Blended News

As much as we don't like to admit it, Summer burnout is a thing. Hot weather, busy schedules, travel and the general hustle of getting the most we can out of every single warm weather day can lend to some longing for routine. To help you reset and start September on a health-focused track, we're sharing five things we do to start getting our health and energy back in check.

Try them for 5 days and let us know how you feel.

Ramp up your hydration: try 3 litres (12 glasses) of water every day. You'll see a big change in your skin, a reduction in inflammation & bloating, and boost in energy levels. Add cucumber & lemon for an alkalizing health boost.

Avoid salt: skip adding it to your food and opt for lower-salt options when eating out (eg. fast and processed foods are loaded with salt).

Cut-back on alcohol: get into 'Sober Sept' (zero alcohol) or go with the max 4 per week rule (that's regular size servings, total # per week).

Get into a daily greens habit: whether it's your favorite Blended green smoothie or a big salad, get into the 'big greens every day' habit. It helps keep your system regular, energy up and supports cellular health.

30-minutes of mindfulness: a data-device-free session of walking, meditation, yoga, swimming, hiking - any 30 minute session without technology and just your own thoughts. Whenever you bring awareness to what you’re directly experiencing via your senses, or to your state of mind via your thoughts and emotions, you’re being mindful.

Below are our top 6 blend picks for helping with recovery, reducing inflammation, energy boosting and supporting gut health.

All of our blends are designed to nourish, energize, keep your mind and body healthy, and make taste buds happy. Here are our top 6 picks for health-resetting:

The Remedy

The Cherry Bomb

The Daily Chai

Vita-C Immunity

The Lime Mojito

Greens D-tox

Want help setting up a Blended program that's right for your taste buds and health goals?  We'd love to help.  Please email us at info@blendedforyou.com. 

xo 

Your Blended Team

How's Your Liver Doing?

Your body’s Liver helps convert food into energy. It also supports your natural detox process and waste removal by converting toxins, like alcohol, harmful metals, and medications, into harmless substances and ensures they’re removed from the body.

What we eat and drink makes the Liver’s job easier or harder. Hands up if you’ve been making its job a little (or a lot) tougher this Summer with a higher alcohol, salt, sugar & saturated-fat-heavy diet. In this Blended news, we’re giving you some easy ways to show your Liver some regular love. If you're feeling sluggish, brain foggy and bloated, or just want to support your body's daily functions, give them a try.

Signs of Liver Damage

While serious Liver damage is unlikely after a short period of higher alcohol & fluid consumption, longer term these symptoms can start to show and flag a serious issue:

• Jaundice or yellowing of the eyes or skin.
• Pain & distention of the abdomen due to the release of fluid from the liver
• Swelling of lower legs due to fluid retention
• Confusion or forgetfulness
• Dark-colored urine
• Pale-colored stool
• Chronic fatigue
• Nausea or vomiting

Easy Adds for Liver Support

Add to Your Daily Routine:

Drink Water (8 to 10 glasses per day): one of the best ways to help your body remove waste is drinking water throughout the day.
Add Lemon: the citric acid found in lemon water has been shown to protect liver function and prevent oxidative damage, helping preserve the liver’s natural ability to detoxify. Organic lemon is packed into most of our Easy & Deep Greens blends.
Eat Blueberries & Cranberries: they’re incredibly high in antioxidants, which can protect the liver from damage. Eat 1 cup blueberries or cranberries per day. Get your daily dose in our Inside & Out Acai, Acai Radiance, Blueberry Boost, Athlete & Green Mo blends. Find them all here: Berry blends.
Include Cruciferous Vegetables: examples are Brussels sprouts, broccoli, broccoli sprouts, cauliflower, and mustard greens, which are high in beneficial plant compounds. Studies have shown they help increase levels of detoxification enzymes and protect the liver from damage. Get your daily dose from our Greens Immunity Soup, Cherry Bomb, Nutty Chocolate Lover & Daily Chai.

Aim to include 2 of these with your daily foods & beverages:

Fish: certain types of fish, like salmon and sardines, are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to decrease blood triglyceride levels and lower blood pressure, both of which can help out your liver. Aim for 3+ servings per week.
Ginger: proven to help improve your body’s control of blood sugar and also treat nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Find it packed into our greens blends.
Green tea: studies show that drinking green tea may improve the health of the liver, reduce fat deposits in the liver, and possibly ward against liver cancer. Find it in our Matcha Morning blend.
Dandelion: Studies have also shown that dandelion can be beneficial for liver function. Find it in our Greens D-tox & The Remedy blends.
Grapefruit: studies have found the antioxidants contained in grapefruit can help protect the liver from injury and the harmful effects of alcohol.

Flag: avoid herbal supplements if you have liver disease. Talk to your health practitioner before making changes to your diet or supplement plan.

Blended For Supporting Your Liver

Here’s a quick-shop list of blends that pack in a bunch of the foods your Liver loves:
Greens D-tox
The Remedy
Matcha Morning
Green Lovers 10-Pack
Berry blends (acai radiance, inside & out acai, blueberry boost, the athlete)
Greens Immunity Soup
Cherry Bomb
Nutty Chocolate Lover
Daily Chai

If you're looking for a health re-set to get you on track with better nutrition habits, increase your energy, and support your liver function, check out one of our
3-Day or 7-Day Cleanse plans.
If you have any questions about our different programs and/or if a Blended Cleanse Plan is right for your body's needs, please connect with us.
Happy Blending!

The Summer Recharge One-Day Meal Plan

Summer is a hustle. Keeping up healthy habits and nourishing ourselves with energizing foods often takes a back seat to hot weather treats, heavier BBQ/patio foods, and all the higher sugar beverages. Let's be honest, Summer days are fast-flying by here in Canada. We're with you on the enjoying, but also big on feeling good.

Energize and show your system some love with this mega-nutrient dosing and hydrating one-day plan.  Try following it at least one-day per week to help keep your system in check. 

For daily wins, start each morning with a Blended For You smoothie or bowl for quick prep complete nutrition that covers a ton of your essential nutrient, fibre and protein needs. 

Hydrate All Day

Breakfast

THE BIG GREEN SMOOTHIE BOWL

Quick Base Prep: grab a Blended Green Smoothie
Suggested: Greens D-tox or if you prefer a fruitier blend, try The Remedy or Green Beginnings

Let pack soften partially (so you can just break the smoothie pack in half) & add to blender with 1/2 of a banana. Fill the empty pouch about 1/2 way with your preferred no-sugar added plant-based liquid (eg. unsweetened cashew, oat or coconut milk), add to blender, blend. Smoothie texture should be thick.

Toppings: walnuts, raspberries, seeds, coconut


Lunch

AVOCADO BOATS TWO WAYS
Ingredients
2 Ripe avocados (halved with pits removed)

CHICKPEA TOPPING
1 15-ounce can chickpeas (rinsed, drained and patted dry)
3 Tbsp tandoori masala spice blend*
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp avocado oil
1 batch tahini sauce (or green chutney)
lemon juice
fresh parsley (chopped)
6 baby tomatoes (diced)
1/4 medium red onion (diced)

Instructions
FOR CHICKPEAS: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. While it heats, add drained/dried chickpeas to a mixing bowl and toss with sea salt and masala spice blend.

Once skillet is hot, add oil and chickpeas to pan and sauté, stirring frequently, until slightly crispy and browned - about 8-10 minutes. If browning too quickly, turn down heat.

Once the chickpeas are browned and fragrant, remove from heat and set aside too cool. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt or masala spice as desired.

To serve, halve avocados and remove pits. You can either scoop out the avocado or leave it in the skin (removing it from the skin is a little more messy, but it does make it easier to eat).

Top avocados with a generous squeeze of lemon juice, chickpeas, parsley, tomatoes, onion and desired sauce. Serve immediately - best when fresh.

Top avocados with a generous squeeze of lime juice, black beans, cilantro, onion, and desired sauce. Serve immediately as is or with tortilla chips - best when fresh.

Afternoon Snack*

Blended Acai Organic Bowl or Chia Energy Bowl

Topping ideas: berries, coconut chips, sugar-free granola

* you can also have this as a later morning snack instead of afternoon if you're a later-lunch-eater.

Dinner

The Power Bowl

Ingredients
(makes 2 servings)

The Roasted Veggies:

3 small (680 g) sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped (4 cups)

4 cups (500 g) brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved*

1 medium (800 g) cauliflower, chopped into small florets (4 heaping cups)

1 medium (230 g) red onion, peeled and chopped

2 large (500 g) red bell peppers, seeded and chopped

3 tablespoons (45 mL) extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Salt and pepper, to taste

The Quinoa:

2 cups (400 g) uncooked quinoa

The Toppings:

Chopped lettuce/greens (Romaine, Iceberg, kale, etc)

Salad dressing - simple olive oil, lemon, garlic

Ripe avocado: 1/2 diced

Nuts and seeds: 2 tbsp

Hummus: 2 tbsp

Instructions

Position two oven racks near the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line two extra-large (15- x 21-inches) rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. It’s important to use extra-large baking sheets so there’s enough room for all those healthy veggies.

Divide the chopped, “to-be-roasted” veggies onto the baking sheets. Drizzle 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil over top each sheet and toss the veggies until they’re fully coated in the oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Roast the veggies for 30 to 40 minutes (I find 35 minutes is perfect in my oven for lightly charred veggies) until fork tender and golden. There’s no need to rotate/move the pans or flip the veggies halfway through baking unless you’re particular about even cooking.

While the veggies are roasting, add the quinoa to a large pot along with 3 1/2 cups (875 mL) water. Stir. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to low-medium, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and cook for 12 to 14 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy. Remove the lid and fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork.

Remove the roasted veggies from the oven.

To make the power bowls: add a couple generous handfuls of chopped lettuce/greens to the bottom of a large shallow bowl. Drizzle with a bit of dressing and toss the lettuce/greens until coated. Top with spoonful's of your prepped quinoa and roasted. Add diced avocado, more salad dressing, nuts and seeds, top with hummus.

Energizing Foods

We've packed a ton of our blends with essential ingredients and boosters to support mental & physical energy:

B12: this essential nutrient can be easy to miss (especially on a plant-based diet), but it's a mood-booster and major player in many of your body's core functions. Find it in our The Remedy blend.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids: these important fats are essential because the body needs them for healthy brain function - and they fuel brain metabolism. A good source of Omega 3 is chia seeds, which can be found in our Sweet Sleep Mango Kale, Vita-C Immunity, The Green Mo and Blue Coconut Keto blends. 

Lion's Mane & Cordyceps: if you know us over here at Blended, you know we're big on adaptogens. These two shrooms are natural mind elevators and sources of energy. Find them both in our Shroom Energy.

Maca: we're crazy about Maca because it's a natural mood elevator, hormone-balancer and source of energy. Find it in: Maca Energy and Shroom Energy.

Matcha: studies have shown it can improve attention, reaction time, and memory. It's also packed with antioxidants to support healthy cell function. Start your morning with our Matcha Morning for the daily body & mind support combo.

Folate: this is the B-vitamin needed to convert carbs into energy, make red and white blood cells, and produce RNA and DNA. Find it in our Greens Daily Dose, Daily Greens Keto and The Remedy blends.

We're over a month into Summer, which means your hair and skin health might need a little extra support thanks to sun & water exposure, dehydrating hot weather activities/exercise, and a diet that’s higher in alcohol, sugar, salt & processed food that usual. Here are a few super easy ways to show yourself some 'repair love' that you can do from anywhere:

1. Antioxidant-Load: antioxidants fight free radicals (chemicals that damage cells), so getting a range of foods that pack them in is essential for cellular health. Eating a diet high in antioxidant plant-based foods and getting your daily Blended smoothie, soup or bowl really does support your inside & out health. See the ‘Free Radical What-Why-How” below for more.

2. Coconut Oil, Avocado, Banana Hair Mask
What you’ll need:
1 ripe avocado, pitted
1 ripe banana
2 TBSP coconut oil
Combine ingredients and blend together until thoroughly mixed. Spread the mixture over your hair and let it set for 20-30 minutes. Thoroughly rinse out & use your regular shampoo and conditioner.

3. Sleep: it's essential for collagen production, skin hydration, skin healing, and more. Having trouble sleeping? Try our Sweet Sleep (let soften & spoon right from the pack 30 to 60 min before bed).

4. The Cucumber Facial: this mask exfoliates gently and leaves the skin noticeably softer.
What you’ll need:
1/2 cucumber, pureed in a food processor
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon honey (liquid/soft for mixing)
1 tablespoon brown sugar

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together with a fork until thoroughly combined. Using your fingertips, lightly rub into face and neck in circular motions. Rinse off with a warm cloth or make up pads.

The Free Radical What-Why

More on Free Radicals….this part is for our fellow Nutrition Geeks - we totally get if it’s not your thing, that’s what your blend-a-day is all about (skip to the section below).

Free radicals are chemicals that, in high levels, are capable of damaging cells. The body generates free radicals when turning food into energy, exercising, and exposure to things like cigarette smoke, industrial chemicals, air pollution, and sunlight. An excessive chronic amount of free radicals in the body causes a condition called oxidative stress, which can damage cells and lead to chronic diseases.

Studies show that higher intakes of antioxidant-rich fruits, vegetables, and legumes, are associated with a lower risk of chronic oxidative stress-related diseases like cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and deaths from all causes. A plant-based diet is believed to protect against chronic oxidative stress-related diseases.

Here's how to get them from your foods:
Vitamin C: broccoli, Brussel sprouts, kale, sweet potato, cantaloupe, cauliflower, grapefruit, leafy greens (turnip, mustard, beet, collards), honeydew, kiwi, lemon, orange, papaya, snow peas, strawberries, raspberries, tomatoes, and bell peppers (all colors)

Vitamin E: almonds, avocado, Swiss chard, leafy greens, sweet potato, peanuts, red peppers, spinach, and sunflower seeds
Carotenoids (including beta-carotene and lycopene): Apricots, asparagus, beets, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, bell peppers, kale, mangos, turnip and collard greens, oranges, peaches, pink grapefruit, pumpkin, winter squash, spinach, sweet potato, tangerines, tomatoes, and watermelon
Selenium: chia seeds, flaxseeds, Brazil nuts, fish, shellfish, beef, poultry, barley, brown rice.

Zinc: poultry, oysters, shrimp, beef, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, lentils, cashews, fortified cereals
Phenolic compounds: Quercetin (apples, red wine, onions), catechins (tea, cocoa, berries), resveratrol (red & white wine, grapes, peanuts, berries), coumaric acid (spices, berries), anthocyanins (blueberries, strawberries)

These are just some of our blends that include FOUR or more of
the above foods:
Choco-Nutty: Shroom Energy, Nutty Athlete, Nutty Chocolate Lover
Berry: The Athlete, Acai Radiance, Cherry Bomb, Blueberry Boost
Greens: Lime Mojito, Greens Daily Dose, Matcha Morning
Soups: Sweet Potato Coconut, Greens Immunity
Lower-Carb Blend Options:
Blue Coconut Keto, Blueberry Boost,
Greens Daily Keto, Greens D-tox
Get your #blendeddailydose

The Lime Mojito

Don't let the name fool you, this refreshing easy green smoothie is a major health-support superstar. The Lime Mojito, boosted with magnesium citrate and high in potassium, will help with recovery from all the activities you get into (from endurance sport to late-night patio sessions). It's also packed with antioxidants, making it a go-to for outside glow & inside health. Bonus: fresh mint helps with digestion & bloating. 

Superpowers: immunity-boosting, recovery, nerve function, stress support, cellular health, digestion.

Ingredients & Benefits 

Pineapple: high in Vitamin C (for immune health, iron absorption, fighting free radicals/boosting cellular health) and manganese (for metabolism & growth).  It also packs a group of digestive enzymes called bromelain.

Avocado: rich in many nutrients, including fibre, healthy fats, Vitamins C, E, B6, potassium, magnesium and folate. A big supporter of heart and cellular health, nerve and digestive function.

Lime: another big Vitamin C & antioxidant-packer that boosts your immune system and promotes cellular health.  Say hello to your skin glow. 

Fresh Mint: aids in digestion and high in Vitamin A, which promotes healthy skin, eye health and supports immune health.  

Cucumber: high in water content and fibre, they help cleanse the liver and support your body's natural detoxification processes, as well as hydration levels. 

Organic Spinach: extremely nutrient-rich, it packs high amounts of carotenoids, Vitamins C & K, folic acid, iron, and calcium. It supports eye health, reduces oxidative stress and blood pressure levels, which helping prevent critical illnesses like Cancer and Heart Disease. 

Magnesium Citrate (booster): aids in your body's muscle, nerve and intestinal function. It's also an anti-inflammatory that provides support insulin resistance lowering blood pressure and physical stress. 

Sprouted protein: high in amino acids and B-Vitamins essential for muscle building & repair. 

The Tropical Cherry Smoothie

It's like the feeling of sunshine on your face. This refreshing cherry-berry-lemony feel-good smoothie will be everyone's favourite at your place this Summer. The Tropical Cherry isn't too sweet, or too tart, and is loaded with antioxidants, fibre & immunity-boosting ingredients.

Superpowers: cellular health, skin glow, heart & mental health support.

Cherries: high in antioxidants, contain anti-inflammatory properties, and one of the only food sources of melatonin (in small amounts) which can support your mental health/provide stress-support.

Raspberries: loaded with Vitamin C, they aid in healing (cellular repair and health), collagen production & immune system support. Raspberries are also packed with fibre and low in sugar, making them a favourite for heart health.

Mango: high in Vitamins C & K, folate (for blood & cellular health), and magnesium for heart health and digestive support. Bonus: mangos have proven to be a natural libido-booster.

Banana: rich in potassium, which helps keep your blood pressure in check as well as replenish electrolytes during/ post activity. Bananas are also high in fibre, support digestive health, and a great jitter-free energy booster.

Chia: high in fibre, omega fatty acids, and nutrients that support your overall good health (bones, heart, digestion). They’re an amazing source of energy, even in small amounts (1 to 2 tbsp).

Cauliflower: high in choline, a major nutrient that supports metabolism and a healthy nervous system. Cauli is also an excellent source of fibre, antioxidants (including vitamin C), and cancer-fighting sulforaphanes.

Lemon Juice: high in Vitamin C, packed potassium, calcium, and folate making it a win for your cellular health (skin glow, disease-fighting), bone health, healthy kidney function, and digestion support.

Sprouted Protein: high in amino acids and B-Vitamins essential for muscle building & repair.

 Email us anytime.