Two Generations of Healthy Lifestyles

This series, Two Generations of Healthy Lifestyles, is one that I am very passionate about. Not only does it hold a place dear in my heart, because obtaining a healthy lifestyle has always been a personal quest of mine, this series is extremely special to me because I get to share my experiences and journey with my beautiful stepmom Adrienne of The Rich Life in Wine Country, while I learn about her experiences and her personal journey to a healthy lifestyle.

Adrienne and I have always shared a love and passion for food and the great outdoors, but of recent years have discovered how healthy living may not be the same for everyone. Reason being, we are both in different phases of our lives, facing different health challenges, and needing and exploring different methods to conquer them.

Though Adrienne and I have different ways of living healthy lifestyles, which we will share with you through this series, there are many similarities in our approach. We both have largely shifted how we view medicine and have adapted the idea that food is the best medicine. This means learning about and using plant based medicine to cure our ailments whenever possible.

Both of us are working towards making exercise not a punishment but rather a way to appreciate and care for our bodies. Adrienne has definitely inspired me to exercise this past year, for she really committed to making exercise a part of her daily habits, and I seek to do the same. Adrienne and I have always loved exploring the great outdoors together. While a simple walk brings us great joy, you can also find me in awe of the stillness in the sounds of nature and giddy over plants diverse structures and you will find Adrienne taking this appreciation to the next level through her passion of photography. Adrienne has such a unique gift and the ability of perspective. While I can appreciate nature as a whole, in a scanning-mode perspective, she helps me focus on specific details out in nature and angles upon which to see them, that I would have never had the eye to see.

Adrienne and I make a great team, we learn from each other and grow with each other. In moving to Oregon at the beginning of this year, my daily interactions with Adrienne have changed, and the hope is that this series will be a way for us to not only continue sharing and growing together but also to potentially help a diverse group of peoples that can relate to one of our versions of achieving and obtaining a healthy lifestyle (Click Here to read more about Adrienne’s Journey.)

For me, living a healthy lifestyle in terms of food has always been a passion of mine. Two years ago I started getting migraines and as their severity increased I turned to my diet for solutions. Though I was eating a pretty balanced healthy diet, I still faced migraine symptoms. After learning about how plants were helping many migraine suffers, because of the phytochemicals and nutrients found only in plants, I decided to give a plant based diet a go. Now six months later I am migraine free and feeling better than ever.

Two Generations of Healthy Lifestyles has provided a platform to explore and expand my knowledge and a way to, potentially, live a richer, fuller, more mindful, and happier lifestyle. I look forward to growing along this journey and seeing how this exploration transforms my way of living.

To kick off this new series, I will be sharing a recipe for my Immunity Turmeric Latte and Adrienne is sharing her Reishi Roast Coffee recipe.

This piping hot, nutritious cup of yum is not only good for you but is so incredibly tasty and comforting on a cold winter day! I drink one of these lattes daily, can’t seem to get enough of them!

Let’s talk health benefits!

The base of this drink is homemade cashew milk, which contains 15 percent of the daily value of Vitamin K per one cup of milk. This vitamin helps support production of blood clotting as well as in helping build strong bones. Cashew milk also provides 25 percent of the daily value of Magnesium, which works with hundreds of enzymes in the body to help with synthesizing proteins and increasing energy levels.

Turmeric is the star of the show here. This ancient herb does amazing things for our bodies. It halts some of  the growth of free radicals thought to produce wrinkles and contribute to skin degeneration, helps accelerate metabolism, has huge anti-inflammatory properties, helps with GI issues, aids in less painful menstrual cramps, helps prevents cystic fibrosis and cancer, detoxifies the blood by helping clean out the liver, and improves cardiovascular health…just to name a few! Wow, what a powerful herb.

Black Pepper to help aid in the absorption of turmeric’s nutrition properties.

Maca  and Ashwaganda are two other ancient herbs that I have just recently started to use. They are considered adaptogens. I will definitely be dedicating a post to adaptogens in the near future because I’m kind of obsessed with them right now, but in short they are a natural substance considered to help your body adapt to different stressors your body is facing and help maintain homeostasis within the body.

Cinnamon helps to lower bad cholesterol, as well as help reduce high blood pressure. It is also an antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and anti carcinogenic.

Lastly, local Honey to make this warm drink a little sweeter. Honey also has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and antioxidant properties, as well as thought to help boost your immune system and help combat allergies due to seasonal changes.

Immunity Turmeric Latte

• 8-10 ounces Cashew Milk, or milk of choice
• 1 Teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 Teaspoon Maca Root Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Ashwaganda Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1/4 Teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
• Honey to taste

Directions: 

1. Heat up 8 oz of cashew milk in microwave or on stove on low heat until simmering. (Coconut milk also works well in this recipe!)
2. Transfer to a blender and add in turmeric, maca root powder, ashwaganda powder, cinnamon and pepper.
3. Blend until smooth, about 20 seconds.
4. Transfer to cup, stir in honey, and sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg, if desired.
5. Enjoy!