Saturday 1 February 2014

The taste of water and sunshine

It's been about a week since I saw a dash of blue skies. Whatever is beyond those thick, white clouds, I seem to have forgotten. Besides suffering of post-holiday syndrome, the darkness is seriously bringing me down. There is something mystical that I simply adore about the snow and even though I was born on a day like this, I would give all its beauty up, for eternal sunlight on my skin. That's just my truth. Sunshine brings loads of colors and I am a fool for colors. The most colorful part of my days now are my morning juices.

I am a proud juicer owner. Regardless of what I put in it, it whips up something that always colors me up. To be honest my portions are by no means small, so I feel full for a good hour or so, allowing me the time to put an extra effort in whatever breakfast I feel like. I still consider it to be my most important meal of the day, my mood throughout it is really based on how good and nurturing my breakfast was. And if I start it with a good juice, I'm half-way a great day already. The possibilities are unlimited, so I will not bother you with my favorite mixes. I will nevertheless, tell you what all my juices always have in or right next to them in a shot glass. Now, if I cannot have the sun blind me today this sure makes up for it a little, filling me up with sunshine from within. Spirulina. Where to start with the wonders of this (cyano)bacteria?

I am no encyclopedia, not even nearly an expert on the matter, just an avid user. But I do not want to misinform the reader either, so I will not get crazy about all the benefits it has, as I myself don't even understand all the terminology entirely -yet. But I will share what amazes me the most about its properties.

The fact alone that they use the sunlight to through photosynthesis create oxygen, it's pretty breathtaking and it for sure explains why I feel the need to have some of it every morning when it is constantly dark outside. I think we all know how extremely important for our evolution and lives oxygen is, so I will leave it at that. 

It truly is a whole-food, it has it all! Spirulina contains antioxidants, protein, essential omega fatty acids like 3, 6 and 9, chlorophyll, minerals, vitamins A, C, D, E, and B complex. It is said that it has higher protein than meat, higher calcium than milk, more beta-carotene than carrots and considerably more (around 2300%, that's right 2300%*) iron than spinach. Some of the greatest benefits of possessing all of these properties are that it boosts the immune system and it helps remove toxins from the body.

I think that if we are not able to gaze at the sun each day to feed off its light as we would like to (me and my Qi, who introduced me to "sun eating" and Spirulina), we will settle for having Spirulina in our lives. I've even named my bike after this wonderful aliment.

*Top Ten Superfoods. The Whole Pantry App.