Drink your fruits and veggies
During chemotherapy it was hard to eat healthy, but I ate what I could - mostly plain flavorless foods. When my taste buds were back I did my best to start eating foods that would give me more nutrients. I actually think that my taste changed over this time as I started liking the taste of fruits and vegetables that I hadn’t like in years past. Two of my favorite ways to get my fruits and veggies have been through having juices and smoothies.
I came across a few juice companies that I really like in Chicago.
City Press Juice & Bottle is my first go to! It is an all organic health-bar and market committed to providing the healthiest, most nutrient dense cold-pressed juices, superfood blends, elixirs and raw foods. Their juicery – located in Chicago – creates cold-pressed juices from the finest, always organic, produce, herbs and superfoods.
I love the combinations that City Press makes and I love that each juice blend has a few additional ingredients that enhance the overall benefits; i.e. their HOUSE GREEN with kale, celery, cucumber, green apple, carrot, parsley and lemon is for brain function and also a detoxifier and revitalizer.
One day I want to do a cleanse - I’m hoping to do that in the next month or two. I’ll let you know how it goes!
Real Good Stuff is another spot that I enjoy. They make juices and smoothies that are organic and locally-sourced as well as NoyoFoyo and Juicy Pops. I first came across this company while in Whole Foods. Check out their site for other locations.
Before Harvest Juicery just became only available via wholesale, I was able to enjoy a few mixes at one of the storefronts in the West Loop of Chicago. I recently got to enjoy it again at Aire Baths in Chicago last month for my mother’s day gift. To find other locations that carry this brand check out the website.
I knew I could buy a juicer, but the thought of juicing at home was a little scary. I figured I could attempt to make smoothies at home first. I bought some fruits, vegetables, and almond milk to give it a go. Well the first time wasn’t a success. My blender blew a fuse and left my smoothie a bit chunky. I gave it a few more tries, but this time with some frozen fruits, however it still didn’t come out that great. I decided to take a break and then I just forgot about it all together. My lovely husband who knew I wanted to make smoothies at home decided to gift me a Vitamix. Surely this would do the trick. Well it must be me or maybe I am not adding the right amount of liquids or ingredients, but I still wasn’t getting it.
One day I came across a company called Daily Harvest and it would change my smoothie making days forever.
At Daily Harvest, they believe that living good starts with good food. They partner with farmers who don't settle for anything less than the most nourishing fruits and vegetables. Then they freeze everything within hours of harvest, their in-house chefs and nutritionists craft recipes these are all delivered to your front door.
It was a few years after I had completed treatment that I found this company. I wish I had found them sooner, because after my sister had a preventative bilateral mastectomy and a friend who is a breast cancer survivor had a bilateral mastectomy, they told me that the doctors told them it was good to have smoothies after surgery. I, however, was never told this! I am now telling you all. Have smoothies after your surgery! Daily Harvest delivers thoughtfully sourced, chef-crafted foods to your door, all built on fruits and vegetables and ready to enjoy in minutes. They not only have smoothies, but harvest bowls, soups, oat bowls, chia bowls and lattes. Check out their site for more information.
About 3 days a week I wake up and make a Daily Harvest smoothie. The cup has frozen ingredients that I dump into my awesome Vitamix and then pour almond milk, coconut water or orange juice into the cup to the top depending on the smoothie. I found that it’s the perfect amount of ingredients and liquid. Then I press start and I have my amazing smoothie for the morning!
I have not fully transitioned to a fruits and vegetables only meal plan - I still need my sweets, but I do feel really good after having a juice or smoothie to start my day! There are medications that can assist to limit the chance of recurrence, but medication alone is not the answer and does not work with every form of breast cancer. It has been talked about by doctors and nutritionists that it’s nutrition that plays a significant role in the fight. Thank you to the companies making our bodies feel good with organic and thoughtfully grown ingredients.
