March 2015
Dr. Claire's Energy Brew
Written By Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day. But it's not just the food that matters – what you drink is important for your health as well. And what do most people drink? Juice packed with sugar, or coffee and other caffeine-laden beverages. While these beverages do wake you up, they provide little to no nourishment. It is far better to have Dr Claire's energy brew in the morning! This nutrient-packed beverage blend completes any of your breakfast food choices. Or, if you are one of those “coffee snatchers”, you can add in a few more ingredients to create a full meal!
Greens Hx®: This superfood powder contains all the green veggies that we should eat, but no one actually enjoys eating. Here’s a breakdown of some of the helpful ingredients in Greens Hx®:
Spirulina. Spirulina is very good for boosting the immune system, which helps us to fight off colds and flus. It is also very good for liver support. This is important, because everything we eat – and even chemicals contained in the air we breathe – comes along with certain compounds that our bodies must process once we ingest them. Over time, these can leave you feeling worn down and tired. Spirulina is also a very concentrated superfood making it helpful for eye health. It’s very high in B-Vitamins as well, meaning it is very good for energy production. (1)
Chlorella. This is another nutrient-packed superfood. Chlorella is very good at detoxing heavy metals from the body, which can come from anywhere – for example, dental fillings. Chlorella is also very important for red blood cells, which carry oxygen to all of the body’s organs. If you “perk up” the red blood cells, you have more energy. Additionally, chlorella helps support blood pressure already within normal range, which also gives you more energy. (2)
Wheat Grass. This ingredient contains many vitamins and minerals to help produce energy and detox the body. It also helps normalize pH levels. When the body is too acidic, it can leave you feeling very fatigued.(3)
Beet Juice. This ingredient helps increase blood flow to the brain, which helps battle fatigue and boost energy. In addition to increasing blood flow to the brain, beets supply iron, which carries oxygen. (4)
Turmeric. This is a famous Indian herb that is getting lots of attention these days! It is a well-known super spice that mediates inflammatory activity – this means it is excellent at reducing the occasional pain from inflammation. Turmeric is also very good for the brain and for memory, and it has been found to be very helpful in treating symptoms of depression! (5)
Eleuthera. This is a powerful adaptogenic herb. Eleuthera helps to heal the adrenal glands from stress. The adrenals are very important hormone producers, and when they become overworked, you begin to feel very tired.
Enzymes. The best benefit of digestive enzymes is that they break down the food into tiny bits so your body can absorb the nutrients better. If they absorb the vitamins from food better, it just makes sense that you will feel better!
2) Oranges Hx®: This is a great-tasting superfood powder that contains a variety of energy-boosting nutrients. The first energy producer is the adaptogenic complex, which provides 800mg of nutrients to help heal your adrenal glands and allow them to work properly. Once again, healthy adrenals lead to a healthy, energetic body! Also, healthy adrenals can help you burn off belly fat, since belly fat tends to be related to levels of the stress hormone known as cortisol. The next energy-producer in Oranges Hx® is green coffee bean. This helps the body the body to produce energy, and it also helps borderline blood pressure, borderline blood sugar, and may even boost healthy weight loss! The final ingredient in this tasty powder is a nice 25mg dose of CoQ10, a nutrient that becomes depleted by many drugs. It works by helping the mitochondria produce energy for the body.(6)
3) Collagen Hx®: This doesn't directly produce energy, but Collagen Hx® is an essential part of this recipe because of its great benefits for your skin, hair, nails and bones. Collagen helps build cartilage for the joints, which is helpful for protecting joints if you exercise often or suffer occasional aches and pain from wear and tear. It is also important for bone formation – remember, the bones make up a whole ecosystem that requires more than just calcium. On a more fun note, collagen is amazing at growing hair. I always loved my hair, but after taking Collagen, it's thicker than ever! Also, collagen keeps your skin healthy and your nails strong. (7)
4) Multi-Core Energy Powder: The final ingredient is one of my favorites. Multi-Core Energy Powder has calcium, magnesium, vitamin D and all your other vitamins in one great product! It also has CoQ10 and other energy producers. It really does give you a boost!
You can mix this brew in water, almond milk, coconut milk, or any nut milk you like. You can also add in any other healthy ingredients you like! You can even mix it up the night before and grab it to go. With this basic brew, you are good to go – it will keep you full of energy all day long!
References:
1. Spirulina: Nutrition Facts & Health Benefits by Lauren Cox, Live Science Contributor | November 21, 2014 03:39am ET
2. Healing Daily: Health Benefits of Chlorella
3. Meyerowitz, Steve (April 1999). "Nutrition in Grass". Wheatgrass Nature's Finest Medicine: The Complete Guide to Using Grass Foods & Juices to Revitalize Your Health (6th ed.). Book Publishing Company. p. 53. ISBN 1-878736-97-3.
4. The Benefits of Beet Juice By Pina LoGiudice ND, LAc and Peter Bongiorno ND, LAc Co-Medical Directors of Inner Source Health in New York
5. Davis JM, Murphy EA, Carmichael MD, Zielinski MR, Groschwitz CM, Brown AS, Ghaffar A, Mayer EP. Curcumin effects on inflammation and performance recovery following eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2007 Mar 1 [Epub ahead of print]
6. www.adrenalfatigue.org
7. http://healing.answers.com/spirituality/eight-health-benefits-of-collagen-supplements
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