A New Yummy Discovery

Today I made a smoothie using two celery stalks, one banana, about 1 1/2 cups of frozen mixed berries and two cups of water.... Mmmmm..... I know celery has wonderful cleansing (diuretic) qualities but I haven't always been crazy about munching on it without the help of some kind of dressing, so blending it in the smoothies allows me to have way more of its goodness without getting sick of the taste or adding unhealthy fats to go with it. Yay!

Maybe I've already mentioned one of the biggest side effect that I've noticed so far, and that is that I don't feel the need for coffee in the morning. I never really felt dependent on it, but it was clearly a huge part of my morning routine (sometimes to the tune of 3 cups in a row - for the love of it). Now, I can choose to not have it and it doesn't feel like I've started my day missing out on something. Now, when I get a great cup of "Mocha Mud" from a local espresso stand, maybe once a week, I actually pay attention to its taste and savor it!

I do notice a subtle shift in my energy as well. It's not a "wow, let me go run a marathon" kind of a shift, but I am definitely able to sustain focus and productivity throughout the day much better. I feel more motivated - less "weighed down". All of this has also inspired me to start practicing Qi Gong again. For a (long) while, I got very distracted and far away from practicing meditation, Tai Chi or anything else, and it finally feels as though I am ready to return to some good things that have been missing. I don't think that is necessarily thanks to the smoothies but there seems to be a shift overall toward wanting to take care of my body and spirit. Such a welcome shift!