Tag: balancing blood sugar

Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie

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MINT + CHOCOLATE = my favorite combo ever ? As a kid I loved mint chocolate chip ice cream and I still do, but I opt for dairy free versions now, like @coconutbliss. But enter the smoothie – the perfect way to get my fix. Plus, this smoothie has the right combo of P+F+F – Protein, Fat and Fiber – three essentials to balancing your blood sugar and keeping you energized.

I feel like talking about blood sugar just isn’t sexy, but it’s often THE most important part to address when it comes to hormones. If you’re dealing with PCOS, PMS, infertility, menopause, stress – all of these are impacted by your blood sugar. Not to mention, if your exhausted, craving sugar and carbs (or eat sugar and carbs alittttle more often than you’d like), there’s a good chance your blood sugar is out of whack.

It really is any easy fix, but as with anything, you’ll have to commit to change and follow through in order to see change. And the best part, in as little as 3 days you can start to feel a shift with your blood sugar. I’ve had diabetics who have normalized their blood sugar just after 3 days. We’ve managed to get their numbers into a normal range – a range they haven’t seen in YEARS! In fact, you can read about one of my diabetic testimonials here and how Elide got off all her meds. 

Ok… but now onto this Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie. It feels like you’re having dessert for breakfast, but I’ve actually loaded up this recipe with some KEY ingredients that support your hormones, such as avocados, spinach – hello magnesium and healthy fat, plus a healthy scoop of protein to balance your blood sugar. I don’t often use a full banana in my smoothie, but felt it was needed with this recipe. And the key is to balance out that sweetness with protein and fat. 

I should mention that the protein powder I love using is Design for Health Pure Paleo Protein. I always keep vanilla and chocolate on hand. It’s definitely not a cheap protein as it is a grass fed beef isolate (no, it doesn’t taste like beef), but it’s so forth, creamy and perfectly sweet. It also contains 70% collagen, so it’s a two-in-one supplement, which I love! You can order off our site here and save 15% off ALL supplements with coupon code – SAVE15

Here’s the recipe! Enjoy 🙂 

Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie

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Keyword: dairy free, gluten free, grain free, green smoothies, healthy fats, highfatlowcarb, holisticwellness, low sugar, mint chocolate chip smoothie, paleo smoothies, pff, protein, fat and fiber
Servings: 1
Author: Samantha Gladish

Ingredients

  • 1 small frozen banana
  • 1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1 cup fresh spinach
  • 1/4 of a small/medium sized avocado
  • 10-20 fresh mint leaves OR 1 drop peppermint essential oil
  • 1 scoop vanilla or chocolate protein powder or collagen peptides chocolate could change the color of your smoothie but who cares - it’ll still be delish!
  • 1/2 cup crushed ice or more if you like it thicker
  • 1 tablespoon cacao nibs or @enjoylifefoods chocolate chips

Instructions

  • Place banana, milk, spinach, avocado, mint, protein powder, and ice in a blender.
  • Process until smooth. Add in cacao nibs/chocolate chips and briefly pulse. Serve garnished with additional cacao nibs or chocolate chips and enjoy!
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The REAL Reason You Reach for Junk Food

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Ever notice that when Friday comes your week of eating well and staying hydrated goes right out the window? 
 
Trust me, I know the feeling. 
  
You spend the whole week working out, eating clean foods and then the weekend hits and you’re off to parties and events, and before you know it, you’ve had 1 too many glasses of wine, indulged in just a little too much sugar and you feel incredibly guilty for it. 
 
So here’s the deal… you’re human and these things are bound to happen! Just chill ok? 
 
If you find yourself caving into junk food all the time (not just on the weekends) and are struggling to find a healthy eating routine, it’s important to understand why you’re craving these foods in the first place. 
 
Sure, we could talk about will power, but honestly, it goes deeper than that. 
 
Your body wants so badly to be fueled with good food. If your looking for some much-needed energy, trust me, it doesn’t lie in the Grande Starbucks latte you like to enjoy or the sugar filled donut or cookie you slip in the afternoon.
 
There’s a few reason you reach for those foods…
  1. You’re stressed – this causes a serious imbalance in your hormones, particularly cortisol, causing you to crave comfort foods, such as bagels, pasta, donuts, cookies and anything else that is beige and filled with sugar.
  2. You’re blood sugar is imbalanced – you might have skipped breakfast, or decided a bowl of corn flakes with your antibiotic and hormone induced milk was the best way to fuel your body. Add a latte to the mix and well, you’ve just entered into blood sugar roller coaster zone. Good chance your memory won’t be as sharp and you’ll be cranky and moody most of the day.
  3. You’re body is asking for nutrients – most of the time we think we need to reach for sugar or carbs to fuel us, but really, our body is just asking for some nutrient dense food. Leafy greens, healthy fats, quality protein, this is what your body is really asking for.
  4. You’re actually thirsty, not hungry. How many times have you gone through the day only to drink coffee and tea and not even had a sip of water? Be sure to bring water with you everywhere you go and make it a point to stay hydrated all day long. 
  5. You’re distracted – yup, this is a common one. Your either on the phone, working on the computer or watching tv. Which often times can lead to boredom and so we decide to reach for food because it makes us feel good and causes even more distraction (from our boring tasks or work). Trouble is, we lose sight of what we’re eating, because in this case we reach for something fast and often sweet, and we over eat, not ever paying attention to the amount of food we’re shoving down our throats!
So how can you break out of an unhealthy eating rut?
 
Instead of trying to completely overhaul your entire diet, just pick one thing to start with. Maybe it’s to drink more water, or eat more vegetables, or incorporating a simple green smoothie into your diet. 
 
These small simple changes, over time, lead to incredible long lasting results. Overhauling everything in a day or week can cause you to feel overwhelmed and most likely give up.  
 
It’s also important to eliminate distractions! Don’t eat while watching TV, or while working on the computer or talking on the phone. Sitting down to eat is part of your self-care. Sit quietly, peacefully, be grateful for the food in front of you and remember to eat slow. There is no need to rush through your food. 
 
Here’s a delicious, blood sugar balancing smoothie you can make today that will support you hormones, increase your energy and provide your body with some much needed nutrients! It’s especially important to make a smoothie like this on those days when you know you might be over indulging. 
Lean and Clean Green Smoothie
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Ingredients
  1. 2 cups non-dairy milk
  2. 1 scoop of Progressive VegEssential All-in-One in Vanilla (I like this one because it not only provides protein, but a ton of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, omega's and fiber)
  3. 2 cups of spinach or kale
  4. Half a green tipped banana (not a ripe banana!)
  5. 2 tsp chia or flax seeds
  6. 1/4 of an avocado
  7. 1 tsp cinnamon
  8. Ice (optional)
Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients into a high speed blender and blend until well combined.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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