Like everyone else, with such a demanding schedule, I struggle to maintain a balance between my work and personal lives. It always seems to come back to what I eat. Of course there are other factors involved (being physically active, taking time out of the day for myself, being creative, practicing yoga, reading a good book...) but the most important one is making conscious choices about what I put into my body. And so, when I'm feeling a bit drained, I turn to...

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THE POWERHOUSE SMOOTHIE!

There's lots of flexibility with this recipe, but my basic smoothie ingredient categories are:

fruit (I love bananas, blueberries and raspberries)
milk (I use any kind, but organic non-GMO soy milk is my fave)
greens (my go-to's are kale and spinach)
nuts and seeds (hemp seeds are great, lending the smoothie a delicious spoon-worthy thickness)
raw local honey and/or bee pollen (helps with allergies!)
probiotics (for a happy, healthy gut)
supplements, supplements, supplements! (much deserving of its own section...)

Add ingredients to a blender in any preferred quantity and there you have it!

A BIT ABOUT SUPPLEMENTS

My time spent at NoniLand in Kauai, Hawaii taught me wonders about the power of raw living foods. One of my housemates there triumphed over cancer by prescribing to a life based on mainly raw, vegan, plant-based nutrition coupled with lots of yoga, meditation, and nature. One of the things he consumed regularly was raw NoniLand Hawaiian Superfood Formula, composed only of 5 whole superfoods lovingly harvested, dehydrated at low temperatures to retain all living enzymes, and milled into a fine powder: green papaya, noni, Hawaiian sweet potato, ginger, and turmeric. This quinary powerhouse is known to increase energy, strength and stamina while boosting the immune system, offering me the name Powerhouse Smoothie.

Another key supplement I regularly include also hails from magical NoniLand: raw Noni Powder. Noni fruit was brought over to the Hawaiian islands by brave, sea-faring Polynesians who journeyed across thousands of miles of open ocean in giant canoes on a whim of exploration. They brought with them the most essential items necessary to sustain life during their journey, the "Queen" of which was noni. Noni trees produce a pale green, lumpy, egg-shaped fruit called noni with a waxy, semi-transluscent skin. (To put it plainly, it looks like something sent down from outer space.) In its raw state, noni is not very appetizing, and has a strong, pungent odor with a certain, ummmm, piquant flavors (which many would sum up as "yuck!"). As is true with most medicinal foods, the best things for ya usually doesn't taste so good! But Noni Powder is different- the dehydration process caramelizes the sugars, bringing out the fruit's natural sweetness, making it barely noticeable in your smoothie! Plus noni fruit is antimicrobial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and full of many powerful antioxidants that are believed to promote wellness, so you'll definitely want to include a teaspoon or two! Some of its WOW compounds include:

selenium (skin elasticity, skin health)
xeronine (cell structure health and regeneration)
glycosides (defense against free radicals)
scopoletin (anti-inflammatory properties)
terpine (helps the body detoxify)
limonene and anthraquinones (antiseptic properties, particularly for people with compromised immune systems)
Omega 3 fatty acids (lowers triglycerides levels and thus your risk of heart disease)
potassium (promotes healthy heart rhythm, muscular contraction, nerve function, energy production, and fluid balance)
polysaccharide compounds (stimulates white blood cells into overdrive)
Ormus elements (known to dissolve bad calcium)
the list goes on...

I also like to add powdered Gotu Kola, a precious little leafy green that aids brain function, particularly memory and intelligence. It is also recommended for nervous disorders, epilepsy, senility, premature aging, stress and depression, chronic venous insufficiency, minor burns, scars, scleroderma, skin ulcers, varicose veins, wound healing, parasitic infections, rheumatism, blood diseases, congestive heart failure, urinary tract infections, venereal diseases, hepatitis and high blood pressure... pshew! What's more- it's a sacred herb in India, used by yogis to improve meditation and stimulate the crown chakra.

And finally, Magma Plus, my jam- a delicious, slightly sweet yet earthy fine-powdered blend of barley grass, mixed veggies, fruit, herbs and algae that provides a full range of phytonutrients including active enzymes, antioxidants, carotenoids, flavanoids, vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, amino acids, prebiotics, probiotics, and chlorophyll.

So there you have it, THE POWERHOUSE SMOOTHIE, chock full of delicious nutritious goodness. Enjoy!