Are You Drinking Green?

What do I mean drink green?  St. Patrick’s Day is over so why would I ask you this question

Green liquids have a less-than-desirable reputation in today's society. They are usually associated with slime, goo or grass clippings, as my husband called it.  Think back to elementary school when you learned about chlorophyll and how a plant makes usable energy.  Everything in the universe is made up of energy, including you, and you need that energy to live.  The best place to get it is from plants, raw not cooked.  Dark leafy greens are packed with the vitamins and minerals we need to be healthy, to alkalize our body and undo or begin to heal some of the damage that has been done to our bodies due to stress, illness, poor food choices or too many indulgences.  They also give us easily absorbed energy.

Most people will get their raw greens by eating a salad. The intent is good, however not nearly enough. Few of us even get the minimum USDA recommendation of three cups of dark leafy greens per week .  Dark leafy greens are, calorie for calorie, the most concentrated source of nutrition for any food.  Some other benefits of dark leafy greens are that they include vitamins A, K, B, C and E, as well as the minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium.  Some other benefits are that they are almost carb-free, help with weight management, help reduce the risk of heart disease, improve your vision, help protect the body against free radicals, repair injured tissues and cells, detoxify your blood and help boost your immune system.  So if these reasons aren’t enough for you to start adding dark leafy greens to your diet, what is? 

The problem is that most people do not like to eat dark leafy greens.  They do tend to be a little bitter.  So, to get the minimum daily recommendations into your body, I suggest making at least one green smoothie a day.   It is the tastiest way to get a large amount of dark leafy greens into your diet. Also, because it is in liquid form, all those nutrients are getting absorbed quickly.  This type of smoothie has two main ingredients: greens and fruit.  If you are just starting out, your smoothie will have more fruit than greens. They have to be tasty or you won’t continue.  As you keep drinking them, the ratio will switch to more greens than fruit. Listen to your body.  It will tell you when it wants more of this optimal nutrition. Your body will have so much energy and feel great!  

 Here’s a simple recipe to get you started.

1 cup of water in a blender (add ice if you want)

½-1 cup of spinach or greens of your choice (washed)

2-3 fruits of your choice, such as bananas, pears, dates, apples, raisins

 Blend and enjoy!

 As you continue, try to switch the types of greens you are eating.  There are different vitamins and minerals in each.

 To your health!

Audrey Dworak

Holistic Health Counselor

www.yourwholeselfwellness.com

Audrey@yourwholeselfwellness.com