Are you stuck on the same breakfast?

I don’t know about you but I tend to get in a rut in the morning with the same breakfast everyday. I usually have a protein smoothie before going out to exercise. When the same ingredients are on hand I grab what is easy and make the same boring smoothie. However in order to stay on a healthy eating regimen I need variety.

Summer is a great time to shake up my dull tastebuds by adding fresh, local produce into my morning routine. So today I invited some friends and family to come try some new smoothie recipes. They were pleasantly surprised by the variety of ingredients and flavors. The smoothie bar was a success and I’m sharing our favorites with you. Buy local as much as possible and make some new healthy, delicious breakfast shakes. Now you have no excuse.

Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie

1 cup Lactose Free Milk

1 Frozen banana

1Tblsp pure peanut butter

1 scoop Chocolate Protien Powder, or Nutrilite Organics Plant Protein Powder Chocolate flavor

1 tsp cocoa powder

1/2 cup ice.

Blend on high until smooth.

Raspberry Beet Protein Smoothie

1 baby beet, steamed and skinned.

1/2 cup Coconut Milk Yogurt

1/2 cup fresh red raspberries

1/2 cup Coconut Water

1/2 cup ice cubes

Splash of real Vanilla

1 scoop Protein Powder or Nutrilite Organics Plant Protein Powder, Vanilla

Blend all ingredients in blender on high until smooth.

Green Superfood Smoothie

1 frozen banana

1 cup Soy or Coconut Milk

1/2 cup green seedless grapes

1/2 cup fresh pineapple chunks

1 scoop powdered greens or Nutrilite Organics Green Superfood

Blend all ingredients on high until smooth.

Pear Raspberry Collagen Smoothie

1/2 large Anjou Pear cored.

1/2 cup red raspberries

1/4 cup ice cubes

1/2 cup cold water

2 tsp honey

1 envelope Collagen Peptides or N by Nutrilite #nofilter Collagen Peptides

Blend all ingredients on high until smooth.

Then here are two recipes for coolers which are thirst quenching on hot afternoons.

Jasmine Green Tea w Mint

Cover 12 stems of fresh mint with 48 ounces of boiling water. Steep for 15 minutes. Remove stems and stir in 1/3 cup of sugar.

Steep 1 Jasmine Green Tea bag in 12 ounces of boiling water for 5 minutes. Add to mint tea and adjust for sweetness. Pour over ice and enjoy!

Watermelon Immunity Cooler

1 cup watermelon

1 cup Black Cherry Juice, no sugar added

1 cup ice

1 scoop of Immunity powder, or Nutrilite Organics Immunity Superfood

Blend all ingredients on high until smooth. Pour into glass, sit on porch and enjoy!

Advertisement

Effective Hand Washing

A lot of people have been asking about hand washing products and which are the most effective?  I’ve read about antiseptics, disinfectants, antibiotics, alcohol, bleach, germicidal, virucidal and viruseptic properties.  So, in trying not to confuse you, my readers, or myself I found a simple article sourced through the CDC that helps explain effective hand washing outside of the hospital.

Source: Show Me the Science | Hand Hygiene | CDC

 

 

 

 

 

Viral Humor

Even though being sick is not a funny situation, we still need a sense of humor surrounding the quarantine and staying home circumstances.  Also, I believe that laughter is the best medicine. So here are some of my favorite funnies.  I’m posting them so that all of us can find some joy in our day.

Boosting Your Immune System

Having a healthy, robust immune system is a great way to fight off any disease including viruses.  The mechanical practices of washing hands, getting immediate help when symptoms appear and staying away from those who are sick are important recommendations.  There are also ways you can improve your body’s ability to fight back.

Since I work with the Nutrilite Corporation I will include the immunity boosters that they provide. There are Foundational Supplements that give the cells of your body what they need to produce overall wellness. Then there are specific Immune Boosters.

The Perfect Pack is an everyday foundational combination which includes:

• Nutrilite™ Double X™ Vitamin/Mineral/Phytonutrient Supplement, now with PhytoProtect™ blend. The ultimate multivitamin. 22 vitamins and minerals and 22 plant concentrates.
• Nutrilite™ Concentrated Fruits and Vegetables. Phytonutrients equal to 10+ servings of fruits and vegetables.
• Nutrilite™ Balanced Health Omega. Supports brain and eye health.*
• This supplement will provide your cells what they need to operate efficiently.

Then there are supplements that are specific Immunity Boosters:

Nutrilite Balance Within Probiotic,  a once-a-day probiotic supplement featuring an exclusive blend of five strains supporting immunity and healthy digestion^†. It supports and maintains a healthy balance of good bacteria in your gut with daily use.^†

• Contains an exclusive blend of 6.3 billion CFU (Colony Forming Units) of clinically tested, beneficial bacteria from 5 probiotic strains.
• Arrive Alive Technology: naturally strong strains resist the harsh conditions of the stomach to arrive in the gut alive.
• Stick to the Gut Technology: natural ability to adhere to the gut, helping to promote a balance of good bacteria with daily use.    

Also, The Immunity Health Twist Tubes To Go provide vitamin C and B vitamins in a liquid form that can be added to a 16oz bottle of water. I recommend oxygenated water like the Perfect Water brand. The flavor is Strawberry Kiwi and my grandchildren love it. We drink one bottle per day.

Finally, the Immune Health Pack which includes Echinacea and Time-release vitamin C is useful when symptoms of a cold or flu first appear. Take it as directed for the next two weeks or until symptoms are gone.  My experience with Echinacea is that it shortens the duration of a cold and decreases the severity.  In other words I’m sick for three days instead of seven and the symptoms stay out of my chest.

I know this sounds like an infomercial; however, Nutrilite produces supplements using pharmaceutical standards and grows the whole food plant sources on their own organically certified farms, controlling the process from seed to supplement.  So that’s why I recommend them.

Nutrilite also has supplements for children, Vitamin C, Daily Vitamins, Probiotics and a Fruits and Vegetable tablets to support their health and immune systems as well.

The disclaimer for all of these products is that they do not treat, cure or prevent disease.  They support the health and wellbeing of your body at the cellular level.

Holistic Health or Turn off the TV

Back in the day, holistic health referred to the whole person, an undivided approach to wellness. I had a professor in nursing school who taught the theory that all illness is caused by emotional reactions. For instance, since cold germs are always present, we “catch a cold” when our immunity is weakened by grief or stress. I agree with her, that human beings are made up of physical, emotional, and spiritual selves and they cannot be divided for the purpose of treating disease.

This theory was brought home to me this winter. I have joined an exercise class made up of women who are older than I am. The main topic of conversation is ailments, MRI’s, physical therapy, acupuncture and the latest health report on the news networks. The prevailing attitude is negative about life in general. Granted, getting older is not for the faint of heart, but this stage of life is no more difficult than any other stage, it’s just different.

Now I ask you, if we are a whole person and wellness comes from being well in every aspect of that person, why do we treat the physical and neglect the emotional and spiritual parts? These women spend a lot of money on the latest treatments for their physical ailments, yet they ignore the stress caused by watching the nightly news or the anger that has not been addressed in decades, or the grief and hurts that have not been resolved or the basically negative worldview.

Western medicine seems to diagnose and treat the physical ailment without considering what emotions, or spiritual beliefs lead up to it. Stress, we are finally acknowledging is a contributing factor but is there a concerted effort to treat that as well? I think if we payed attention to the mental state, emotional history, and all the body systems that contribute to disease we would have more keys to treatment and prevention.

If the women in my class delved into their emotional state, worked to change their mental outlook and turned off the TV, I believe their physical health would improve. The atmosphere in our class would be more upbeat and optimistic. Am I the only one who thinks like this? Weigh in, let’s continue the conversation.

Immunity Boost For Rebooters and Toddlers

Carmen, my granddaughter, and I came up with a new juice recipe this morning.  She is a toddler and cannot crunch up raw vegetables and fruit, however, with a juicer she can still consume all the nutrients.   This time of year we all need a boost for our immune system, so whether you have todds at home or not, here is a great recipe for a winter reboot.

Winter Booster

3 Valencia Oranges, direct from Florida if you can get them

2 Gala Apples

2 Large Raw Carrots washed well, not peeled

2 fresh Lime Wedges, peeled

2 to 3 fresh Basil Leaves, found in grocery if you don’t live in southern climes.

Peel and segment the oranges, wash and segment the apples, wash the carrots well but do not peel, cut the limes remove the peel from the segments and thoroughly wash the basil leaves.  Then juice, stir and drink.  Don’t store because the water-soluble vitamins break down over time.

Immune Health – How to Starve a Cold

Echinacea! Hard to spell and pronounce but it sure works to starve a cold.  Sunday evening I had a scratchy feeling in my throat and felt drained of energy, a sure sign that a common variety cold was beginning.  I began taking an Echinacea supplement before bed and  continued to take the recommended dosage thru Tuesday.  Today the cold is gone.  The worst symptoms were the dry, scratchy throat and a runny nose.

There are two rules to successfully starving a cold with Echinacea. Take it when  you first start to feel the cold symptoms and continue to take the recommended dosage until your symptoms are gone.  The second rule is to make sure that when you purchase Echinacea that it has active ingredient from the whole plant.  Many of the teas and other formulas on the market have only one part of the plant in them and are not as effective.