Let's Uber It!

Uber is a German word originally made famous by the punk rock 80’s band the Dead Kennedys and it means the “ultimate, the best, going beyond” according to several online dictionary sources. The word uber, before the for-hire automobile transportation industry took over, was one of my favorite words. Unfortunately, it doesn’t pack the same punch anymore, but let’s revisit it pre-Uber and Lyft days.

Need an Immune System Lift?

Ubering something, or making anything better, gets me excited! Today we are going to explore some 'uber' ways we can use our daily food choices to boost our immune systems.

The first day of Autumn has come and gone in most northern and western states. One day it’s sunny and hot and the next day it’s snowing - you never get bored of the weather. However, this intense change in temperature can put a strain on our immune systems. Add in the following UBER superfoods to give your immune system a boost!

Replace Water with Bone Broth

Bone broth has all the good stuff that we should be getting from animal products without the challenging strain animal flesh puts on our digestive system. It’s like a dream come true for the Paleo people out there. It’s full of minerals, vitamins, elements, collagen and some of the more UBER brands add turmeric, glucosamine, chondroitin and additional probiotics. One more way to up your nutritional intake with bone broth is to add a scoop of it to your grains (rice, barley, quinoa, amaranth or whatever grains you cook regularly) while they are cooking.

Add Lemons, Lemons, and More Lemons - WE LOVE LEMONS!

Lemons UBER everything you can put them on. Think outside the lemon box...it’s just not the juice we love. The rind and the pith (the white stuff) actually contains more Vitamin C than the inside. However, it’s important that you use organic lemons if you are going to zest or incorporate the peel into your smoothies, salad dressings, stir-fries or sauces.

Lemons are obviously full of Vitamin C, but there’s so much more! They initiate a cleansing effect for our livers and they are one of the highest alkalizing substances we can put in our bodies. With our sugar-infested holidays right around the corner, it’s good to be able to cleanse our precious systems with some alkalizing foods especially since watermelons (the other highly alkalizing food) is out of season and harder to find now.

The simplest practice I invite you to try is just adding some freshly squeezed lemon juice to your water first thing in the morning before any other beverages. Also, if you drink green tea, a squeeze of lemon juice will exponentially increase the antioxidant power and it’s also a lovely flavor combination.

Sprinkle in Some Rose Hips

Rose hips aren’t just a by-product of pretty flowers and they can be found on the shelves of your local, natural grocer! Rose hips main claim to fame is that they are the most UBER form of naturally occurring Vitamin C on Planet Earth. In fact, if you purchase non-synthetic Vitamin C supplements, they are most-likely made from rose hips. They don’t taste particularly yummy on their own, but they do hide well in smoothies and linger well at the bottom of your teacup.

Immune Boosting Green Smoothie

Ingredients

2 cups of Water (replace with Bone Broth for extra goodness)
2 cups of Frozen Fruit (berries or whatever you prefer)
1 banana
2 Medjool Dates (pitted)
2 quarter-size slivers of fresh Ginger Root (another UBER ingredient)
1/4 of a Lemon (include the peel and all!)
1 handful of Dried Goji Berries (optional)
1 teaspoon of Dried Rose Hips
1 cup (or a huge handful) of Baby Spinach
2 tablespoons of Hemp Seeds (UBER food)

Directions

Blend all ingredients together until homogenized and enjoy! Please note, it’s easier for your body to assimilate the nutrients if you chew your smoothie instead of sucking it down! For an added nutritional bonus — sprinkle some nuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, almonds, cashews, shredded coconut, raisins, or whatever small chewable items you can toss into your smoothie to encourage chewing. We want to make sure your body absorbs all the uber goodness!