chunks of cantaloupe
     1 scoop of protein powder
     1 cup spinach

    Peanut Butter Sip
     2 cups water
     2 Tb all natural smooth peanut butter
     1 banana
     1 cup berries of choice
     1 scoop chocolate or vanilla protein powder
     1 cup torn kale leaves (stem removed)
   
DISCLAIMER:  The information in these pages is presented for educational purposes only. The publication of this information is not intended as medical advice nor does it constitute the practice of medicine.  Any changes you make in your diet or lifestyle due to this information is your personal privilege and your responsibility to discuss with your health care provider.

 

Protecting My Brain!

Sometimes I think there are just too many words in my head that I can't keep them all straight! Well, it's either that, or I have to claim yet another "senior moment"!  I used to think that those moments of forgetfulness were supposed to be just for the over 65 crowd, but then they started happening to ME! YIKES!  This gave me all the motivation I needed to do some research on protecting my brain so I can stay smart, focused and with a strong memory for a LONG time to come! Let me share what I've learned with you.

1. Don't avoid a check-up!  You want to make sure that your blood pressure and blood sugar are at healthy levels because high levels of either of those can impact your brain function.  Ideally you will avoid medication by eating healthy and exercising to get the levels back in place.
2. Don't worry, be happy! - In this hectic fast paced world we live in, it becomes all the more necessary to take time to relax and de-stress.  Find ways to be in the moment and breath slowly and deeply.  Life is too short to let every little thing ruffle your feathers.  High stress impacts the circulation to your brain and  is associated with memory loss.  Whether it's walking with a friend, going to church, taking a yoga class, getting out in nature or finding a quiet spot to pray, do something that will help you release and find peace.
3.Do eat and juice your veggies! In research done with 4000 senior adults, those who ate 2 or more servings of vegetables a day showed a significant decrease in mental decline compared to those who ate less.  Juicing is also a powerful way to get your nutrients. One study found that 3 glasses of fresh vegetable or fruit juice a week provided a 76% lower incidence of Alzheimer's disease.  Leafy greens like Romaine lettuce, spinach and Kale are great to add to green smoothies and to eat in salads.
4. Dance, walk, and just get active!  Exercise is vital for maintaining mental health. Get outside with a friend and walk in the fresh air and sunshine 30 minutes every day.  A Harvard study found, when tracking 469 seniors over the age of 75, that those who danced regularly decreased their risk of dementia by 76%! Dancing involves both physical and mental effort.  Martial arts such as Qiqong also so great promise.
5. Eat healthy fats! We hear all about inflammation these days, well healthy Omega -3 fats help fight that inflammation. Eating olives, avocados, raw nuts and seeds along with fatty fish like wild caught salmon are not only good for our brains, but our hearts as well.  
6. Chow down on fruit! All fruits are rich in antioxidants - those things than fight off the free radicals that can harm our DNA and brain cells!  But berries are especially good for our brains. Apples, which contain the antioxidant, Quercetin, are also protective.
7. Spice it up! Research has shown that Cinnamon and Rosemary are powerful brain protectors, especially against Alzheimer's disease.  Turmeric and  Paprika are great to use too.