I Love MACA

 

Why do I love Maca? Maca root is a highly nutritious root vegetable, but also a wonderful medicinal adaptogen, also known as “Peruvian ginseng”. In today’s day and age, with all of the stressers in our daily lives, adaptogenic herbs and foods are our friends, the more we eat the better we shall feel and thrive. I believe that Maca and other adaptogens should be part of our daily diet.

Maca grows in the high mountainous areas of South America, and has been cultivated as a vegetable crop for thousands of years.

Maca’s has some wonderful positive effects of the body and the mind; especially the endocrine and reproductive system. It is known for its hormone balancing and regulating effects and seems very good for the reproductive health of both men and women. Maca root is said to increase fertility, improve sexual function, improve hormone balance, and help increase energy and stamina. It may also help improve mental health, especially mood, focus and learning. WOW!

In Peru, maca is cooked and eaten like a vegetable. Here, it is more available as a dried powdered root and is considered quite the superfood.

Raw maca powder does not mix well with liquids so I like to use it in baking, as a replacemnt for ordinary flour. You can still mix the raw powder into a smoothie or a no-baked recipe, but it needs to be blended quite well. I recommend about 1 tablespoon once or twice a day, and because it might help boost your energy, I usually take it in the morning or early afternoon.

Maca has a pleasant flavor, and I think it tastes creamy and delicious. Some describe it as similar to butterscotch, and it comes in a variety of colors, most commonly yellow, black, and red. All colors of maca have similar benefits, although specific maca types/colors are thought to be more beneficial for certain medical conditions.

Rich and yummy Maca Blueberry Cocoa Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 cup frozen blueberries

1-2 Tsp Maca

2 Tbsp Raw Cacao Powder

2 cups coconut milk, full fat in a can

1 Tbsp raw organic honey

OR 1/4 tsp stevia powder extract

Directions:

Put everything in a blender until well combined.

Drink it all yourself or share it with a lucky friend!

Another awesome Maca recipe is Maca Cocoa Coconut Bliss Balls

Ingredients

10 Medjool Dates (about 10-12)
1/3 cup finely chopped Macadamia Nuts
1/3 cup Goji Berries
2 tablespoons Chia Seeds
2 tablesspoons Cacao Nibs
1 tablespoon Maca Powder
1 Teaspoon Raw Honey (VEGAN VERSION – 3-4 drops stevia)
1 Teaspoon Cacao Powder
Dash of Vanilla Extract
Finely shredded Coconut (for rolling them in)

Instructions

Combine dates, chia seeds, cocao powder, vanilla extract and honey in a food processor and whiz up until you get a fairly smooth consistency.

Stir in the goji berries, macadamia nuts and cacao nibs. Feel free to add or take out any of the nuts and seeds, play with the ingredients anf find a blend that you love.

With clean washed hands, start forming into little balls or fun shapes and then roll them  in the shredded coconut.

Then simply enjoy !

 

 

The Good Egg? It’s Complicated….

Who would have ever thought that buying eggs could be so complicated and confusing? I have discovered that claims can be very misleading to the buyer so beware! If you care about the animals and you care about what you put in your body, you will love knowing this info. In fact I was surprised myself at how misleading claims can be and feel much better knowing the truth!

Organic: Buy these! Hens are given only organic feed, no pesticides, antibiotics or hormones gmo. They must never be caged and must have outdoor access. Love this!

Cage free: Beware, totally misleading! Hens live in an open space not a cage or coop but the open space can be an overcrowded henhouse where they have limited or no space to move about and do what hens normally do.

Free range: Beware, misleading! Similar to cage free except the birds have some outdoor time. However, note; duration, quality and quantity is very variable and not specified.

Certified Humane Raised and Handled:  Amazing claim if you care about the animals. They are trustworthy and reliable. Meets standard of humane farm animal care-an independent organization, nonprofit. These animals are cage free with sufficient space to dust bathe and perch as a hen should do.

 

Need to De-Stress? Try a little Zest!

Last night I was working in the crazy busy urgent care and I needed a second to recuperate, so I went to dictate a few charts, peeled myself a beautiful orange/mandarin for some good ol fashioned nourishment and within an instant the stale room that was filled with four other doctors and years of who knows what kind of aromas, was suddenly replaced by the wonderful fresh, refreshing, uplifting scent of this glorious orange. Within seconds I felt revitalized and I had not even taken a bite yet!

Ah the glories of the citrus family! In the world of essential oils, citrus is known to improve mood, decrease appetite and lower anxiety. So many reasons to sniff a mandarin or orange peel if you are feeling down or having a gloomy day.

So today, if you are feeling a little anxious or just need to de-stress, try a little zest! Studies have shown that scents can help you to de-stress. Linalool; a substance found in lemons for example, not only has anti-inflammatory properties but may also help to reduce the flight-or-fight stress response. Other scents like basil, juniper, and lavender have also been found to lower stress as well.

So sniff and eat I say! Cause not only do citrus fruits wake up your sense of smell but they are packed with vitamin C, which brings high stress hormones back to normal levels more quickly. Vitamin C also helps lower blood pressure. Blood pressure can rise in response to stressful situations. Eat an orange as a snack on the days when you anticipate extra stress at home or at work. Doing so about an hour before a stressful situation can help you stay calm.

So go and find your favorite citrus fruit, bring it along with you today and enjoy your calm fabulous day…