Greetings from Palm Desert! While this is the destination for health and wellness, I feel as though I need a detox after a celebratory weekend. Our friends came to visit and the enthusiasm was wonderful. We had not seen each other for a long time, and the laughs were off the charts. We also had our fair share of margaritas by the pool and several delicious tacos. We went out to a great dinner that resulted in singing ‘Sweet Caroline’ at the piano bar. It was the perfect weekend of celebrating just being together with food, drink and copious amounts of fun!!
It is Monday morning and I am trying to keep my eyes open at my desk. While the big energy weekends are the best, it sometimes can be hard to feel the highest levels of motivation when the workday roles around. There can also be the need to clear the system and get back on the wellness track. For this blog, I thought it would be timely to share a few nutritional strategies that have helped me reset and ignite new energy.
Upgrade Coffee
Some mornings it can feel as though there is not enough caffeine in the world to do the trick. There are simple ways to enhance any cup of coffee that extends the effect of caffeine, elevates metabolism and provides nutrients to the brain that improve focus. Here are my go-to’s:
MCT Oil: The pure extract from coconut oil that allows the body to burn ketones for fuels and delivers quick energy to the brain. Add 1 tsp up to a tablespoon in your coffee or tea. Start slow as it has a dramatic effect on digestion.
Lion’s Main: Adaptogenic mushroom that serves as a powerful antioxidant. The anti-inflammatory properties increase blood flow to the brain, leading to improved cognitive performance and a reduction of brain fog.
Organic Heavy Cream: If you are not opposed to dairy, organic heavy cream can be a great way to enjoy a creamy cup of coffee without all the sugar. As opposed to oat and low fat milk that are around 13 grams of sugar per cup, heavy cream is zero sugar and delivers healthy fat to the brain.
Shorten Eating Window
Intermittent fasting is a very fast and safe way to cleanse the body of toxins, reboot the mitochondria in cells and influence fat burning. Simply shift the time you eat to an 8-10 hour period. For example, start your first meal at 11am and end around 7pm or 8pm. In the 16 hours you're not eating, the body goes into rapid cellular cleanup mode known as authophogy.
It’s an incredible way to reset after a big weekend, as well as provide ongoing benefits for immunity, energy and focus. You don’t have to do it every day to see the benefit. I really like this approach for the weekdays and then enjoy brunch and late night dinners on the weekends.
Add Herbs
After a weekend of cocktails and heavy foods, it is beneficial to up the level of nutrition rich in antioxidants. In addition to dark leafy greens, avocados, olive oil and berries; there are additional boosts to add that comes with powerful benefits. I love adding mint, parsley, and dill to any salad, soup or pesto. Herbs used to be intimidating to me, but now I just chop a bunch up and add to a daily salad.
Nora’s Naturals- Recipe of the Week
I have also been using herbs to make homemade pesto. It’s a great way to enjoy a rich meal that feels indulgent but remains very healthy.
1 whole avocado
1 cup basil
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup pine nuts or walnuts
1 squeezed lemon
Sea salt and pepper to flavor
Blend and enjoy with roasted veggies or cauliflower rice
Nora’s Naturals Beauty Coffee & Stress Relief Elixirs
Single Origin Organic Coffee: Fairtrade, sourced from the Finca Isabel Mountain Range in Nicaragua. Bean grown in volcanic soil, rich in silica, an essential mineral to collagen production. Roasted in Santa Barbara, California.
Stress Relief and Energy Elixirs: Made with only 8 ingredients, all natural botanical herbs grown in the Colorado Rockies. The elixirs speed cellular turnover, increase metabolism and sustain energy. Add to water, tea, coffee or cocktails.
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