People Who Have Inspired Me: Jessica Ainscough

Meet Jessica Ainscough, aka The Wellness Warrior.  Jessica's story is one of survival from a rare and aggressive form of cancer called Epithelioid Sarcoma.  She was told by doctors that her condition was incurable and that her only hope of prolonging life would be to have her arm amputated.  Jessica began searching for a better option which led her to Gerson Therapy, a strict cancer-fighting regime consisting of consuming hourly juices (13 a day) a vegan diet and regular coffee enemas.  Five years on she is going strongly and spreading the wellness message to everyone who will listen.

Jessica has inspired me to take up the daily habit of consuming green smoothies.  I've always had an aversion to taking vitamin pills.  It just doesn't seem right to pop pills when we should get our nutrition from food.  To me a daily green smoothie is a perfect natural way to give my body a multi-vitamin boost.

Blending breaks down the veggies and fruits and therefore the body doesn't have to use so much energy to digest them.  This way the nutrients are more quickly absorbed.  Juicing is another option which also takes out the fibre enabling the body to very quickly soak up the nutrients.  I prefer smoothies as I find them much quicker and easier to prepare and I like that I'm still giving my body the fibre.

My favourite smoothie combination at the moment is:

This is so refreshing!

2 handfuls of baby kale leaves
1 stick of celery, chopped
Frozen pineapple, chopped
Frozen banana, chopped
1/2 tspn Maca powder
250ml coconut water
1 tbspn coconut oil




Another favourite is:

2 handfuls of baby kale leaves
Frozen banana, chopped
Scoop of blueberries
1 tspn Goji berries
1 tspn Cacao nibs
1/2 tspn Maca powder
Dollop of nut butter
250ml coconut water
1 tbspn coconut oil

Blend all ingredients except the coconut oil.   If you add the coconut oil directly onto the frozen ingredients it will solidify so put this in last then give it another quick whizz to mix through.

Now obviously if you blend leafy green stuff with things like banana and coconut water, the resultant liquid is going to be bright green.  Then if you start to add things like blueberries or raspberries, you are going to end up with some interesting shades of brown.  Don't let this put you off.  Drinking green smoothies is strangely addictive and makes you feel so good on the inside!

Links:
Jessica offers a free green smoothie recipe ebook to subscribers of her blog.
http://www.thewellnesswarrior.com.au/


Nutritional Information:

Kale:  This food is low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Dietary Fibre, Protein, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Folate, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Potassium, Copper and Manganese  [Source: NutritionData.com]

Celery:  This food is low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Pantothenic Acid, Calcium, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Dietary Fibre, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folate, Potassium and Manganese. [Source: NutritionData.com]

Pineapple:  This food is very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Dietary Fibre, Thiamin, Vitamin B6 and Copper, and a very good source of Vitamin C and Manganese. [Source: NutritionData.com]

Banana:  This food is very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Dietary Fibre, Vitamin C, Potassium and Manganese, and a very good source of Vitamin B6. [Source: NutritionData.com]

Blueberries:  This food is very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Dietary Fibre, and a very good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Manganese. [Source: NutritionData.com]

Goji Berries: Unique among fruits because they contain all essential amino acids, goji berries also have the highest concentration of protein of any fruit. They are also loaded with vitamin C, contain more carotenoids than any other food, have twenty-one trace minerals, and are high in fibre. Boasting 15 times the amount of iron found in spinach, as well as calcium, zinc, selenium and many other important trace minerals, there is no doubt that the humble goji berryis a nutritional powerhouse.  This amazing little superfruit also contains natural anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal compounds. Their powerful antioxidant properties and polysaccharides help to boost the immune system. It’s no wonder then, that in traditional Chinese medicine they are renowned for increasing strength and longevity. [Source: thehealthyeatingsite.com]

Maca Root Powder is full of minerals and vitamins which are required to the healthiness of your body. Mineral deposits which includes calcium supplement, mineral magnesium, and iron are all located in maca, in combination with C vitamin and nutritional vitamins B1, B2, B6, and B12. The root also includes 18 healthy proteins.  The strongest health benefits of maca powder are based on the way the root will work in connection with the endocrine system. The endocrine system is really a system of glands that produces human hormones in to the blood stream. This system is in charge of transitioning to different circumstances by releasing the proper quantity of the body’s hormones to regulate our body’s response and reaction.  Maca powder energizes the human body to make hormones, which is probably the main health benefit of maca powder. [Source: macapowderbenefits.net]

Cacao Nibs: Cacao is full of flavonoids, which act as natural antioxidants.  Raw cacao contains nearly twice the antioxidant content of red wine, and up to three times the antioxidant content of green tea. The cacao bean is also rich in magnesium, an energy mineral and vital electrolyte. This super-food is a great source of sulfur which is associated with strong nails, shiny hair and a healthy liver and pancreas. [Source: bodyandsoul.com.au]

Nut Butter: I like to use ABC spread, a combination of Almonds, Brazil Nuts and Cashews.
Almonds: This food is very low in Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Magnesium and Manganese.
Brazil Nuts: This food is very low in Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Magnesium, Phosphorus and Copper, and a very good source of Selenium.
Cashews: This food is very low in Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Magnesium and Copper. [Source: NutritionData.com]

Coconut Water: This food is very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Vitamin C, Riboflavin and Calcium, and a very good source of Dietary Fibre, Magnesium, Potassium and Manganese. [Source: NutritionData.com]

Coconut Oil: Until recently, coconut oil was frowned upon by health professionals because it contains a high level of saturated fat.  Research now shows the saturated fat in coconut oil consists mainly of medium-chain fatty acids, which the body can quickly digest and convert into energy. These acids are metabolised differently to other fats and are not stored as body fat.  Including coconut oil in your daily diet can increase metabolism and enhance weight loss. It's ideal for cooking, due to its stability at high temperatures. It's perfect for roasting vegetables or adding to Asian-style stir-fries or smoothies. This tropical trooper comes with a host of health benefits. [Source: bodyandsoul.com.au]

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.