What Are Free Radicals? How do They Harm You? How to Make a Great Green Smoothie!

It is actually pretty easy to stay slim. Try to eat 3 to 5 small meals a day. I eat 3 but when my blood sugar was low I did much better on 5 small meals. If you include some protein in your meal you will be less likely to suffer from the ups and downs of hypoglycemia or low-blood sugar which can leave you feeling shaky and faint.

Try to learn to Eat to Live and not to Live to Eat. Your entire outlook on food and health will change and you will find you actually enjoy food more.

Don't wait to eat when you are ravenous with hunger or you will more than likely take in many more calories than you need.

By eating smaller meals throughout your day you are resetting you metabolism and helping it to function more effectively. When we don't eat our bodies naturally slow down and go into starvation mode to preserve calories and our bodies don't burn calories the way we want them too. Our metabolism suffers greatly from person to person.

Throw out the scales. By weighing yourself daily you are setting yourself up for failure. Your weight will fluctuate naturally with water retention, hormone changes. You will know you are doing well by how you look, feel and how you clothes feel.

Start your day with a healthy breakfast. If you are an adult you know by now how to eat healthy. You need balance. Start by thinking about protein, fruits and fiber. A good example is a boiled egg, whole wheat toast with a very small amount of butter or jam and an orange. Sometimes I will make an egg with coconut oil for the antioxidants. Another good breakfast is a bowl of high fiber, low protein, low sugar cereal with cut up fruit. Use low fat or skim milk. Your brain does need fat to function so 1 or 2 % is fine for a medium bowl. Stone Ground oatmeal with Stevia or Truvia and fruit or even nuts is great. Fruit juice is not a good choice as it has so many calories and does not give you the satisfaction of chewing or the benefit of fiber. Coffee is fine but don't add a lot of sugar or cream. A small amount would be okay especially if you are used to a regular cup of coffee. Some studies suggest coffee can fight Alzheimer's but I don't want to do anything to excess. Try not to drink it all day.

Smoothies are so easy to make. You can even make it the night before and freeze it. Then take it to work or with you to run errands and have a healthy lunch or snack.

Smoothie Recipe Including the famous Green Smoothie

Cut up a mango, throw in a banana or some frozen strawberries and/or blueberries, a 6 oz serving of low fat Greek or yogurt with antioxidants and some coconut or almond milk, Fat and sugar free. Throw in a couple of ice cubes if your fruit is not frozen.You can even add a scoop of a good protein powder if you like. I like to add some coconut oil or flaxseed oil for health or even a Tbls of Benefiber to get in extra fiber. Americans do not eat enough fiber. Use your smoothie as a substitute for one of your meals.

I often add spinach or another leafy green vegetable along with wheat grass powder to my smoothie. This is a good way to rid your body of free radicals that if left in your body can cause disease in your body.

Studies have found that both coconut oil and flax seed oil help to reduce belly fat. I use not only in my smoothies but to cook with too. It is really not that difficult to incorporate a little into your diet every day.

Wheatgrass is one additive I sometimes use in my smoothies to add antioxidants that fight free radicals. Wheatgrass as well as the spinach of other green leafy veggie in my green smoothie contains chlorophyll that fights free radical damage in our bodies among other things.

The Health Benefits of Chlorophyll include:

• anti-inflammatory

• anti-bacterial

• protects the body from radiation

• removes heavy metals and other toxins from the body

• heals and rejuvenates the liver

• heals wounds

• prevents premature aging, and prolongs youthfulness

• prevents bad body odor

Free radicals are caused by natural processes in our body such as aging and metabolism but they are caused by things like smoking, stress, eating or drinking the wrong foods and other damaging substances in the body.that can cause oxidative damage. A free radical is an unpaired electron in the body. It is looking for anything to become stable. Over time too many free radicals cause damage to the body in the form of disease. As we age the amount of damage increases. This is why it it so important to learn how to fight free radicals and even avoid them in the first place.

We fight free radicals with clean living. There are positive effects of vitamins C and E as well as use of the now popular Mangosteen Drink made from a fruit tree found in asia that delivers large numbers of antioxidants into the body.

Antioxidants as those found in green drinks help the body rid itself of Free Radicals.

Other ways to fight free radical damage to our bodies are to load up with plenty of organic, colorful fruits, vegetables and beans.

Healthy living fights free radicals. Exercise, rest, eating well, avoiding stress, using sunscreen avoiding exposure to x-rays, and many other things help us to avoid free radical damage to our body.

Green Drink

Almond Milk with Apple, Banana, and Greens

Ingredients

• Half a cup of almond milk
• 1 apple
• 1 large ripe banana, or two small ones.
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• small container low fat yogurt
• 2 to 3 handfuls of edible greens.

My favorite edible greens for smoothies include baby spinach, parsley, seaweed flakes, romaine lettuce, and sunflower sprouts.

How to make

1. Pour the almond milk into the blender.
2. Wash, core and chop the apple.
3. Peel the banana.
4. Add all the ingredients into your blender.
5. Blend until smooth.

For lunch again think healthy. A salad with fruits and/ or vegetables and a measured amount of low fat dressing. Another good choice would be a piece of fruit with some protein such as string cheese or cottage cheese. Even a small sandwich is fine. You need to watch the toppings such as dressing or mayonnaise.

Try a handful of nuts mid-afternoon mixed with almonds and walnuts with some dark chocolate chips and raisins or cranraisins. Studies have shown almonds activate your calorie burning ability so a handful daily is a good choice.

For dinner a small glass of wine is fine. Then think protein, vegetable and one healthy starch such as corn, potatoes or brown rice. Whole grain pasta is an excellent choice. Portion control is so important. Use a smaller plate and eat early enough to burn some of the calories. If you are still hungry after a 4 to 6 oz serving of lean meat of fish, vegetables and rice. Get up and walk around for awhile. Give your body and brain time to know you have eaten. You can also go for some extra fruit. Summer is a great time to loose with all the fresh fruit in season.

I love blueberries or peaches on my cereal and watermelon or cantaloupe for dinner.

If you get a sugar craving try a small to medium piece of dark chocolate with fat free milk or black coffee. Dark chocolate is full of antioxidants and is especially good for women.

Try drink a glass of water before every meal and you will find yourself less hungry. Avoid high calorie fried foods, sauces and desserts.

Don't be afraid to indulge from time to time. It is very easy to go out and have a slice of pizza and one beer and not ruin your diet.

Walk or work out 3 to 4 times a week at least but don't get over worked up about this. A brisk walk in the early morning or evening is great for your general health.

Park farther away from the store you are shopping at and do more things on your own at home such as yard work and house cleaning. You may find you enjoy it. Weight bearing exercise is also important such as wearing weights on your ankles and around your wrists with your walk. Consider some yoga. You can take a glass or just learn from a tape or DVD.

Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Try to move more and use your body as it was meant to be used.

Get your whole family involved in your healthy lifestyle.

If you get a sugar craving try a small to medium piece of dark chocolate with fat free milk or black coffee. Dark chocolate is full of antioxidants and is especially good for women.

Try drink a glass of water before every meal and you will find yourself less hungry. Avoid high calorie fried foods, sauces and desserts.

Don't be afraid to indulge from time to time. It is very easy to go out and have a slice of pizza and one beer and not ruin your diet.

Rest is also important to weight loss. Be sure to get a good nights sleep, at least 7 to 8 hours. The more you stress the harder it is to lose weight.

Stress causes an increase in the wrong kinds of hormones and chemicals in our bodies that make it more difficult to maintain a good weight.

Women, especially, after menopause will have trouble with metabolism and weight around the middle.

If you try ALL the things I have recommended you should be well on your way to a healthier weight.