People like “stuff”. We tend to hold onto more of it year after year. We save and stock up on many useless items that we don’t even know what to do with. Maybe we keep things because they hold precious memories of days gone by, or they remind us of our parents, grandparents, past loves or childhood. To part with these precious possessions may seem painful or even out of the question to some. There is a saying that goes, “You have to get rid of the old to make way for the new.” If you are feeling stuck or stagnant in your life, try some spring-cleaning. Throw out some of that old “stuff”, say goodbye to your nuances of the past and welcome the new energy of your happy, healthy future. Try these four ideas:
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1. For good mental and physical health, we actually have two “houses” that need to be spring-cleaned: our physical homes and our physical bodies. Just as we accumulate “stuff” in the form of outgrown clothes, magazines, rusty bicycles, tools and random keepsakes, so do our bodies accumulate old food residues and toxins that need to be cleaned out.
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2. To spring clean your body, give it a break from rich and complicated foods by either cleansing or fasting for a short period of time. Cleansing means paring down your food to just simple fruits and vegetables, lots of water and perhaps gluten-free whole grains. Fasting means limiting most foods and drinking lots of water, fresh vegetable and fruit juices, teas and soups. Without much energy going toward digestion, more energy is available to the rest of your body and mind. Cleansing and fasting can sharpen your concentration, help you gain insight and promote spiritual awareness. It can also bring improved immune function and better digestion.
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3. While you’re cleaning out your body and home, don’t forget to spring-clean your heart. Throw away negative thoughts and habits you’ve been harboring that no longer serve you. A clean, open heart will allow you to receive all the good that awaits you each and every day. If your heart and mind are cluttered, there is no room for life’s gifts and surprises to enter.
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4. Sunrider foods are the perfect solution to nourishing, balancing, and CLEANSING the body safely and effectively. Calli tea & Fortune Delight pulls stored toxins out of our tissues and acts as a scrubber at the cellular level to get the junk out and make room for new healthy cells to be produced. Out with the old and in with the new! Contact me for more information on how to get started! (jessica@jessicalopezrn.com )
Food Focus: Greens
Leafy greens are some of the easiest and most beneficial vegetables to incorporate into your daily routine. Densely packed with energy and nutrients, they grow upward to the sky, absorbing the sun’s light while producing oxygen. Members of this royal green family include kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, mustard greens, arugula, dandelion greens, broccoli rabe, watercress, beet greens, bok choy, napa cabbage, green cabbage, spinach and broccoli.
How do greens benefit our bodies? They are very high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous and zinc, and are a powerhouse for vitamins A, C, E and K. They are crammed full of fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll and many other micronutrients and phytochemicals. Their color is associated with spring, which is a time to renew and refresh vital energy. In traditional Chinese medicine, the color green is related to the liver, emotional stability, and creativity. Greens aid in purifying the blood, strengthening the immune system, improving liver, gall bladder, and kidney function, fighting depression, clearing congestion, improving circulation and keeping your skin clear and blemish free.
Leafy greens are the vegetables most missing from the American diet, and many of us never learned how to prepare them. Start with the very simple recipe below. Then each time you go to the market, pick up a new green to try. Soon you’ll find your favorite greens and wonder how you ever lived without them.
Shiitake and Kale
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes 
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1-2 cloves crushed garlic
1 bunch kale, chopped
pinch of salt
Directions:
1. Warm oil in pan on medium heat with minced garlic until aromas of garlic are released, about 2-3 minutes.
2. Add chopped shiitake mushrooms, stir-fry for 5 minutes.
Add chopped kale, stir-fry for a couple of minutes.
Add a splash of water and pinch of salt to pan, cover and let steam for 4 minutes.
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Kale, Lemon, apple Green Smoothie
2 leaves kale
1 apple
1 lemon peel removed
1-2 cups water or cold calli tea
Stevia to sweeten
Ice (optional)
Blend all ingredients and enjoy!
Enjoy your spring cleaning!
In Health, Hope, & Happiness,
Jessica Aubrey, RN
