How to be Healthy and Heal the Body with Recipes for LIFE

What does being healthy mean to you? Is it all about being thin and slender like the movie stars? Or is it the strength to run a few kilometers or climb flights of stairs without feeling like you’re about to die out of breathlessness? Or perhaps, it is about being disease-free and keeping your medical bills low. Apparently, the definition of ‘healthy’ can come in all shapes and sizes. But all the separate lines will come and meet in one mutual point of agreement: health is a precious treasure, and being healthy is essential for a good life.

According to a major analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2013, published in the Lancet, over 95% of the world’s population has health problems, with one-third of the population suffering from more than five diseases. The most common ailments that affect these people include diabetes, heart diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, bone loss, chronic pain, depression and a plethora of others. The current health status of the world is a matter of great concern, and experts and scientists all agree that the top contributing factors to this poor status are lack of nutrition due to improper diet, obesity, lack of exercise, inadequate medical care and heredity.

The combination of all these factors leads to declining health, which in turn makes one susceptible to various diseases. The US health scenario can be used as an example in this case. In the US, 35% of adults are obese, and about 34% of adults are overweight ( Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2012), and according to the American Obesity Association, musculoskeletal pain, specifically back pain and bone loss, is prevalent among one-third of Americans classified as overweight. Similarly, cardiovascular diseases like heart attack and strokes also affect a majority of this percentage.

It does not take too much thinking to deduce that poor health and disease are connected to each other on many different levels. However, disease is not the only thing that accompanies poor health. An unhealthy lifestyle affects your performance at work or school and your social life as well. It can also be linked to depression and anxiety which make way for serious mental disorders like Anorexia and Bulimia that are very common among today’s teenagers.

To sum up, it is more than necessary to maintain good health to keep up with all of life’s challenges. And an essential part of maintaining good health involves eating the right things in the right way. Given below are recipes that aim to provide you with a guideline about what you should and in what ways it will benefit you.

The best thing about these recipes is that they are made with the cheapest of ingredients which you may already have in your kitchen!

Green Machine Smoothie

Preparation time: 5 Minutes

Servings: 1-2

Calories: 235GR

Ingredients:      

1. 1 cup of spinach, washed
2. ½ cup of strawberries
3. 1 cup of water
4. ½ cup of ice
5. 1 teaspoon of ginger
6. 1 tablespoon of honey

Instructions: Add the spinach, strawberries and ginger and blend for 30 seconds. Add honey as per your taste. Serve with ice.

Health benefits: Spinach is a great source of folate, Vitamin K, and fiber. It also eases indigestion and will also help you keeping full. Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties.

Oats Smoothie

​​​​​​​​​Preparation time: 5 minutes

Servings: 1-2

Calories: 365GR

Ingredients:       

1. 2 bananas
2. ½ cup chia seeds
3. ½ cup oats
4. Touch of vanilla extract and cinnamon
5. 1 cup almond milk
6. 1 cup Greek yogurt

Instructions: Add all ingredients into the blender and blend for 30 seconds. If it is too thick, add extra milk or water. Do not use more than a smidge of vanilla extract.

Health benefits: It will provide you with the daily requirement of insoluble and soluble fiber, since oats are a rich source. Also, chia seeds are a great source of protein and the bananas will provide you with the potassium you need.

Watermelon Berry Smoothie

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Servings: 1-2

Calories: 220GR

Ingredients:        

• 1 cup watermelon, peeled and diced
• ½ cup strawberries
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup ice
• 1 cup raspberries
• A pinch of lemon zest

Instructions: Add watermelon, strawberries, and raspberries in the blender and blend for a minute. No sweetener is required. In the end, add lemon zest and blend for a few seconds. Pour into glasses and serve with ice.

Health benefits: Strawberries and raspberries are a rich source of vitamins and minerals and the watermelon will help you keep cool in hot summer days. This smoothie is also very rich in fiber and will help you keep your stomach full without consuming too many calories.

Kale and Pumpkin Smoothie

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Servings: 1-2

Calories: 620GR

Ingredients:      

• 1 cup of spinach, washed and cut in to small pieces.
• ½ cup of canned pumpkin
• 1 cup of almond milk
• 1 banana
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon of peanut butter

Instructions: Add all ingredients and blend until the consistency is smooth. Add peanut butter and cinnamon and blend for 30 seconds. Serve cold.

Health benefits: Pumpkins are full of beta carotene and vitamin A. The kale contains antioxidants, fiber, iron and other nutrients.

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

Preparation time: 7 minutes

Servings: 1-2

Calories: 600GR

Ingredients:        

• 2 tablespoons of peanut butter
• 1 banana
• ½ cup oatmeal
• 2 cups of almond milk
• 1 tablespoon of nutmeg
• 5 ice cubes

Instructions: Add the banana, oatmeal and almond milk in the blender and blend until smooth consistency. Add peanut butter and nutmeg and blend for 30 seconds. Serve with ice cubes

Health benefits: Full of vitamins, minerals and fibers. Can be consumed as breakfast because of its generous calorie content.

Tropical Pina Colada

Preparation time: 6-7 minutes

Servings: 2-3

Calories: 700GR

Ingredients:

• 1 mango, peeled and diced
• 1 banana
• ½ cup coconut flakes
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 ½ cup almond milk
• Ice cubes

Instruction: Add all ingredients except ice and vanilla extract, blend for a minute. Add vanilla extract and blend for 30 seconds. Serve cold with lots of ice.

Health benefits: Mangoes are very rich in vitamin A. The whole smoothie will provide you with generous amounts of unsaturated fats which are good for your body.

Orange Banana Smoothie

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Servings: 1-2

Calories: 120GR

Ingredients:

• 1 peeled orange
• 1 banana
• ½ cup orange juice
• 1 cup water
• 5 ice cubes

Instructions: Add all ingredients and blend for 30 seconds. Serve cold.

Health benefits: Oranges are full of vitamin C and A, and the pulp if full of fiber. The drink is very light and contains minimal calories. It also tastes wonderful.

Kiwi Strawberry Smoothie:

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Servings: 1-2

Calories: 248GR

Ingredients:

• 1 cup strawberries
• 2 peeled kiwis
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 2 cups ice
• 1 tablespoon honey

Instructions: Add strawberries, kiwis and ice. Blend until it turns into liquid. Add sweetener as per taste.

Health benefits: Kiwis and strawberries are great sources of vitamins, antioxidants and fiber.

Mango Chia Smoothie

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Servings: 1-2

Calories: 400GR

Ingredients:

• 1 mango, peeled and cut into small pieces
• ¼ cup of chia seeds
• 1 cup raspberries
• 1 cup of ice cubes
• 1 cup water

Instructions: Make sure the mango is cut into small pieces. Add all the ingredients into the blender. Blend for 30 seconds or more, until the consistency is smooth. If it’s too thick, add orange juice or water. Serve cold.

Health benefits: Full of fiber from the mango and chia seeds, also a good source of protein from the chia seeds. Can work well as breakfast because of high calorie content.

Apple and Pumpkin Smoothie

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Servings: 1-2

Calories: 600GR

Ingredients:

• 1 apple, peeled and chopped
• ½ cup pumpkin seeds
• 1 cup of water
• ½ dup of canned pumpkin
• ½ cup of oats
• 1 teaspoon of nutmeg

Instructions: Add all ingredients into the blender and blend for a minute. If too thick, add orange juice. Add sweetener if required. Serve cold.

Health benefits: Pumpkin will provide with your daily need of vitamin A, good for your eyes and skin. Contains a good amount of fiber.

Mixed Smoothie

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Servings: 1-2

Calories: 340GR

Ingredients:  

• 1 ½ cup of carrot juice
• ½ cup of spinach
• 1 cup of orange juice
• ½ cup of ice
• 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon of ginger

Instructions: Add juices, spinach and the pepper into blender and blend until everything is mixed properly. Add ginger and blend again. Add sweetener if required.

Health benefits: Mango and carrots are a very rich source of vitamin A, vital for your eyes. Orange juice contains antioxidants, and the spinach will provide you with vitamin K and fiber. Cayenne pepper fights hunger and will keep you feeling full all day.

Mango Lemon Smoothie

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Servings: 1-2

Calories: 350GR

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of mangoes
• 1 cup of strawberries
• ½ cup of blackberries
• ½ cup lemon juice
• 1 cup of water
• 1 cup of ice

Instructions: Add all ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth consistency.

Heath Benefits: Good drink for hot days. Full of vitamins and antioxidants.

Coconut Mango Smoothie

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Servings: 1-2

Calories: 300GR

Ingredients:

1. ½ cup of unsweetened coconut
2. 1 mango, diced into small pieces
3. 1 cup of water
4. ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
5. 1 cup of Greek yogurt
6. 2 tablespoons of honey or any other sweetener you prefer

Instructions: Add coconut, water, mango and yogurt into blender and blend for a minute or more if required. Add water, vanilla extract and sweetener and blend for 30 more seconds. Serve cold with ice cubes.

Health benefits: Rich in vitamins, minerals and unsaturated fats from the mango and coconut. Good source of protein from the Greek yogurt. For more protein, add a scoop of peanut butter or other nut butter.

Mango Sunrise Smoothie

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Servings: 1-2

Calories: 550GR

Ingredients:

1. 2 peaches, pitted and finely chopped
2. 1 cup of mangoes, peeled and diced into small pieces
3. 1/2 cup of oats
4. 1 teaspoon of honey or brown sugar
5. ½ cup of plain low fat yogurt
6. ¼ cup of coconut milk or almond milk
7. ½ cup of crushed ice

Instructions: Cut the peaches and mangoes into very small pieces, and add them to the blender along with the milk, yogurt. Blend until the consistency is liquid. Afterwards, add the oats and sweetener of your choice and blend for 30 more seconds. Add water if it is too thick. Serve cold with crushed ice.

Health Benefits: Smooth and creamy texture and is delicious to drink. Refreshing drink for the summer heat. Also, the peaches and mangoes are a fresh source of vitamins and antioxidants. The yogurt and milk will provide you with protein and good fats. The oats are also a great source of fiber and will help with digestion. The high calorie content of the drink makes it perfect for breakfast. It will keep your stomach full without making you gain extra pound of fat.

All these smoothie recipes are extremely easy to make and require only a few minutes of your time. And the best thing about them is that they are all-natural! The ingredients are cheap and can be easily found in the market. There is absolutely no reason you shouldn’t try these healthy recipes at home!