Root Vegetables

Beautiful root vegetables

Other than carrots or maybe radishes, root vegetables tend to be overlooked.  Some seem difficult to work with or we're just plain not sure how to cook them.  These humble but hearty veggies are a delicious way to increase nutrient density to any meal.  And because they're root vegetables, they help to maintain balance in your root chakra (see 'Nutrition For Chakra's' post for more info).  

Root vegetables are low in calories, excellent source of fiber (which helps control blood sugar, prevents certain cancers, and heart disease, promotes a healthy gut, and increases satiety). Many root vegetables are also packed with vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, vitamin k, and phytonutrients.  Some taste better raw while other are best steamed, roasted, sauteed, or baked.  

Below is a list of some root vegetables:

• Turnips; mild nutty flavor--mash, puree, stir-fry, or eat raw in salads
• Radish; mild peppery flavor--usually eaten raw, put in ice water first for an hour to add crispness, high in folate and potassium
• Parsnip; sweeet flavor--usually boiled and mashed, excellent source of fiber and folate
• Jicama; sweet nutty flavor--can be baked, broiled, or steamed, good source of fiber and vitamin C
• Beets; mild flavor--cook variety of ways, major cancer fighting benefits and packed with potassium and folate
• Carrots; mild flavor--eaten cooked or raw, do not store near apples which can give them a bitter taste due to a gas the combo emits
• Celery root (Celeriac); has a celery/parsley taste-- packed with vitamin K, calcium, and potassium, use in soups or stews

This fall step out of your usual rut at the grocery store and try a root vegetable you've never had before!  The produce aisle is filled with hidden gems.  You just have to look...and try!

Now...

Where is your attention?

Are you here now?

Or are you thinking about yesterday? Or errands to run later?

When our attention is chronically on the past or future, we miss the blessings and opportunities that are placed in front of us in the now.

Write a list down of things that preoccupy your thoughts so you can let them go.

Then be present.

Be here NOW.

And witness the opportunities and blessings that cross your path each day. 

You can't "see" them if you're looking behind or beyond.

Nutrition For Your Chakra's

Everything is energy.  Light can be traced down to the photon (a quantum particle of light).  Light IS energy.  Energy vibrates at different frequencies or speeds.  Stay with me on this because what I'm leading into has everything to do with nutrition, your body, and your health.

All colors on the spectrum vibrate at different rates.  The visible light spectrum (colors that can be seen by our eyes) vary from red to violet and increase in energy along a spectrum.  Red being 'slower' and longer wavelength to violet being shorter 'faster' wavelengths.  Energy!  I have said before how eating certain foods can help with balancing our chakras (also color associated energies).  Here's how;

Flowers, fruit, vegetables all develop their associated colors because those are the rays that they can absorb (the energy of that color).  So they inherently contain that energy frequency.  Are you starting to see the picture and get why I say eat for your chakras?  For example, let's say you've been feeling anxious, confused, maybe a little achey.  I would suggest increasing your intake of root vegetables, eat red foods like raspberries, strawberries, and increase your protein intake.  Why?  Because those symptoms are associated with in imbalance of your root chakra so including or increasing the foods I mentioned above can help balance your root chakra.  Here's another example, you've noticed you're having trouble communicating (whether scared to or can't find the words), your always tired, or extra hyper, maybe you've started having issues with stress in your neck, face, or tension headaches.  I would suggest eating foods that have a high water content, maybe adding soups to your diet, fruits/veggies, 100% juices (fruit and vegetable), as well as using sea salt (not table salt) and eating blueberries, blackberries, purple potatoes.  This is because based on the symptoms, the throat chakra (or 5th chakra) seems to be unbalanced and the foods I mentioned above would support its balance through nutrition.

I am not stating that nutrition is the only way to balance the chakras.  That is multi-layered.  But I am saying that through nutrition you can maintain balance or it can be a catalyst for balance.  Nutrition is the key to physiological health and wellness.  You can workout, practice yoga, and meditate but if you have poor substandard nutrition habits all that work is in vane.  We are multidimensional energy beings and because of that you can't acknowledge and nourish one area of your being and expect the whole to be well.  Address it all.  It's the only way to achieve optimum wellness.  And nutrition is an integral part of that.

XO  Joy

*Any serious symptoms or health conditions should be looked into by a doctor.

Breakfast Fuel

A great breakfast and pre-workout fuel! Gluten-free toast, organic peanut butter, and banana.

• Under 250 calories
• 9 grams/protein
• Packed with vitamins and minerals like B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. This mineral combo is great to ward off muscle cramps during a workout. And don't forget to wash it down with some lemon water!