Healthy Juicy Holidays
With the Holiday Season upon us, many people find that their diets become less than optimum, their health starts to decline and the "busy-ness" gives way to many meals on the run. Not to mention all those delicious treats that abound at this time of year.....sometimes making it too tempting to fill up on fatty, sugary things in lieu of regular meals.
Many people fall into the "stimulant trap"......the morning coffee just doesn't cut it after awhile, so maybe an afternoon coffee is needed to keep you awake, or the morning cup of coffee becomes the morning pot of coffee, and you might feel the need to add more sugar to "help you stay awake"! That's because when you drink coffee or consume other stimulants, you are "borrowing energy" from the future. Adrenal glands are over stimulated, and anyone who has adrenal fatigue will eventually begin to feel less of an effect from the stimulants which leads to wanting more. And let's face it, there are a LOT of delicious and tempting sugary, caffeine laden "treats" rearing their lovely heads at this time of year! Coffee shops and bakeries are filled with colorful and fragrant goodies that make it all too easy to grab something that is delightful to the taste buds but may not be so great for digestion or overall health!
Sugar and caffeine are not only hard on the adrenals, refined sugar also wreaks havoc with the immune system as well. Our bodies naturally go through a cleansing process at the start of each new season and many people experience a healing crisis, but when you pair that with all the sugary refined holiday goodies you end up with compromised immune systems AND a body that is trying to cleanse itself to prepare for the next season. This is a big part of the reason why so many people become sick at this time of year and become more susceptible to the "bugs" that are floating around!
What to DO at this busy time?? Enter the humble but stellar green smoothie! Green smoothies are my favourite "go to" for busy times, especially at this time of year. They are delicious, nutritious and the combinations are endless! They can easily be tailored to suit your lifestyle and tastes, are very portable and affordable. You don't need fancy equipment to prepare them OR a lot of time, and because they are blended the nutrients are assimilated quickly and easily by the body. In addition to all those wonderful properties, they help us stay hydrated because of the high water content. Superfoods may be added if you like, and one of my favourites is maca root.
Maca is a Peruvian root vegetable which is a very valuable aid in adrenal repair. It helps balance hormones and is a good source of iron, magnesium and calcium. It is naturally energizing without being a stimulant and because it is a whole food and not an isolated nutrient it's almost impossible to over-do it! Depending on the potency of the maca you purchase, very little is needed to make a difference and to help heal your adrenals.
Green smoothies.....something easy to add in and make this holiday season a happier, healthier juicier one! xoxo
