Thinking of starting a running program? Here are some things I learned!

So, recently I began a running program again and ever since I feel absolutely fantastic! Although running is not for everyone, if you have healthy joints, a healthy back and a pair of good quality shoes, running just may be the perfect way for you to get in shape.

I know what you might be thinking - "Me? Run? Ha! You have to be joking!" That's exactly what I thought at first, too. Running seemed like a workout for people in incredible shape with a lot of willpower and I just didn't feel like I fit that mould. But the reality is, if you start off slow enough with a well-paced program, almost anyone can become a skilled runner.

The program I used my first time around was called Couch to 5K. You can find it here: http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

What makes this program unique is the fact that it is designed for people who have never run a day in their life. Over the course of nine weeks, you will run longer and longer until, at the end, you will be able to run 5k in 30 minutes. Sound impossible? It's definitely not. If you follow the program I can almost guarantee you that you will succeed. And nothing makes me feel better than finishing a run, something you will hear a lot of runners say. The rush of adrenaline you will feel will be incomparable, especially after you've completed the program and can run a 5k.

The program asks that you run three times a week. It starts off very slow, asking you only to alternate 60 seconds of jogging with 90 seconds of walking for a total of twenty minutes, after a five minute brisk walk. Every week, the amount you run will get longer in very small incriments. This is much, much easier on your joints than just going out on the street and seeing how long you can run before you feel like you're going to die. It also makes the training a lot easier, which will help you stick to it. Rest assured, though - 60 seconds may not seem like a long time, but if you've never run before, you will be winded. But keep it up! The second workout of every week will be easier, and by the third workout you'll be realizing you can do this.

I just have a few tips for you before you start your running program. I'm no expert, but these are some things that really helped me when I was just starting out:

- make sure you have good quality running shoes (not walking shoes, not any other kind of shoes. RUNNING shoes) that fit you well. It may seem easy to skimp out and just use your regular shoes, but doing this is terrible for your joints and your back, and you will feel the pain later on. You don't have to spend a fortune, but make sure the shoe is good quality. It might be a good idea to go to a store like SportCheck or the like, and ask them to size your foot. They can also give you advice as to what brands are the best for what you intend to do.

- ladies, invest in a sports bra. Maybe two, or three sports bras. You will thank yourself later.

- don't skip ahead in the program until a little later on. Remember, this program was designed to make the process as easy as possible on your joints, so skipping ahead may cause you to really hurt yourself. When you are nearing the end of the program your muscles will be better equipped to handle the pressure, and you can go to it if you like.

- if you don't feel ready to start the next week, just repeat the same week, it's no big deal. You can take your time, as any running is good exercise and will improve your stamina and heart health. And if you are ever feeling faint or sick while running, stop and walk briskly instead. No exercise program is worth hurting yourself over.

- likewise, if you hurt your ankle or back, WAIT UNTIL YOU FEEL BETTER TO START RUNNING AGAIN. This is sometimes very difficult to do, as you will really want to continue running. But if you start again before you are healed, you run the risk of never being able to run again, so it is ALWAYS worth it to wait. Be good to your body!

-make sure to drink lots of water while running. You will be sweating buckets and you want to replenish that.

-develop a good stretching routine for before and after your run. You may be tempted to skip the stretch, but preparing your muscles for the run and relaxing them afterward is very important. It will help prevent injuries and even improve academic performance. For a great stretch routine that I use you can go here: http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_1/126.shtml

- try and run before a meal. Then, when you do eat, pack in food that's full of protein and lots of vitamins and minerals. Make sure what you eat is as healthy and clean as possible, but that it's a FULL meal. Running burns a lot of calories and it also increases your metabolism and you want to make sure you are getting the proper nutrition. I drink a hemp protein shake after my run along with a healthy meal full of spinach, black beans, broccoli, etc. Healthy, nutrient-packed foods. And the protein will help repair your muscles and prepare you for your next run.

Go to it! If you follow the program, you CAN do this! Once you realize your body's potential there will be no stopping you, and you'll have developed a workout routine you can do anytime, anywhere for free!

Happy running!

Stop Beating Yourself Up!

So I’m sitting here at home, suffering from a very rare disease that is known medically as ‘hangover extraordinaire’ and wishing I had more self-control. I’m always wishing I had something I don’t, or was something I’m not. And I’m thinking about how many hours, days, years I have wasted wishing to be someone that I am just not. How many of you can relate? I spoke about how we judge ourselves in a previous blog entry, and I want to expand on that. Because I feel like low self-esteem and self-criticism are the two most major afflictions we humans deal with. And no, not just women  - all of us. Negative self-image has been the biggest roadblock I’ve faced in the past on any journey towards betterment, and it’s time for me to give it up. I hope you’ll read what I have to say here and take it to heart. This is quite honestly the biggest “tip” I can give you for being a healthier person. 

A couple of months ago I made a promise to myself – to be as positive with myself as I could possibly be. This has proven so far to be a very interesting experience. In doing this, I have really started to realize how horrible we are to ourselves and how mean and spiteful we can be. We say and think things about ourselves that we would never dream of saying to others. We judge ourselves more harshly than anyone else. And when we do judge others, it’s usually for something that really bothers us about ourselves. Do you ever notice that? The next time you become really angry or irritated with someone for something they have done, ask yourself why it really upsets you so much. You might discover that your judging them is just a way for you to take the heat off yourself. And who could blame us for wanting a bit of a break from our constant, angry self-analysis? We spend so much time being down on ourselves, it only makes sense that we might want to stop for a minute and get angry with someone else for once.

Well, I don’t want to be angry anymore, and neither should you. My entire life, I have been incredibly negative when it comes to the way I talk to myself. I’ve always seen the worst things about me so clearly and ignored the majority of the good things. This is especially true when it comes to body image – I spent all of my teenage years whining and complaining about how fat I thought I was, when in reality I wasn’t fat at all. I wish I could have those years back! It’s so depressing to realize you threw away your best years when you could have just relaxed and enjoyed them. Well, actually – these past few years have been my best years. And anyway – getting upset about my past and judging myself is exactly what I’m trying NOT to do anymore, so I’ll let that lie.

Since I’ve started this health journey, I’ve been noticing something about us humans. So many of the people I talk to are TERRIBLE to themselves, especially women when it comes to body image. They talk about how much weight they’ve gained since high school, how they’re desperately trying to get rid of their “gross” stomach, or their “gross” love handles, how lazy they are, how they can’t commit to a workout, how disgusting they are for whatever junk food they ate the other night, etc etc. I could go on and on. Sometimes these remarks are disguised with humour, like how I do it. Laugh at yourself before anyone else can laugh at you and you’ve got the upper hand, right? That’s how I used to think. But these comments we make in passing about ourselves are incredibly damaging, whether we’re laughing when we say them or not.  Every time we say these things we lose a little more respect for ourselves. And the constant judgement only serves to continue the cycle of unhealthiness – it is impossible to stick to a plan or better yourself when every time you make the tiniest mistake, you yell at yourself for it. 

So I decided to stop doing that. The results have been amazing. Instead of judging myself for whatever I didn’t do that I was supposed to, I cheer myself on for whatever I DID do. For instance, I went to Toronto last weekend and ate like absolute shit. Instead of hating myself for it, I congratulated myself for all the walking that I did. I’ve been trying to quit coffee, but that hasn’t really been going so well. “Oh well! It’s not the end of the world, Marita – you’ve quit smoking cigarettes and you run four times a week. You’ve made leaps and bounds in the journey to be a more healthy person, why beat yourself up for the one thing you haven’t managed to do yet? You’ll get there, don’t worry.” When I finish my run, I pump my fist in the air and talk about how much I rock. If I make a mistake and eat something I don’t really want to eat anymore, I just tell myself it’s no big deal and not to worry about it, just to try and not let it happen again anytime soon.  As a result, my energy is almost always very positive, which makes it SO MUCH EASIER to keep going. If every time we make a mistake, we cry and feel horrible, it becomes incredibly easy to just… stop trying, give up and continue feeling awful. Feeling terrible about yourself can be addictive. But guess what? So can feeling AWESOME! Yup, I said it.

Let’s not focus on all the things we hate about ourselves. Let’s think and talk about all the things we like about ourselves instead. And when we make a mistake, let’s take from it what we can and move on, not wallow in a puddle of self-pity. Everyone makes mistakes. No one is perfect. Everyone wants to be someone they are not. Everyone has things about themselves they don’t like. But the reality is, those things are just as much a part of your personality and sense of self as all the good things. That doesn’t mean you can’t try and change, but do it for your own personal happiness, not to try and fit into some ridiculous mould that, let’s face it, is usually impossible. Get to know yourself. Begin to really like yourself.  It’s so liberating! And, unfortunately, it’s something that a lot of us don’t know the first thing about. But think about it this way: you’ve got the rest of your life to improve the things about yourself you don’t like. That’s a pretty long time. Why the rush? Why not take some time to really get to know the person you’re going to be spending every second with until you die – yourself. Learn to love all the stupid things you do. Try and find them endearing. Because if you don’t like yourself, you’re basically sentenced to a lifetime of hours, days, months, years with someone you hate. 

Stop with the negative talk! You’re fine the way you are – stomach and love handles and bad temper and all. You are you, and you’re the only person who can decide what that means. If you want to change something, go change it! But don’t get mad at yourself if it takes some time to get there – life is too short to spend your time beating yourself up. Just try and enjoy the ride.

<3

Namaste,

Marita

A Society Obsessed With Being Skinny

So today I am not going to write about something scientific. I didn’t do any research for this one, I am not going to be formal or fancy. I’m just going to talk about something that not a lot of people talk about, but something I feel strongly about, and I hope to find others that do, too. I’m going to talk about our society’s warped idea that weight loss always = better health, and how that makes me feel. 

We’ve all seen the Herbal Magic and Weight Watchers commercials with the Before and After pictures. Here’s Suzie, a mom of three. Let’s see a photo of Suzie at her absolute worst –no makeup, jogging pants and a t-shirt, hair a mess, and looking probably heavier than she ever has in person. Now, let’s switch to a picture of Suzie now! She looks INCREDIBLE! See how much BETTER she looks now that she’s lost all that weight? Her makeup is done, her clothes and hair are immaculate, she’s grinning and looks ecstatic. How nice for Suzie. How lovely that she is no longer that fat, sad sack of a person. Then, generally, Suzie will go on to say how much her weight loss has changed her life – how she can now go out in public, how she feels really confident, etc. 

If you’re like me, these commercials drive you absolutely crazy. When did our society decide that losing weight turns you into a happier person? That it gives you more self-confidence? That it automatically means you are healthier, and that you’ll live longer, and your life will mean more? The fact of the matter is, lowered self-confidence because of a little extra weight is not your fault, but the fault of these stupid commercials, and the media in general. What if we had grown up being told that what makes us beautiful and worthy actually came from our personalities and not from a strict diet and exercise regime? What if the movies and TV shows we had watched as kids featured people of all sizes in lead roles, instead of the usual coupling of the thin, attractive main character with the overweight, funny friend? I believe the world would be a very different place.

The fact of the matter is, there are plenty of thin people who are incredibly unhealthy, this we know. There are also a lot of overweight people who are perfectly healthy, which is something a lot of people don’t know. The weight loss that the majority of people seek is NOT for health, it’s for image. That’s why they buy these ridiculous products like fat flush pills (terrible for you, by the way), starve themselves, exercise way too much, and try every fad diet out there in order to achieve the “perfect” physique. So why is it assumed that you are healthier after you lose weight, or happier? I think our society has become so obsessed with the obesity epidemic that they have come to believe that any and all weight loss is good news. But this is simply NOT the case.

Why can’t we focus on health, and leave weight loss out of the discussion? Because the fact of the matter is, if your weight gain is a result of an unhealthy lifestyle, and you change your lifestyle to be a more healthy one, the weight will probably come off. And even if it doesn’t, who cares? If you’re eating healthy foods and exercising regularly, you’re HEALTHY, and shouldn’t that be what matters?

I’m not saying no one should try to lose weight. But I’ve always been irritated by the idea that all overweight people must be trying to lose weight, and all overweight people must be unhealthy. I remember when I was running a 5k three times a week at 170 pounds. When I told people, they looked at me like I was lying. They didn’t think it was possible for me to be in such good shape. And my entire life, people have ALWAYS said to me, “Wow, you look great! Have you lost weight?” as if it should make me happy to hear that. I’m always thinking, “Why would you immediately assume I WANT to lose weight? What if I like my body better this way?” But that idea is so foreign to people, they simply cannot accept it. Which makes me sad.

I could go on and on about this. About how the words “childhood obesity” are incredibly damaging and put overweight children who probably already feel singled out into a box that it is nearly impossible to get out of. About how depression and feelings of loneliness lead to stress and binge eating, and telling a child that they’re “obese” only serves to make them feel worse about themselves, thus creating a vicious, lifelong cycle. And what about the skinny kids who eat McDonalds every week and don’t gain weight? No one is concerned about them. Just the fat kids. What is wrong with this picture?! We all know thin people can have sky high cholesterol. Isn’t anyone concerned about the effect of bad nutrition on the kids who aren’t gaining lots of weight? Shouldn’t we be educating ALL our children on how to eat properly and feeding them fresh, clean foods from day one? Why are we singling out the obese kids? And has no one else thought that MAYBE this is quite possibly the WORST thing you could do to an obese child who already feels singled out and different? Or is it just me? I hope not!

A society obsessed with weight loss and the perfect body image (whatever the hell that is) has created shows like The Biggest Loser (don’t even get me started), countless diet pills, ridiculously unhealthy and pricey schemes to drop pounds and a planet full of people who will celebrate your weight loss like you have saved a third world country from starvation, regardless of whether or not it means you are healthier. That is a non-issue! You look GREAT, and that’s all that matters. It honestly hurts my heart. And it’s an issue close to my heart, too – one that I have been dealing with my entire life. Take me at 18. I went to the doctor for my annual check-up, and he decides to take my blood to check out my cholesterol, as heart disease runs in my family. He tells me I have impeccable cholesterol – great levels of good cholesterol and very low levels of bad cholesterol. At the time, I considered myself overweight, so I was astounded to hear this. He says, “You must be doing something right – you’re very healthy.” But the pressure of an image-obsessed society drives me to try and lose weight. I spend two years in university barely eating, and I lose thirty pounds. But my metabolism has slowed down so much that once I start eating again, I gain weight like crazy. I end up heavier than I was at that doctor’s appointment, and with a host of minor medical issues from all the crap I have been eating. Why couldn’t I have just been happy with the way I was? I was healthy! It pains me to look back on that Marita. I wish I could have talked some sense into her.

So, that brings me to my final point, and I hope you will all hear me out on this. As I slowly cut out the refined sugar, meat, dairy products, eggs, preservatives and unpronounceable ingredients from my life, I will most likely lose weight, as my weight gain (as I mentioned above) has been brought on by terrible eating habits. I don’t want to hear about how much weight I’ve lost. I don’t want to be complimented on it. I want people to tell me I look healthy, that my skin looks great, that I’m glowing, that I look happy. And I am not going to mention weight loss again in this blog. I’m not going to talk about it like a goal. I’m not going to post before and after photos. I’m not going to say, “I stepped on the scale and I lost four pounds!” And this is going to be terribly difficult for me, because I want to celebrate it, but I won’t. Instead I will celebrate how incredible I’m going to feel, how much clearer my head is, how much energy I have, how much more positive my outlook is. I’m going to celebrate my healthy heart, and the strengthening of my muscles. I’m going to celebrate the fact that I will be a healthier person overall, not a thinner one. And I urge you to do the same on your health journey. Maybe together we can change the way society thinks about all this, and create a new world - one where people try to be healthy, not skinny.

Celebrate Small Victories

So I'm sitting here at Flyers Cafe, one of my favourite places in the whole world, and I've just indulged in an omelette and rye toast with butter and jam, and coffee and... Oh, there are baked goods that look incredible! And I've just been thinking - Flyers' fresh breakfast has never felt like an indulgence before, it's always felt like the healthiest choice. But now I feel guilty having eaten it, because I'm on this new health kick and trying to eat vegan and let's face it - when it comes to diet changes, we believe in hard and fast rules. I tend to see things in life as very black and white, a quality I have always disliked about myself. Especially when it came to making "healthy changes", which in the past has been code for "losing weight". I've always had everything planned out - "I'm going to go vegan, so I'm going to print out these one thousand vegan recipes and make a meal plan for every day from now until 2017. And I HAVE to stick to it!" How ridiculous. I made plans so big and sweeping that no one could stick to them, then punished myself when I inevitably went off track.

I don't want to judge myself anymore. I'm tired of it. Why do we judge ourselves so much? Especially for the silliest mistakes like indulging in some food we were trying to avoid or pushing our workout up a day. If I have not caused myself or some other some pain, what's the point of judging myself? I am who I am. And this healthy journey I'm on, I'm going to be on it for the rest of my life. It's a process. I'm not in any rush. I'm not trying to lose weight or inches or beat some deadline I've made for myself. I have no grand plans this time around. I'm simply trying to make my way toward a much, much healthier life than the one I have been living for the past... Well, twenty-five years. A life that is healthier for not just me, but for all other living things, including my planet. It's a process. Every part of my life is going to need a change. I'm going to be learning and growing and changing until the day I die, and so will my journey. Each day will be different.

So, rather than beat myself up for eating eggs and butter today, I'm going to celebrate the small victories I've had over the past few weeks and try my best to continue with my plan. My small victories, I should be proud! I've gone from five to six cups of coffee every morning to usually just one, sometimes two, sometimes none at all. I quit smoking nearly three weeks ago. I've been tracking my nutrition and I'm getting my recommended daily intake of nearly everything. Plus, I've been eating mostly vegan, which is an adjustment in and of itself.

I'm trying to remind myself that healthy journeys are not about getting everything absolutely right all the time, or comforming to a standard of how you're "supposed" to do something. It's a hard lesson for us humans - we're used to fitting in someone's box. But I'm making my own box. I'm going to do things the way I want to, the way that's best for me. It is my journey, after all, no one else's. And the more standards and rules I make up for myself the more I will be trying to box up and label something that can't be labeled. An inevitable failure. I don't want to waste any more time thinking I've failed myself. Whatever I do is what I've done - there is no going back, only forward. So why feel horrible when you could just take a lesson from it and move on and feel great?

And all this has led me to really feel as if I should write something about this silly idea our society has that weight loss is synonomous with health. But my coffee is gone and I need to trudge home now. Another time!

Super Healthy Foods!

Today I want to talk to you about super foods! As in super HEALTHY foods that are incredibly good for you, easy to find and easy to incorporate into meals. Doing the research for this blog entry was so eye-opening – I had no idea how amazingly nutritious some of these foods were! I chose these over other foods for no particular reason other than the fact that they’re some of my favourites, they’re relatively easy to find and they’re fairly familiar to the majority of people. There were so many foods I wanted to include, but I had to draw the line somewhere! So these are the eight I picked to talk about, and I hope you find this information as helpful as I did!

1    Spinach

Not only does spinach make a fantastic salad base, it’s also incredibly good for you for a few reasons.  It’s very rich in antioxidants, those fancy molecules that are supposed to fight cancer and other damaging cell behaviour. It’s got a ton of Vitamin A, in fact a 100 gram serving has over half of what you need in a day. Lots of vitamin C, too, of course, and it’s high in protein and high in fiber. Although spinach is high in iron and calcium, we can’t absorb very much of it because it also contains things that stop us from doing so. So, if you’re looking for a good veggie source of iron and calcium, you’re better off to go with some of the other foods on this list. But keep eating spinach because it’s a fantastic super food in other ways and it’s, well, freaking delicious. Every time you munch on some spinach you are contributing to your good health, so eat up!

        Broccoli

Yummy yum! One of my favourite foods in the whole world, broccoli is a power house of nutrition and deliciousness. It’s got around the same levels of protein and fibre as spinach, more vitamin C in a 100 gram serving than you need in a day, and a ton of Vitamin K – the vitamin which helps with blood coagulation.  And broccoli has a special combination of high levels of Vitamin A and Vitamin K, which can help you absorb and maintain a balance of Vitamin D. Most of us are Vitamin D deficient, I know I am, so any veggie that can help us keep more of it in our system is worth eating a lot of! Although eating broccoli raw is also good for you, steamed broccoli is a lot easier on your stomach, and, some say, might even lower your cholesterol. But for the moment let’s just focus on the fact that broccoli is yummy, it’s packed with nutrients and it’s something that’s really easy to incorporate into your lifestyle. Because everyone loves broccoli, even kids!

        Mushrooms

Mmmmm.  Mushrooms! I’ve been having a love affair with them lately, and here’s why! Mushrooms are so incredibly good for your health, and it seems as if new benefits to eating them are constantly being discovered! All mushrooms are high in B vitamins, potassium, protein and copper, which can help to protect the heart. But the news about mushrooms lately is that they can help promote anti-tumour activity and prevent cancer! Reishi mushrooms have even been found to help protect and heal the liver and help your immune system. Shiitake mushrooms are an amazing source of vitamin D. In fact, a 100 gram serving of them contains 46,000 IUs of vitamin D, more than 7000% of what we need in a day! Wow! So, basically, you should just eat shiitake mushrooms every day. Yup. A serving of the same size also contains 17 g of protein, tons of iron and nearly all your B vitamins.  They help the immune system, help lower your blood pressure, and could help fight cancer. So while Shittake mushrooms are better for you than your basic white mushrooms, any kind of mushroom is good for you, and is definitely worth incorporating into your diet.

        Avocados

I’m fresh off a trip for sushi whereupon I ate many a piece of avocado, so forgive me if I oversell this one a bit. But, seriously – avocadoes are AWESOME. They’re full of antioxidants that prevent your intestines from absorbing certain kinds of fat, and they’ve also been proven to lower your bad cholesterol levels and raise your good cholesterol levels. They’re also very filling because of all the “good fat” that they contain, making them the perfect addition to any meal to make it nutritious and satisfying! If you’ve never eaten avocado before, try it on top of black bean burritos or on a sandwich. It has a lovely creamy texture which may take some getting used to but trust me – once you do, you won’t want to stop eating them!

Garlic

 

Garlic has been used by humans for over 7,000 years, both as a medicine and as a food. Ancient Egyptians used it to cure various ailments, as well as ancient Greeks and Romans. Garlic is useful to regulate your blood sugar, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, help with your digestion, as an antifungal, and it’s great for your heart. The majority of the health benefits that you get from garlic come into play best when it’s eaten raw. Scared? Don’t be. There are a bunch of ways you can eat garlic raw and it’s still delicious. It’s a great addition to homemade salad dressings, or you can use it as a garnish on cooked dishes. My favourite thing to do is to mince raw garlic and mix it with extra virgin olive oil to make a simple and delicious salad dressing. It packs a punch to be sure – lots of protein, B vitamins, calcium, vitamin C, iron – you name it! Adding garlic to your life could just be the best thing you’ve ever done for yourself.

        Quinoa

I just recently discovered this delightful food and am glad I did. Quinoa is a “pseudocereal”, meaning it’s not a true grain, but you can use it in many of the same ways as rice or pasta. This makes it perfect for people with gluten allergies. It also has a LOT more nutrients than your standard cereals, including a lot of essential amino acids, tons of protein, B vitamins, iron and zinc, which makes it perfect for vegans or people who are trying to live a healthy lifestyle. If you’re not sure about quinoa substitute it for rice in a dish and see how you like it – it truly is delicious and filling, and I have a feeling you’ll love it. For lots of awesome quinoa recipes visit this website: http://www.quinoa.net/181.html

         Chia Seeds

So, you know those Chia pets you used to want so badly when you were a kid? Yes, this is the same thing – the seed from the chia plant, or salvia hispanica, a member of the mint family. The seeds have been eaten for centuries, with the Aztecs being the first recorded civilization to cultivate and ingest them. Chia seeds have become all the rage lately, and with good reason – they are incredibly nutritious, and surpass nearly every other food source in terms of vitamin and mineral content. They have a unique combination of soluble and insoluble fibers, so it can help balance your blood sugar. Not only that, but they’re packed with protein, calcium and antioxidants. They can absorb up to 9 times their weight in liquid, which makes it easy for them to take on the flavour of whatever you’re cooking them in. I must admit, I haven’t tried chia seeds yet personally, but I plan to very soon! For chia seed recipes visit this website: http://www.chiaseedrecipes.com/ (Apparently you can make almost anything with them!)

        Hemp Seeds

My personal favourite! The incredibly overlooked powerhouse of a seed! The nutritional benefits of adding hemp seeds to your diet is just now truly being recognized. Hemp is one of the earliest known domesticated plants and has been cultivated for nearly 12,000 years! Contrary to popular belief, the hemp plants we take our seeds from do NOT contain enough THC to get anyone high. To give you an idea, hemp plants usually contain less than .3% THC, while cannabis plants used for recreational or medicinal purposes contain 2-20%. So rest assured, there is absolutely no way to get high from consuming hemp seeds, and they are INCREDIBLY good for you. Not only do they contain an insane amount of protein, they are also rich in Omegas 3, 6 and 9, Vitamin A, the B vitamins, calcium and iron, and contain absolutely no cholesterol.  They have a sort of nutty flavour, which makes them a perfect addition to your morning smoothie. You can also buy hemp seed milk, hemp seed butter, hemp seed protein powder, hemp seed oil and more. From personal experience, I have been drinking hemp protein shakes twice a day for about a week now and I have never felt better. So if you’re afraid of hemp, don’t be!

I hope you found this information helpful. Like I said, there are many other powerhouse food you would do well to add to your diet, including almonds, asparagus, pineapple, kiwi, kale… I could go on and on. But I will hopefully be writing about those sometime soon. J

My sources for this article:

http://www.wikipedia.org

http://mychiaseeds.com/Articles/Top10ChiaBenefits.html

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/nut-and-seed-products/3061/2

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=9

http://www.cookingnook.com/health-benefits-of-spinach.html

http://www.ratical.org/renewables/hempseed1.html