Beets-n-Blueberries (With Hidden Green Stuff!)

 

Prep Time: Minimal
Servings: 2

INGREDIENTS: Use organic and {raw} wherever possible for this recipe.

Equipment Needed: VitaMix, Blender, NutriBullet, Bullet.

• (2) Kale Leaves (Rip Apart From Stem)
  
• (1) Handful Baby Spinach
• (1) Cup Frozen Blueberries
• 1/2 Cup Beets (Diced)
• (2) Tbsp Chia Seeds (1 For Each Cup)
• Water as needed

Directions:

Fill your equipment with the above and blend until smooth.  NOTE on Chia Seeds:  You can blend them in or top your smoothies with them.  1 Tbsp for each cup.

You Are What You Eat!

(A Short Bio on the Nutrient Density of the Main Ingredients)

Kale:                Researchers now identify over 45 different antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits that provide excellent support of your body’s natural detox system.  Good to include kale on a regular basis in your diet from the cruciferous family.  Steamed kale enhances its health promoting qualities, especially for those who need to lower their bad cholesterol.  Kaempferol and quercitin are excellent forms of antioxidants that help to relieve oxidative stress that may lead to more serious health problems including cancer.  Excellent source of Vitamin K, A & C, good sources of manganese, fibre, copper, tryptophan calcium, vitamin B6, potassium, and iron.  You will also find magnesium, vitamin E, omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin B2 & B1 & B3, folate, phosphorous and protein in Kale.

Spinach:          Rich in vitamin K, calcium, magnesium important for bone health, excellent source of vitamins C and A and beta-carotene which help reduce free radicals in your body and prevent cholesterol, excellent source of folate and magnesium which are great for heart health and lowering blood pressure, also promotes gastrointestinal health, contains anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer nutrients, great brain food, contains lutein for better eyesight, iron for energy and overall phytonutrient flavonoids that promotes optimal health.

Blueberries:          Rich in vitamin K, manganese, and vitamin C.  Amazing phytonutrients in blueberries [flavonols, resveratol, malvidins, courmaric acids, procatchuic acids, kaempferol, dephinidins, among others] mostly all have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that are well documented.  Latest research on these antioxidants show that they help memory and cognitive function.  They really are a superfruit with cholesterol and cardiovascular benefits.  They have a good amount of fiber, are great for your eyes, can help regulate blood sugars if consumed regularly with a healthy diet, and have anti-cancer benefits.

Beets:          Rich in folate, manganese, fiber.  Also filled with potassium, vitamin C, tryptophan, magnesium and iron, phosphorous and copper.  All these vitamins and minerals along with the betalain pigments provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits as well as detoxification support.  Beets are a good food for nervous system support, eyes, and over all health.

Chia Seeds:      The superfood for strength!  Chia seeds are a complete protein like meat but without high levels of saturated fat.  Great source of omega-3 fatty acids, tryptophan, arginine, lysine, threonine, glutamic acid.  All of which help with things like collagen, elastic tissue, muscle building, calcium absorption, strengthening and increase of bone mineralization, metabolism of carbohydrates, and energy production.

Does Your Body Really Cry for Water??

On water…Dr. B (as Tony refers to) the Author of Your Body’s Many Cries for Water (I highly recommend – my dad and sister first told me about it years ago!) has a foundation called www.thewatercure.com. His foundation was a great supporter of my natural health magazine in the UK and we worked together on bringing his books there and they provided advertising and articles regularly. I was not fortunate enough to know Dr B. when he was alive so it is inspiring to see his foundation sharing and continuing his work.   See the website above for GREAT articles of the WHY water is good for you and to get the book!

Another thing I learned in school from Dr. John Douillard (I so love him), an Ayervedic doctor, is to do an experiment with yourself. Sip hot water daily every 10 minutes for two weeks. 1. it gets your lymphatic system moving and draining as it should and 2. it will tell you immediately if you are dehydrated as you will start to want to drink more water. MOST everyone today does NOT get enough water.  And in fact, it can actually show up internally where your joints and connective tissue start to get dehydrated as well.  Showing up as aches and pains that we often explain away in the form of “age” or “overuse”.  Really, over time, a lot of that can be prevented with proper hydration.

Think of your mornings and afternoons.  If you need coffee, sugar, snacks, and extra food to get you through your daily slumps, just know that you could try water first and see if that helps.  Before your morning cup of coffee, which is the first thing people drink these days, reach for a clean glass of water and wait for 30 minutes before doing the coffee.  Before long you will find yourself drinking less coffee or not even needing it.  If you’re hungry for a snack – try drinking a glass of water before taking the snack. (even if it’s a piece of candy!)  9 times out of 10 you will curb that hunger as we often mistake hunger pains for a need for food rather than water!

Our consumption of anything BUT water is so off the charts high these days that we are literally aging ourselves to death.  Take the water challenge this week and before you reach for the bottle, can, or cup of anything but H2O, make a conscious effort to do the water first and see if you feel:

1. Energetic!
2. Happier!
3. And skinnier!!