Two weeks to go and autumn is here. Glorious tones of red, long walks in the park hiding under colorful umbrellas, lazy rainy mornings with hot tea and fresh bread, the cozy smell of homemade tomato juice preserves – if you open your eyes, you see beauty in every little thing, even if it’s cold outside. But only when you’re healthy and energized. It’s been two years now since I didn’t catch any flu, and there’s only one answer why – the humble vitamin C. My diet permanently abounds in nutrient rich foods, but when autumn is about to kick in, it’s all about vitamin C. It’s always best to prevent than cure, and this method of preparing for the flu-season seems to be quite successful.
With so many delicious vitamin C sources, it isn’t difficult at all to focus on nourishing your body with this immune system booster – nature will help do it naturally, providing so many tasty ingredients which deliver large amounts of vitamin C. Eating seasonally is one of the best way to stay away from disease, and autumn brings all the vitamin C goodies at the farmers’ market.
Autumn veggies (cauliflower, the last tomatoes, bell peppers, cabbage, beet root, butternut squash), fruits (citrus (oranges, lime, lemons, grapefruits), apples, plums, berries, all kinds of them, but especially seabuckthorn, with its gorgeous orange color), greens (parsley, beet greens, chard), bee products (pollen and propolis). Vitamin C content starts to deteriorate as soon as the product is picked, and cooking kills most of the vitamin C, so eating local produced foods, as much of them raw, salads, juices and smoothies, is the best way to make sure you nourish your body with enough vitamins to fight with the autumn flues.
How exactly does vitamin C act? The immune cells have a high concentration of vitamin C, which is actually a powerful antioxidant. Every time our bodies are exposed to stress, inflammations or diseases, the vitamin C is quickly consumed to neutralize the attack. As long as you keep your vitamin C levels up, you’re protected. Changes of temperatures, low light, less exercise in open air – all of these autumn changes are a real stress for our bodies, and consume the vitamin C available in our cells. Our bodies are so miraculous, having their own way of handling with disease and attacks – they just need the right nourishment. So load your cells with quality vitamin C from fresh, raw veggies, fruits and bee products!
- 1 lemon
- 2 limes
- 1 grapefruit
- 1 ripe banana
- ¼ cup cashew, soaked overnight and drained
- 3-4 fresh mint leaves, plus some for garnishing
- 1 tbsp organic raw honey
- 1 tsp bee pollen
- ½ cup filtered water
- ice cubes, to serve
- Place banana, cashew, water, pollen, mint and honey in the blender and process to obtain a smooth milk.
- Peel the citrus, cut in cubes, add into the blender and process again to incorporate.
- Fill serving glasses with ice cubes, evenly pour the smoothie and garnish with mint leaves.
- Drink right away.
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