Green Drink

Salads are wonderful. As a gardener and vegetable lover, I love salads. In fact, if I had to write a list of favorite summer things, salads would be on it. (The rest of the year here is just too cold to eat large, fresh salads!) But I have a not-so-secret secret: my favorite way to eat my veggies is to drink them.

This past week has been unseasonably warm. Normally we're approaching fall here, which means cool, crisp September days. Our current highs have been in the upper 80s and 90s, full of humidity. In order to avoid turning on the stove - and to get cool refreshments into our system - we've been enjoying smoothies galore.  Mom doesn't usually measure quantities so gathering recipes can be difficult. (She is a master in the kitchen, an intuitive food genius - a talent that I did not inherit, except, perhaps, for pasta dishes.) But, consider yourselves lucky! I managed to get this homemade recipe off of her.

Since we use a Vitamix, I cannot promise how this drink will come out in a regular blender. Odds are, it will not be as smooth and well-blended. (Hopefully just as delicious. though!)

Ingredients:
3 large leaves of organic kale. (Remove the leafy greens from the spine and stem. Do what you will with the stem and spine of the kale - composting is great! - but you'll want the greens for this).
1 handful of organic baby spinach
1/2 organic pear juice
2 cups water
3 cups of frozen organic mixed fruit (mango, pineapples, and strawberries).

Yield: ~32oz (4 8-ounce glasses)

Additions:
My family and I are used to some pretty green smoothies. We started off with berry smoothies and progressively migrated to green, vegetable-filled ones. For us this is sweet enough as-is; however, others might find it is not what they are used to. Sweetness can be added by putting in organic honey  or increasing the quantity of berries and fruit. 1/2 of a frozen ripe banana (one that was allowed to sugar) can also be used as additional sweetener. Keep in mind with more frozen fruits used, it might become necessary to check the consistency of the drink after blending in order to thin it with more water.

I also do not recommend this drink as a meal. Often we drink this as a side to our meal for our vegetables, or the precursor to our meal, to get the digestive system going in the morning before protein. We never drink our smoothies without following with a protein of some kind. Protein is hugely important in preventing blood sugar spikes, including ones caused by natural sugars in fruits.Another thing we often do is drop in 1/2 an avocado for healthy fat. Healthy fats also decrease blood sugar spikes and help satiate you. Plus healthy fats in a diet help to maintain good nerve health. With a family history of nerve disorders and Alzheimer's, and more...I want to keep myself like a well-oiled machine. (Pun not intended, I swear! ;) ) In case you're interested in trying avocados in the drink, know that avocados will give the drink a smooth consistency and may give it a "greener" taste (although we haven't experienced this). If it is too much, add in more fruit. Eventually you'll accustom to it. My suggestion would be to try the drink without the avocado first, with any other adjustments, and then add in the avocado. It's easier to not-add than to take-away!

Happy drinking!

You're Melon me Jealous

I couldn't help myself.

One of my favorite parts about summer is fresh fruits and veggies. New England does not bode well to either of these 3/4 of the year. Summer is our only season - and a painfully miniscule short one. My family and I always stock up. We flock to farmer's markets, supermarkets, and local farmers to get fresh, in-season fruits and veggies. What we cannot eat, we freeze or bake. (We eat a lot.)

For my mother and I, our go-to summer breakfast starts off with a green drink or juice. Something quick to get a jolt of nutrients into our hungry cells and give our digestive system the ol' kick-in-the-pants start up. To make our juices we use a powerful juicer - Wolfgang Puck Juice Press - so that we squeeze the most out of the greens, veggies, and fruits used. For our smoothies, though, we use our Vitamix. We've had our Vitamix for at least 12 years and it is still kicking - I cannot imagine not having it! We use it for everything. (Homemade almond and cashew milk, homemade flours and nut-meals, soups, smoothies, and more!) It is so powerful that you waste nothing. Mom drops in whole fruits and veggies, giving us the full potency of all of its healthful goodness.

Our beloved drinks include a apple-carrot juice or a green drink (consisting of greens and other veggies, sweetened only with an apple or some berries). Mom has gotten to the point where she does not use a recipe book. She grabs whatever vegetables and fruits are lying around and throws together the perfect combination. I bow to her culinary skills. (The only "fly by the seat of my pants" cooking I do is with grilled cheese and pasta dishes.) Every drink is an entirely new creation.

Next to an amazing cucumber drink she made recently, Mom's latest combo is my new favorite! (Side note: I highly recommend trying any smoothie that includes cucumber - you will rarely find a more refreshing summer drink!)  This time she wrote down the instructions so we can make it again.

Now I'm passing it along to you.

Ingredients
1 cup coconut water *
1 whole small watermelon
1 whole small cantaloupe melon
1 whole small honey dew melon


* While any coconut water can be used, my family and I have a favorite. For years we were forcing - or, uh, trying unsuccessfully to force - ourselves to drink several other brands. They made us gag. The didn't taste like coconut. They all tasted funky, disgusting. They just weren't good.  This one, though! Oh my goodness. Taste Nirvana's Real Coconut Water with pulp (packaged in glass) is amazing. Although it is not organic, the company does attempt to have a more eco-friendly business. Plus, it was refreshing, revitalizing, and incredibly flavorful - just like coconut water should be. My local health food store has me addicted.

Instructions
1. Dice the whole small watermelon, cantaloupe, and honey dew melons.

2. Mix the three together in one huge bowl or storage container, so that they form a mixed melon dish.

3. Place 4 cups of this mixed melon mixture into a blender or Vitamix.

4. Add 1 cup of coconut water

5. Blend until smooth, frothy, and well-combined. When complete, pour into glasses, kick up your feet, grab a good book and sip your way into paradise bliss! Enjoy as summer sweetness dances upon your tongue. You won't regret it!

Serving size: roughly three tall glasses (~12oz each) of juice.

**Drink within 24 hours to maintain nutritional benefit.

It's Getting Hot in Here

My parents are very giving people. They're always willing to lend a hand when they can. Endlessly they share insight, wisdom and talents. Mom's researched dozens of times for people out of her on volition. Dad has run down the street to help a struggling neighbor just as much. For me and my brothers they give up everything, especially their love and their time.

This...this time I could have done without their generosity.

They have given onto me a well-wrapped, perfectly presented virus.

(Haha. Get it? "It's Getting Hot in Here." Hot equals fever. No? Not funny? Okay. Just a bit of delirious humor for your morning.)

Casualties include: my sleep, two boxes of tissues, mental clarity, my nose,  and possibly my sanity. For a future doctor, I'm a pretty lousy sick person. The truth: I'm a bit of a whiny baby. All I want do is be able to breath clearly, sip some tea, pop in a comfort film, and curl up and sleep the sickness away. That's it.

Thank God I don't suffer flu and colds often.

This year there is a nasty set of viruses going around. Everyone I know seems to be laid up for weeks, unable to shake it. Those who shake it early seem to get knocked upside the head with a new one just after! One virus settles in and vacates and another that was lying dormant rears its head. (This happened to me; I'm currently recovering from virus #2. Like, what is this? I refuse to be a breeding ground for virus replication! Cells, whatchu doin'?! Get on this!) My family and I are fairing better than others. We'll have only been down a week each - and luckily not all at once!

While I cannot claim to know 100% why we're doing as well as we are when our friends and acquaintances are struggling for weeks or even months to bounce back, I do attribute it to a few factors. (Disclaimer: This is only my own opinion, so don't take my word for it. I'm not promoting any of these, claiming them to be cures or encouraging individuals to take them, particularly without a doctor's consent.) Our diet is full of nutrients and very little processed foods; throughout the entire year we all take immune-boosting and supporting herbs;  we supplement vitamin D, especially while we're ill, as we tend to have low D levels; crushed, fresh, uncooked garlic in raw honey on toast is a daily snack when we're sick, something Dr. Andrew Weil swears by; Oscillococcinum and Umcka are our go-to cold and flu virus care treatments, as well as Elderberry, Olive Leaf Extract, Echinacea and Oregon Grape Root.

As I ramp up the Wellness-Mobile into hyper-drive to get over this last leg of illness, I was reflecting on the non-food/herb/supplement tricks in our household for making sickliness less miserable. Here are some fantastic, harmless tips to keep your cold or flu less miserable:

•  Nasal congestion? Prop up your bed! Dad has been doing this for me since I was little. Stuffing a few extra pillows under the mattress puts the bed on an incline, making it a bit easier to breath. I have done the whole "sleep propped up on pillows" thing and find propping  up the mattress much easier on my neck and back.
  
  
  
• Nasal steam baths. Super simple! There are instructions all over the internet for this, so do a little research and find one you like. The basics are: boil some water on the stove, remove the pot from the heat, stick your head over it, cover both the pot and your head with a towel (making a tent) and inhale through your nose. This really helps me with nasal congestion.
  
  Like I said before, there are many different instructions on the internet. Some of these suggest scented nasal steam baths, some do not. In the past I have used apple cider vinegar and water nasal baths, as well as eucalyptus. Before trying something, I recommend doing a little research, talk to local health food stores, and talk to a medical practitioner of some sort (herbalist, allopathic doctor or naturopath for example).
  
• Stay hydrated! This is probably totally self explanatory, but I had to include it. It really helps you feel better. It is also great for drainage of mucus.
  
• Coconut oil on raw noses. Have you ever tried applying moisturizer to a tissue-beaten nose? Youch! That baby stings. Coconut oil is a painless way to moisturize and heal that area. (I haven't tried Calendula, but supposedly that is good on skin irritations, too. I'm just not sure if it is safe around your nose and mouth. That would be something to check with a health store or herbal practitioner in order to know for sure. I know coconut oil is.)
  
• Honey in tea. Plain ol' sugar will not do the job here. The honey soothes and coats a raw throat. Tea can be medicinal and aid in health promotion, or it can be simply healing through the experience of tea.There's something relaxing and warming about holding a mug of tea, its scented vapors wafting into one's nose. (Whether or not you can smell the said vapors, it doesn't matter.)
  
  
  
• Natural, non-medicated saline nasal spray with aloe. This is great for stuffed nose nightmares! When I am sick, not only do I get congested, but sometimes that congestion dries my nose. The spray aids in clearing congestion while at the same time soothing irritated nasal passageways.
  
  
  
• Plenty of rest. I learned long ago that, for me anyway, pushing myself too much when I was ill only made the sickness stay. Now I no longer fight my body's desire to sleep or lay around. Listen to your body; give it the TLC it needs.
  
• Move around. Movement helps lymphatic drainage which is super important. If you're like me and feel too much like crap to move, do a little self massage. Something as simple as stroking (with slight pressure) down your neck helps to drain that area. I learned this a long time ago when I became terribly ill, huge, swollen lymph nodes and all; a massage therapist showed me and my father how we could help my lymph system drain. This video here by Massage By Heather shows some self-massage drainage techniques for head congestion. I really appreciate her video because it informs people that there are contraindications (listed on her blog) and to check those before starting. This is always important!

Share your tips and tricks in the comments! 

Honesty Corner: Let's Talk About Inspiration

I want to get a bit of honesty in. Get a little heavy. Dig deep.

Currently I am an undergraduate student majoring in Health Sciences with a double minor in Biology and Holistic Health. From here, my goal is graduate school - two of them to be precise: naturopathic medical school and then allopathic medical school. I'll be a double doctor when I come out: ND/MD. It's a long road ahead of me, but I'm super excited. There is nothing else I could see myself doing - not even my beloved art and writing. Don't get me wrong, I still plan on doing both! I plan to publish. I plan to sell and give away my art. I plan to share these talents with as many people who can enjoy them and get happiness from them. But as my lifepath, helping people reach their best potential, to live their best life, is a passion of mine. One important piece of living your best life is having good health.

One of my high school teachers once told me that to the best way to make it through college and all of it's rigors was to find a passion for it. Have a goal.

I'm a biology nerd and a health nut.

Giving the gift of good-health is my way of giving back to people. And I like to help people. Humanity is a collective effort. I've always felt we're all here to help each other and everything, in small ways and big ways. If I'm not in service to others  in some way - whether it be people, animals, nature, the world -  I feel lost. But I've got to be honest: my passion runs even deeper than that.

If you've seen my fashion posts then you've seen what looks to be a vibrant, happy, healthy young woman. The truth is...well, that isn't always so. I do tend to be happy and vibrant. I love life! But even with that happiness, most of the time my days are riddled with debilitating pain and fatigue, overcome with waves of anxiety, and plagued with migraines that come on at random and stay longer than they're welcome. There's no defined trigger. It all just comes on out of no where, without warning. Most days I barely have the energy to make it through a school day. In high school, the only reason I graduated was because of a 504 plan. I had no idea how I'd make it through college. There's been a few times I've worried I'd have to drop out. But it's three years in and four semesters of Dean's List grades later and I haven't thrown in the towel yet!

The doctors don't know what's wrong with me. They've run a bunch of tests. They're trying to figure things out. Some of them admit they know I have something, they just don't know what. And most of them? Well, most of the doctors have just given up on me. They say I look normal. I've had doctors tell me I have no right to be in their office, when they have cancer patients waiting to see them. As if my health doesn't matter because they aren't scraping me off the floor yet. (To be clear: many members of my family have had cancer, I am incredibly aware of the struggles and pain that comes along with that illness - the last thing I would ever do is take away from their treatment) I have sat in a chair, facing a doctor, and had them tell me that a). I am not ill, that maybe it is psychological or b). they have no idea how to help me, they've given up, they just don't know where to go anymore and then politely shown me the door. They tell me this will be the rest of my life. I'm 20 years old. They've sentenced me to the prison of my own body for the rest of my life.

I can't run, bike, hike, swim, horseback ride, stay up late, spend hours out with friends, make my own bed, or drive beyond 30 minutes on a good day, 5 on a bad day. There are days I cannot even walk or stand. There are many days I cannot write by hand because of arthritic symptoms. Some days I am so tired I cannot make it out of bed. Some days it is a minute-by-minute struggle to keep my eyes open. Some days I am so riddled with pain that the only thing I can do is lie on a heating pack. After having a good day, where I am a bit more active and have some energy, whatever I do that day becomes repercussions for the next. Whatever groceries I lifted become my source of pain tomorrow. The fatigue has always been part of my life at some level - I never had the sustained energy that most of my peers had. But the muscular pain and arthritic symptoms? They just came on one day. Between the years of 11 and 13, my life progressively stopped.

Most people don't know this.

The majority of my friends who do know, don't really know the severity of it.

To say my health has impact my life is, by far, an understatement. Passions I have - small things like drama (the acting kind), swimming, horseback riding, getting a job - are impossible right now. My friendships have suffered. I don't make friends too frequently. All because I do not always have the energy to pour into them. The weirdest thing for me to admit is this: this has become my normal. It's not a normal I want to accept. But I have lived with it so long that some days I forget that other people's lives aren't like mine. Sometimes I forget there is another normal.

It isn't all singing the blues, though! We're wackadoodles, remember? Through and through! Part of that is taking the curve-balls life throws at you and making them sparkle like diamonds.

I have two amazing parents. They raised me with three things: an inclination for optimism, undying determination and a wicked sense of humor. So for every bought of depression I do face, there is a light. While some of my passions are unattainable at current, other ones such as my art, my writing, scrapbooking, photography, reading, knitting, gardening have all grown over the years due to my inability to attain the others. Being ill taught me creativity. It taught me to be comfortable in being with myself. And while I couldn't always meet friends out-and-about, I have made a few good friends and become closer to friends I already had, thanks to social media (facebook, blogger, twitter, role play websites). I have learned, practiced and fallen in love with meditation. I have grown stronger and deeper in my spirituality. Because of my experiences, and my parents, I also have an incredible capability to laugh at myself and at my hardships. It is the best resilience tool I have in my "Getting Through" toolbox.  

(My parents and I have always been determined to say that I have an illness, it does not have me.)

The biggest thing that my illness has given to me, though, is my passion. My inspiration. Every day it just gets stronger.

Being ill downright sucks pond water. Not going to lie there. I never stop hunting for the ability to not be sick. But I am grateful for it, in some strange way, because it has taught me compassion for those who are suffering. I've been there, in those shoes, I know what it's like. Being ill gave me a passion to want to help stop suffering. It's taught me how I don't want to treat my patients as much as it has taught me how I do want to treat them. (I will never give up on a patient, that's for sure!) I've progressively learned how to be my own advocate - baby step by baby step.  I've gone down an endless path of healthful eating, filled with delicious vegetables, creative meals and organic, locally grown foods. I've learned there is a place for both allopathic and naturopathic medicine, and that the two can live in harmony.

I do have a few doctors who are still working hard with me, not giving up. The main ones are a naturopath and allopathic doctor duo who work as a team. They treated me for Lyme Disease, Bartonella, Babesiosis and Ehrlichiosis, both with allopathic means (pharmaceuticals) and herbals. With each treatment, I improved a small bit. But I am still no where near better. (If this is how well I am now, you can imagine what I was before. I was well on my way to being wheel-chair bound and a forced couch potato.) Right now, though, they're putting together pieces of a puzzle that are promising. Good health appears to be on the horizon!

That gift of excitement, promise, and hope - that's what inspires me. To be able to look at a patient who has been suffering and tell them how we as a team can improve their life, perhaps even cure it. That is priceless.

Being a doctor is being a private investigator. There are clues to be sniffed out, pieces of the puzzle to find and lock in place. Solving the case means giving someone their life back. For me, that's the ultimate reward.

I've always enjoyed a good mystery.

What inspires you?