Lately I’ve been feeling the ups and downs of a pretty full life! I have days where I over exert myself, feel super inspired and take on too much (or just plain take on too much!!). After a few days of pushing myself my body says ‘No’ as it should and I slump into ‘I don’t wanna do anything’ mode! I’m sure this is happening to tons of you out there but don’t fear I’ve got a great smoothie that can help you manage your stress levels!
I call it the ‘Stress-Less Smoothie’ because it is delicious and full of nutrients that help combat stress. One of the major organs involved in the stress response in our bodies are our adrenals. These little glands sit on top of our kidneys and secrete many hormones including cortisol in response to stress. Contrary to what people think cortisol is an important biological molecule; it is a potent anti-inflammatory, gets us up in the morning and allows us to get a quick boost of energy when it is needed (as in fight or flight) by liberating glucose.
Cortisol becomes a problem when we are constantly stressed and are over producing it; that means we can’t fall asleep because we have too much of it in our system before bed. It can lead to gaining weight because let’s face it, most modern day stressors are in our mind and not a physical problem (like a lion in the savannah), so all the excess glucose that is liberated gets converted back to fat (i.e. triglycerides) right around our midsection because we do not use that energy to run! With the excess midsection weight we are also more prone to inflammation, oh fun!
So this smoothie may just help with some of these symptoms but changing that stressful pattern and taking time to relax is the ultimate cure.
Ingredients
- 1 banana
- 2-3 handfuls of spinach
- 1 tsp maca
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 – 1 tsp spirulina
- 1 tsp lucuma
- 1 tsp (up to 1 tbsp) bee pollan
- ¼-1/2 Vitamin C Powder ( I use Now Vitamin C with Bioflavanoids) OR camu camu powder
- ½ cup of filtered water
- Handful of ice
Directions
1. Blend baby blend in a blender of course!
2. Sip slowly and enjoy.
How does this smoothie help with stress?
Spinach and spirulina
- Contains magnesium which is needed to complete hundreds of functions in the body including fat metabolism and relaxation of tense muscles which can be compromised if we are stressed!
- As we become more stressed we lose magnesium in the body through urination and need to replenish it. Green foods are your best friend here!
Maca
- is an adaptogen from Peru
- It helps the body deal with prolonged stress
- There are 3 parts to a stress response; the alarm phase, resistance phase and crash phase.
- Adaptogens allow your body to remain in the resistance stage for longer!
Bee Pollen
- contains a whole spectrum of B vitamins which are needed by the adrenals to function properly
- B vitamins are important co-factors in energy output and making adrenal hormones.
- Fatigued people tend to be low in the B-complex vitamins. B is for boost!
Vitamin C
- Important antioxidant in the body and helps to prevent or mitigate damage caused by excessive stress.
- Found in high amounts in the adrenals and is a critical cofactor for proper function.
So sit back have your smoothie and meditate for 15 minutes a day. Your adrenals will thank you!
~Michelle
Holistic Nutritionist.
