Jennifro

Going Green

Say hello to breakfast!  I've been going strong for about three weeks toward my goal to drink a green smoothie every day for 30 days.  I'm making that sound more legit than it really is but that's about the gist of it.   And we're not talking just any green smoothie.. this is like jolly green giant to the 100th power, green glurp.  I've been reading websites for awhile now like Green Smoothie Girl and Blend it to Mend it about the awesome benefits of eating way more green and I'm definitely on the bandwagon.  But after I read Green for Life I decided to go for it.  According to all I've read, it seems like the dark greens are what's missing in most everyone's diet, and are the key element to healing what ails you.   I love the book and the philosophy behind it makes a lot of sense to me.  The author used her own experience as a raw foodist, and her research of the diet of chimpanzees, who's genes are 99.5 % the same as ours, to help draw conclusions about the power of green plants.

The first week we started the drink, Nick and I didn't notice too much except after four days we realized we were sleeping like 1,000 pound rocks.  We literally slept all night and could hardly move in the morning.  After a few more days, we still slept great but could get up easily.  I drink about a quart a day and he drinks around two cups.  The second week, I started coughing pretty bad and felt sort of like I was getting sick--achey and tired for a few days-- but it never developed into anything more.  I read that it's pretty common for your body to detox once you start introducing such a healthy change.  Anyway, by the third week, I saw the results I was hoping for.  My knee which is beginning to have early arthritis felt tons better when I exercised.  As a matter of fact I didn't have any pain most days.  I even realized today that going down the stairs hasn't hurt in about nine or ten days.  Today at yoga, it did hurt a little but nothing that persisted or felt too bad at all.  Another cool bonus is I haven't broken a nail since I started which is very uncommon for me.  My nails are generally strong but always, always breaking and making them totally uneven.  I went and got gels today because I've been so happy that they're all the same length.

I generally go to Whole Foods once or twice a week and buy organic fruit and greens which really doesn't cost much surprisingly.  I buy lemons, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, limes, kale, mint, chard, baby spinach and usually some new green to try.  Before I was making smoothies with milk or almond milk and adding peanut butter, yogurt and whatnot, but I always felt like maybe they were fattening. With these, I only use water and ice and love the way they taste (usually!) and how they make me feel.  Anyway, I'm loving the fact that I'm doing something so healthy and have a feeling it will become a lifelong habit.   I'm so glad I stumbled upon this book, it has taught me so much and has made a believer out of me in the power of green.  GO GREEN!