How to Build a Smoothie

                    

Do you struggle with getting enough veggies in yourself or your family? A simple way to help your body get the veggies in for the day are smoothies. Maybe during the cold weather you weren't interested in smoothies, well now is great time to start them! 

The fiber and nutrients in the smoothie each day will give you energy and vitality! Since the blender breaks everything down, that makes a smoothie a perfect first daily meal since it's easy on the digestive tract. It's fast and easy to put together if you are just running out the door as well!

The important part is knowing how to build your smoothie. You need a few factors to be aware of:

1) Nutrition: you'll want a good selection of veggies and fruit; more veggies than fruit, especially leafy greens; that's the bonus of a smoothie, getting all of those nutrients in easily; 2-3 handfuls of leafy greens; also rotate your greens in your smoothies for optimal nutrition, that's really important. Too much of a good thing can turn bad, think wide variety.

Do not limit yourself. Try all different fruits and veggies in your smoothie. Keep in mind some are better cooked a bit first. Use fresh and frozen.

For leafy greens try: kale, baby spinach, mustard greens, collard greens, Swiss Chard, bok choy, or lettuce. Always buy your greens organic, they are heavily sprayed with toxic herbicides, fungicides, and pesticides.

Have some fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro in the fridge, throw them in there! Herbs are super cleansing and good for you! 

To sneak in even extra vitamins and minerals, you can try superfood powders. These include a multitude of dried greens like kale or broccoli, as well as foods like Camu Camu, goji berries, and often probiotics and enzymes too, all good for digestive health. Make sure it's certified gluten free if you are sensitive. Do NOT do superfood powders if you are allergic to grasses. There's usually quite a bit of them in there, so do avoid them if that is the case for you. I really like Healthforce Nutritionals Vitamineral Green, Ormus Greens, and Green Smoothie Girl. 

I add 1-2 tbsps of organic unrefined coconut oil in mine for healthy fat, detoxification, and fat burning. 

2) Taste: understanding what flavors compliment each other is helpful; Everyones tastes are different though. 

Know berries are great for flavor, but not sweetness. Tropical fruit like bananas, mango, and pineapple have more natural sugar, and it doesn't take much of those. 

I also like dates, a little raw organic local honey, and organic liquid stevia. Go for fruit to sweeten though when possible for the fiber. Fiber slows down that sugar release in the body. 

It's also fun to include other items for flavor like organic raw cacao (raw chocolate powder), organic ground cinnamon, ginger root or organic ground ginger, organic ground cardamom, or organic ground pumpkin spice. 

3) Texture: So most people want their smoothie a little creamy. Good add ins are bananas, avocado, nut butters, chia seeds (awesome nutritional bonus for fiber, calcium, and omega 3 fatty acids), whole organic coconut milk, whole organic coconut cream, and fresh coconut meat/flesh.

4) Liquid Base: You can really get creative here, but a liquid is definitely needed for all to move in the blender. My favorite is water because it's always there and it's inexpensive. 

You can also use milk, dairy based or not. Keep in mind store bought non-dairy milks have a lot of yucky additives unless they are homemade. I will use whole, organic store bought coconut milk by Native Forest. Whole Foods has it, but you can buy it cheaper here. 

If you go for a dairy based milk choose raw, grass fed if you can, and if not, grass fed, whole fat, only pasteurized (never homogenized and ultra pasteurized. Read why here.) You can also use organic, raw coconut water, or even herbal tea. 

5) Protein: So unless you are a wizard at combining just the right amounts of amino acids with your fruits and veggies, you'll need to add a protein if this is a meal replacement. 

My three favorite protein choices are hemp seeds, grass fed gelatin + raw almond butter, and Green Smoothie Girl Protein Powder. 

I love my Green Smoothie Girl Protein Powder because it's USDA organic, gluten free, sugar free, soy free, vegan, Paleo friendly, and raw. So it's completely junk free and only has 3 ingredients: pea protein, hemp protein, and Maca root! You can get it here.

6) Blenders: Well the most important thing is that you have one! I have a Vitamix and I love it. You'll never buy another blender again. A Vitamix is in a class called high speed blenders. All parts, labor, and customer service are sourced in the USA, if that kinda thing matters to you.

No, a Ninja or even a NutriBullet are not high speed blenders, they are good choices, but not high speed, no matter what anyone tells you. 

Another high speed blender is the Blendtec. My close friends have one and love it. 

Just make sure you have a blender. The biggest difference is with smoothies on a regular basis, you may burn out your regular blender. 

Hope that simplifies things for you and doesn't complicate them. Just throw stuff in the blender, experiment, and have fun! So proud of you for trying to eat well!

Helping you to be a good steward of your health! ~Marie A. Ligorria, HHC

Ladies, need help getting healthy? Need a friend, accountability partner, a helping hand to get your gut right? Check out my health coaching options here.

There are some affiliate links throughout my blog. A purchase through them is never required, but if you do, Kingdom Health, gets to keep a small percentage, which helps keep my mission of good stewardship for the Kingdom going, thank you!

Need Magnesium?

We need lots of vitamins and minerals to thrive. Magnesium is one of them. The best way to take in our nutrients is through our foods. Even a whole foods based supplement cannot compare with the food The Lord has given us. No, Centrum doesn't cut it. It's a rock that doesn't break down. Stop wasting your money.

There are lots of foods that contain magnesium like bananas, beans, lentils, brown rice, oats, quinoa, avocados, nuts, seeds, spinach, sea veggies, and more. 

Magnesium is a mineral that acts as a catalyst for so many areas of the body to function properly. We need it for regulating blood sugar, to eliminate properly, strength of the heart, for energy, as well strength and form of bones and teeth. The recommended daily allowance is 300-400mg.

 A vitamin D deficiency severely effects our magnesium levels. Be sure to supplement with a good vitamin D3 like pure drops in chocalciferol form or Garden of Life Raw D3. Most adults need at least 5000 IUs of D3 daily.

Magnesium deficiencies can be very dangerous. As you can see magnesium is a mineral found in plant foods. If yours or your child's diet is lacking in plant foods then you are highly likely to be deficient. Also depleted soils that are not mineral rich especially for conventionally grown crops is a problem. Organic or sustainably grown is a much better bang for your nutritional buck.

If you get headaches, have sleep issues, muscle or leg cramps, have chronic fatigue or nausea, you may be deficient.

Another super way to absorb magnesium is through the skin. This is easily done by using a magnesium gel or spray. Sure you can buy them, but they cost a ton. Here's how to make your own below.

Magnesium Spray

You'll need:

1/2 Cup Magnesium Chloride Flakes

1/2 Cup Distilled Water

4oz Glass Spray Bottle

Boil the water

Turn off the heat when it reaches a boil

Pour the flakes into the water

Stir until the flakes dissolve 

Let the water cool

Using a funnel pour the solution into the bottle

Once it's ready you can use it daily. The best place to spray it is on your stomach. You can spray it on your legs too. Use it after you shower or bathe so your pores are nice and open to receive it well. This is great for kids too! It's really difficult to get too much magnesium.

As always I'm your holistic health counselor, be healthy, be blessed, and be a good steward!

Simple Healthy Haircare

Just like skin, we need to not treat, but nourish our hair. Our daily diet affects our hair directly and no amount of chemically made product is going to condition, moisturize, or improve the health of our hair. We must eat right to produce good results. If we are starving our bodies our hair will starve too. Malnutrition doesn't refer to a lack of food being consumed. It refers to a lack of nutrients. Stress is also a large factor with hair health, specifically growth and loss. 

So lets talk about foods for the hair. Our hair, just like the rest of our body, needs to eat! The hair thrives from a wide variety of foods. The main minerals and vitamins our hairs needs are: vitamins B & C, the proteins keratin and collagen, iron, silica, lycopene, omega fatty acids, and antioxidants. Below I will provide a list of foods with the nutrients that they provide. Keep in mind you'll get maximum nutrients with high qualities of these foods, specifically raw and organic or wild.

What to Eat for Healthy Tresses

Keratin (strength and growth): garbanzo beans, eggs, kale, walnuts, almonds

Biotin (B vitamin for growth): halibut, cucumbers, goats milk, strawberries, blueberries, carrots, almonds, walnuts, Swiss chard, and avocado

Other B Vitamins (prevents hair loss): dark leafy greens, eggs, poultry, salmon, whole fat yogurt

Iron (growth): dark leafy greens, nuts, beans, salmon, poultry, eggs

Silica (retains moisture and strength): leeks, green beans, garbanzo beans, cucumber, celery, and strawberries

Omega 3 Fatty Acids (gives moisture): salmon, walnuts, hemp seeds, flaxseeds, chia seeds

Lycopene (antioxidant that helps maintain levels of collagen): watermelon, tomatoes, red bell peppers

Tips to Be Aware of with Foods

There are two types of iron: heme (animal sourced iron) and non-heme (plant sourced iron). The body can actually absorb heme better, the chance of levels becoming toxic are higher. Non- Heme iron is easier for the body to regulate, which is less likely to store up and toxify the body.

What to Stay Away From

Caffeine: reduces absorption of non-heme iron

Excess Calcium: too much of this mineral, especially from processed milk from the grocery store, can inhibit iron absorption; do not ever supplement with calcium if it is not 100% necessary; if you ever do supplement with make sure it from a plant source like algae.

Phytic Acid: some plants contain phytic acid like nuts, seeds, grains, and beans; certain plants contain higher levels; it reduces non-heme iron absorption; a way to reduce phytic acid is to soak your nuts, seeds, and beans beforehand.

Good Supplements for Healthy Hair

Collagen: this is a protein found in the body in our bones. It breaks down over time due to stress and poor diet. Its very important for strengthening hair and it promotes growth. The best source is a sea sourced hydrolyzed supplement from wild fish bones. You can find it sourced from cows and pigs, but I would stay away from those due to toxins and lack of knowledge about antibiotics and hormones.

Aloe: a drinkable aloe supplement is very beneficial because it helps absorb B vitamins and it will add moisture.

Haircare

Often times our hair and skin are victims of over washing. We live in a culture that is obsessed with getting rid of germs and bacteria. A little dirt never hurt anyone, it sure has helped several people though. I cannot stress enough how vital a healthy gut is to our immune systems. That requires trillions upon trillions of good bacteria. When we take antibiotics and eat poorly....oh I digress, back to hair. The over washing makes our hair dry and brittle. That is because the chemicals in the water, I highly doubt you are using a shower filter, strip our hair of moisture and natural oils. Same with our skin. Try to wash your hair every other, or even every two days if possible.

There are so many hair products on the market mainstream and organic. The problem is with organic products its hard to know who to trust since there are no clear or strict guidelines. The word organic without the USDA seal of approval really means nothing. So a hair product can have organic written on it 50 times and it still doesn't really matter. As the consumer we are left with buyer beware. It's kind of disconcerting if you really care about where your money goes, who you are supporting, as well as what goes on your head and the heads of your children.

The buying of hair products can get extra interesting when food allergies or intolerances are hanging out as well. Yes, if you have food allergies, especially to gluten, do be aware of what goes on your head! It makes a huge difference. Remember these things are going on our scalps, and it goes into our blood streams. I do think there are a few trustworthy lines available. It goes without saying that a hefty price tag is sometimes attached.

As a mom and follower of Yeshua, I really do take these little things to heart and pray. It's not worth stressing over though. I've watched moms literally stress over which products to purchase at the health food store where I work. Nonetheless these products are bought with God's money going on the houses for His Holy Spirit so we want to be responsible. I can share with you a couple brands that I have researched, feel comfortable with, and/or have used. I havent used all of them. Honestly, I've tried to make my own, and I haven't been satisfied yet, but will let you know if I become successful. Any brands I list are also gluten free. It's too arduous to go through every product line that isn't labeled gluten free. There are too many ingredients and terms that are disguised with crazy jargon you'd never know was gluten. Save yourself the trouble and only buy products with the gluten free label.

Safe Brands

• Honey Bee Gardens

• Alaffia

• Hugo Naturals

• Surface

• Desert Essence

• JR Ligetts Shampoo Bars

• Latherandlove.com shampoo bar

Major Toxins in Hair Products

You want to be on the look out for the following toxins. When you see these you automatically know to move onto the next bottle:

• Sodium Laurel/Laureth Sulfate: overly processed detergent that after processing contains carcinogens

• 2,5 Diamine Toluene Sulfate: toxin linked to blood disorders

• Peg-3 Cocamide: carcinogenic foaming agent

• Aminomethyl Proponal: pH adjuster usually used at much higher than safe levels

• Parabens: preservatives linked to neurological disorders and cancer

Final Odds and Ends

I usually wash my hair every other day. During one day of washing, usually mid-week I do a baking soda wash and vinegar rinse. It's a safe and inexpensive way to rid your scalp of excess product, brings hair back to life, and makes the hair shiny. I don't use shampoo or conditioner this day, other than possibly a little conditioner on my ends. To deep condition my hair, usually twice a week I massage organic, unrefined, virgin coconut oil into my scalp, and all through my hair. I sleep on it in a shower cap, and wash it out in the morning.

To wash with baking soda use 1 part baking soda and three parts water. Try 2 Tbsp baking soda and 6 Tbsp water. Mix it in a small bowl or jar into a paste. Rub into hair and scalp, let sit for 1-2 minutes. Rinse in the shower. To rinse with vinegar you need 1 part water and 1 part raw apple cider vinegar, like Braggs. Try 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup of vinegar in a jar, shake to mix well. Then pour onto hair slowly all over your head. You can add 5-6 drops of essential oils for a more pleasant scent, maybe try lavender or rose.  Do not rinse. Dry and style as usual.

For styling I use argan oil like a gel. It keeps the frizz down, and argan oil is great for hair health. It's not too heavy or greasy. I've also been using Honey Bee Gardens alcohol free hair spray and I really like it. Hugo naturals has a hair gel that I'd like to try out. I will let you know if I do :) For guys a tip I picked up watching a documentary, which I currently can't remember the name of, was to use UNPETROLEUM JELLY (not to be confused with petroleum jelly), for hair pomade. Any good health food store should carry that product. It's made up of healthy oils.

What do you do to keep your hair healthy?