Healthy favorites May 2017 #beet powder #microbiome psychology & beet greens recipes! #health #healthy #recipe #recipes #glutenfree #guthealth #wellness #cooking #food #healthyfood

May Simple Pure Whole Favorites: Beet Powder, Stress & Leaky Gut and Beet Greens Recipes!

Healthy favorites May 2017 #beet powder #microbiome psychology & beet greens recipes! #health #healthy #recipe #recipes #glutenfree #guthealth #wellness #cooking #food #healthyfood

During the month of May as we transitioned toward the summer season here in the Northern hemisphere, it has also been a great time to begin to transition our bodies and routines.

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for more healthy recipes, lifestyle tips and more!

One way to do this and to prevent future health issues is through optimizing digestion and gut health. I shared some of my favorite tips for managing stress to optimize digestion as well as some emerging science around the mesentery, an organ that impacts digestion as well as lymphatic flow, aging and immunity. One way to balance out stress and keep your hormones and digestion healthy is by paying more attention to self-love and compassion.

A delicious and beautiful way to support healthy digestion and lymphatic flow in the body is by eating beets! Try out my Pretty in Pink Apple Beet Wild Rice Salad for a colorful vegan, gluten-free dish to take to your next summer gathering or for a light healthy lunch!

Simple Pure Whole Opportunities!

In addition to these healthy strategies, check out my favorite healthy recipes/foods/products/links/exercises/inspiration from the past month below. My Favorites feature is a regular part of the Simple | Pure | WholeTMBlog allowing me to share some great healthy solutions with you each month! 

SPWfavorites

Affiliate Discloser & Privacy Policy (please review our complete policy here): we use affiliate links and analytics on our website, social media posts and newsletter which utilize cookies placed on your browser to track sales activity. This post is NOT sponsored but may contain affiliate links. When you click an affiliate link on our Website, a cookie will be placed on your browser to track sales activity. When you click these links and purchase a product, we may receive a small commission to help support the maintenance of our website, but the price is the same for you. Users can control the use of cookies at the individual browser level. Please review our complete privacy policy here. Thank you for your support! These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and should not be considered medical advice or treatment. Please consult your personal health provider before making any changes to your diet or lifestyle.

Here are some of my Simple | Pure | WholeTM Healthy Favorites for May!


Favorite Ingredient: Beetroot Powder
(affiliate link)

Healthy favorites May 2017 #beet powder #microbiome psychology & beet greens recipes! #health #healthy #recipe #recipes #glutenfree #guthealth #wellness #cooking #food #healthyfood

Beet powder(affiliate link) is an antioxidant-rich and versatile ingredient. It is a quick and simple way to boost the nutrition of many recipes and get the benefits of beets without the strong taste of the cooked roots. 

Approximately two tablespoons of the dehydrated powder are equivalent to two whole beets. It can be added to almost anything for a bright burst of natural color and added nutrition. 

This short video from Whole Foods Market gives a nice overview of the beauty and versatility of beet powder!

Source: Whole Foods YouTube channel

As I discussed in a post this month, red foods like beets are especially beneficial for supporting lymphatic flow. For example, research shows that the mesenteric lymphatic vessels are main drivers of intestinal immunity. Beets and beet powder can help thin the bile for healthy fat digestion, scrub the intestinal villi where the lymphatic vessels originate and help the lymph move properly. 

Simple Pure Whole Solutions

  • Add beet powder to pasta sauce for a pretty pink hue.
  • Mix some beet powder into muffin or pancake batter for extra nutrition.
  • Stir some beet powder into fresh juices and smoothies.
  • Add a tablespoon of beetroot powder to your homemade salad dressings.

Favorite Inspirational Article: A psychology of the human brain–gut–microbiome axis

Healthy favorites May 2017 #beet powder #microbiome psychology & beet greens recipes! #health #healthy #recipe #recipes #glutenfree #guthealth #wellness #cooking #food #healthyfood

As I discussed in my article this month in my feature on ‘How Stress Impacts Digestion,’ your digestive system can be viewed as a barometer for how you are coping with life. Digestive symptoms often provide insight into the root of what is causing your stress, allowing you to move towards healing. It has been long known that severe stressors like surgery or trauma can cause the intestinal lining to become “leaky.” More recent research is also exploring the impacts of chronic psychological stress on this important gut barrier. 

In the recently published article, A psychology of the human brain–gut–microbiome axis, the authors explore the brain–gut–microbiome axis and its relevance to numerous aspects of psychology. They discuss ways in which changes in the gut microbiome can impact psychological development and how the brain–gut–microbiome axis fits within a broader social and cultural milieu, highlighting the potential role of this axis in interpersonal social psychology, as well as how culture can moderate factors such as treatment of brain–gut–microbiome axis disorder.

“We should mind our microbes and they will mind us” –Fergus Shanahan, The Unloved Gut (2016)

Understanding how the brain and the gut microbiota interact at a functional level gives us fascinating and valuable insights into potential emerging research and clinical applications. For example, we know that the microbes which inhabit the digestive tract are essential for keeping the overall system functioning well, including influencing the health of the mesentery.

Simple Pure Whole Solutions:

Favorite Farmer’s Market Find: Beet Greens

Healthy favorites May 2017 #beet powder #microbiome psychology & beet greens recipes! #health #healthy #recipe #recipes #glutenfree #guthealth #wellness #cooking #food #healthyfood

Beet Greens are a nutritious dark leafy green that are part of the Chenopodiaceae family. These greens are related to spinach and Swiss chard and can be used in similar ways.

When you buy a big bunch of beets with the greens attached, don’t throw them out. Add them to soups, stews, stir-frys, fresh juices or even salads. In fact, the early Romans ate only the beet tops, leaving the beetroots for medicinal purposes.

Healthy favorites May 2017 #beet powder #microbiome psychology & beet greens recipes! #health #healthy #recipe #recipes #glutenfree #guthealth #wellness #cooking #food #healthyfood

Beet greens provide good amounts of protein, phosphorus, zinc. vitamin K and fiber as well as several other vitamins and antioxidants. They do contain fairly a high oxalate content, which may be an issue for those who are sensitive.

Glorious Greens for Great Health Virtual Workshop and Cookbook: This virtual workshop will introduce you to the facts and science about leafy green vegetables and provide simple and nutritious recipe ideas to help you easily incorporate these nutritional powerhouses into your diet. You will discover vibrant health through knowledge and flavorful real food recipes!

Glorious Greens


Simple Pure Whole Solutions

  • Make a simple side dish by sauteing beet greens with some chopped garlic and olive oil
  • Look around at your local farmer’s market for discarded beet greens. You may even be able to get some for free, as they are often chopped off of the roots which are placed for sale. 
  • Make beet green chips just as you would with kale for a healthy, crispy and low-calorie snack. 

This Month’s Favorite Quotes:

Healthy favorites May 2017 #beet powder #microbiome psychology & beet greens recipes! #health #healthy #recipe #recipes #glutenfree #guthealth #wellness #cooking #food #healthyfood #quote #inspiration Healthy favorites May 2017 #beet powder #microbiome psychology & beet greens recipes! #health #healthy #recipe #recipes #glutenfree #guthealth #wellness #cooking #food #healthyfood #quote #inspiration

May’s Features from The Simple | Pure | WholeTM Blog:

The digestive tract is particularly vulnerable to stress via the brain-gut connection. Use these strategies to improve digestion by managing stress. Follow these Simple Steps to Protect the Newest Organ for Longevity and Balance, the Mesentery! Learn how to boost #lymphatic flow, #immunity and #digestion #mesentery #health #healthy #aging #lymph #massage #microbiome #antioxidant #stress #digestion #gut #guthealth www.JenniferWeinbergMD.com Pretty in Pink #Apple #Beet Wild #Rice #Salad in Lettuce Boats is the perfect light #plantbased #healthy #recipe #GlutenFree #Vegan #Vegetarian #NutFree #SoyFree #SugarFree #EggFree #DairyFree www.JenniferWeinbergMD.com Cultivate more #love #kindness and self-compassion with these exercises, #meditation and #yoga practices!

 

What is your favorite way to enjoy beet greens?

Have you used beet powder? 

Join my CommunityPlease let me know in the comments below or on Facebook or Instagram if you have tried any of these or if you find something new you love so I can check it out!

If you enjoyed these healthy tips, I welcome you to join my free Insider’s Community for special offers, members-only opportunities, wellness news, recipes and more! 

 

Your Simple Pure Whole Wellness Plan!

The Whole Cure Lifestyle Transformation Program #Mind Module: a mental makeover to build #healthy habits, change your #mindset, banish #stress and transform your life! www.JenniferWeinbergMD.com

Simple Pure Whole Opportunities!

Medical Disclaimer: Information provided in this post and related resources is for informational purposes only. Jennifer Weinberg is not providing medical advice, diagnosis or treatment information. The information is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional. Every body is unique so be sure to check with your health care professional before making any dietary or lifestyle changes taking any medication or nutritional supplement or using any treatment for a health issue. Do not use this information provided for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. If you suspect you have a medical problem please contact your healthcare provider promptly and do not disregard professional medical advice based on anything on this website. This website and related resources are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease and do not create a doctor-patient relationship between you and Jennifer Weinberg. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Amazon offers a small commission on products sold through their affiliate links. Prices are exactly the same for you if your purchase through an affiliate link or a non-affiliate link. I never, ever endorse a product or service that I would not purchase myself. I only share resources that I have personal experience with and can therefore recommend without reservation. Affiliate commission helps to support the maintenance of my blog so I can continue to bring you free, value-filled resources. Thank you for your support!

This post was shared with: Healthy, Happy, Green & Natural Party Hop, Recipe & DIY Link up, Healthy Living Link Party, Family Fun FridayPlant-Based Potluck Party, Friday’s Five Features, Saturday Sharefest

Comments

  • Deborah Davis
    Reply

    I really have to add beet powder to my diet. I have been anemic my entire life so I used to eat lots of beets and other iron rich foods all of the time. This will be a great help! I am so delighted that you shared your May Simple Pure Whole Favorites: Beet Powder, Stress & Leaky Gut and Beet Greens Recipes with us at the Plant-based Potluck Party. I’m pinning and sharing this.

  • Deborah Davis
    Reply

    Hi Jennifer, I am happy that you reminded me to buy and eat more beet greens. I often forget how nutritious they are. I am stressed most of the time due to family illness issues so I can really relate to the gut and stress connection. Thank you for sharing your May Simple Pure Whole Favorites: Beet Powder, Stress & Leaky Gut and Beet Greens Recipes at the Healthy Happy Green and Natural Party Blog Hop. I’m pinning and sharing.

    • Dr. Jennifer L. Weinberg, MD, MPH, MBE

      Thank you so much Deborah! I am sorry you are dealing with so much stress. I hope your week brings some ease and a chance for moments of relaxation.