Tips to Support Your Sinus and Respiratory System During Pollen Season

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It’s springtime in Maryland. The days are getting longer, the weather is getting warmer and the flowers and trees are blooming . With the blossoming of plants comes along an increase of pollen, which for some of us it leads to a runny nose, runny and itchy eyes, and sneezing., which can really put a damper on things for us Real-Life Superwomen. Who wants to be sneezing when we’ve got a presentation to give or have a runny nose when you are on a date or trying to connect with your beloved.

In this video I share the below tips that have helped lessen my symptoms during the pollen season so I can be healthy, happy and energized.

  1. Change what you are eating. That’s right REMOVE foods that are causing increase inflammation and mucus build up like dairy and sugar. ( I didn’t mention this in the video, but doing a spring cleanse or detox will also help lessen inflammation, remove toxins from your system and help alleviate symptoms caused by pollen)
  2. Add foods rich in vitamin c like lemon, red, yellow and orange peppers as well as broccoli.
  3. The benefits of freeze dried stinging nettle
  4. Why using raw local honey and/or bee pollen can be of support
  5. How effectively use the Neti pot
  6. My top 3 essential oils to support you during pollen season

Lemon essential oil – has anti-histamine properties and helps relieve excess mucus.

Frankincense essential oil – my favorite essential oils helps to reduce the inflammatory response of allergens in the body.

Lemongrass essential –Inhaling this clean, refreshing aroma can help reduce inflammatory complications in the respiratory tract.

Here is the science for some of the things mentioned in the video

Stinging Nettle

A randomized, double-blind study using 300 mg freeze-dried Urtica dioica in the treatment of allergic rhinitis found 69 patients who completed the study rated it higher than placebo in global assessments: 58 percent rated it effective in relieving their symptoms and 48 percent found it to be equally or more effective than their previous medicine. Click here to read more

Vitamin C

A study featured in the Alternative Medicine Review Journal, states that vitamin C supplementation of 2 grams daily reduced the blood histamine levels by 38%.

Lemon E.O

The Journal International Scholarly Research Notices reported that a nasal preparation based on lemon essential oil helped to alleviate the symptoms of allergic rhinitis.

Frankincense E.O.

Research indicates frankincense contains a compound called alpha-pinene which reduces allergic symptoms

Lemongrass E.O.

The International Journal of Molecular Medicine discovered that compounds in lemongrass essential oil had an anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory effect. Inhaling lemongrass oil can help reduce an overactive immune response in the body.

I would love to hear what natural remedies you use to support your respiratory, sinus and/or immune system during the pollen season.

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How to get to the When and Why of your Sugar Cravings

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Letting go of sugar is no easy feat, and let’s be honest, it can feel like we’re trying to break up with someone who is gorgeous but totally wrong for you.

Here’s why: Sugar tastes gooooood. Not only that, it FEELS good, too! When sugary foods hit our tongue, it immediately causes a rush of feel-good hormones surging through our body. Think of how you feel when you eat a warm chocolate chip cookie, or glazed donuts. Maybe sweets aren’t your thing, but a bagel with cream cheese or pancakes brings a smile across your face.  Those sugar cravings you experience are not just mental, they’re also physical.  When you eat high-glycemic carbs or sugar your body produces excess insulin, which can lead to hypoglcemia, which leads to cortisol and adrenaline spikes which promotes craving for more sugar and simple carbohydrates.  Overtime your body craves sugar.

The good news is that you can break the cycle and get to the ROOT cause of your cravings. Once you become aware of WHEN and WHY you crave sugar, you can begin to replace sugary foods with healthier alternatives that will provide your body with the same feel-good sensations it’s craving.

Before I cut sugar out of my diet, I noticed that I was craving sugary treats whenever I was tired, unhappy, or just needed a energy boost. For many of us Busy Professional Women our solar plexus chakra is out of harmony. We have soo many things to accomplish on our to do list that we need high glycemic carbs to get us through the day.

Take note of when you reach for sugar-filled snacks or drinks. Grab a pen and a notebook and jot down answers to the following questions to help you create a bigger picture of what’s prompting you to consume sweet foods.

Questions to ask yourself

  • What time of the day are you eating sugar the most?
  • How do you feel when you want to eat sugar?
  • Do you feel fulfilled?
  • Do you feel connected spiritually?
  • Are you satisfied with your relationships? Your career? Your finances?
  • Have you done some type of movement/exercise today?
  • Do you take time for self-care regularly?
  • Are you stressed?
  • Do you feel tired and fatigue?
  • How is your energy level?
  • How many hours of sleep am I getting each night?
  • Do you take time to play and have fun?

Once you’ve taken the time to answer these questions, spend time reflecting on your answers. Which areas would you like to improve in your life?  What intentions do you want to set? Visualize the changes you would like to see manifest in your life and set aside time daily to meditate on and journal about those changes.

My tips for meditating to control sugar cravings:

Establish a quiet place where you can sit quietly, uninterrupted for at least 10 minutes or more.

If you need help meditating, find relaxing music or a guided meditation that will help you drown out noise and stay focused.

Be easy on yourself! It’s OK to let thoughts come and go as you sit quietly. The important thing is to become aware of your thoughts and set your intention on the healthy changes you want in your life. Here is an example of an intention I have used. ” I AM enough”. “I have fun in all I do”.

Grab a journal and some pretty pens and write down your thoughts everyday. Make it a habit. Don’t overthink what you should or shouldn’t write. Just write down what comes to your mind. Do this for 10 minutes each day to help you dump any negative thoughts that may be blocking you from a healthier lifestyle. Don’t have 10 minutes do it for five minutes in the morning and another 5 minutes in the evening.

When do you crave sugar or carbohydrates?

Want to learn more about how imbalances in your chakras are link to your sugar carvings as well more tips to help you increase your energy and end your sugar addiction once and for all?

Check out my new 7-week Release The Sugar Blues Program. Click here

Lessons this holistic nurse/health and wellness coach learned while “sick”

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I haven’t had a cold or been “sick” in over three years, but on Feb 16th I woke up with a sore throat, cough, body aches, and just feeling like crap. This feeling lasted for about four days and even as I write this I still have some lingering fatigue and slight cough. Below is a video about the lessons I learned while not feeling optimal. Yes, it’s true us health and wellness peeps can get sick too especially if we are also Busy Professional, Real-Life Superwomen.

 

 

What are some lessons you have learned from not feeling optimal? Please share below.

10 Foods I Use To Think Were Healthy But Are Actually Loaded with Sugar

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You flick on the TV only to be bombarded with a barrage of advertisements for so called “healthy” choices. Below are 10 foods, I use to think were the “healthier” choice  and many times are promoted as healthy but in reality are loaded with sugar and kept me stuck in my throes of sugar addiction. It wasn’t until I started doing my own research and reading labels that I realized I needed to eliminate these foods from my meal plan, if I truly wanted to have sustained energy and optimal health. If you’re ready to kick sugar to the curb then start ditching these toxic “health” foods.

  1. Fruit juice

Juice is terrible because it contains no fibre so even if it’s 100% juice with no added sugar, the reality is that fruit sugar is still sugar. It still causes your blood sugar to spike dramatically and it’s just as addicting and bad for you as pop or kool-aid.

  1. Dried Fruit

Dried fruit without added sugar is okay in moderation, or when eaten with some nuts and seeds for protein, but make sure you read the ingredients because many of the dried fruits have additional sugar added to it. Which I never understood why since fruit is already sweet and drying it makes it taste even sweeter. Now, if you find yourself popping a date in your mouth every time you get a sugar craving and thinking it’s healthy, think again. Also you might be having something else going on such as candida overgrowth, like I did for over ten years.

  1. Pasta Sauce

Store-bought pasta sauce has a ridiculous amount of added sugar. Prego traditional spaghetti sauce has 40g of added sugar! Always read your labels, or better yet, make your own tomato sauce so you know EXACTLY what’s in there. Once you start making your own you will not want to go back to store bought pasta sauce I know that was the case for me.

  1. Bread

Ah bread! People like to pretend that they’ve cut sugar yet they’re still eating bread. Bread turns into sugar in the body. Add to that the inflammatory effects of gluten and bread becomes a ticking time bomb for illness to ensue. I know this is a hard one to let go of, but I challenge you to try not eating bread for a week and see what happens.

  1. Noodles

Both pasta and rice noodles are pure refined carbohydrates, which like bread, turn into sugar once they break down in your body. They may be fun to slurp, but you can make noodles from vegetables that are just as tasty and won’t spike your blood sugar. My favorite is zucchini and yellow squash noodles, but since they aren’t in season during the winter, I use spaghetti squash.

  1. Instant oatmeal

Instant oatmeal may seem like a quick and healthy breakfast, and it sure is convenient. But unfortunately just one serving of this stuff can pack as much as 15g of sugar! Wow, can you believe that and to think I was eating a couple of packages a day.

Opt for making your own oats, check out this recipe for sugar-free overnight oats.

  1. Smoothies

Yes, I know you are probably thinking Cassandra is always talking about  the benefits of smoothies. Your right, smoothies can be really healthy and delicious,but the ones you get from Orange Julius or those premade store-bought smoothies are a far cry from a health food. They want to make smoothies approachable for most people and thus they make them super sweet and tasty. I have found some places actually use sugar water to make the smoothies more tolerable.  WTH!! If you want to enjoy a smoothie make your own and add lots of greens to it. One of my favorites green smoothies is

  •  1 cup spinach
  • 1 cup frozen blueberries
  • 1 avocado
  • 3 tablespoons hemp seeds
  • 12 oz unsweetened coconut milk

Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour in cup and enjoy.

  1. Yogurt

Yogurt has got to be the worst on the list. Especially because it’s promoted as this great healthy food but most of the time flavored yogurt is FULL of junky additives including high-fructose corn syrup as a sweetener. If you want to eat yogurt, buy it plain and sweeten it with some berries or mashed banana.

  1. Granola

Like oatmeal, pre-made granola is riddled with added sugar and dried fruit which only makes matters worse. Eating granola for breakfast is like having a big old cookie with your coffee. Back in my sugar addiction days a cookie and coffee for breakfast sounded great, well I would have milk instead of the coffee. Then when I thought I was being “healthier” I would have pre-made granola and sugar laden yogurt for breakfast. How about you?

  1. Protein bars

Protein bars are either full of added sugar or contain toxic sugar substitutes like aspartame. Read protein bar labels very carefully, even the popular cliff bar contains a whopping 22g of sugar per bar! Again WTH?

Next week I will share with you some healthy low sugar snack ideas so you don’t feel deprived as you start to give up these foods loaded with sugar.

Want even more great tips to help you lose weight, improve your digestion, increase your energy and end your sugar addiction once and for all?  Next week I will also share about my upcoming Release The Sugar Blues Program. Until that time, please share below what foods you have seen promoted as “healthy” but aren’t.

Top Winter Foods To Boost Your Energy and Immune System

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“When we adjust our diet and lifestyle to match the season, health promoting digestive microbes dramatically change. Winter microbes support balanced immunity, digestion, mood, energy, blood sugar, weight, sleep – and much more. Winter is also associated with the qualities of ‘Vata’, which are cold, air, dry and light. To stay balanced, focus on food and activities that are warm, moist, heavy and oily.” – John Douillard

Winter is the time to slow down, nourish the soul, and focus on strengthening our immunity. (Which I know can be very challenging for us Real-Life Superwomen). Eating seasonal fruits and vegetables allows us to do this.

By focusing on foods that build a healthy immune system, we create a natural defense against unwanted illness, headaches, digestive issues, and dry skin that can plague us in the winter months. Cold and flu season becomes less of a worry when our immune systems are strong.

In winter we want to focus on cooked foods for their warming effects and eat fewer raw salads, smoothies, and other uncooked dishes.

We want to favor root vegetables (my favorite for nourishing the root chakra), winter fruits, cooked whole grains, and warming spices for their balancing and grounding effects during the colder months.

Here is a list of the top produce for winter to help you easily shift your eating habits to suit the season.

Top Seasonal Vegetables for Winter:

Enjoy these veggies cooked, preferably in a healthy fat like coconut oil, olive oil, or ghee

Acorn squash
Artichoke hearts
Beets
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Leeks
Onions
Pumpkin
Turnips
Winter squash

Top Seasonal Fruits for Winter:

Enjoy these fruits, preferably warmed or cooked.

Apples
Cranberries
Dates
Figs
Grapefruit
Lemons
Limes
Oranges
Pears
Pineapples
Tangerines

Top Seasonal Spices for Winter:

Cinnamon
Clove
Cardamon
Cayenne pepper
Garlic
Ginger
Horseradish
Rosemary
Thyme
Turmeric

John Douillard also recommends eating foods rich in soluble fiber during the winter ” This is one of nature’s strategies to insulate the gut from the coldness and dryness of winter by soothing, warming and lubricating the intestinal walls. So when the cold sets in”  be sure to enjoy a warm bowl of lentil soup. ~ John Douillard

Top Soluble Fiber Foods for Winter:

Almonds
Amaranth
Black beans
Kidney beans
Lentils
Mung beans
Oats
Pecans
Pumpkin seeds
Quinoa
Walnuts

Winter is also the time to add more soups and stews, favor roasting and braising, and focus on warming the cold our bodies can experience when the temperature drops.

Try incorporating more of these foods into your regular eating routine. Look for recipes that feature these ingredients, or swap them out for some of the non-seasonal foods that you might be currently consuming in your favorite meals.

If you need a jump start in adding more seasonal foods into your meal plan, I invite you to join the complimentary 7 Day Chakra Soup Challenge. It starts this Sunday January 22. Click here to learn more and join.

Also I would love to know what your favorite winter foods and why?

The Easiest Way To Get More Energy and It’s Not What You Think

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Do you feel tired often? Is getting out of bed in the morning a daily struggle? Does your energy dip every afternoon and the only thing that can bring you back to life is a sweet treat?

I felt this way for years especially in the winter time. I could sleep 10 plus hours and still feel like I needed more sleep. Getting up in the morning was a challenge and the 2 p.m. need for a a couple Reese Peanut Butter Cups was a must.

Well, the secret to more energy isn’t a brand new magic pill or super shake loaded with strange ingredients. In fact, it’s much more simple than you might think.

If you’re ready to increase your energy levels naturally there’s ONE thing you must do is eliminate sugar from your diet in all forms. This might sound dramatic and not at all easy but hear me out. Sugar has ZERO nutritional value yet it still takes a ton of energy to process. It actually TAKES from your body instead of giving to it (like real whole food is supposed to do).

If you’re ready to not feel like you’re completely drained at 2pm. If you want to wake up feeling refreshed. If you’re longing to have the energy to do the things on your “to do list”, or go to a Zumba class after work, then it’s time to give up sugar.

Here are 3 easy ways you can reduce your sugar intake starting NOW…

1. Stop drinking soda or juice, stick to water flavored with slices of citrus, cucumber or enjoy brewed herbal tea cold or hot.
2. Eliminate white flour from your diet. No more bread, pasta, or baked goods that spike your insulin levels like nothing else.
3. Skip dessert and opt for a nourishing herbal tea with licorice root or cinnamon as a naturally sweet addition that also helps curb cravings.

Want even more great tips to help you release weight, improve your digestion, increase your energy and end your sugar addiction once and for all? Stay tuned for my Winter Sugar Detox starting February 16 and/or my Release The Sugar Blues starting February 26.  If you want to be notified once registration is open and receive a discount please email me at cassandra@zestandharmonycounseling.com to get on my VIP list.

Until that time, I would like to know do you struggle with the sugar blues and what are some tips you use to reduce your sugar intake?

 

Stay Grounded and Healthy During The Holidays with Frankincense Essential Oil

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Are you feeling the hustle bustle of the holiday season? Are you getting the sleep you need to sustain your energy for the day? Are you feeling out of harmony?

Earlier this week I was feeling a bit overwhelmed and the stress the holiday season can sometimes bring, but instead of riding that frantic energy I paused and did one of my favorite self-nourishing activities.

I mix Frankincense essential oil with avocado oil and rub it on the bottom of my feet. I massage each foot for at least one minute . Oh my goodness!!! you don’t realize how much tension you hold in your feet until you start massaging them. Massaging my feet helps to release tension, improve blood circulation not just in my feet, but other organs in my body as well as ground me.

And did you know using Frankincense essential oil supports your immune system? Just what us Busy Professional, Real-Life Superwomen need during the winter season.

Frankincense oil is one of my favorite essential oils. Each year I choose an essential oil for the year and for 2016 I chose Frankincense because it enhances focus and faith, which were two of my words for 2016. (My words were Focus + Faith = Freedom). I usually will just add Frankincense oil to the palm of my hands prior to meditating and inhale the aroma, but for the past couple of weeks I have used it in my daily foot massage and I believe it’s what has helped me to have sustained, grounded energy and keep from getting the cold and cough people at my nursing job had.

Frankincense oil is known by many as the “king of oils.” In ancient Egypt it was considered more precious than gold. It has been used for thousands of years by the Assyrians, Egyptians, Babylonians, and other ancient cultures for religious ceremonies, perfumes, and healing salves. As an ingredient in holy incenses , it was used anciently during sacrificial ceremonies to help improve communication with the creator
( Source: Modern Essentials Book)

Here are several benefits of Frankincense Essential Oil:

    • Supports a healthy immune system (who doesn’t need that during winter)
    • Helps maintain healthy inflammatory response
    • Antiseptic properties
    • Calming and balancing properties (tree oils are so grounding)
    • Promotes cellular health
    • Supports healthy skin regeneration
    • Emotionally and spiritually, frankincense “helps a person drop out of their mind and Ego and move into presence with their spirit or center of consciousness. It helps a person lean into their own spiritual practice with trust by dropping fear and other barriers to a deeper connection of one’s own understanding”. (Source: SustainableBabySteps.com)
    • Nourishes the root chakra with it’s grounding properties and the the crown by enhancing your connection with the Divine

Please share below what your favorite essential is and why.

If you would like to learn more about the benefits of Frankincense essential oil as well as 15 other oils to use during the holiday and winter season, check out my new Essential Oils Holiday Guide. It’s a free guide to help you STAY HEALTHY AND ENERGIZED THIS SEASON.

The Holiday “Should Do List”

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Do you have a “should do list” for the holidays? Things that you should do, but you don’t want to do or don’t like to do. It’s just been something you have done every year out of obligation.

Today I spoke with a couple of my clients who said they felt stressed and overwhelmed about the holidays. They felt behind in all the things that “should” be done for the holidays.  They had not bought or sen the  holidays cards, put up decorations, or bought any gifts for neighbors.  They felt even more stressed because the didn’t have the time or extra money to do these “shoulds”.

I asked them why felt the need to do it. They felt it was something that had to do because they didn’t want people to think bad of them or it was something they had traditional done for years. Yet they admitted they would not want someone to buy them something out of a sense of obligation. They also would not get upset if someone did not get them a card or gift. They realized they were putting the pressure on themselves.

I too have done this in the past not just around the holidays but throughout the year. Doing things because I “should” or because I wanted people to like me and not get mad at me. Now I try to only do things that make my heart sing. If it is not a hell yes it is a NO! and if people are going to get mad at me because I didn’t send them a holiday card well then I really need to re-examine that relationship.

I have recognized over the years when I come from a heart centered place, with my list of things to do, what a difference it makes. I feel happier, more peaceful and in the flow. Isn’t that what this season is truly about?

How about you?

If you want tips on how to  enjoy the holidays with peace and ease, while still getting all you need done with sustained energy and balanced, well nourished chakras, download Chakra Nourishing Guide.

In this guide I will share what the chakras are, what happens to us Busy Professional, Real-Life Superwomen when they are out of balance during whatever holiday you might celebrate and what foods, lifestyle, movement and affirmations you can do to create healthy harmonious chakras.

How to Boost Your Immunity and Reduce Toxins

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Detox is vital in this toxic world.  As a health coach I focus on digestion because I believe  good digestion leads to a healthy life. But I also realize that to have good digestion, you must be detoxing properly.

You see, detox is a natural step toward a better digestion. Good digestion leads to less inflammation, and less inflammation leads to less disease in this world. Let me say it again, decrease the inflammation and prevent disease.

Hippocrates said it best: “All disease begins in the gut.”

If this is true and disease begins in the gut, aka your digestive system, then having a healthy and strong digestion is key.

But let me share a secret with you – when the body is toxic, your digestive system is weak.

So even if you eat “clean” and only buy organic and hormone-free foods, you are still breathing toxicity in this world.

We live, eat and breathe toxicity every day. Look around your home and think of the paint on the walls, the rugs, the pesticides sprayed on your green grass, the exterminator to get rid of the bugs. Even if you are chemical-free in your home, is your chemical makeup free?

Even if you are doing your best to live a chemical-free life, we are still alive, and that means eating, breathing, and sleeping in a toxic environment.

Unless you feel that are ready to live in a bubble or a hyperbaric chamber, then it is time to wake up to what I call daily detox.

Now detox is not a curse word or anything to be scared about. Instead, it is exciting to think about your body and cells actually functioning. I do not tell people detox has to be living on juices, or water only, or only smoothies or just salad or soup. Detox is about lessening the toxic load in your body. As I say, “taking out the trash.”

When we are toxic, our body cannot perform its job. The body cannot metabolize properly, detox properly, absorb nutrients and minerals, or stay hydrated. It is a vicious cycle. See, detox is necessary to be healthy, happy and free of disease. We all have some low-level inflammation because again we breathe, but even more so we stress in this busy world.

Every time you stress (very common for us Real-Life Superwomen) you create acid in your body. Your body is then forced to pull minerals to buffer the acid waste. The liver, lymph and kidneys begin to work hard to filter out the toxic load.

But what happens when the body is tired and clogged? When your digestive system is not working and cannot break down these foods, it cannot focus on getting RID of TOXINS. That means you cannot get rid of bloat and fat and skin breakouts and all that jazz that keeps you tired.

TOXINS=>WEAK DIGESTION=>WEAK IMMUNE

  • Difficult weight management
  • Constipation/diarrhea
  • Gas/bloating
  • Headaches
  • Low energy
  • Low sex drive
  • Bad skin
  • Heartburn/reflux
  • Moodiness/depression
  • Get where I am going with all of this?

By detoxing you will improve digestion and free your body of inflammation and toxins in the process.

The foundation of this detox is NOT to ever feel deprived or starved.

The goal is to help you do what I have learned to do in my own life: learn how to EAT CLEAN and learn what foods are IRRITATING your body.

Join me for my detox and cleanse starting on November 6

Click below and let’s change your life today.

Click here

Now that you’ve learned a little more about the benefits of detoxing, how can you start bringing it into your daily life?

Here are a few of my favorite ways to stay healthy and detox naturally:

  1. Upon waking, drink warm or room-temperature water with lemon and 1 tsp raw apple cider vinegar (if tolerated) and add a dash of cinnamon or cayenne.
  2. Start your day by being positive – find that daily affirmation that gets you fired up. I love Louise Hay, Lisa Nichols, Danielle LaPorte and Marianne Williamson.
  3. Try getting quiet within yourself even just for one minute – and say “I release what does not serve me” – place your hand on your heart as you say this out loud. Scream if it you want, own that power.
  4. Each meal choose a variety of fresh colorful whole foods. Think rainbow eating and as a result you get plenty of vitamins and minerals as well as nourish your chakras.
  5. Aim for one meal that is super easy on your digestion per day like a smoothie, green juice or soup. Give that digestion a rest.
  6. Get moving and shaking. Yes, exercise is one of the best ways to detox your body.
  7. Drink plenty of water and add lemon, lime or grapefruit to flush the toxicity.
  8. Skin brushing is my favorite way to support the liver and get rid of those toxins.
  9. Tongue scraping.
  10. Be happy and grateful for life.

Is Your Energy and Mood on a Roller Coaster Ride?

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What Busy Professional Woman doesn’t know the mid-afternoon crash? You’re charging through your coffee-stoked morning, pause briefly for lunch, race back to the afternoon list of to-do’s, all rarin’ to go… you get nicely started…and then suddenly find yourself wondering what happened to all your energy!
You’re sleepy, body-fatigued, brain-fogged, hungry, maybe irritable…as if someone had turned off your light switch.

As a veteran Busy Professional this is a pattern I know, oh, so well! Almost every day around 2 p.m. I felt hungry and tired. I wanted to take a short nap, but with my 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. nursing hours that wasn’t going to happen. I was never a big coffee drinker, so that wasn’t my solution, but instead I would grab a quick pick me up such as a Reese Peanut Butter Cup, or a bag of cookies, pretzels or chips.

Sound familiar? That shot of caffeine, sugar, carbs, or salt may be just the thing you crave to keep you up for the next couple hours at work. And sure, the taste of it, and the energy jolt, might be good, but then you go through the same crash 30 -60 minutes afterwards!

So what exactly causes that jolt and crash?

Most breakfast foods such as cereal, doughnuts and English Muffins or even the so-called healthier choices like bagels, bran muffins and instant oatmeal – all those lovely bready comfort foods – are basically processed simple carbohydrates, which function like sugar in your system. Worse, they may also be high in the added sugars of frostings or fillings or spreads.

When all of this sugar hits your bloodstream, your energy soars…and so your pancreas sends an increase in insulin to balance things out. That insulin then causes a dip in your blood sugar and causes you to be hungry mid-morning…and then you make similar choices at lunch (a sandwich or sub in a fat, freshly-baked roll, maybe chips or cookies for dessert), thus triggering another jot and dip in your energy.

You haven’t popped a single pill, but you’re basically on an upper-downer cycle! So what can you do to stop the rollercoaster? Here’s what I did to free myself… One of the ways you can feel energetic and vibrant during the afternoon is to have a breakfast that is rich in protein, phytonutrients, fat and fiber rather than
high-glycemic simple carbs. This gives you a long-running source of energy that doesn’t trigger your pancreas.

My favorite way to get all four of these things is to drink a smoothie. Why? First, you have endless choices for ingredients, between your liquid, green, fruit, fat/protein, and fiber!

Second, because you are consuming these nutrients in liquid form, your body can assimilate them in next to no time, so you have a quick and long-lasting source of energy.

Who could ask for more?

Here are just a few of the ingredients I like to put in my smoothies…

Liquid – water, coconut water, unsweetened dairy-free milk, or plain kefir

Greens (provide vitamins and minerals such as iron, calcium and magnesium. They also nourish your heart chakra, helping you to open up to love and compassion) – kale, collards, chard, bok choy, arugula, spinach, lettuce

Fruit (contain phytonutrients – natural chemicals that help protect plants from germs, fungi, bugs…and can also support your body’s functions and help it ward off disease) – where to begin here? Banana, apple, berries, mango, etc. are just a start!

While you can leave out the fruit if you want to reduce your sugar intake, I like to
select a fruit in the color of the chakra I want to nourish for the day:

  • Red fruits such as strawberries, raspberries and apples nourish the root
    chakra, which keeps you feeling grounded, safe and secure.
  • Orange fruits such as mango and oranges rnliven the sacral chakra enhancing
    flow, creativity, play and pleasure.
  • Yellow fruits such as bananas and pineapples nourish the solar plexus which
    actives your fire, your self-confidence and power.
  • Green fruits such as kiwi or honeydew help to support the heart chakra.
  • Blue fruits such as blueberries support both your throat chakra and third eye
    chakra, which help you to speak your truth and enhance your intuition
  • Purple fruits such as grapes support your third eye chakra and crown chakra,
    enhancing your intuition and connection to Spirit.

Fat/protein (provide a concentrated source of energy in your diet, as well as being the building blocks for cell membranes and a number of hormones. They’re also carriers for fat-soluble vitamins, and help to assist in their absorption…just to name a few of their benefits!)– hemp seeds, hemp protein, Sunwarrior protein, fresh coconut meat or coconut oil, nuts and nut butters, avocado, coconut oil, flax, or chia
seeds.

Fiber (helps to control cholesterol and blood sugar levels, as well as supporting bowel health and function and helping you achieve a healthy weight) – The greens, fruits, flax, hemp and chia seeds are all rich in fiber.

So what are you waiting for? Have a party in your blender….and energy without a crash!

Want to learn more about what foods can give you energy and vitality? Join my free 7 Day Chakra Smoothie Challenge starting July 18.

To register click HERE