It's still Flu Season: Boost up your immune system with an Orangesicle Smoothie!

Helene got her wish: She's going to The Ellen DeGeneres Show!

See a full article on The Vancouver Sun.

INGREDIENT OF THE MONTH: MATCHA

This somewhat mysterious Japanese powder contains a high level of antioxidants and is a great metabolism booster, it is also sometimes known as the “clean caffeine”.

Matcha green tea is the “crème de la crème” of the green teas. It in fact has 10-15x the nutrients of normal green teas (with 137x the antioxidant values of normal tea!). The tea leaves are ground to a fine powder.

Benefits of drinking Matcha Green Tea:

•      Highest concentration of antioxidants then any mainstream beverage,
•     Natural source of caffeine,
•      Improved mental alertness,
•     Stress reduction & metabolism increase,
•     Low Calories!

Source: Booster Juice.

 

 

Products:

•       Booster Juice’s Matcha Monsoon, Matcha Maker, Matcha Teazer and Home Consumption Tin (which includes a premium special blend available only at Booster Juice).

Matcha whoopie pies

Matcha Kit Kat

Matcha muffin

Matcha ice-cream

Matcha cupcake

Matcha-tini

Matcha-tini

Justin Bieber Tweeted Back!

Thanks to all those who participated; reportedly, after Justin tweeted to @alungstory, interest in being an organ donor in the media eye increased by 600%!

Major Twitter event involving Justin Bieber!

Join this Facebook event and tweet #BeAnOrganDonor to @justinbieber between 8 am and 6 pm on January 19th 2012 and you can help save lives! Check out alunstory.ca to find out more about a brave young Canadian woman who is in need of donor lungs.

Adam Levine's Yoga techniques for the aching back

I have fibromyalgia, mostly in my lower back, and I find that the techniques shown above provided immediate relief for my lower back pain. I do recommend you take a hot shower or bath thereafter.

Here is a modified list of Adam's yoga music list. The exercises above will not push you through the whole list, so use the last few tracks as time to stretch out whichever muscles you choose and to just relax and breathe. The whole playlist lasts about 52 minutes.

1. "Kiss Me": Sixpence None the Richer

2. "Tired of Being Alone": Al Green

3. "Desert Rose (Live From Berlin)": Sting

4. "I'll Be There": Jackson 5

5. "What's Going On": Marvin Gaye

6. "You Raise Me Up": Josh Groban

7. "Giving Myself" Jennifer Hudson

8. "Maybe I'm Amazed": Jem

9. "Killing Me Softly With His Song": Roberta Flack

10. "Nightingale": Norah Jones

11. "Take Me There" Marie-Christine

12. "Love's Divine": Seal

13. "Let's Get It On": Marvin Gaye

14. "Je T'aime": Kelly Sweet.

Enjoy!

Ingredient of the month: Açai berry

This ‘wonder fruit’ comes from a palm tree native to Central and South America. It is mainly grown in the Amazon rainforest and is ultra rich in antioxidants, nutrients and fibre.

This berry is actually highly recommended for people who want to loose weight.

Dr. Nicholas Perricone said on “Oprah” that this is “one of the world’s top 10 superfoods”.

Benefits of consuming açai:

•      High level of antioxidants (higher then pomegranates or blueberries)
•     Contains Omega fatty acids (healthy fatty acids)
•      High levels of amino acids, calcium, iron and electrolytes,
•    Made with Guarana, a natural caffeine.

Products:

•        Often used with pomegranate (like juices and teas),
•        Many smoothies and juices that you can buy at the average grocery store,
•        Fuze Shape fruit juices,
•         Zola Brazilian superfruits juice,
•        Booster Juice’s High Impact Açai & Brazilian Thunder smoothies, Açai NRG Shaker, Hot Açai, Zola Açai Tetra Pak and Berry Bowl.

LIFESTYLE SMOOTHIES: SOYMILK SLAM

Vanilla soymilk, honey, strawberries, and bananas.

Source: Booster Juice.

Choices in ingredients:

-       Consider getting the fruits frozen (e.g.: Europe’s best),

-       Instead of honey consider agave syrup/nectar,

-       Also, consider adding Goji berries and/or whey protein powder to really get you energized.

Check out this awe-inspiring, inspirational story. (Warning: Tear-jerker).

A smiling face of optimism and hope as she battles for every breath she takes.

"From the time she was born, [20-year-old] Hélène [Campbell] has been on the move. Moments after birth, she had her groove going -her hands would not keep still. Now at twenty, not only is she constantly on the go, but her joyful personality contagiously lifts the spirits of others. Whether at school, work, church, in hospital, or studying in Spain, people have easily joined with her and enjoyed her positive vibe.

Hélène has been famous for her kindness towards others and she received an award for this in grade six. At her high school graduation, she was given the Christine Proulx Award for her cooperation and perpetual willingness to help others. Someone commented “She has such a bubbly disposition; she should have a new soft drink named after her.”

Hélène loves music. People marvel at the variety she keeps on her iPod and how she integrates it with another passion of hers – film making. She loves capturing memorable moments, but her specialty seems to be creating them. Her mini musical dance documentary in Spain involving many friends and strangers is the perfect example of her ability to create joyful moments out of daily experiences. She believes life is worth living and sharing, a theme through many of her videos. With music in the background, camera in hand, smile on her face and not a minute to lose, she’s on the move…

In July 2011, Hélène was admitted to The Ottawa Hospital with collapsed lungs. It was discovered that she suffers from advanced Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. This means that her lungs have been permanently scarred by inflammation and the root cause of the inflammation is unknown. Treatment with Prednisone has not stopped the progression of the disease. Hélène requires oxygen to perform physical tasks. With twenty-four percent of remaining breathing capacity, a lung transplant is the next step. She has been referred to the Transplant Program in Toronto. She and some of her family must relocate from Ottawa to Toronto. 

This is a time of loss for Hélène - independence, physical strength, employment income, and savings for school. Despite this, she chooses to focus on the positives in her life like family, friends, new friends from her stay in hospital and creative media. We see her with her radiant smile, enjoying even the simplest things in life, like orange juice and Reese’s limited edition chocolate bars. Even though she must now pace herself, she is still always moving onward. 

-Hélène, you are an inspiration- 

If you wish to donate to Hélène's living expenses in Toronto, while she waits to receive new lungs and during her recovery, please visit alungstory.ca".

LIFESTYLE SMOOTHIES: BANANA BEACH

Mangos, passion fruit, guava, bananas and vanilla yogurt.

Source: Booster Juice.

Choices in ingredients:

-       Consider getting the fruits frozen (e.g.: Europe’s best),

-       Vanilla yogurt: try Activia to help your digestion,

-       Also, consider adding Goji berries and/or whey protein powder to really get you energized.

POWER SMOOTHIES: SONIC SOY

Blueberries, strawberries, vanilla soymilk, spirulina, barleygrass, wheatsprout, alfalfa powder, and soy-based vegitarian protein powder.

Source: Booster Juice.

Choices in ingredients:

-       Consider getting the fruits frozen (e.g.: Europe’s best),

-       Also, consider adding Goji berries and/or whey protein powder to really get you energized.

POWER SMOOTHIES: TERMINATOR

Oranges, bananas, strawberries, vanilla yogurt, and two shots of Echinacea, Goldenseal and Rosehip.

Source: Booster Juice.

Choices in ingredients:

-       Consider getting the fruits frozen (e.g.: Europe’s best),

-       Vanilla yogurt: try Activia to help your digestion,

-       Also, consider adding Goji berries and/or whey protein powder to really get you energized.

POWER SMOOTHIES: SONIC SOY

Blueberries, strawberries, vanilla soymilk, spirulina, barleygrass, wheatsprout, alfalfa powder, and soy-based vegitarian protein powder.

Source: Booster Juice.

Choices in ingredients:

-       Consider getting the fruits frozen (e.g.: Europe’s best),

-       Also, consider adding Goji berries and/or whey protein powder to really get you energized.

POWER SMOOTHIES: TERMINATOR

Oranges, bananas, strawberries, vanilla yogurt, and two shots of Echinacea, Goldenseal and Rosehip.

Source: Booster Juice.

Choices in ingredients:

-       Consider getting the fruits frozen (e.g.: Europe’s best),

-       Vanilla yogurt: try Activia to help your digestion,

-       Also, consider adding Goji berries and/or whey protein powder to really get you energized.

POWER SMOOTHIES: MARATHON

Cranberries, strawberries, bananas, oranges and vanilla yogurt powered up with soy protein, ginseng, flax seed, rosehip, and whey protein powder.

Source: Booster Juice.

Choices in ingredients:

-       Consider getting the fruits frozen (e.g.: Europe’s best),

-       Vanilla yogurt: try Activia to help your digestion,

-       Also, consider adding Goji berries.

HIGH PROTEIN SUPERFOOD SMOOTHIES: POMEGRANATE PUNCH

Pomegranate, strawberries, raspberries, bananas, vanilla frozen yogurt and whey protein powder. (20g of protein).

Source: Booster Juice.

Choices in ingredients:

-       Consider getting the fruits frozen (e.g.: Europe’s best),

-       Vanilla frozen yogurt: get something organic (preferably),

-       Also, consider adding Goji berries.

HIGH PROTEIN SUPERFOOD SMOOTHIES: MIND OVER MATCHA

Pure matcha green tea powder, vanilla soymilk, blueberries, vanilla frozen yogurt, and whey protein powder. (30 g of protein).

Source: Booster Juice.

Choices in ingredients:

-       You can find the matcha at specialized tea stores (or at certain Booster Juice locations),

-       Consider getting the fruits frozen (e.g.: Europe’s best),

-       Vanilla frozen yogurt: get something organic (preferably),

-       Also, consider adding Goji berries.

INGREDIENT OF THE MONTH: Rooibos (or Red Bush):

Often found in teas, notably in Pomegranate teas, this magical plant of the Western Cape Province of South Africa is rich in anti-oxidants. It is low in caffeine and tannin levels, contrary to the green tea leaves. It also has phenolic compounds (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenolic_compounds), and has anti-oxidants. It is rumoured to help with nervous tension, allergies and digestive problems. They might even help keep those wrinkles at bay.

Traditional medicinal uses of rooibos in South Africa include alleviating infantile colic, allergies, asthma and dermatological problems.

Similar to this plant is the Honey Bush of the same region.

Products:

•        Many red teas, notably pomegranate teas,
•        Green teas and black teas made only of rooibos.

HIGH-PROTEIN SUPERFOOD SMOOTHIES: HIGH IMPACT ACAI

Acai, cranberries, raspberries, vanilla frozen yogurt, skim milk and whey protein powder. (25g of protein).

Source: Booster Juice.

Choices in ingredients:

-       Consider getting the fruits frozen (e.g.: Europe’s best),

-       Vanilla frozen yogurt: get something organic (preferably),

-       Also, consider adding Goji berries.