Smoothie and the reasons for each ingredient (more about the Wahl's Protocol too), as well as an offer

I was terribly serious about starting the protocol, and I've been faithful to the text, except when I wasn't--but I'll explain myself.  First off: I don't want the skull splitting caffeine headache, so I'm phasing out the regular coffee with decaf, beginning with 50/50, testing the results. Secondly, there are some things that I think I already have a fair grasp of, with regard to how my body reacts, and I know they're anti-inflammatory, so I'm keeping them.  If I don't feel too different inside of a week, I'll go super-diligent.  But, honestly, sometimes enough is more than enough for me, and I'm close to having had enough of this business.

I am adding another level of diligence, in the form of a spreadsheet.  I'm a computer-lover (reader's inside voice of sarcasm screams "no, really?!"), so I'm going to use the computer journal approach.  I've listen the symptoms I'm watching for/tracking as the first column, along with how I'm feeling, how my digestion is functioning, and which supplements, practices I've remembered to do that day.  Two purposes shall be served in this effort: better baseline data, and memory jogs as required.  If I do it at night, or throughout the day, it will be right there in front of me... In the past, it's been to easy to forget how far I've come, this should help.

Today's efforts:

• coffee with cream and brown sugar (which I'll be phasing out)
• seedy crackers with Tzatziki (I'm about to eliminate dairy again)
• nut bar with chocolate chunks (which I'll be having more of, as chocolate is ok, and there's no dairy in the MoJo brand--that I can see)
• water aplenty
• half a cup of coffee (1 and 1 for the sugar and cream, as an improvement) while I sat in the salon chair, reading the book, and indexing it with labelled sticky tabs
• upon return  home, I made the following smoothie, which is better than juice because it has the whole fruit in it--except for the little store-bought cheat start I used: 
• 1/2 extreme green Boathouse, or Arthur's-something smoothie in a bottle, (because it has marine greens in it- and those are supposed to be good because they're easily digested and absorbed)
• three gigantic handfuls of baby kale (because vitamins, anti-oxidant, and maybe even the sulphur--but I have to recheck that) 
• 3/4 cup of frozen raspberries (anti-oxidants and other plant goodness that the Dr. Wahl promised are better for a body and its mitochondria than any supplement)
• 2 tablespoons of coconut oil (good fat, alternative source of energy that is supposed to play more nicely with the mitochondria)
• Almond beverage to control the consistency, (fibre, good fat, and there's probably something else good about that too...)

I now feel very full, and wickedly surprised at how well the coconut oil smoothed out the smoothie...it was tart, tasted fresh (but not soil-y, as is sometimes the case with kale), and was rather palatable overall--I even went so far as to insist that it was a worthy snack, and a kid just finished slurping it up.

I think I'm going to keep a smoothie journal, in with my recipe books--just because certain combos are lovelier than others.  Carrot and kale gets a touch 'earthy'... others have recommended avocado to smooth it, so I'll try that too.

Dinner? If you're as curious as the kids...will be a simple salt and pepper chicken wing (in the oven) with sliced cucumbers (green and good) and sweet potato Acti-fried chunks (because they're orange and the Acti-Fry turns the insides into rich, utterly buttery, goodness).  I'll be more careful this time, as the last time I tried that approach, my new peeler attacked.  Safety first, I guess that puts nutrition second?!!  Nutrition seems quite primary right now. 

I'm going to be doing a lot more of this for the family, hoping that their stomachs and belly-aches resolve...because mitochondria are inherited exclusively from mothers...as if I don't already feel responsible enough?!!  Maybe they won't need to end up as "specific" as their mother?  If they do though, at least I'll have taught them how to blend, whiz, and concoct meals that meet their needs.  Whew, almost went mother guilty there.  So Mom, speaking of guilt...I have to try every persuasive power I possess to get you to try this with us...You have the Bosch, so I know you can blend, blend, blend!  What if Dad joined in?  Whoa.  Maybe that smoothie causes wild thoughts of nutritional promotion...it's really that yummy.  What if both of my parents ended up feeling great before they head out for their really fun tour?  I'll note it in the blog if that's the case.  

And, in the spirit of promotion and sharing, send me a message if you'd like me to share that tracker that I made up... it's pretty special, as I've used shading to define the headings and make it colourful.  If you'd like it, I'll happily share, and there's a half hour you won't have to spend!

Cheers and chao!