Makes 6 servings or so…(psst – make sure you use as many organic ingredients as possible to avoid ingesting pesticides and other toxins conventional food is covered in)

• 4 carrots, cut into small dice
• 1 leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced into half-moons and rinsed well
• 1/3 cup sliced green onions
• 1 package button mushrooms
• 6 kale leaves, deribbed
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar (optional)
• 4 large eggs (optional)
• 10 cups vegetable broth, or “no chicken” broth
• About 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 cup tiny pasta, such as farfalline or orzo
• 2 1/2 cups diagonally sliced sugar snap peas
• About 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (optional)
• About 2 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon leaves

Preparation

1. Cook carrot, leek, and green onions with butter in a large pot over medium heat until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.
2.  Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, warm vinegar and 1 1/2 in. water over high heat until bubbles form on pan bottom, then reduce heat to medium-low. Break eggs into water, keeping them slightly apart. Cook until whites are firm but yolks are still soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer eggs with a slotted spoon to a plate.
3. 3. Add broth and 1/4 tsp. pepper to vegetables. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Add pasta, kale and mushrooms and boil gently, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in snap peas and return to a boil, then stir in 1/2 cup parmesan, 2 tsp. tarragon, and more pepper to taste.
4. 4. Ladle into bowls and top each with a poached egg. Serve with more cheese, tarragon, and pepper if you like.

Greens First Greens Powder

Green’s First GREENS are one of the best tasting greens powders on the market. They taste sweet and minty and easily mix with water for a quick pick-me-up. One serving of Green’s First GREENS contains more than 10 servings of organic fruits and vegetables including barley grass, chlorella and spirulina – all greens that are great detoxifiers. You can find them here.

Greens First Boost

Green’s First Boost is a quick, plant-based protein pick-me-up. It contains 4.5 grams of non-GMO, organic brown rice protein. Free of dairy, soy, gluten, and sugar makes it a great choice for those with food sensitivities. The Boost comes in french vanilla and chocolate flavor and also contains fatty acids, antioxidants, prebiotics, vitamins and minerals. We love supporting companies like Green’s First who are very quality conscious with their ingredients. They also give back to various charities and organizations. Always a plus!  www.greensfirst.com

mmmm-veggies and fruits in frosty treat!

Secret Berry Popsicles (the 15+ servings of Fruit and Veggies is the secret!)

• Buy any type of popsicle mold you prefer
• Mix together in a pitcher 6 scoops of Greens First Berry and 32 oz Pure cold water
• Optional: add 2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice, orange juice or lime juice
• Carefully fill each mold with Berry mixture, place in your freezer

“The US Bureau of Labor Statitstics states that 71% of moms were employed in 2007. Some research has shown an assoiciation between mothers who work and children with higher BMI’s (Body Mass Index). “

It takes some serious multi-tasking skills to be a working mom - but You Can Do It!

As a soon to be working mom myself, I have to wonder, if this statistic has to do with lack of time to create healthy meals, lack of time for family physical activity, or both?

I feel fortunate that I have access to Greens First products, which time and time again I have been told that our customers children LOVE! Knowing that my kids have gotten 15+ servings of Organic Fruits and Veggies first thing in the morning gives me peace of mind for the rest of the day.

Make delicious and nutritious summer treats!

Summer is right around the corner! an easy (and sneaky) “mom” trick I have been told of is to make Greens First Berry Popsicles! Just buy some inexpensive popsicle molds, mix up a batch of Greens First Berry big enough to fill the molds – I would suggest 6 scoops of Berry to 32 oz. pure water. Mix up in a pitcher with a spoon, pour into the molds and voila! 15+ servings of Organic Fruits and Veggies in a delicious summer treat!

IDEA Fitness Journal has some ideas to increase family physical activity without having to increase extra hours in the day!

Model: When kids see moms taking care of themselves, they will be encouraged to do the same,

Shake: Play music nightly, and get everyone to dance for at least 3 songs.

Plan: Plan family activites tress times per week. Complete a park circuit workout that includes running bases, doing lunges on the field and swinging on the monkey bars. Allow each family member to choose an activity to incorporate.

Chart: Create a family activity chart, and write all planned activites for the week. Whoever completes the most minutes of physical activity by the end of the week gets to choose a weekend activity.

Delegate: Enroll kids in after-school sports or physical activity classes. Give kids ownership over choosing the activity.

Edited by Courtney Hayes-Jurcheck, Greens First

Turns out, going zen can seriously reduce physical aches. In a recent study, people who had a pain-inducing heating device placed on their legs were able to reduce the hurt by 40 percent, simply by meditating.

“In comparison, morphine only decreases pain by about 25 percent,” says the study’s senior researcher, Rober Coghill, PhD, associate professor of neurobiology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

Subjects used the “focused attention” technique: Close your eyes, breathe throguht your nose, and concentrate on the air coming in and going out. The more you practice, the better it works, Coghill says.

A few other things getting in the zone does for you:

Sharpens Focus: People trained to meditate were better able to sustain their attention than those who weren’t, according to a Psychological Science Study.

Lowers Blood Pressure: A University of Kentucky study found that folks with hypertension who meditated reduced their blood pressure. In fact, “it was as effective as adding a second blood pressure medication,” says lead author James W Anderson, MD.

Zaps Stress: Practicing meditation for eight weeks not only eased feelings of stress but actually caused corresponding physical changes in the amygdala, the brain area that controls those feelings, according to a study published in Psychiatry Today: Neuroimaging.

Reposted from Siddhi Urban Yoga Blog, Edited by Courtney Hayes-Jurcheck

By Norine Dworkin-McDaniel

Joints feeling achy? Boost your manganese and copper levels by eating spinach, plus taking supplements.

What if the fountain of youth were in your own kitchen? While we’ve come to expect that certain physical and mental changes are an inevitable part of getting older, the fact is that the foods we eat—or don’t—may speed those processes along, aging us before our time.

The reason is simple. “We eat too many processed foods,” says David Katz, MD, director of Yale University’s Prevention Research Center. “They’re often high in calories and low in nutrients such as vitamin B12 and omega-3s, so we end up with islands of deficiencies in a sea of excess.”

These inadequacies can result in symptoms we tend to assume are due to aging, such as the four below. Work with your doctor to determine whether adjusting your diet or adding a supplement can help you look—and feel—younger.

You have less energy
You may need more: Vitamin B12
Found only in foods that are derived from animals, this nutrient helps regulate your metabolism and energy production and is key to maintaining a healthy brain and nervous system. “Fatigue is a classic sign of B12 deficiency, which usually occurs in people who don’t eat very much animal protein,” says Danine Fruge, MD, associate medical director of the Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa in Miami.

Chewing a lot of antacids to relieve heartburn can also lead to B12 deficiency, because antacids interfere with B12 absorption.

How your doctor knows: Your GP will ask about what you eat, whether you’re getting enough sleep, and the medications you take. If you don’t eat many (or any) meat or dairy foods or take supplements containing B12, you sleep 7 to 8 hours each night, and you’re physically active, odds are good that your low energy is due to a B12 deficiency.

Food fix: Have two servings of nonfat dairy foods, such as fat-free milk or nonfat yogurt, and 3 to 4 ounces of lean protein daily. Good sources of B12 include seafood such as fish, clams, oysters, and mussels, as well as lean beef and pork, chicken, and fortified cereal.

Supplement solution: Take 500 to 1,000 mcg of vitamin B12 in tablet form every day to raise and maintain your B12 levels.

2. Your joints ache
You may need more:Manganese and Copper
Because manganese and copper are both essential for maintaining joint cartilage and flexibility, “in most cases, supplementing these nutrients reverses the joint deterioration and eliminates the pain,” says Dale Peterson, MD, director of the Comprehensive Wellness Center in Sapulpa, OK. “The body can actually repair a significant amount of damage if it’s given the proper support.”

How your doctor knows: Using a simple blood test, your physician can easily determine whether your joint pain is related to garden-variety wear and tear or a more serious inflammatory condition. “If the result is normal, you can be assured that the joint pain isn’t caused by serious rheumatic disease,” says Dr. Peterson.

Food fix: Nuts, beef, and spinach are good sources of these nutrients, but you won’t be able to eat enough to get all your copper and manganese, so opt for a supplement, Dr. Peterson advises.

Supplement solution: Take 2 mg of copper and 5 mg of manganese each day. Within 2 to 3 months, your joints should feel less painful.

You’re more forgetful
You may need more: Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids

Try Omega-3 First Capsules from Greens First to boost your brain power!

“These fatty acids are part of the brain’s building blocks,” explains Andrew Weil, MD, director of the Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona. “If you’re not getting enough in your diet, the architecture of the brain becomes weak, and brain function, including memory, suffers.” But it’s not only the amount of omega-3s that’s important; the balance between omega-3s and omega-6s is equally crucial. “Our diets are flooded with omega-6 fatty acids, mostly from processed foods,” says Dr. Weil. “The more omega-6s you eat, the more omega-3s you need to balance your levels. Most of us aren’t eating enough omega-3s and are eating too many omega-6s.”

How your doctor knows: A quick review of what you eat is all she needs. “If there’s no fish, walnuts, or freshly ground flaxseed in your diet, and the fats you eat come mainly from meat, you’re not getting any omega-3s,” explains Manuel Villacorta, RD, an American Dietetic Association spokesperson in San Francisco.

Food fix: First, reduce the amount of refined and processed foods you eat as much as possible, and cook with olive or canola oil. Then, eat 3 ½ounces of wild salmon and 3 ½ounces of herring, sardines, or halibut each week. Add 2 tablespoons of freshly ground flaxseed to cereal, whole grain side dishes, or shakes daily, and garnish salads or cereal with 1 tablespoon of walnuts 5 days a week. Finally, enjoy 9 to 12 almonds 4 times a week.

Supplement solution: Take at least 2,000 mg of fish oil daily. Look for 1,000 mg capsules of combined docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosaentaenoic acid (EPA).

Your blood pressure is rising
You may need more: Potassium
“Having too little potassium in your diet magnifies the toxic effects of excessive salt intake,” Dr. Fruge says. Most processed foods have added sodium but no extra potassium, so if your meals come from boxes, you’re likely at risk. Worsening the situation, when your kidneys try to flush out the salt, you lose even more potassium. “The imbalance damages blood vessels, driving up blood pressure,” Dr. Fruge notes. “Eating better can correct the problem—I’ve seen people drop thirty points in three days.”

How your doctor knows: A review of your diet reveals all your GP needs to know. If there’s any doubt, he can evaluate your cardiovascular function with blood tests to check blood sugar, cholesterol levels, and kidney function, along with stress tests, body-fat measurements, and ultrasounds of your heart and arteries.

Greens First has 15 Servings of Organic Fruits and Veggies- In Just One Scoop!

Food fix: Cut your sodium consumption to no more than 1,500 mg per day, and eat seven to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day.

Supplement solution: Potassium supplements can lead to arrhythmia or other cardiac problems, says Danine Fruge, MD. Stick with produce to avoid those side effects.