Does food really impact our day-to-day life that much? Absolutely! You’re body is constantly taking cues from your environment (Everything you breathe, eat, drink, and think) and responding to these accordingly. One fascinating study from 2004 found that after eating a sausage mcmuffin and 2 hash browns from mcdonalds, participants blood levels of inflammatory markers elevated dramatically within an hour, AND STAYED ELEVATED FOR AT LEAST 3 MORE HOURS! Then it is time for another meal. Think about this, no wonder we are so inflamed as a society. Food is Medicine!
Beets are a vegetable I’ve been obsessed with the past several months. I love the taste on a salad or in a smoothie. The bright color reminds me of all the polyphenols in beets providing anti-oxidant protection along with a healthy dose of nitrates. Nitrates can help blood vessels relax, improving blood pressure, and increasing blood flow. As we age, we don’t make as much nitric oxide, so regularly consuming beets makes nutritional sense.
If you’re interested in learning more about the health benefits of beets, check out this article! Here is the smoothie recipe I’ve been eating at least twice a week for the past several months. The fresh ginger adds a little kick and tastes great with the blueberries. It’s based on the smoothie recipe from the cookbook I’ve referenced in prior newsletters: Run Fast, Eat Slow with a couple of Hansen Health additions.
1 cooked beet
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 frozen banana (preferably organic)
1 cup almond milk
1 cup water (or coconut water for extra hydration)
1 inch knob of fresh ginger, peeled
2 TBSP almond butter
2 TBSP Ground Flaxseed
2 TBSP ground Chia seeds
1 handful of organic baby spinach
Add all in the blender and blend until smooth. To cook the beets, I recommend boiling, covered for 15-20 minutes until they are easily pierced with a knife. Run cold water over them to peel away the skin.
Other recipe notes: The flaxseed has some hormone balancing effects for both Men and Women, and the chia seeds are great for hydration. If you try this, let me know what you think!
