I love the color green! My eyes are green, my birthstone is green, and my very first car was green. It is a happy, fun, prosperous, healthy color. Success is associated with green so naturally, being an optimist I incorporated this hue into my brand logo.

The term "going green" eludes to the fact that you are taking care of the planet, not just caring for the Earth but also for your overall wellness. It is all connected, correct? Green covers a pretty good portion of the Earth where we live and thrive, so it makes sense to pay attention to that same vast territory in our body by an internal landscape in the form of nourishment. Oh and there's also this bit of info:

"GREEN AURA COLOR MEANING: Relates to heart and lungs. It is a very comfortable, healthy color of nature. When seen in the aura this usually represents growth and balance, and most of all, something that leads to change.Love of people, animals, nature; teacher; social." Come on people! Is this me or what? Love it! Now then, we have established a mutual love, so let's get to some more fun facts to entice you to get even greener.

Eat your spinach! Popeye did, and you saw what happened to him, he got tough, strong, he got the girl and him conquered the bad guy. I confess I had no clue what was in this spinach he squeezed so aggressively out of a tin can, but the aftermath was compelling. A scrawny little sailor was turning into a superhero before my very eyes all because he ate his veggies. Sold! You did not have to twist my arm; I loved spinach, and still love it today. Not everyone loves greens, though, and that is a downright shame. Lucky for you green ingredients with all the antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and super powers are not only in veggies. Healthy eating is multifaceted the end resulting in balance, and this will only come to fruition by choosing a variety of foods.

How do Greens get their Green color you ask? It is pure chemistry. I am not a scientist but I am a nutritionist, and I know a thing or two or three about wholesome living. These antioxidants I am always boasting about that are so amazing, disease preventative, cell protective, mineral carrying and vitamin producing can be grown in plants. Phytonutrients aka: phytochemicals, "Phyto, coming from the Greek word meaning "Plant." Seeing as some of my family trees hail from the magical Mediterranean I do have a lot of GREEN surging through my veins, thus you can understand my excitement. In hopes of my enthusiasm wearing off on you, I continue to teach and write about the healthy benefits that come with increasing your leafy intake.

Let's explore some of my faves: Any of these greenies can be found in your local market. So now you have zero excuses not to try.

avocado
edamame
spinach, kale, broccoli, brussels sprouts
green tea- matcha
kiwi
green apple
grapes
Chlorophyll- found in SEA VEGGIES
nori- seaweed
algae
spirulina
asparagus
basil, dill, parsley, cilantro

Let's dive into this ocean of Sea Veggies. It is a new found love affair of mine. Kelp, Arame, Wakame, Nori, this new wave (yep, I am gonna keep being punny) of green eating is taking the "super" in superfood up a notch. So much so I asked my friends at Beyond Yoga if I could do my next post for the Taste section all about these under the sea plants. The benefits and why we should eat these briny, delicious, nutritious Neptune treats are tremendous. Check out what I have to say, PLUS, I included the most delectable Sea Vegetable Energy Bowl recipe. Check back in the next couple days with BY for my Sea Veggie Post here.

I do not mind repeating myself when it comes to Wellness; it is just too important to skim over. There are important health reasons to eat more green veggies like lowering blood pressure or prevent diseases like diabetes and breast cancer. Vegetables are low in sugar and high in fiber and antioxidant levels. Green vegetables have beauty benefits like anti-aging properties. Smile big, this is all good news and smile even bigger because greens like broccoli have tons of calcium. Lovely teeth and healthy bones, (just ask my friend Dr. Lawrence at Silicon Beach Dental) happy faces while beating diseases like Osteoporosis, I cannot see any reason why you are not running to your nearest Farmers Market to stock up.

In a nutshell, (let's make it pistachio to keep it green, haha) adding more plant-based foods into your life lends itself to this synergy I talk about so often, balance and variety. Inside our bodies, this factory of systems, cells, converting, heating, cooling and churning is a symphony of science. It is so much bigger than we give credit or even acknowledge for that matter. We eat a salad once in a while hoping for the best but not preparing for the worst. Take some small steps, keep a journal and count how many times in a week you are eating your greens, then the next week try adding just one more meal a week that includes more veggies. By the next month, you could have increased your intake by ten percent. Something is better than nothing. Then try writing about how you are feeling energetically, physically, mentally. Journaling is how I initially work with clients by helping you staying accountable, and at the same time, you are taking measurable steps to become healthier. It is not easy to do it alone, and that is why working with a nutritionist can improve your chances to succeed. Your improvements will only be as good as your commitment to sustainability. I am available for a complimentary consultation, and you can see some of my services here. I work with individuals, and there is no cookie cutter one size fits all food strategy for everybody. Imagine this, taking a few months to create a lifetime of smart habits.

A new month is approaching, February, it is all about love. An undeniable pressure that we put on ourselves. The love focus can produce energy that catapults us into fix-it mode. Start with yourself because at the end of the day your health is all you got and the only thing you have almost one hundred percent control over.

Happy Motivational Monday Food Athletes!

Be Happy, Be Healthy, Love Your Body,
xo Jessi (Your Food Athlete) xo

Surprise! Bonus recipe! Bon Apetit'

Go Green Apple Smoothie:

Ingredients:

1 green apple
4 kale leaves
1 cup spinach
2 tsp. spirulina
1 stalks celery
1/2 banana
small handful raw walnuts
1 tsp. chia seeds
2-3 cups filtered water or half water half almond or hemp milk