Michelle Meiklejohn

We make blueberry smoothies every morning to go with our oatmeal, or eggs, yogurt or whatever we make for breakfast.  The blueberries are refreshing and sweet and are a great way to start the day! We get frozen blueberries from Intervale Blueberry Farm out of Cherryfield, Maine through Rock-Op Coop. I hope next summer we’ll pick our own blueberries and freeze them.

Ingredients:

1 cup frozen blueberries
1 banana (preferably frozen)
1 heaping tablespoon raw almond or macademia nut butter
2.5 cups water
1 tablespoon flax seeds

The frozen fruit makes it nice and creamy. Of course add other fruit if you have some, or throw in a few leafs of greens like chard, or kale.  The blueberries mask the green color so your kids will never know  it’s there. (Don’t put too much or it gets brown.) I mix mine up in a vitamix blender which has a really high speed, but any blender will do. Enjoy!

Although getting colds and flus is sometimes unavoidable, don’t surrender to getting sick! Washing your hands to prevent germs from getting inside of you is critical, but once they do, there are many things you can do to fight them off.  Strengthening your immune system can stop bugs in their tracks and help you feel better faster. Here are some things you can do everyday:  

Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Your white and red blood cells fight off infection so you need to keep them in tip top shape. Antioxidants in fruits and vegetables help keep cells healthy by repairing them so they fend off and attack nasty bugs.   

Avoid sugar. Sugar destroys the ability of our white blood cells to kill germs for up to five hours after eating. It also interferes with the absorbtion of vitamin C – an antioxidant which protects our cells.  

Keep hydrated. Cold air and dry heat can dry out your mucus membranes which provide a natural barrier to infection. Turn your heat down and you may save yourself from getting sick and save some energy at the same time.   

Be kind to your gut. Your intestines play a major part of your immune system and are host to trillions of bacteria. Optimize your ratio of good bacteria to bad bacteria by eating whole foods, and fermented foods such as miso or sauerkraut, kefir and yogurt and take a good probiotic. 

Eat immune-boosting foods like garlic and ginger everyday! Garlic helps multiply infection-fighting white blood cells and is an antioxidant which reduces free radicals in your blood stream. Ginger is anti-viral and helps increase sweat production to help you sweat out toxins.    

For more on how you can boost your immune system join me and Dr. Margaux French on Thursday, January 21 from 7:00pm – 9:00 pm for a cooking and wellness class in Portsmouth.  Check out my blog for more details on classes and keep any eye out for more tips to boost your immunity.

It’s impossible to “make” time, so forget about adding things to your plate in the new year and try to prioritize the things that are already on your list, like eating.  If your health is important, “saving” time out of your busy day is one of the best investments you’ll ever make.   

Save time in your busy day to take of yourself and eat well!

If you spend as little as 10 percent of your day (1.6 hours  or 96 minutes based on a 16 hour day) eating healthier meals, versus skipping them, running out the door with a pop tart, or eating fast food, your investment will pay off in the short term and the long term.  Take a few minutes to add up how much time you actually spend preparing and eating your food….you may be surprised at how little time you actually devote to nourishing yourself.

I think too many people have lowered their expectations so much that they don’t think twice about feeling lethargic, popping aspirin and ibuprofen to get rid of headaches, drinking coffee to stay awake, taking sleeping aids to fall asleep and just plain feeling under the weather.  Saving time to eat healthy, wholesome foods can make all the difference between “surviving” and thriving.  I know the difference and as I’ve made changes to my diet the last few years, I know what it feels like to feel fabulous or just “okay.”  (Do you ever notice how many people just say, “okay” when you asked them how they’re doing?!)

Here are a few quick tips for healthier eating….stay tuned for more.  Or, call me to find out how I can help you change your diet to change your life.

Breakfast: Skip the highly processed cereals and take a few extra minutes to cook whole grains like oatmeal or buckwheat. Or, scramble an egg and throw some spinach in it. Most breakfast cereals are loaded with sugar and highly refined grains which act like sugar in your bloodstream.  If you’re hungry at 10:00 a.m., you’re eating the wrong breakfast. (15 minutes)

Lunch: Skip the Subway sandwich or McDonalds hamburger and try a hot bowl of homemade soup and a salad. Lunchmeats are loaded with salt, nitrates and too much fat. If you’re trying to lose weight, make lunch the biggest meal of your day. (35 minutes)

Dinner: Think outside the box and instead invest 20-30 minutes to prepare a dinner with whole foods instead of take-out or microwavable processed food. Keep it simpleL a small piece of meat or fish with 2-3 types of cooked vegetables (orange, red, green and white) and a green salad. It doesn’t need to be fancy food, it needs to be REAL food!  (46 minutes)

Saving just a few more minutes a day to cook, or even just “compile” REAL foods (like a big salad) is not that difficult – and even though the fast food restaurants and food companies try to convince you that you can’t cook, you can!   

The better you eat, the better you feel and the better your life will be! You deserve it!