Spring has sprung, and I hope that this finds you enjoying the warmer weather and peeking greenery.
For me, spring means lots of fresh air (and deep breaths of it), gardening, spring cleaning (and cleansing). I absolutely love the ability of smoothies to deliver so much delicious, nutrient-rich goodness in very clever, convenient and carry along containers.
I'm going to let you in on a little Mama-wise trick, here, and that's if you're hungry or your basic needs aren't getting met, everyone is going to suffer for it. (For the moms of young ones, bathroom breaks are a pretty unique experience, nowadays, am I right?)
I didn't realize it in the days of my adolescent self absorption but my mom was sharing some crucial wisdom when she would say, "If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." And although I was raised in Michigan, and not Arkansas like my mom, this wisdom was not lost on me. I saw my mom working full time, and still making dinners, cleaning house, driving me to ballet... you get the picture. Self care is such a buzzword now, but it is very real and elemental for us busy gals, especially since we are the first people to underestimate it's importance since there's SO MUCH that we have going on at all times.
When I finally got some great go-to recipes for my morning (and sometimes lunchtime) smoothies, my life changed. I would pound coffee like there was no tomorrow in the morning, and then totally overeat highly processed convenience foods at lunch, once I finally stopped whirling to do so. The breakfast foods of the SAD (standard American diet) would leave me feeling totally sluggish and ill. I often suffered from heartburn and indigestion, and my elimination was a hot mess. Literally.
I truly changed my life by taking some time to pick up simple and delicious fresh ingredients so I could whip up a smoothie in my blender while preparing breakfast for my kids, or even the night before. Not only have I trimmed up significantly, my elimination is regular, I do not have bloating, and I am ingesting amazing vital nutrients and fiber essential for weight loss and vibrant health. WIN!
If you haven't yet dived into the wonderful, rainbow world of smoothies, then I highly suggest you take the shift into Springtime as a perfect opportunity to do so. As we transition from Winter, and colds abound with the season change, anything we can do to promote our healthy digestion with whole foods, and therefore our immune system, is gold. By replacing one meal in your day with a fresh smoothie, though it might sound like too simple of a change, you can cause a monumental shift in your health.
It's the small changes in your eating and lifestyle habits that will help you eventually attain the health you deserve!
Smoothies keep you full throughout the entire day. And let's face it, calorie counting and stressful diets are the suck, and these approaches don't work. I invite you to try a smoothie a day for two weeks, especially if you're a woman who wants to lose weight (IF you need to!), have glowing skin, feel more confident, sleep better, get rid of any stomach bloat, and feel earnestly vibrant!
Here's a DELICIOUS smoothie to help you get started this Spring.
Spicy Green
- 1 ½ cup water, coconut water, or almond, hemp, or coconut milk
- 1 cup mixed greens
- ¼ cup berries, fresh or frozen
- ½ avocado
- 1 tablespoon ginger root
- 1 tablespoon flax seeds
- Dash cayenne pepper
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon raw honey or stevia (optional)