The New Yorker

Big news this week: my letter to the editor was published in the New Yorker. If you're like me, you get sucked into reading The Mail every week, so by the time the next issue arrives, you've barely made it to Talk of the Town. When I heard that my letter might be included, I was over the moon - especially because it's such an important topic.

My original letter was heavily edited, so I've included the first draft below.

In case you're wondering what prompted my response, here's the original article. The author is thisclose to hitting the nail on the head, especially when she's quoting Tom Wadden and William Dietz, but never quite gets to what I think is the crux of the matter; namely, that we have created a society where weight loss is nearly impossible - and more importantly, that we have the power to change that!

The problem starts at the highest echelons of government and trickles down through conventional medical education all the way to the obesity epidemic. All is not lost yet, but without change on every level, the article's hypothesis may very well come to pass.

I think we can do much, much better. And I'm committed to doing my part to see it through.

xo
E

***************************

from: emily wade
to: themail@newyorker.com
date: Tue, Oct 4, 2016 at 9:30 PM
subject: Letter to the Editor re: "Bariatric Surgery: The Solution to Obesity?"

Before we all rush off to get bariatric surgery, it would be smart to examine exactly why diets and exercise don't work for obese patients.

First is a systemic problem with medical education. Many doctors are trained to treat symptoms instead of uncover the root cause of disease, and nutrition education in medical school is often minimal. 

Second, patients need more support in making these tough lifestyle changes. Doctors might advise their patients to eat right and exercise, but without any follow-up or a clear plan of action, success is unlikely. 

In addition, patients need more tests, and insurance needs to cover those. Obese patients are often battling dysbiosis, psychological issues, food sensitivities or addictions, or hormonal imbalances, all of which can contribute to the inability to lose weight. Without diagnosing and addressing these contributing factors, patients are more likely to struggle. 

Finally, the biggest hurdle: the food system in the US. People are eating foods that contribute to obesity because these foods are accessible, cheap, easy to prepare, tasty, addictive, and because people are largely misinformed about what's healthy (the low-fat movement discussed in the article is just one such example). 

Obese patients need a holistic, personalized program in conjunction with ongoing support so they can make lasting behavioral change without feeling overwhelmed or giving up. Diets & exercise do work, but there is not a one size fits all solution, and we need to provide patients with not only a strategy, but also the support to help them see it through.

-Emily Adams, Certified Nutrition Consultant

Eating for Mental Health

This is part 4 of a 4-part series designed for Bend + Bloom Yoga's May Challenge. Click to read Part 1, Part 2, or Part 3.

Just as the final limbs of yoga highlight the unity of the Self & the Divine, there is a very close link between your gut and your brain. Supporting your gut through proper nutrition can improve general mental health, and may facilitate the mental fortitude necessary to explore these advanced yogic techniques.

Probiotics are "friendly" gut bacteria that help nourish our gastrointestinal tract and protect against the bad bacteria that comes from excess consumption of sugar, processed foods, alcohol, or medications. Probiotics are found in naturally fermented foods like real pickles, kimchi, kombucha, or real sauerkraut (not the fake stuff with vinegar).

Homemade Sauerkraut

1 head green cabbage

1.5 T. salt

1 T. pickling spices (optional)

Large glass jar

A weight that fits inside your glass jar (e.g., a smaller jar filled with pie weights)

Cheesecloth & rubber band

Chop cabbage into thin slices. Mix the cabbage and salt together in a big mixing bowl and massage it together with your hands until it wilts & gets juicy, about 5 minutes. Fold in optional pickling spices and transfer cabbage (and its juices) to a large glass container, pushing it down as you go. Place a weight on top of the cabbage. Place cheesecloth over the mouth of the glass container and secure it with a rubber band.

Over the next 24 hours, press down on the weight every so often until you end up with a layer of liquid on top of the cabbage, completely submerging it.

Keep the cabbage on a countertop away from direct sunlight. After 5 days, taste the sauerkraut. You’ll know when it’s done by how it tastes - it could take 10 days or more. Once it’s done, pop a lid on the glass container and transfer it to the fridge.

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Eating for Respiratory Health

This is part 2 of a 4-part series about healthy eating as it relates to yogic principles, designed for Bend + Bloom Yoga's annual May Challenge. Click to read Part 1, Part 3, or Part 4.

You’ll be breathing a lot this week, so take good care of your lungs! Here’s how:

1. Take a deep breath before you eat: this shifts your nervous system into a parasympathetic state ("rest & digest"), crucial for optimal digestion. Yep, that's right: your lungs help you digest!
2. Pump some iron: Iron is essential for transferring oxygen in your blood from the lungs to the tissues and storing oxygen. Spinach is a great plant source of iron.
3. Stop the sneeze: Just like pollen, allergenic foods can have respiratory effects. The Big 8 allergens are wheat, dairy, corn, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, and soy. In addition, inflammation from eating foods like refined carbohydrates (flour, sugar) and alcohol can negatively impact lung health.
4. Add antioxidants: counter the oxidative effects of air pollution and smoke by consuming antioxidant-rich foods like fruits, veggies, nuts, and seeds.

Support your lung health with this antioxidant-rich, hypoallergenic smoothie bowl.

Smoothie Bowl

It’s amazing what you can throw into a smoothie! I like to add whatever I have lying around that may not get used otherwise: carrots, ½ avocado, ½ apple, nut milk, nutritional yeast, seaweed flakes… the list goes on!
½ c. filtered water
½ banana or mango
½ c. frozen organic berries
Big handful organic spinach (baby spinach is OK too!)
Small handful nuts of your choice (omit if
1 T. chia seeds
Top with shredded coconut, toasted pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or nut butter

Place water into blender. Add next 5 ingredients and puree to desired consistency, about 15-30 seconds. Pour into a bowl, add toppings, and enjoy!

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Sources:
https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/hemoglobin_and_functions_of_iron/
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=70

Vaccinations: A Middle Ground

I've been seeing so much passion for and against vaccines on my social media feeds lately. There has been a lot of name-calling and negativity, so I wanted to propose a more amicable and productive middle ground.

If you peel away all the frustration, both sides have a respectable and ultra-worthy common goal: to protect children.

Unfortunately, we have all received different information on just how to do that, which results in a lot of confusion and conflict. In addition, the information we get is often inconsistent, biased, or otherwise unreliable.

In the succinct words of Chris Kresser, "There is a risk in vaccinating, and there is a risk in not vaccinating. And anyone who tells you differently is not acquainted with the research literature."

So how do you decide what is the best option for you & your family?

Dr. Aviva Romm offers an excellent starting point in her lecture "Vaccination Pros & Cons: Help for Concerned Parents."  She presents the research in one of the most objective, unbiased summaries I've yet seen.  It's not exhaustive, but it's a great starting point.  Dr. Romm also wrote a book that provides further information entitled "Vaccinations: A Thoughtful Parent's Guide."

In addition, we can join together to fight for safer vaccines. Fewer side effects mean that more parents will feel comfortable vaccinating, so we can regain the herd immunity benefits of vaccination.

That said, one of the big-picture public health concerns is that vaccination may be creating a "survival of the sickest" situation. In the past, those who survived infectious diseases passed on some of that immunity to their children, which helped to naturally eradicate illnesses and bolster natural selection & the strength of the species. Today, we are observing troubling trends in immune disregulation & autoimmunity that are likely related to vaccines, but there is not enough long-term research to fully understand exactly what's happening.

Unfortunately, it doesn't sound like there is one right answer.  But by supporting and fighting alongside (instead of against) each other, we can make greater strides to protect the health of our nation's children. And that's what we're all after.

Caffeine

Photo by Slawek Lukjanow

So many of us love our daily cup of joe. Whether it's the ritual of enjoying a warm mug in the morning, or the physical jolt that we get from the caffeine itself, giving up coffee is usually a challenging task. 

I don't include caffeine in my programs because of its health risks. Here's why - and what your options are instead.

There are lots of good medical reasons to reduce or eliminate caffeine intake, especially while trying for a baby. Caffeine's link to infertility - even decaf! - has been well-documented in scientific literature. Caffeine is also associated with increased incidences of miscarriage, low birth weight, and delayed conception. In addition, caffeine's toll on your adrenal health is suspected to degrade your baby's adrenal health as well - and low adrenal function could mean poor metabolism, healing, and stress response.

So what's an addict to do? Well, my programs provide a strong foundation to explore a few options:

1. If you want to try to break the addiction, you may experience up to 3 days of headaches. Knowing that in advance (and planning for it) can make dealing with the withdrawal symptoms easier. Drink lots of filtered water, rest, and distract yourself if possible.
2. If you don't want to kick the habit cold turkey, I recommend weaning yourself down or replacing your coffee with a less-potent form of caffeine such as green tea. If you choose to do this, make sure to drink extra water, as caffeine is a diuertic. 
3. Try going to bed 30 minutes earlier than normal and see if that helps to mitigate the need for caffeine in the morning. 

Test yourself to see how little caffeine you really need to "make do." And, if you're simply drawn to the ritualistic aspect of having a warm drink in the mornings, an herbal tea or hot water with lemon might be an easy replacement. 

Whatever happens, don't beat yourself up. Do the best you can, try different things, and be proud of yourself! Even just making a small change like this can switch up your routine and give you some good insights about what works best for your body.

What's your favorite non-caffeinated healthy beverage? Share your tips on our Facebook page.

What to Look For in a Prenatal Multivitamin

Original photo by Melissa Ramirez

This is one of the first things I work on with my perinatal clients, as it’s often overlooked. Many doctors don’t specify what kinds of nutrients are necessary to supplement, which forms of these nutrients are most absorbable, or the recommended dosage of each. 

Supplements are unregulated, and can vary wildly in terms of their content, so it’s important to ensure you’re getting high-quality, bioavailable nutrients so that you’re not wasting your money.

In addition, many of my clients get incorrect information about what they need during this unique time in their lives. For example, contrary to popular belief, the RDA for calcium does not increase during pregnancy, but stays constant at 1,000mg for all women aged 19-30, regardless of whether they are pregnant or lactating.

It’s also important to note that the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) is not necessarily what you think it is. The Recommended Daily Allowance is defined as “the average daily level of intake sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97%-98%) healthy people.” 

What this means is that the RDA isn’t necessarily what’s recommended for optimal health; it’s more like the minimum recommended for your body to function properly. A separate chart, Upper Tolerable Limits (UL), notes the “maximum daily intake unlikely to cause adverse health effects.”

Of course, theoretically, we should be able to get all our nutrition from our food. And if you’re eating lots of clean, whole foods like organic vegetables and pastured meats, a supplement may feel redundant. However, I still recommend that all my perinatal clients take one (see why here).

That said, the healthier you eat, the more flexibility you may have in terms of the dosage of your supplement (perhaps you may feel safe taking half the recommended dose).

With that in mind, here is my guide to ingredients and dosages, as well as a recommendation for my favorite prenatal supplement (and where to buy it).


B-complex

Perhaps the single most important nutrient for moms-to-be, folate requirements nearly double when you become pregnant1. Supplementation pre-conception prevents spina bifida2 and, potentially, autism3. For this reason, it’s important to start taking a supplement well before you get pregnant.

However, there are some very important distinctions between the natural form of Vitamin B9 (folate) and the synthetic form that’s commonly found in fortified foods & supplements (folic acid). Up to 50% of the population has a genetic mutation preventing them from metabolizing folic acid. In addition, folic acid has been associated with cancer, maternal infection, and abnormally slow fetal heart rate (4). Therefore, you must look for the L-5-MTHF form.

(The USDA alludes to this differentiation in their table of Tolerable Upper Intake Levels. A note at the bottom of the table explains that the UL for folate only applies to synthetic forms “obtained from supplements, fortified foods, or a combination of the two.”)

If you’d like to get more folate from your food, you can add more green leafy vegetables, black-eyed peas, brewer’s yeast, liver, and beans to your diet.

Supplementing with folate can obscure a B12 deficiency, so if you’re going to take folate, I highly recommend supplementing with B12 as well. Look for the methylcobalamin form, which is more easily absorbed and used than the cyanocobalamin form. In foods, Vitamin B12 is only found in animal products.

B-vitamins work in concert with one another, and the Daily Recommended Intakes for almost all of them rise during pregnancy, so the best option is to choose a multivitamin that provides all of them together.

In terms of dosages, B vitamins are water soluble, which means that they flow easily throughout the body. Most B vitamins do not have an upper limit due to lack of evidence of adverse health effects.

Insufficient B vitamins may be associated with morning sickness, so supplementing may help alleviate symptoms.

B-vitamin food sources include nutritional yeast, yogurt, peanuts, and organ meats.


Magnesium

The Recommended Daily Allowance for magnesium increases to 350mg per day when you’re pregnant, depending on your age (if you’re over 30, you require 360mg). Look for a chelated form, such as magnesium citrate or glycinate.

Magnesium helps build & repair tissues and is necessary for protein formation & cellular replication. Deficiency is associated with preeclampsia and poor fetal growth. Excess calcium intake can also reduce the absorption of magnesium, since they are mineral partners that need to be balanced1.

To increase magnesium in your diet, eat pumpkin seeds, sea vegetables, almonds, cashews, brewer’s yeast, and leafy greens.


Zinc

Zinc is an antioxidant mineral and is important for protein & DNA synthesis. Deficiency is associated with miscarriage and low birth weight.

Food sources include oysters, steak, and pumpkin seeds.

The RDA for Zn increases from 8mg to 11mg when you’re pregnant. In supplements, look for chelated zinc, such as zinc glycinate, zinc picolinate, and zinc citrate.

Zinc’s mineral partner is copper, so they must be in balance. Therefore, it is often recommended to take supplemental copper (at a ratio of 1 to 10) if you take supplemental zinc4. The RDA for copper increases to 1000mcg/day when you’re pregnant, so that's another good reason to look for copper in your prenatal multi.


Selenium

Selenium is a powerful antioxidant that can be found naturally in Brazil nuts. The RDA increases from 55mcg to 60mcg during pregnancy.

When it comes to minerals, chelated forms are often the best, so look for something ending in -ate, such as selenium glycinate or aspartate.


Chromium:

The Adequate Intake (AI) for chromium rises from 25 to 30 mcg/day when you’re pregnant. While the RDAs for some other trace minerals also increase during pregnancy (like molybdenum and manganese), chromium is the only one that you may not be able to get sufficiently from your diet. Therefore, selecting a multivitamin that includes chromium is a good idea.


Vitamin A

Vitamin A is tricky. Vitamin A deficiency can cause maternal death5, but excessive amounts are not easily excreted and can cause birth defects6. Therefore, getting just the right amount is crucial.

Whole foods are by far the best way to get your daily requirements of Vitamin A, as it’s less likely that you will consume toxic levels of Vitamin A through your diet. In addition, the natural forms of Vitamin A found in foods are more likely to be safe than synthetic versions found in some supplements.

Carotenoids, the plant-based precursors to Vitamin A, are water soluble and do not cause Vitamin A toxicity. For this reason, when it comes to your supplement, mixed carotenoids are the best choice to avoid toxicity. The RDA for Vitamin A rises from 700 to 770 mcg/day when you’re pregnant.

Beta carotene, the best known carotenoid, is found in orange plant foods like sweet potatoes and carrots, as well as dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and lettuce.

However, carotenoids can be problematic, as not all beta carotene is converted into Vitamin A7. In addition, it appears that some people aren’t good at converting any beta carotene into Vitamin A8. Mixed carotenoids are a better choice, but they are still not as bioavailable as preformed Vitamin A, because they require conversion.

Preformed Vitamin A is found in animal foods like liver, fish oils, milk, eggs, and butter. Adding these foods to your diet in moderation - along with your orange veggies and a supplement containing mixed carotenoids - is what I recommend in order to reach a healthy Vitamin A intake.


Vitamin C

The RDA for Vitamin C increases to 85mg/day when you’re pregnant. Vitamin C is another great antioxidant, and it’s water soluble so toxic buildup is unlikely. That said, excessive amounts of Vitamin C (> 2,000mg/day) “may contribute to the formation of kidney stones, as well as cause severe diarrhea, nausea, and gastritis”9.

While most of us think of citrus fruits when we think of Vitamin C food sources, bell peppers, broccoli, and brussels sprouts have even higher concentrations of Vitamin C.


Omega-3 fatty acids

There is no recommended daily amount for these nutrients, but studies show that they are crucial for baby’s health. Most experts recommend intake of 400-650mg DHA and 650-1200mg EPA11. You can get this through eating fish, or you can take a purified supplement like OmegaGenics or OmegAvail, both available in my store.


A word about iron

Iron requirements rise from 18mg to 27mg per day during pregnancy, as it’s required for the production of red blood cells and DNA. Even slight iron deficiency can lead to learning disabilities in your developing child.

However, iron is not easily excreted, and can contribute to free radical activity. For this reason, I don’t recommend supplementing with iron unless your doctor deems it medically necessary. Instead, try to get heme iron (the most efficiently absorbed type) from animal food sources like clams, steak, shrimp, turkey, and chicken. Lentils are a good non-heme iron source for vegetarians.


A word about iodine

Iodine deficiency used to be a problem in the US, and was largely rectified by iodizing salt. Nowadays, supplementation isn’t usually necessary, and due to complexities surrounding the effects of iodine intake, it also usually isn’t recommended.

That said, when you’re pregnant, your RDA for iodine rises from 150 to 220mcg/day, so you do need to be aware of your intake.

In addition to iodized salt, the ocean is an excellent source of iodine, so sea vegetables and seafoods are a great way to get iodine through your diet. Dairy products are also a good way to get sufficient iodine through your diet.


A word about Vitamin D

The RDA for Vitamin D doesn’t increase during pregnancy, but since deficiency is common, it’s often included in multivitamins. Look for the cholecalciferol form (D3), as D2 isn’t nearly as absorbable or beneficial10.


A word about Vitamin E

Your need for Vitamin E doesn’t increase when you’re pregnant, but most multivitamins include it in some form nonetheless. The best form is mixed tocopherols, although I rarely see that in supplements.

1. Murray, M., Pizzorno, J., & Pizzorno, L. (2005). The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods. New York: Atria.
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spina_bifida
3. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22648721
4. http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02871/copper.html
5. http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/vad/en/
6. http://www.teratology.org/pubs/vitamina.htm
7. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12001013
8. http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/75/5/900.long
9. http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02811/facts-on-vitamin-c
10. http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/84/4/694.full
11. Hudson, T. (2008). Women’s Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. McGraw Hill: New York.

Eat more, weigh less

When it comes to weight loss, cutting back on calories has been the go-to strategy for decades. In order to lose weight, you just need to eat less and exercise more, right?

Well, not really.

If you’ve ever tried counting calories yourself, you know that it’s nearly impossible to maintain. And the proof is in the pudding: the US is now facing an obesity epidemic, despite these well-known recommendations.

It seems to make sense on the surface: eat less, weigh less. So why doesn’t it work?

Well, when it comes to eating, not all calories are created equal. Our bodies digest different foods in different ways, some of which are more prone to fat storage.

In addition, calories aren’t usually the problem in the first place. Nearly all of the clients I coach for weight loss are already eating fewer calories than their Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) when adjusted for activity level. According to the conventional recommendations, this means they should be losing weight - but they’re not.

Finally, calorie restriction doesn’t take your satiety into account. If you’re hungry and you don’t eat enough, your body will do what it needs to do to protect against starvation - it’s a simple survival mechanism. Hunger will win every time.

In many cases, the most effective weight loss strategy may actually require you to consume more calories. But instead of focusing on the quantity of calories, it’s important to focus on their quality.

For example, refined carbohydrates spike blood sugar and insulin levels, signaling the body to store the excess blood sugar as fat. Complex carbohydrates, clean proteins, and healthy fats, however, don’t provoke a dramatic insulin response, and therefore the body has a better ability to convert them into energy or muscle. When we shift our diet accordingly, we can eat more calories and still lose lots of weight.

In addition, snacking is crucial to weight loss. If you’re hungry, your blood sugar is lowered, and your body craves quick energy that will raise blood sugar immediately - like refined carbs. Snacking helps stabilize your blood sugar throughout the day so you don’t reach for that cupcake at 3pm.

When we approach eating this way, we have more energy and better control over our mealtime decisions. It’s a more delicious, satisfying, and enjoyable dining experience than portion control and restriction.

And better yet, we have a better chance at keeping the weight off for good.

Need help changing your diet and balancing your blood sugar? Check out The Last Diet, or work with me one-on-one.

Low Progesterone? Do This.

Photo by Liz West

Progesterone works in partnership with estrogen throughout a woman’s cycle to prepare the uterus for conception. Estrogen is the dominant hormone during the first part of a woman’s cycle (the follicular phase), while progesterone is the dominant hormone during the last part (the luteal phase). The two hormones must be in balance to achieve optimal health.

If you’ve been charting your cycles, you can see where progesterone takes over - it’s responsible for the rise in your temperature.

Not sure if you have low progesterone? Check out Katie Singer’s book The Garden of Fertility for tips on how to read your charts to find out whether they might indicate low progesterone levels.

Low progesterone is quite common. It’s actually not surprising when you consider that estrogenic compounds are everywhere nowadays - in our environment, food, plastics, personal care products, and more. And the higher estrogen is, the more progesterone we need to be in balance.

If you’d like to avoid synthetic progesterone shots & creams, there are some natural alternatives you can try to boost your progesterone level (and/or reduce your estrogen level):

• Cut out dairy. One Harvard scientist & physician found that dairy accounts for 60-80% of estrogens consumed!
• Go organic. Minimizing pesticides and hormones in your food can help avoid estrogen overload.
• Eliminate other estrogenic compounds. Stop eating phytoestrogens like soy (click here for food sources), and stop using plastics and personal care products that could leach xenoestrogens (click here to find out where they’re lurking and how to avoid them).
• Stop eating sugar and refined carbohydrates. Consumption of refined carbohydrates can indirectly exhaust your adrenals, suppressing progesterone1.

If further supplementation is required, you might ask your doctor about natural or bio-identical progesterone from a compounding pharmacy.

1. Singer, K. (2004). The Garden of Fertility. New York: Avery.

Kale, White Bean & Brown Rice Bowl

As most of you know by now, I'm mildly obsessed with 101cookbooks.com. Every recipe is delicious, and the presentation is documented so artistically - I just love it.

Most of her recipes are pretty easy, but I usually either try to figure out ways to simplify them further.

This is an example of one of her pretty easy recipes made even easier. Another thing I love to do whenever possible is make things in bulk and then dress up the leftovers - this is a perfect recipe for that.

Kale, White Bean, and Brown Rice Bowl

Inspired by 101Cookbooks' Kale Rice Bowl recipe

4 c. cooked brown rice (I love the frying pan method - cuts cooking time in half!)
1 can white cannelini beans, rinsed (I like Eden Organics - their cans are BPA-free)
1 bunch organic lacinato/dino kale, washed & chopped
4 pastured eggs
raw sheep- or goat-milk feta
extra-virgin olive oil
jalapeno flakes

Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a generous pour of olive oil - enough to coat the pan. Add beans and saute until lightly browned. Add kale and stir until bright and wilted. Transfer kale & bean mixture to bowl. Add rice and stir to combine. Crumble feta into the mixture and stir to combine.

In a small pan, heat about 2 inches of filtered water until steaming but not bubbly. Carefully crack an egg into a ramekin and gently pour into the hot water. Repeat with remaining eggs. Cook for a few minutes - when whites are set, poach another minute or so and remove eggs with a slotted spoon.

Divide rice mixture onto 4 plates and drizzle with olive oil. Top each portion with a poached egg and sprinkle with jalapeno flakes. Mangia!

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Smoothies for Everyone!

My first green smoothie of the week … yummmm!

I just finished participating in the Transformational Nutrition Summit, and after a few days of nerding out, here was my big takeaway:

Drink smoothies.

I'm not kidding! Sometimes it's just that easy.

As many of you know, I already feature smoothies in most of my menu plans, but in the craziness of our move to New York, I had gotten away from drinking them lately.

Have you ever noticed that reminders seem to come at exactly the right time?

We have been busy making friends in our new hometown. Saturday we went out for cocktails with some new friends who also happen to be 10 years our junior. Needless to say, I woke up on Sunday in the mood to detox!

The Summit lecture I watched that day (from the couch!) touched on the concept of switching to green smoothies for breakfast, and how that small change can reduce all sorts of health hazards.

It's important to note that they were talking about smoothies, not juices. While juices contain many of the same nutritional benefits, they are missing one important ingredient: fiber. Fiber is what slows down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, which is important for preventing blood sugar spikes (and potentially, gestational diabetes and other blood-sugar-related health issues).

Depending on what you put in them, green smoothies are excellent detoxifiers. They can also be quite nutrient-dense. This makes them a great choice for reproductive health and pregnancy!

Plus, they're super-easy to make. To start, you want about 60% fruit and 40% veggies. What you decide to put in it is up to you, but spinach and romaine are excellent starter veggies because they are less flavorful and more easily blended than some hardier greens.

Here's a recipe I recommend:

Green Smoothie

1/2 c. filtered water - hydrating, nontoxic

2 big handfuls spinach - rich in bioavailable folate
1/2 organic apple - antioxidants galore! Great for protecting your reproductive cells (and your hubby's!) and reducing the risk of miscarriage
1/2 banana - makes for a creamy base, rich in potassium
1/2 c. frozen berries - strong antioxidant properties
2 T. chia seed - rich in omega-3 fatty acids
10-15 walnuts - another plant source of omega-3 fatty acids, as well as protein
1/3 cucumber - natural source of Vitamin K (Vitamin D's partner-in-crime) and a bounty of antioxidants
2 T. cilantro or parsley - super detoxifying
1-2 "coins" ginger & turmeric root (slice off a couple of pieces)
1 T. coconut oil - healthy fat, good for your hormones
1/2 avocado - rich in Vitamins E (powerful antioxidant that reduces the risk of miscarriage) and B5 (essential for reproduction)
1 t. cinnamon - warming, aids in blood sugar control
1 t. nutritional yeast - B-vitamin bounty and protein-rich
Optional power boost: dump a tablespoon of the juice from naturally fermented sauerkraut or pickles into the smoothie for some probiotic punch!

Pour water into blender (I love my Vitamix). Add other ingredients and blend to a smoothie consistency. Serve!  Drink slowly and mindfully.


You can see how easy it is to just keep adding yummy stuff to your smoothie. Experiment and see what you come up with using the 60/40 formula above and adding in fresh herbs, spices and "boosters" to increase its nutritional value. I'd love to hear about what your favorite combination is - tell me on the Facebook page!

A note for women suffering from hypothyroid: Most raw leafy greens are goitrogens, that is, they block thyroid function. If you are hypothyroid, you can avoid this effect by steaming or sautéing your greens before adding them. They will lose some of their nutritional value in cooking (mostly Vitamins C and B, including folate), but much of it will remain, including important minerals like iron.

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