Top 20 Foods for Brain Health

Top 20 Foods for Brain Health

by | May 27, 2019 | Brain Health, Healthy Eating, Superfoods

According to Doctors Dean and Ayesha Sherzai, MDs, and co-directors of the Brain Health and Alzheimer’s Prevention Program at Loma Linda University, the following 20 foods are the top common foods available most widely, that can significantly optimize the health of our brain and prevent dementia.

 

Tragically, alzheimer’s rates are continuing to increase, and it’s an irreversible disease without a cure.

 

However, according to Drs. Sherzai over 90% of Alzheimer’s cases can be prevented with simple changes to diet and lifestyle!

 

So…be sure to eat more of these foods on a regular basis to keep your brain in tip top shape as you age!

  1. Avocados

Avocados are packed with mono-unsaturated fats, which support brain structure and flow. Olives and macadamia nuts are other foods rich in monounsaturated fats. Avocados are best however because they are also very high in fiber!

2. Beans

Legumes are the one food group that has consistently been linked to longer lifespan in populations around the globe!

3. Blueberries

Wild blueberries esp., are very high in antioxidants, as well as other dark colored berries such as black raspberries, blackberries, or black mulberries as I’ve been enjoying currently here in Kurdistan Iraq

TIP: keep a bag of berries in your freezer at all times to throw in smoothies and oatmeal when you don’t have fresh berries on hand or in season).

4. Broccoli

TIP: to get the most nutrients, cut & let broccoli sit 40 minutes before cooking.

5. Coffee (as long as your body tolerates the caffeine)

TIP: choose organic fair trade coffee

6. Dark Chocolate

TIP: choose 70% cacao or higher, or add raw cacao powder or cacao nibs to smoothies and desserts

7. Flaxseed

TIP: make sure to buy whole ones and keep in the fridge or freezer, then freshly grind enough for a few days at a time and store in the fridge or freezer in an opaque glass container to prevent oxidation and rancidity. Or buy sprouted ground flax which is shelf-stable — this is what I prefer, also for the taste.

8. Herbal tea

Mint, lemon balm and hibiscus are especially anti-inflammatory and thus excellent for brain health.

9. Herbs (such as cilantro, dill, rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, mint, and parsley)

TIP: always use herbs in your cooking, either dried or fresh; herbs contain 10 times more antioxidants than berries!

10. Leafy greens

Among all foods on this list, dark leafy greens should definitely be part of your daily diet. Studies have shown that those who eat the most leafy greens (esp. Including cruciferous ones like kale and arugula) halted their mental decline by 11 years or longer. (TIP: have at least one serving of darky leafy greens every day, but it’s better to have at least two servings per day!)

11. Mushrooms

Even the simple white button mushroom! — According to Ayesha: “The common mushrooms are as good as the medicinal ones, whether they’re fresh or dried. Overall, mushrooms are incredibly high in anti-inflammatories, and they’ve been known to reduce inflammation in blood vessels, especially in the brain.

12. Nuts

The healthy unsaturated fats found in nuts are linked to a reduction in the risk of Alzheimer’s in multiple studies (TIP: enjoy at least one handful of raw nuts daily).

13. Omega 3 fatty acids (derived from algae)

DHA omega 3s (found in certain algae and fish) can significantly decrease one’s chances of developing alzheimer’s; flax, chia, and hemp seeds, as well as walnuts are good sources of ALA omega 3s which the body can convert to DHA, but the efficiency of conversion varies from person to person.

14. Quinoa

It’s used like a cereal grain, but quinoa is actually a seed that contains all essential building blocks for brain cells and their supporting structures; it’s also a complete protein (TIP: use instead of rice, add to salads, or make quinoa porridge).

15. Other Seeds (esp. chia and sunflower which are high in vitamin E)

TIP: Either grind your chia seeds first (or blend into smoothies), or soak them and chew well to get the maximum benefit from consuming them.

16. Spices

Cinnamon, cloves, marjoram, allspice, saffron contain the highest amount of antioxidants per ounce.

17. Sweet potatoes

TIP: If you have the chance to buy Japanese purple sweet potatoes, definitely do! Okinawans (who are one of the healthiest and longest living populations), don’t actually eat a lot of white rice as most Japanese do, but instead enjoy purple sweet potatoes as a staple starch in their diet. Try having a sweet potato for breakfast!

18. Tea (esp. green and white teas)

I’m sure you’ve heard that green tea is great for the health, but even oolong and black tea have benefits for brain health, as long as you’re not consuming with milk and sugar.

19. Turmeric

This spice is so powerful that it gets a spot of its own, separate from the other spices mentioned above. Enjoy turmeric by using more curry powder in your cooking, or sip on a cup of golden milk.

20. Whole grains

Oats and quinoa are great, but also try less common ones such as buckwheat, amaranth and millet which are also complete proteins and pseudo-grains, just as quinoa; or for something really special, try black rice which another rich source of anthocyanins, the antioxidants found in berries.

 

For more details on the above foods and their link to brain health, see this infographic from Drs. Dean and Ayesha Sherzai.

 

References:

 

Top 20 Brain Health Foods from Team Sherzai, https://teamsherzai.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Top20BrainHealthFoods_JUNE2018.pdf

 

Brain Food: 8 Superfoods Your Brain Will Love, e-report written by Ocean Robbins. Download for free at: https://www.foodrevolutionsummit.org/brain/

How to Make Your Green Smoothie Into a Meal

How to Make Your Green Smoothie Into a Meal

by | Oct 9, 2018 | Energy Practices, Healthy Eating, Recipes, Superfoods

People often ask me: “Aren’t you hungry having just a green smoothie for breakfast?”

 

And my answer is always: “No, because the green smoothie is usually not the only thing I have for breakfast.”

 

Some days it is — depending what I ate the night before, or if I just want to give my digestive system a little bit of a break — but most days, I have my regular green smoothie first (after drinking some water of course, sometimes with lemon), then about 30 minutes to an hour later I have part 2 of my breakfast.

 

Recently this is what I’ve been having after my regular green smoothie when I’m on the go:

 

My Filling Green Smoothie (with added protein)

 

I like to make a big batch of green smoothie in the morning and drink one glass of it as is (as more of a detox drink), then I add some extra fillers to the remaining green smoothie in my blender to make a more filling one that I take to go and usually drink after about an hour.

 

What I usually add is:

  • ½ tsp turmeric powder (for its anti-inflammatory effects, since I just started strength training)
  • ½ tsp ceylon cinnamon (also high in antioxidants with anti-inflammatory effects, and studies have shown it can lower blood sugar by improving insulin sensitivity) (1,2)
  • ½ tsp ginger (this spice ALSO has powerful anti-inflammatory effects, and has been shown to help with exercise induced muscle pain, support digestion, and has loads of other health benefits) (3). Note: I’ve already included a knob of fresh ginger in my regular green smoothie recipe, but I find that adding a little more ginger and cinnamon masks the turmeric and black pepper taste nicely and I get even more health benefit from my green drink.
  • Few cranks of black pepper (to help my body absorb more of the turmeric)
  • 1 scoop of collagen peptide powder (which gives me 10 grams of protein and can help reduce joint pain, reverse skin aging, help with building muscle, and may also help reduce cellulite and improve digestive health) (4) – I use this one.
  • ¼ cup of rolled oats
  • 2 brazil nuts (for my daily dose of selenium – brazil nuts are the #1 food source of selenium which is an important mineral that is often hard to get enough of in one’s everyday diet — selenium is also anti-inflammatory, cancer-fighting, a mood lifter, and great for the health of your skin) (5)
  • 12 soaked almonds, or some hemp seeds, if I’m feeling more hungry (for some added protein and healthy fats — see my post on the importance of soaking nuts and seeds & how — though, no need to soak the hemp seeds)
  • A couple small dates or some date paste, or more banana, if I feel it needs a little added sweetness or I just want to make it more filling – it’s always best to opt for whole food sweeteners and while many recipes these days call for stevia, I personally don’t like the taste but if you do by all means, add some stevia)
  • Ice (because a chilled smoothie always tastes way better!)

 

You can be creative and add many different things to your green smoothie to make it into a complete meal. Other options include:

  • avocado,
  • protein powder (I like this plant-based protein powder which I actually add to my post-workout smoothie bowl or shake with frozen berries and a little peanut butter or tahini and ground flax),
  • Any other nuts or seeds (pre-soaked for better digestion and nutrient assimilation, as well to make them easier to blend)
  • 1-2 Tbsp nut or seed butter,
  • sweet potato or canned pumpkin.

 

And if your smoothie becomes very thick, just make it into a smoothie bowl. Pour it into a bowl and eat with a spoon. I like to add some toppings to have something to chew on — such as sprouted ground flax, homemade granola, coconut flake, etc.

 

Just don’t go overboard with adding too many fillers or topping or you’ll tax your digestive system and end up feeling tired afterwards.

 

One easy tip to enhance digestion it to consume your smoothie/smoothie bowl SLOWLY and remember to chew so that you mix your smoothie with the digestive enzymes in your saliva which starts the physical process of digestion – not only will this prevent bloating and/or fatigue afterwards, but you’ll assimilate more of the nutrients.

 

Your breakfast should give you energy, not zap your energy or give you an energy crash an hour later (which is why you need to include some healthy fat and extra protein).

 

Experiment to find the right combination that leaves you feeling satisfied but not overly full.

 

What do I eat for breakfast besides green smoothies?

 

These days I’m trying to avoid bread. So, if I’m not on the go, and it’s not a gym day, I might have a bowl of oatmeal or quinoa porridge about 30 minutes to an hour after my green smoothie.

When I make oatmeal or quinoa porridge I usually add some dates or banana to sweeten, homemade almond “milk”, fresh or dried berries, and either chopped walnuts or some seeds – chia, ground flax, or pumpkin seeds that were soaked overnight if I was planning ahead :D.

References:

 

  1. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-proven-benefits-of-cinnamon#section5
  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22671971/
  3. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-proven-benefits-of-ginger#section6
  4. https://www.healthline.com/health/collagen-powder-benefits#top-benefits
  5. https://draxe.com/brazil-nuts/ 

The right way to cook broccoli & cauliflower for cancer prevention

The right way to cook broccoli & cauliflower for cancer prevention

by | Sep 25, 2018 | Brain Health, Healthy Eating, Recipes, Superfoods

Cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli and cauliflower, can potentially help to prevent DNA damage, prevent cancer and metastatic cancer spreading, boost your liver detox enzymes, activate defenses against pathogens and pollutants, boost brain health, increase the production of ATP, along with numerous other benefits.1,4

 

The component thought to be responsible for these potent benefits is sulforaphane.

 

“Beyond being a promising anti-cancer agent, sulforaphane may also help protect your brain, and your eye sight, reduce nasal allergy inflammation, manage Type 2 diabetes, and was recently found to successfully help treat autism,” says Dr. Greger in his book How Not to Die.

 

However, you may be making one BIG mistake when cooking cruciferous vegetables that is significantly reducing the amount of sulforaphane you actually consume.

 

The formation of sulforaphane requires the mixing of a precursor compound with an enzyme called myrosinase, which is inactivated by cooking.

 

But who loves eating raw broccoli and Brussels sprouts? And if you have low thyroid function, you have likely been advised to eat cooked cruciferous vegetables over raw ones.

 

Fortunately, there is an easy solution that can allow you to get the cancer-fighting and other sulforaphane benefits of raw cruciferous vegetables in cooked form.

 

When any raw cruciferous vegetable is chopped or chewed the sulforaphane precursor mixes with the myrosinase enzyme (like snapping a chemical flare), and sulforaphane is created.

 

Though the myrosinase enzyme is destroyed by cooking, both the precursor and final sulforaphane end product are resistant to heat.

 

Here’s Dr. Greger’s recommendation1,2 for preparing cooked cruciferous vegetables so you get maximum benefit from sulforaphane production:

Step 1. Chop your cruciferous vegetable, such as broccoli.

Step 2. Wait 40 minutes for the sulforaphane to be created.

Step 3. Cook until tender (just a few minutes if steaming or sautéing; mushy broccoli just isn’t very good tasting!)

 

Tip for broccoli soup: blend your ingredients first, before cooking, then wait 40 minutes to heat your soup.

 

What about frozen broccoli and cauliflower?

Since frozen veggies are blanched before freezing, the enzyme becomes inert and there is no way to produce sulforaphane.

 

Luckily, there is a solution!

 

Frozen cruciferous veggies still contain the sulforaphane precursor which is heat-resistant, so you just need to find a source of the myrosinase enzyme.

 

Since mustard greens are also cruciferous vegetables, you can just sprinkle a little mustard seed powder onto the frozen broccoli or cauliflower after cooking and it will significantly increase sulforaphane production.

 

And you can do the same with fresh cooked broccoli if you don’t want to wait 40 minutes between chopping and cooking.

 

Or you can add some horseradish or wasabi for the same effect. And only a pinch is needed! Or add a small amount of fresh greens to your cooked greens, such as a few shreds of purple cabbage.

 

Here’s a few recipe suggestions for preparing cooked broccoli and cauliflower:

 

Pan-seared broccoli with garlic – this method is both quick and delicious. Get the recipe here. And try serving it mixed with some hummus if you’re not a broccoli-lover.

 

Mashed cauliflower – just steam for about 6-8 minutes (or until fork tender), then mash by hand or in a food processor with some reserved cooking water or a little coconut or almond milk (for dairy-free option) + flavorings to your liking, e.g. roasted garlic, salt, pepper, herbs such as chives or thyme, or a pinch of mustard powder (or curry powder, which contains mustard powder) if you used frozen cauliflower or didn’t let your cut cauliflower sit for at least 4 minutes before baking.

 

Roasted cauliflower – This is by far my favorite way to prepare cauliflower! And you can do the same with broccoli. I usually slice the cauliflower thinly, or just cut into small florets, toss with some olive or coconut oil + sea salt, then bake until fork tender. Alternatively, you can slice into thick “steaks”, sprinkle with curry powder (which usually contains ground mustard) and roast at about 400 degrees F then top with a whipped lemon tahini sauce, or parmesan cheese. Note: if using olive oil, you might want to cook at 375 as most extra virgin olive oils have a smoke point between 375-405 degrees F.3 Here’s a recipe with video for a roasted curry cauliflower.

 

For whipped tahini sauce, I use ½ cup tahini, juice of ½ lemon, 2 Tbsp olive oil, and ½ tsp salt then whip it in my vitamix, or any blender or food processor will work. You can also whip by hand but it will take effort; there is a point at which the oil will start to separate and the consistency will be icky but just keep whipping/blending and eventually it will come back together into a nice smooth consistency.

 

Dr. Greger’s daily recommendation for cruciferous vegetables is 1 serving per day.1

1 serving = ½ cup chopped, ¼ broccoli sprouts, or 1 Tbsp horseradish or wasabi

 

Here’s a list of other cruciferous vegetables:

  • Arugula
  • Bok Choy
  • Broccoli
  • Broccoli sprouts (which contain 100x more sulforaphane than other cruciferous veggies)
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Cabbage
  • Cauliflower
  • Collard greens
  • Horseradish
  • Kale
  • Kohlrabi
  • Mizuna
  • Mustard greens
  • Radishes
  • Rutabaga
  • Turnips and Turnip greens
  • Wasabi
  • Watercress

 

To learn more about the scientific evidence behind the benefits of cruciferous vegetables, and sulforaphane in particular, watch this video by Dr. Rhonda Patrick.

References:

1 Dr. Michael Greger. How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease. 2017.

2 https://nutritionfacts.org/2016/02/09/how-to-cook-broccoli/

3 https://www.prevention.com/food-nutrition/a20470582/cooking-with-olive-oil/

4 Dr. Rhonda Patrick. Sulforaphane and Its Effects on Cancer, Mortality, Aging, Brain and Behavior, Heart Disease & More

The Amazing Benefits of Just 1 Tbsp of FLAX SEEDS a Day + Recipe Ideas

The Amazing Benefits of Just 1 Tbsp of FLAX SEEDS a Day + Recipe Ideas

by | Sep 19, 2018 | Healthy Eating, Recipes, Superfoods

You may already know that flax seeds are good for you because of their high fiber and high ALA omega 3 fatty acid content. However, there’s something else in flax seeds that sets them apart from other plant foods – their high lignan content (or to be more accurate, their high lignan precursor content). Most notably, just a tablespoon of flax seed added to the diet of individuals with hypertension can significantly lower their blood pressure, and a tablespoon of flax seed a day can also have a significant effect on the prevention and treatment of breast and prostate cancer. But that’s not all!

 

10 Amazing benefits of flax seeds:

In Dr. Greger’s book How Not to Die, he cites studies that have shown the “miraculous” power of flax seed consumption specifically on lowering blood pressure in individuals with hypertension, and in preventing and treating breast and prostate cancers. While their high fiber and omega 3 fatty acid content are two big reasons to eat flaxseeds, it’s their lignan-content that sets them apart. Flax seeds have about 100 times more lignan precursors than other plant foods.1

  1. Helps lower blood pressure – “Flax seeds alone induce ‘one of the most potent blood pressure lowering effects ever achieved by a dietary intervention.’ Eating just a few tablespoons a day appears to be 2-3 times more powerful than adopting an aerobic endurance exercise program.” A trial published in the Journal of Hypertension showed that the addition of just a few tablespoons of flaxseed introduced (unknowingly) into the diets of individuals with hypertension caused a drop in blood pressure from 158/82 to 143/75 which would equate to 46% fewer strokes and 29% less heart disease over time. In contrast, powerful hypertension drugs have only been shown to lower blood pressure by up to 8 and 3 points or 5 and 2 points, compared to a 15 and 7 point drop in systolic and diastolic blood pressure caused by flaxseed consumption. For more details, watch this video.1,2
  2. Helps prevent and treat breast cancer, esp. in postmenopausal women, & prostate cancer – For more details, watch this video.1,2,4
  3. Helps Decrease Menopausal and Hormonal Imbalance Symptoms, such a hot flashes, and may reduce the risk of osteoporosis2,4
  4. May help fight diabetes by improving blood sugar4
  5. Helps lower cholesterol and triglycerides and reduce the risk of heart disease 1,2,4
  6. Helps improve digestive health and relieve constipation1,2
  7. Helps improve sensitive skin. Watch this video for details.
  8. Can ease symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, lubricate joints and lessen stiffness & joint pain.3,4
  9. May help reduce the number or severity of colds and flus, as lignans are also known for their antiviral and antibacterial properties, therefore consuming flax regularly.2
  10. And finally, flax seed consumption daily can also help with weight loss. 2

Side note on the importance of probiotics when consuming flaxseeds:

Dr. Greger also explains that good bacteria in our gut are needed to convert the lignan precursors from flaxseeds (or any plant foods) into lignans. He states in his book that “the gut bacteria’s role may help explain why women with more frequent UTIs may be at higher risk of breast cancer.” And this is on the only reason to pay attention to your gut microbiome – having sufficient good bacteria in your gut is increasingly being recognized for it’s role in preventing and treating almost all ailments. It’s important to realize that every course of anti-biotics you take can kill good bacteria, along with the bad bacteria. So, if you’ve been on anti-biotics you absolutely should supplement with probiotic rich foods or supplements afterwards, but all individuals will benefit from including probiotics in their daily diet.

Tips for buying and storing your flax seeds:

  • Buy whole flaxseeds and grind them yourself — While they can be purchased already ground, unless buying sprouted ground flaxseeds, it is best to purchase the whole seeds and grind them yourself. Whole flaxseed keeps the omega 3 fatty acids inside well protected so they can be stored at room temperature for up to a year, whereas ground flaxseeds have a shelf life of only about 4 months. I grind them using a spice/coffee grinder, but a high-speed blender or food processor would also work. You can use whole flax seeds as well, but they are difficult to digest so they’ll likely just pass right through you without releasing any of their nutrients (unless you chew them really well, which isn’t easy). Just use a coffee or spice grinder or your high-speed blender to grind.
  • If buying pre-ground flaxseeds, check the production date — As the shelf life of ground flax is only about 4 months, you want to check when they were packaged to know how fresh they are; they may have been sitting on the shelf much longer than 4 months which is why I suggest grinding yourself.
  • Try sprouted ground flaxseeds — Alternatively, if you want to buy pre-ground flax, it’s best to go with sprouted flax which is much more stable and does not require refrigeration and has a shelf life of 2 years. Sprouted flax also provides optimized nutrient absorption and a nuttier (and more appealing) taste. I love Sprout Revolution’s sprouted ground flax, which you can buy on Amazon here. There is the option of plain, or goji and cranberry flavored. Both are great! The sprouted is more pricey than the regular flax, but I just prefer the taste when sprinkling it on top of my oatmeal or smoothie bowls and feel that it’s worth the extra month because it’s a more bio-available form of flax which results in better nutrient absorption – plus, one bag will last you a whole month if consuming just 1 tablespoon a day.
  • If you live in Kurdistan/Iraq, you can find flax seeds at Carrefour in Family Mall in the bulk spice section — They also sell ground flax in the spice aisle, but as I said, its best to buy whole seeds and its more economical as well.
  • Keep your flax in the freezer or refrigerator — While whole flax does have a longer shelf life, it is still a good idea to keep your whole flaxseed in a dark, cool place until you grind them. For ground flax you definitely want to keep it in the freezer or refrigerator. This will prevent the ground flax from oxidizing and losing its nutritional potency.4

How to easily get your 1 Tbsp daily serving of flax seeds:

Ground flax has a kind of nutty taste and goes well sprinkled on anything from oatmeal, smoothie bowls, salads, soups, or really anything – just experiment and see what you like best. As I said above, I prefer the sprouted ground flax seeds when I’m sprinkling it on top of my smoothie bowls or oatmeal and use either the sprouted or regular ground flax when I’m mixing it into things.

  • Add flaxseed to a food you habitually eat. Every time you have a certain food, like oatmeal, smoothies, soup, or yogurt, stir in a couple tablespoons of ground flaxseed. Soon it will be a habit and you won’t have to think about it, you’ll just do it.
  • Add flaxseed to dark, moist dishes. Dark sauces or meat mixtures will easily hide the taste and texture of ground flax so no one will notice they are even eating it. For example, stir some into a casserole, chicken parmesan, chili, beef stew, meatloaf, or meatballs. For a 4-serving casserole, you can usually get away with adding 2 to 4 tablespoons of ground flaxseed.
  • Use as flour-substitute in baking. You can also cook with flax without damaging the lignans and omega 3 fatty acids (unlike flaxseed oil), so you can add the tbsp of ground flax directly with your oats when cooking them. Substitute ground flaxseed for part of the flour in recipes for quick breads, muffins, rolls, bread, bagels, pancakes, and waffles. Try replacing 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the flour with ground flaxseed if the recipe calls for 2 or more cups of flour.4  You can also use flax as part of a gluten-free breadcrumb substitution such as in this recipe for paleo meatballs. Or try making healthier baked goods like these paleo banana muffins with dark chocolate, these banana bread muffins, or mix with homemade granola.
  • Use as egg substitute — Ground flax can also serve as an egg replacement in many recipes (like these lentil (meatless)balls I tried the other week and loved). Just mix 1 Tbsp ground flax with 3 Tbsp water and let sit a few minutes before mixing with the rest of the ingredients.
  • Make gluten-free flaxseed crackers — I just made these almond flax crackers (link to recipe) to give to my mother-in-law who has high blood pressure as an easy way for her to consume a tablespoon of flaxseeds each day. Based on the size of my crackers I gave her a prescription to eat just 4 small crackers each day. I used half flax and half almond meal (which can be made by just grinding up raw almonds in your vitamix, spice grinder, or food processor) and a few spoons of chia seeds. I add 2-3 teaspoons of za’atar spice with ½ tsp each of onion and garlic powder and they come out great. Next time I’m planning to try with fresh rosemary and roasted garlic.If you want a very simple and low-cost recipe, you can follow Dr. Greger’s basic flax cracker recipe by simply mixing 2 cups flax with 1 cup water and adding any herbs or spices you like. Dr. Greger adds ½ tsp each of smoked paprika, onion and garlic powder.Just be sure to check if any spice mixes you use already contain salt, as za’atar sometimes does, so you aren’t adding extra salt. If you have hypertension it’s best to just omit the salt if you’ll be eating them with something that contains salt such as my recommendation below.
  • Flax cracker serving recommendation: I love these crackers as a snack topped with a sliver of avocado and some of my homemade sauerkraut (so I’m also getting probiotics – the good bacteria that helps to convert the lignans precursors from the flaxseeds into lignans). My other favorite is serving them with a homemade white bean & almond dip.

 

Just google “healthy flaxseed recipes” and you’ll find many more ideas!

 

Precautions:

When you first add flaxseeds to your diet you might temporarily experience bloating and gas, abdominal discomfort, loose stools, decreased appetite, and potential hormonal changes if you consume large amounts. Therefore, if you don’t currently consume a lot of fiber, start by just adding one tsp of ground flax to your daily diet and then slowly increase to 2 tsp/day and finally 3 tsp (1 Tbsp) or up to 2-3 tablespoons daily.

Be sure to also drink plenty of water as you start consuming flax.

Important: flax seeds acts as a blood thinner, so if you’re taking any blood thinners such as aspirin or other NSAIDs, you should avoid flax seed consumption unless you’ve consulted with your doctor.

If you are taking cholesterol-lowering drugs, or hypertension drugs, consult with your doctor to monitor your cholesterol or blood pressure levels as you begin consuming flax to see if you can lower your dosage, or perhaps even go off the drugs (especially if adopting a more whole foods plant-based diet overall).2

 

Bottom Line:

  • 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds should be part of your daily diet (unless you’re taking blood thinners) to help prevent or treat hypertension, breast and prostate cancers (as well as potentially other cancers), prevent heart disease, reduce menopausal and hormonal imbalance symptoms and potentially reduce the risk of osteoporosis, reduce joint pain and stiffness, and improve digestive health and elimination of waste and toxins, among other benefits.
  • Flaxseeds should be stored in a cool place and be consumed as ground flax seed powder, ideally freshly ground at home using a spice/coffee grinder.
  • Ground flaxseed is very versatile and can be sprinkled on any type of food or used in many recipes such as granola, muffins, crackers, smoothies, oatmeal, meatballs, and so much more!
  • If you don’t have enough good bacteria in your gut, your body won’t be able to take full advantage of the lignan precursors from the flax seeds (or other plant foods), so be sure to also add raw fermented foods to your daily diet or take a high-quality supplement, esp. if you’ve been on anti-biotics. Here’s an easy recipe for homemade sauerkraut. And I purchased these fermentation jar lids and glass weights to make the process super easy and prevent mold growth.
  • Flax seeds are cheap and easily available, so the addition of at least one tablespoon of ground flaxseeds per day is one very easy habit that if you sustain it for the rest of your life it can have a great impact on optimizing your health.

 

Now, please pass it on! Share this information or blog post with others so they can also benefit from this “miraculous” plant food.

 

References:

  1. Michael Greger, How Not to Die, 2015 (and his website: nutritionfacts.org)
  2. https://draxe.com/10-flax-seed-benefits-nutrition-facts/
  3. https://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/treatments/natural/supplements-herbs/guide/flaxseed.php)
  4. https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/benefits-of-flaxseed#2

 

 

The Only Green Smoothie Recipe You Need to Know

The Only Green Smoothie Recipe You Need to Know

by | Sep 10, 2018 | Brain Health, Energy Practices, Healthy Eating, Recipes, Superfoods

If you want:
  • more energy,
  • more focus
  • improved athletic performance
  • clearer skin,
  • less body fat,
  • slower cell aging,
  • improved digestion, AND
  • a significantly reduced risk of cancer and numerous other diseases
without spending a lot of time or money, …
may I suggest you start making this nutrient-dense green smoothie part of your daily routine?

 

My go-to recipe is packed with nutrition and still tastes great — even my husband thinks so, and he was not even a fan of salads until he met me, smile. However, we all have different taste preferences and depending on the season and where you live, you’ll want to vary the ingredients so I’ll also share the basic formula for a nutrient-dense green smoothie that you can follow to easily whip one up with what you have available.

If you haven’t yet read my blog post: How Much Veggies & Greens do I Really Need to Eat Each Day?, check it out here to learn more about the power of green smoothies.

 

While you’ll find green smoothie recipes all over the internet, my go-to is based on Kimberly Snyder’s Glowing Green Smoothie recipe, with a few add-ins to further boost the nutritional content and a few variations based on what produce I have locally available.

According to Kimberly, who is a clinical nutritionist and author of numerous books including the Beauty Detox Diet:

“In one delicious drink, we get the fuel to not only lose weight, but rejuvenate our skin, fight aging, and increase our energy. It’s so easy, it’s so simple, and it has worked for all my clients, from Hollywood stars to busy moms and schoolteachers.”

 

In my version of the “glowing green smoothie” I swap swiss card for romaine lettuce (because it’s so plentiful where I’m living in Iraq and more nutrient-dense) and I’m currently using frozen spinach instead of fresh because that’s my only option. I also add a little healthy fat in the form of avocado or chia seeds to increase the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins from the greens. And then I always like to add some fresh ginger, cinnamon (for both taste and to help balance blood sugar), and an extra superfood boost such as spirulina or schizandra berry powder for extra antioxidants and other phytonutrients, which also boosts the detox power of my smoothie.

 

So here’s the basic formula that I follow, so you can have fun experimenting with different greens and fruit combos based on what’s in season or cheapest to buy.

 

Basic Smoothie Formula:

  • At least a 2:1 ratio of greens to fruit (or 1:1 when first starting out and up to 3:1 for a super nutrient-dense smoothie)
  • At least 1 packed cup of raw dark leafy greens, or 1/2 cup frozen (Spinach is great for newbies because the taste is mild and it blends up really well even in a normal blender so you won’t even know it’s in there, even if you’re not a spinach fan. Baby kale is another great option when starting out, but it’s best to vary your greens every few weeks and switch between plant families – but there is also nothing wrong with consuming spinach every day unless you’ve previously had calcium oxalate kidney stones and the same goes for kale, unless you’re predisposed to hypothyroidism. Rotating your greens will just ensure you get a wider variety of nutrients. Check out this article if you want to know more about how you should rotate your greens and the plant families.
  • 1 healthy fat (Just a small amount is needed, even one nut would do, to enable the fat-soluble vitamins in the greens to be absorbed. Options include: 1/4 avocado, a few nuts or a spoon of nut butter, chia, hemp or flax seeds – I usually add avocado, chia or hemp seeds.)
  • Liquid base (filtered water, coconut water, or carrageen-free nut or seed “milk” (aka nut juice); I just use water)
  • Extra superfood boost, optional (A superfood is a super nutrient-dense food, such as dark leafy greens. There are many others that I buy in powder form and keep in my pantry to make my smoothie EXTRA nutritious, including: spirulina powder, goji berries, schizandra berry powder, and acai powder (though I prefer the frozen acai packets, but they don’t sell those in Iraq) – I also like to add these to my protein shakes for an added energy boost.) 

 

My Go-To Green Smoothie Recipe:

Ingredients (2 servings):
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1-inch piece of fresh ginger
  • 2 medium pieces of fruit (I often use 1 pear and 1 apple, or 2 pears, or 2 peaches.)
  • ½ a small banana (You can always add a little more after you blend up if you prefer your smoothie a little sweeter, but I find that ½ a small one is plenty to make my smoothie taste good, as long as it’s ripe.)
  • 3-4 cups (or handfuls) of greens* (I am currently using spinach and swiss chard because that’s what I have available)
  • 1 small cucumber (I add a Persian cucumber; you could add ½ a larger one)
  • 1 handful fresh herbs, optional but encouraged (my favorite is cilantro but sadly that is unavailable where I’m living currently so I often use parsley because it’s one of the most nutrient dense foods and great for detoxification. I also love adding dill.)
  • 1 Tbsp organic chia seeds (or other healthy fat, such as ½ avocado, flax, or nut butter)
  • 2 dashes of cinnamon (I love the taste this gives but in cooler weather adding ginger and cinnamon as especially good for their warming properties)
  • 1 heaping tsp organic spirulina powder, or other superfood boost, optional (Spirulina is algae and it does smell and taste like you might imagine algae would, but that’s only on its own. I PROMISE you won’t even taste it in this smoothie – I tested it out on my husband to be sure it wasn’t only my taste buds telling me that (smile). It’s an amazing superfood that is rich in Chlorophyll which helps remove toxins from the blood and boost the immune system,2 among many other health benefits due to its wide array of minerals, trace elements, phytonutrients, and enzymes. The other superfood that I used to add until I ran out of it was schizandra berry powder. Now I’m in the habit of using the whole dried berries to make a daily “tea”)
  • Water (About 1 1/2 cups but I don’t measure, I just pour some and blend, and then add more if needed to reach a nice consistency, or just add extra ice)
  • A few ice cubes, if you like your smoothie chilled (It usually tastes better this way but don’t make it too cold or it can be harder to digest. Also, adding at least one frozen fruit will help to chill the smoothie without watering it down – I usually keep frozen bananas in my freezer for this purpose – which is a great way to save fruit when you have too much and it’s about to become overripe; peaches are another fruit I usually slice and freeze.)

 

Directions:
  1. Pack all ingredients (except frozen banana and ice) into your blend and blend well until you’ve reached a smooth consistency.
  2. Add the frozen banana and ice and blend again to chill your smoothie.
  3. Taste to make sure it’s to your liking. Add a little more banana if you think it needs more sweetness, a little more water if it seems too thick and chunky, or more ice if its not chilled enough. Finally, pour and enjoy! If you don’t have someone to share with you can save the other servings for an afternoon energy boost – best stored in a glass bottle.

 

A Delicious Fall Smoothie Recipe for Picky Eaters:

If you’re not a fan of most greens and vegetables, I suggest starting with this recipe. As long as you like cinnamon and pears, I’m sure you’ll love it!

Ingredients (1 serving):
  • 1 large handful spinach
  • 1/2 frozen banan
  • 1 pear
  • dash of cinnamon
  • 1 cup water

Blend and enjoy! Add a few ice cubes if you like your smoothie more chilled.

Some additional green smoothie pointers:

  1. Invest in a Vitamix. It is an investment in your health and will save you money in the long-run. It is not required for making green smoothies — any blender will do — but the Vitamix makes the smoothies sooo smooth! I used to have a  Ninja and when I switched to the Vitamix it was like night and day! To save money, buy a refurbished one or watch for discounts on Amazon. And you can use it for so much more! I use mine to make homemade nut butters and nut milks, blended soups and so much more! There are so many recipes that you can use your Vitamix for. However, if purchasing a Vitamix is not an option right now, I suggest sticking with softer greens such as spinach and baby kale so the consistency of your smoothie will be smooth (unless you don’t mind drinking a smoothie that’s a little chunky).
  2. Slowly increase your greens. If you currently don’t consume a lot of greens, then it’s best to start off with less and then slowly increase after your body has adjusted. Otherwise, you could end up with bloating and gas, which is normal in the short-term when switching to a more plant-based diet, but slowly increasing your intake of greens you can minimize any unpleasant side-effects.
  3. Chew your smoothies. Make sure when you consume green smoothies that you actually still chew a little and drink slowly to optimize digestion (which starts in the mouth with the enzymes in our saliva). This will help to optimize the assimilation of all the nutrients and prevent bloating or gas.
  4. Choose clean produce. Use organic when possible or at least for those ingredients on the dirty dozen list. Or choose conventional produce that’s not on the dirty dozen list, or better yet, that’s on the clean 15 list. Here’s the EWG’s 2018 dirty dozen list, and the 2018 clean 15.
  5. Rub, don’t just rinse. If you can’t buy organic, don’t just rinse your produce under water but also rub it. Friction helps remove more contaminants from the surface of your produce. You also can use a vegetable brush for the non-leafy produce.1 For those that you can’t rub, like your leafy greens, you can use a 9:1-part water:salt rinse3.
  6. Save time by prepping in advance. To save time in the morning, you can pack all non-frozen ingredients into your blender the night before so you only need to add water, ice and the frozen banana in the morning and blend. You could even blend the night before and pack into bottles to grab and go (the smoothie is good for up to 2 days in the fridge), but I think it tastes best fresh. You could also portion out all ingredients into 5 glass containers for each day of the week on a Sunday afternoon. And for the days you’re short on time, keep frozen spinach and fruit in the freezer — you can easily just toss in a cup of frozen spinach with a cup of frozen mango and a 1/2 a banana for example.

 

References:

1 https://www.oxygenmag.com/nutrition/why-you-should-rethink-your-veggie-intake#gid=ci022529562000260d&pid=wash-vegetables-hyman

2 Dr. Michael Greger, How Not to Die, 2015.

 

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. This is a personal blog written by me, Larissa Popp. This blog is my way of sharing both health tips and things that I love and want others to know about that can help with a healthy lifestyle. I include affiliate links only for products I have tried and love.

How much veggies & greens do you really need to eat each day?

How much veggies & greens do you really need to eat each day?

by | Sep 7, 2018 | Book Insights, Energy Practices, Healthy Eating, Superfoods

How many servings of vegetables did you eat yesterday?

How about dark leafy greens?

Do you even know how many servings you should be consuming to optimize your health and energy?

A serving would be1,4:

  • 1 cup of raw leafy greens or ½ cup cooked greens
  • ½ cup of cooked or raw other vegetables
  • ½ cup of 100% vegetable juice, fresh and without additives

 

While the USDA guidelines recommend between 5-13 servings of fruits AND vegetables a day for optimal health,1 I prefer to follow the independent guidance of health and nutrition experts, including Dr. Mark Hyman and Dr. Michael Greger.

 

According to Dr. Michael Greger, an internationally-renowned nutrition expert and physician, in his book How Not to Die (which I’m currently listening to on Audible and highly recommend), it is recommended to consume at least 5 servings of vegetables per day, including at least 2 servings of leafy greens daily and 1 servings of cruciferous vegetables. He defines a serving size as 1 cup raw greens, ½ cup cooked greens, or ½ cup raw or cooked other vegetables.4

 

Dr. Mark Hyman, in his book “Food: What the Heck Should I Eat?”, recommends between 7-9 servings of vegetables per day (or roughly 4 cups worth), with a focus on slow burning and low glycemic ones that are the most nutritionally dense — which includes: cruciferous vegetables, dark leafy greens (of course!), vegetables from the allium family (garlic, shallots, onion…), high fiber veggies like celery and asparagus, and mushrooms.

 

Dark leafy greens are the healthiest food on the planet based on their nutrient density (havig the most nutrition per calorie), and thus are highly effective for preventing and reversing many chronic diseases (including many types of cancer, heart disease and hypertension, diabetes, and more). Eating more leafy greens is also one of the best ways to increase your ENERGY, with only positive side-effects that include enhanced athletic performance. I highly recommend checking out the documentary Powered by Green Smoothies, which can be viewed for free on Youtube (the full movie was actually uploaded by the producer because that is how much he believes in getting the message out to the world about the power of green smoothies!).

 

I challenge you to just try a self-experiment and see for yourself what happens when you eat more greens.

 

I recently returned from a 3 week visit back to the States — from Kurdistan, Iraq, where I currently live — and I started making green smoothies again each morning for my husband and I, as well as big salads for lunch — which is very different from typical Kurdish cuisine.

 

After just two days of consuming lots of fresh greens and fruit from the smoothies and salads, my husband — who is Kurdish, and had been eating lots of bread, white rice and beans, few fruits and vegetables while I was gone – commented that he was feeling much lighter and more energetic!

 

This is the power of eating greens!

 

You may be wondering, what about the advice to “eat the rainbow”?

While striving to eat a wide array of different colored fruits and vegetables is highly beneficial because pigment is an indication of nutrient content, leafy greens in fact contain many of the other plant pigments (which are simply masked by the high chlorophyll content). Therefore, dark greens actually provide much of the same nutrition (and more) than other vegetables and fruits. “So, in essence, when you’re eating your greens, you’re eating the rainbow,” Dr. Greger states.4

 

Some of the most nutrient-dense greens are: seaweed, parsley, swiss chard, kale, watercress, collards, mustard greens, bok choy, dandelion greens, spinach, arugula (which is especially good for hypertension4), beet greens, sorrel, mesclun mix, turnip greens, and romaine lettuce.3,4,5 If you’re not a fan of dark leafy greens, I encourage you to at least give spinach or baby kale a try in a simple green smoothie, like this one (the fruit completely masks the taste of the spinach).

 

And did you know…? 

…that you can actually LEARN to like new vegetables by initially adding some sweetness? There is phenomenon known as the flavor flavor phenomenon, in which you can change your taste palette by linking a less favorable flavor, such as sour or bitter, with a more pleasant one, such as sweet. So by simply adding a sweet sauce (such as a balsamic glaze or honey Dijon dressing) to bitter greens or blending greens with fruit, you are actually training your taste buds to get used to the true flavor of those greens. After just a few days you can start to like the greens more than before. So green smoothies are not only a great way to consume lots of greens by masking their flavor with sweet fruit, but you’ll actually be training your taste buds to enjoy greens more on their own. Try it!

 

So, if you find it difficult to consume 2 cups of leafy greens each day, I suggest you begin a morning green smoothie habit. I find that this is one of the easiest ways to get a sufficient amount of leafy greens and other nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables in your diet daily. You’ll be able to start your day having already gotten 4-5 servings of fruits and veggies.

 

You would likely never consume the same amount of fruits and vegetables in one sitting if you had to sit and chew it. Digestion is also going to be much easier since the blender already did a lot of the work which means less bloating and gas, and increased nutrient absorption.

 

We are not simply what we eat. We are what we digest.

 

Did you know…?

…that many people these days have impaired digestive systems or just don’t chew their food well enough, so often many nutrients from the food are not absorbed and just pass right through without being utilized by the body.

 

If you’ve never tried a green smoothie, don’t be turned off by the contents or color – my husband actually loves the green smoothies I make and I put a LOT of greens (which he does not love on their own). I even sneaked in some spirulina powder (a type of algae that’s considered a superfood) that I brought back from the U.S. and he didn’t even notice a difference in the taste.

 

Want to try my go-to green smoothie recipe? Or learn some tips for upgrading your current green smoothie? Check out my blog post: The Only Green Smoothie Recipe You Need to Know.

 

 

References: 

1 https://www.huffingtonpost.com/irene-rubaumkeller-/fruit-vegetable-servings_b_926400.html

2 https://www.fmtv.com/media/uploads/downloads/heal-yourself-masterclass-fridge-bundle.pdf

3 https://www.myfooddata.com/articles/most-nutrient-dense-foods.php#more-high-nutrient-foods

4 Dr. Michael Greger, How Not to Die, 2015.

5 https://www.drfuhrman.com/library/eat-to-live-blog/128/andi-food-scores-rating-the-nutrient-density-of-foods