This blog post is not intended to share medical advise. Im sharing information from my personal experiences, my research and my studies! Please speak with your medical practioner and be guided accordingly.
Hello my beautiful Bella Queens!
Welcome back, I hope you have your crowns on tight because we're about to dive into another empowering and exciting article right here in the Queenhood!
The topic for today is How to prepare for Spring: Refreshing with food not just fashion!🍇🍅🍓🍒🍑🥬
Read to the end for 3 FREE, healthy, easy, quick recipies you can incorporate into you diet!
If you missed our last queen meetup, on the Trending colours for spring and summer 2024 don't worry, we've got you covered: the recording was posted (click the link above) and we also followed up with a blog post. Click here to read!
Read it, share it, and drop your thoughts. Your feedback is the royal seal of approval!💌👑
Let's get into the topic which I know sounds a bit out there for a clothing store, but stick with me, and you'll see why.
We at Bella Modal,
1) Are concerned about the woman as a whole: mind, body, soul, spirit and closet.😉
2) Understand that when you eat well, you feel fantastic and you look fantastic. Your skin literally glows, and that radiance translates into the way you carry yourself= confidence!
I've said it before and I will keep saying it, Confidence is your best accessory, it looks good on every outfit!
Can I also admit here that I have a little secret passion for nutrition and holistic living that I'm deeeeeep diving into it through studies.
But enough about me, let's talk about why we're here today – How to prepare for Spring: Refreshing with food not just fashion!
Just like our wardrobes need a refresh for changing seasons, our bodies do too.
Spring brings out the lighter layers in clothing, and it's the perfect time to sync up our diets with nature's fresh offerings.
In the last blog post I mentioned the concept of mindful dressing. In today's post I want to mention the concept of mindful eating.
For those of you who aren't sure what mindful eating is- it is a concept centered around being present and focused while making food selections.
It encourgaes us to pay close attention to the flavours of our food and most importantly to our bodies' sensations and reactions while we eat and after we have eaten.
Mindful eating is best done with no distractions. However some research doctors believe it is possible to still practise it while doing something leisurely like watching television.
Mindful eating has many benefits that we can get into later.
As stated above one aspect of mindful eating is paying attention to what you are going to eat and since we are discussing refreshing with food this spring season we are already practising the first step.
Let's jump into the juicy part – the top 5 (not really I just wanted it to sound cool😆) foods for spring to keep you blooming into beauty.
1) Beets:I have found a great love for beets over the years mainly because of their wonderful benefits.
There is nothing like knowing the benefits of something changing your taste buds. 🤣
These little gems do wonders! Sweet beets are said to improve circulation.
Some research has shown they
- can balance blood pressure
- decrease the risk of certain anaemias
- support weight loss
- support brain health
- support healthy skin!!! (Giving that cute natural skin glow!!!!!🌟)
Beets are powerful antioxidants and they are high in fibre so it is great for eliminating waste from the bowels.
2) Green Leafy Veggies🥬🥦: These include but are not limited to Arugula, Kale, Lettuce, broccoli and the power puncher- Spinach.
These greens (cruciferous vegetables) are like a springtime spa day for your body.☺️
They are high in vitamins A and K, folate, iron, chlorophyll, fiber and water! Making them fantastic in
- raising haemoglobin levels and reducing the risk of certain aneamias.
- reducing inflammation in the body
- hydrating the body
- detoxifying the body (espcially great for detoxifying oestrogen)
These green baddies are best eaten raw as a salad🥗, juiced or blended in a smoothie or shakes.
Just make sure you always add some citrus juice or food high in vitamin C to your mix once you're using these greens! The vitamin C helps the body the extract and digest all the goodness particularly iron, from these foods.
3: Carrots. Carrots are usually present year round. However, their taste is definitely enhanced during spring.
These orange, purple or even black baddies are packed with Vitamin A and other antioxidants for healthy hair, nails, and skin.
Carrots are one of the top foods which are consdiered to be anti-aging wonders, especially the darker variations!
Queenssssss, it's time to get creative with those carrots and age gracefully!
You can eat them raw, grated in salads as a finger food (carrot sticks), baked, juiced or blended!
Fun Fact- it is believed that the purple and white carrots were the original variants!
4) Strawberries: Can you imagine biting into a fresh, ripe, fragrant strawberry right now? Absolutely heavenly.
It is a healthy indulgence! Strawberries are packed with free radical busting ANTIOXIDANTS!
They help
- to support immunity
- promote healthy cell renewal
- to form collagen which plumps /firms skin (reducing that fine line and wrinkle look!)
- to form healthy red blood cells because they contain folate
Fresh, frozen or in puddings – the possibilities are endless with this healthy indulgence.
5) Mint: Mint is a powerful herb with excellent healing and cooling properties.
It's the springtime hero.🦸🏽♀️
Mint
- May relieve seasonal allergies which are common at spring time
- May improve sleep😴
- May improve skin health
- Freshens breath (good for a natural mouthwash)
- Soothes sore muscles and upset stomach
- Relieves menstrual cramps
- Improves concentration
Mint is a very delicate herb so it's best to go fresh not cooked! Your body will thank you.
How to use it? Steep it into hot (not boiling) water to make a warm tea or let it cool all the way down and chill for an iced tea! Can be chopped and added to salads, greek yogurt or lemonade or also placed into smoothies.
So those are the 5 foods that made it on the list today. There are many more!
However, Queens I want to keep encouraging you, to take care of you! You must Bloom Into Beauty.
It's not just about what you wear; it's about what you feed your soul, spirit and your body. They are all interconnected!
Love your curves enough to care about what goes on them AND most importantly what goes in them!
Go ahead indulge and refresh your wardrobe with Bella Modal but be mindful to refresh your body with good food!
Now, as promised, here are some recipes for you to try.
Red Royalty: This recipe was actually developed based on the fruits I had left in my refrigerator that I thought MIGHT go well together!
So I took the risk and blended them together.
Turns out they were AWESOME together!👏🏽😃
I chose to blend them because
- I thought about their complimentary benefits,
- the fact that I wanted to retain the fibre
- I didn't want to add additional sugar or sweetener!
However.........you can juice them if you want a smoother juice like texture. I like the smooth but fibrous feel 🤣
I also tried this recipe (Red Royaly) with fresh pineapples instead of the 100% cranberry juice and it was just as delicious or even better!
Green Goddess: I do a version of this recipe I took from a website (see the link below). However, feel free to substitue as many people are allergic to peanuts and almonds!
You can use any plant based milk and replace peanut butter with avocado if you like!
Lympathic Spring Cleanse:
I am a firm believer in cleansing and detoxing. As the seasons shift so should you! For spring something fresh and new is coming. Nature is preparing for that and you should to with your body!
Cleanses and detoxes are great ways to clear out harmful substances from the body, helping your cells to heal and regenerate.
If done correctly, a gentle cleanse can
- increase your energy levels
- boost your immune system
- improve circulation
- brighten your complexion.
Cleavers (Gallium aparine) is the perfect herb for a spring cleanse to clear toxin build-up in the lymphatic system and blood.
"Cleavers can be used in its fresh or dried form, using hot or cold water. Traditionally, herbalists suggest steeping a handful of chopped fresh cleavers overnight and then drinking it throughout the next day. You could also blend cleavers with water and berries to make a refreshing drink." from naturopathy-uk.com
Are you going to try any of these recipes?
If so, I want to hear all about your culinary adventures so be sure to come back and comment below letting me know what you liked, what you didn't like, what you substituted etc.
If you enjoyed this post please: share the love, share the recorded live and the blog with everyone!
Drop a comment or 2😉 this helps us to know if we are serving you well, and of course, shop at Bella Modal.
This Queen is signing off!
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