Sustenance: she ain’t always pretty

Fresh off of a wonderful trip to San Francisco and Seattle that was filled with an unending parade of gustatory delights, my re-entry did not allow for any postprandial downtime. I was immediately sucked into a vortex of decay and rubble. Broken bones, broken hearts, and broken promises all serve to contribute to many broken thoughts as I attempt to heal and repair what is within my control; not all that much as I am quickly realizing. Hopefully, the bones will mend with a few skillfully placed screws and titanium plates, other damages will take the kind of work a doctor cannot easily remedy.

Many people in the face of extreme amounts of stress or emotional pain turn to food for soul-soothing comfort. I am quite the opposite. I lose my appetite completely. My passion for cooking holds no interest, and the actions of chewing and swallowing don’t naturally come and if they do, they feel forced and painful. Hence, the need increases for me to remain properly nourished in order to stay calm, centered and well-rested. Times like these call for easy meals that are nutritionally sound and calorie-dense, which usually means a well-concocted smoothie I can drink down slowly (remaining dedicated to my yoga practice is also a must). One of these liquid meals manages to keep me sustained and focused for hours with non-lagging energy, and the soft, smooth texture slides easily down a tight and jagged gullet.

Heidi’s Samana Smoothie
Note:name for one of the five main pranas which are sponsible for bringing nourishment and balance to all parts of the body.
Yield: 2 large smoothies

1/2 ripe banana
1/4 ripe avocado
1/2 cup frozen mixed organic berries
1 scoop vanilla whey or brown rice protein powder
1 tbs. hemp protein powder
1 heaping tsp. maca powder
1 tbs. msm powder
1/8 tsp. Aloe Vera 100 drink mix (www.goodcausewellness.com)
1 scoop Boku Super Food (www.bokusuperfood.com)
1 scoop Anti-oxidant Defense System Purple (www.goodcausewellness.com)
1 pinch sea salt
1 dose of liquid Bone Support (www.eidon.com)
2 cups or more cold filtered water

Combine all ingredients in a Vita-Mix or blender container. Sip slowly.