Want to supercharge your day?

by Jill on May 13, 2013

If you’re looking for a great way to supercharge your day, consider supercharging your breakfast. Ideally, breakfast includes a good portion of protein, some healthy fat and lots of nutrients - just teaming with vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, beneficial bacteria, etc.

My favorite way to do breakfast is with a PowerHouse Smoothie.  It is by far the most long-lasting meal I’ve found for breakfast.  (Although, my son contends that’s it’s not a meal if you drink it.)  The protein and healthy fat prevent any blood sugar spikes and keep you satiated.  Smoothies are great-tasting, but it can be easy to overdo the sugar with too much fruit or by adding sweeteners.  Here are my basics for a great nutritional PowerHouse Smoothie design:

PowerHouse Smoothie Architecture

(Individual serving)

Liquid Base: 1/2 – 1 cup depending on desired thickness
Choices (as listed or in combination):

  1. Unsweetened nut or seed milk: almond, hazelnut, hemp
  2. Coconut milk + water
  3. Water
  4. Green tea
  5. Kefir (kind of like a thin yogurt with beneficial yeast in addition to beneficial bacteria)

Protein: ~20g for women, ~40g for men
Choices (preferably unsweetened):

  1. Un-denatured whey protein powder, ideally from pastured c0ws
  2. Goat whey protein powder
  3. Mix of organic, plant-based protein powder (hemp, pea, brown rice, chia)
  4. Homemade protein mix from almond butter, walnuts, brazil nuts, pumpkins seeds, and hemp seeds
  5. Micro-algae: spirulina, chlorella (add to one of the selected choices above)

Fruit: (1/2 to 1 cup total)
Choices (best if frozen):

  1. 1/2 strawberries, 1/2 banana
  2. 1/2 blueberries, 1/2 cherries
  3. 1/2 mango, 1/2 pineapple
  4. 1/2 berries, 1/2 goji berries (soaked in water for ~3 minutes)
  5. cherries + 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Veggie: (handful)
Choices:

  1. Spinach
  2. Sprouts (e.g., broccoli sprouts)
  3. Other green leafy veggie (kale, chard, etc.)

Creamy Factors & Nutritional Boosters:
Choices:

  1. 1 T soy lecithin granules
  2. 1/4 avocado
  3. 1/2 banana
  4. 1 T chia seeds (soak in liquid base for 5 minutes) or flax seeds
  5. 1 T nut butter
  6. 1/4 c plain, unsweetened yogurt

Sweetener: (try without first, and if needed, add as little as possible)
Choices (in order of ~least to greatest blood sugar impact):

  1. stevia (pure only – no fillers)
  2. extra berries
  3. banana
  4. coconut palm sugar
  5. honey
  6. medjool dates

Ice cubes (~5), if desired to thicken and chill

Blend all selected ingredients in a powerful blender and enjoy.

Think of all the different possible combinations!  Play around with it.  Find what works for you.  A PowerHouse Smoothie can make you feel energized and mentally focused all morning long.  PowerHouse Smoothies also make a great on-the-go meal.  You can make them ahead of time, freeze them and then put them in the fridge the night before to thaw. Then just grab and go!  Try one and notice how it makes you feel.  Then let me know!

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5 Simple Ways to Detox Outside the Box

by Jill on April 18, 2013

I love Spring!  Birds singing, trees and flowers blooming…  ”Spring Cleaning” the house – (well, maybe not that one)…  It’s also a natural time to cleanse your body.  This is one reason why detox programs are most popular in the Spring.  If you’re looking to do a little Spring cleaning yourself, it doesn’t have to be a major ordeal.  It doesn’t have to mean a box of supplements to “clean you out” (Detox in a Box) and it doesn’t have to mean starving yourself as you subsist on juice for 3 days. Detoxing really just means getting rid of toxins, which come in many forms.  It can be really simple and still be effective.  In fact, too much detoxing all at once can actually make you very sick.   Consider these tips for a gentler Detox –  Outside the Box.

5 Simple Ways to Detox Outside the Box:

1.  Consider 5 minutes of deep breathing.  Stress is probably our #1 toxin.  Consider what you can do to reduce, diminish or avoid stress in your life.  Just 5 minutes of deep belly breathing with your eyes closed can reset your balance, reduce anxiety and get you back to calm.

2.  Think about chemical exposure.  Don’t think you’re around chemicals much?  How about your personal care products: make-up, facial cleansers, lotions, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, nail polish, etc.?  How about cleaning products: bleach, bathroom cleaner, glass cleaner, wood cleaner, etc.?  Then there’s new carpet, new flooring, new furniture, and dry cleaning to name a few.  Think about how you can reduce this toxic load by choosing more natural products.

3.  Eliminate HFCS and hydrogenated oils.  If you haven’t already, just eliminating these two health dangers can significantly detoxify your life.

4.  Go organic.  Pesticides on produce and antibiotics and steroids from factory-farmed animals are a big source of toxins.  Choose organic meat and dairy or at least buy from a local farmer you trust.  For produce, prioritize by going organic for the Dirty Dozen listprovided by the Environmental Working Group.

5.  Drink plenty of clean water.  You’ll need that water (about 64oz/day) to help flush out those toxins, but be sure it’s filtered.  Chlorine and fluoride from tap water are toxic to the body and only add your toxic load.

See?  It doesn’t have to be complex.  Start your own gentle detox to give your body a well-deserved Spring Cleaning.


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5 Steps to Get Unstuck

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4 Big Reasons to Ditch the Wheat

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10 Easy Ways to Stop Cravings Dead in Their Tracks

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5 Easy Ways to Calm Seasonal Allergies Naturally

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Although Spring is known as the hay fever season, many people suffer from pollen allergies just as much, if not more, during Fall.  I know ragweed season here in Texas has always been torture on my sinuses.  But, now that my body’s more in balance and I know how to boost my immune system, I’m [...]

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Top 5 Reasons to Rethink Your Flu Shot

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It’s the time of year that people start getting flu shots in an effort to avoid downtime during the flu season.  I used to be one of them, but after some education on the topic, I now believe the risks and side effects are far worse than suffering a bout of the flu.  Check out [...]

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