It’s time to reboot and have a reality check.
It is very easy for me to forget to be healthy and get overwhelmed by life. Not only did I take a sabbatical from writing my blog over the last few months, but also from a healthy life style. I didn’t give up healthy living completely, but enough to effect my body and mind.
I have been thinking about a reboot for a while, but now is the time. Why, you may ask? As a special education teacher, my particular job requires a tremendous amount of both physical and emotional energy. I am not able to perform the job the way I want if I’m tired, sluggish, or the least bit moody. Now that I am 2 ½ months into the school year, I’m really noticing how tired I feel and how challenging it is to be constantly cheerful and keep an even demeanor all the time. Not that doing this was always easy when I was eating better and exercising more, but it was not nearly as difficult.
So, out comes my 2nd copy of The Wahls Protocol: How I Beat Progressive MS Using Paleo Principles and Functional Medicine by Dr. Terry Wahls, M.D. When I felt the best overall, I was following the Protocol very closely. I dropped weight, had more energy, and felt more emotionally balanced. Essentially, this plan uses food as medicine to reverse the effects of MS.
One of the many changes that I make when following the Protocol is to be sure to have 9 cups of fruits and vegetables a day from 3 different groups. Yes, 9! So, I thought that I would start getting myself on track by adding back a morning smoothie into my daily routine. Here is one of the many smoothies, I make. My formula, if you can call it that, is greens, liquid, something frozen (ice, fruit, etc) and fresh fruit. I am also lucky enough to have a Vitamix blender, the superstar of blending machines. But with the use of soft greens, like baby kale or baby spinach, this recipe should work well with any blender.
I am excited to get back on track and to have more energy and joy in my life.
Morning Smoothie
2 handfuls of greens (I usually use baby kale or baby spinach)
5 fresh strawberries, tops cut off
½ cup fresh blueberries
1 banana (optional)
3 ice cubes
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/8 tsp spirulina
¾ cup organic black cherry juice
¼ cup water
Put all ingredients in the blender and puree until smooth.
Makes about 3 servings.