Dynamic Fruits & Greens

Are you eating enough fruits and veggies? The current USDA Guidelines recommend 5-13 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.  There are a number of issues where I don’t necessarily see eye-to-eye with the USDA  but this is a generally good rule to try to follow.

We need those fruits and veggies for enzymes, fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants; all the things our bodies need in order to function optimally. As a nutritional therapist, I always recommend we get these things from real foods before supplementation. But, as we all know, sometimes our busy lives simply don’t allow us to follow those ideal USDA Guidelines. We’re in meetings all day then we have to cart the kids to their piano lessons and football practice. We’re traveling for a week and, try as we might to plan ahead and pack a cooler full of veggies, we still aren’t getting enough of these life-giving foods.

Back in June, I wrote up a quick post about what I was bringing with me on a short trip out west. I was lucky enough to borrow a small cooler that I filled to the brim with my Lyme/Paleo necessities. But I also brought a small tub of Dynamic Fruits & Greens, a powder supplement to dissolve in water and drink throughout the day. 

This stuff is really amazing. I’m looking at my bottle right now and I’m counting 43 different freeze-dried fruits and vegetables in this particular blend (Berry). Also noted on the bottle, “…antioxidant power of 20+ servings of fruits and vegetables.” 20!!

I should mention here that this product’s claims have not been verified by the FDA. But a lot of really wonderful things are not backed by the FDA because they aren’t directly increasing revenue TO the FDA. So, take the FDA’s stamp of approval with a grain of mineral-rich unrefined sea salt.

Now, back to the ingredients. To add to the 43 foods, there’s also a probiotic and enzyme blend (4 probiotic strains, and 7 enzymes) as well as a fiber blend to help keep you regular – a must on the road. (I can’t even tell you how many folks I know who get “stopped up” when they travel – could also be due to a tendency to get stuck in the sympathetic ANS and halt the digestive process, or even dehydration…but I digress). Best of all, of the ingredients used in ALL of the different blends, a ton are certified organic, non-GMO, and they are free of the common allergens (like gluten and dairy).

This is important so I’m giving it its own paragraph. There’s NO added sugar. This is huge for those of us with chronic diseases and a need to limit sugar. This is huge for a world that is hurting from the effects of the over-consumption of sugar. This is huge. Only 3g of sugar per scoop.

So what are these amazing ingredients giving us? As mentioned, boatloads of antioxidants. Antioxidants protect our cells from the damage inflicted by every day wear and tear as well as toxins and pathogens in our blood. The amount of antioxidants in each scoop of this powder has been measured to equal that of 3 cups of blueberries – one of the most antioxidant-rich foods out there. There are loads of vitamins to help our metabolic functions as well as boost immunity – perfect for those of us who are in constant Go-Mode. And, according to the “Science” tab on their website, up to 70 trace minerals. These minerals are necessary to help enzymes do their thing, they are important in the structure and function of our bodies, and they help balance our body’s pH.

I can’t recommend this stuff enough. Super easy to pack with you, easy to mix, and it tastes SO MUCH BETTER than you would ever expect (seriously no gnarly vitamin flavor…). I’ve even been adding it to my smoothies lately for an added nutrient punch. If you’re lacking in the fruit and veggie department and need a quick and easy way to get back on track, consider picking up some Dynamic Fruits & Greens.

Response to Star Tribune: Supplements

I was surfing Twitter today and came across an article by a local newspaper. The article is called We Still Love Our Dietary Supplements Even Though They Might Not Help. I wrote the following response on my Facebook page. This doesn’t necessarily fall into the “On The Go” platform this blog is based upon, but I figured it was worth including.

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I just saw this on Twitter (@wholeonthego) and thought I’d respond.

Supplements are just that, supplemental. They are one part of a multifaceted protection against disease. To suggest that these vitamins/minerals/what have you are our only defense is exactly what’s wrong with the reductionistic western medical approach.

We need to seriously assess and change the bad habits we have first and foremost. The article mentions heart disease. Increasing good fats (especially omega 3s), reducing the inflammation brought on by refined sugars, staying hydrated, and exercising frequently are all totally necessary steps in protecting against heart disease. To think that just taking a One-A-Day with your bowl of Fruit Loops (is that even still around) every morning will keep your heart healthy is totally misguided.

Also, I’d like to mention that not all of the supplements on the market are even in their most bioavailable form. That is to say, our bodies can absorb and utilize some forms of nutrients more efficiently than others. There are some vitamin B complexes on the shelves at Target, for example, that can actually clog up your system and lead to toxicity. Finding the most bioavailable forms of your supplements is key.

The more you know, people! We can prevent illness, and supplements are extremely helpful in that process! But they need to be implemented alongside real dietary and lifestyle change in order to be truly effective.

Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, and Cinnamon!

I had a different post scheduled for today but I stumbled across something and I just had to share it. But first, a little bit of set-up information.

Nuts and seeds can be an amazing snack filled with all sorts of beneficial vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, and fiber. They’re a discreet, high-energy burst for busy days at the office and crazy easy to pack for long trips. But like anything else in our diets, proper preparation is key. Reason being, nuts and seeds (and grains and legumes) have enzyme inhibitors in the form of phytic acid.

Phytic acid has beneficial protective qualities for nuts and seeds in nature, but can wreak havoc in our digestive tracts. The phytic acid binds itself to other nutrients making them indigestible. This can cause some problems in the small intestine as well as nutrient deficiencies.

Soaking and sprouting nuts, seeds, grains, and legumes are the two most historically used methods of deactivating phytic acid. It dates all the way back to the Aztecs, soaking pumpkin seeds in a salty brine before their use.

There are small differences in the soaking process when it comes to the different varieties of nuts and seeds. But the general idea is letting them soak in warm, salty water for 7-24 hours. The Aztecs would then rinse them off and let them dry in the sun, but we can certainly use our ovens on very low heat until the nuts/seeds are fully dry. This is necessary to prevent mold.

This simple process deactivates the enzyme inhibitors, making these nutrient-packed snacks fully “bioavailable” – easy for our bodies to digest, absorb, and utilize.

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So, as I said, I stumbled across a super easy recipe yesterday. I was getting ready to put my pumpkin and sunflower seeds in the oven to dry and I wanted to spice things up a bit. I just happened to have some ground cinnamon lying around and, as we’re heading into fall, I figured ground cinnamon would be perfect. Well…I was right. Here’s what I did:

• Put pumpkin and sunflower seeds in a big ol’ bowl and cover with warm, filtered water. Note: it’s said that it’s best to soak each type of nut/seed individually. I skipped that recommendation because I’m…well, somewhat lazy.
• Add a tablespoon of unrefined sea salt
• Let soak for roughly 12 hours.
• Place seeds in a colander and rinse with cool water.
• Place on baking sheet and drizzle with unrefined sea salt, way-more-than-drizzle with ground cinnamon.
• Place in oven at 150 degrees fahrenheit for up to 24 hours. Note: it really shouldn’t take that long for pumpkin and sunflower seeds. Keep an eye on them, take them out and feel/taste them. You’ll be able to tell when they’re dry. 
• Eat them all in one sitting because they’re far too good and you simply can’t stop. Note: as a nutritional therapist, I do not condone binge eating. It’s probably not super wise to eat several pounds of seeds in one sitting. Use your best judgement. You’re a smart cookie.