This year we have been exploring ways to harness the energy of nature, draw it into our daily lives, and become one with it as we age.
Here’s one simple solution: Make every cell in your body glow with the divine energy offered by fresh fruits and vegetables.
Produce is chock-full of essential nutrients and comes in a rainbow of colors to support your health goals. Aim for the accepted general consumption range of at least five one-cup servings — that’s at least two servings of fruits and at least three servings of vegetables. (To reduce your sugar consumption, try to go for more veggies.)
Add blue and purple to your daily plate and produce better health!
The beautiful rich colors of your blue and purple fruits and veggies indicate that they’re bursting with flavonoids, which provide cell-protecting properties.
Are you getting enough blue and purple in your diet?
Today, as part of our ongoing Purposeful Nutrition Series, let’s focus on the healing energy of the blue and purple powerhouses. These include:
Fruits: Plum, blueberry, purple grape, blackberry, fig, date, acai berry, passion fruit, current, elderberry.
Vegetables: Purple cabbage, eggplant.
Technically, eggplant is a fruit, since it contains seeds. However, because it is not as sweet as most fruits, it is placed in the vegetable category for culinary purposes.
The dark fruits and vegetables contain significant quantities of anthocyanin, which are powerful antioxidants. The next time you pick up a container of beautiful blueberries, appreciate their color and their healthful qualities. The darker the fruit, the more antioxidants!
Top benefits of blue and purple fruits and vegetables:
• Boost immunity
• Help to reduce inflammation
• Lower risks of cancer
• Lower risks of cardiovascular disease
• Support brain health
• Contain essential vitamins like vitamin C
• Help prevent chronic diseases
Feature Focus: Purple Cabbage
Purple cabbage is pleasing to the senses and will add a special vibrancy to your meal. Cabbage is packed with vitamins and has impressive amounts of calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium.
Click here for a nutritious and delicious salad.
What are your favorite purple fruits and vegetables? How can you add more to your daily meals?
A conscious meal plan should include a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. When planning your meals and before you take that first bite, remember to ask yourself these three questions:
• What’s the value or benefit?
• Do I like it?
• How will it make me feel?
Health is an intentional action — we must practice mindful living in order to reach mastery.
Many people mindlessly reach for quick and convenient food because they’re hungry or because it temporarily satisfies a craving. While hunger and flavors influence our munching behavior, consider shifting your mindset so you’re eating to support your higher purpose in life. And to make this new mindset more convenient for yourself, have cut-up fruits and veggies ready for snacking in your refrigerator.
I’d like to encourage you to establish a deeper spiritual connection with your food. Nature offers a huge selection of delicious blue- and purple-colored goodness for you to delight in. Know the nutritional value of nature’s fresh bounty. And notice how you feel after enjoying your favorites. Eat well — age beautifully! Love yourself enough to supply your body with the nutrients it needs to thrive.
Consider This
Be grapeful for nature’s bounty! When you need a break, try a grape escape. See how grape minds think alike! Ha!
Four Steps to Nourish, Transform and Flourish
• Set a loving intention to add fresh blue and purple fruits and vegetables to your plate this week.
• Begin by selecting blue and purple produce you like.
• How will including more colorful choices to your menu improve the quality of your life?
• Close your eyes and visualize how this lifestyle change can prepare you for your amazing second half.
Need help with meal planning?
It can be challenging to maintain momentum on your own. My Sprout Your New Life™ course will give you the tools and the strong spiritual foundation to make lasting change in your life. Click here for more.
In love, peace and health--
Your feminine glow guide,
T. Kari Mitchell, M.Ed.
Motivational Speaker
Certified Holistic Health Coach
Lifestyle120.com
When your spirit is nourished, your inner light produces an outer glow reflecting your beauty and truth.