It did what? 10 secrets you didn't know about celery

Celery.  It's all the rage! 

If you follow any health aficionado, you've probably heard all about the benefits of celery but more specifically celery juice.  There are people who buy celery by the box so they can juice and drink to their hearts content.  There are claims that it cleanses the liver, even destroys cancer.  So, let's take a closer look at celery.

1.  Celery is full of antioxidants.  What is an antioxidant?  Antioxidants protect blood vessels and organs from oxidative stress.  Celery contains 15 different antioxidants including Vitamin C,  and Beta Carotine.

2.  Celery reduces inflammation.  One of the inflammation fighting ingredients in celery is phytonutrients.  This reduces inflammation in the GI tract, and blood vessels.  Want to protect yourself from strokes and high blood pressure? Celery is a great idea to add to your current health regimen.  There are 25 anti inflammatory compounds in celery.

3.  Celery supports digestion because of it's high water and fiber content.  95% of celery is water and all that soluble and insoluble fiber keeps the system humming along.

4.  Celery is packed with vital nutrients like Vitamins A, C and K as well as magnesium, and iron.  It has little effect on your blood sugar so the slow and steady state it provides is healthy for those who battle type 2 Diabetes.

5.  Celery is versatile.  Eat it raw, cooked, juiced...take it on the run, pack it work.  It's one of the easiest veggies to eat.

6.  Celery is anti- hypertensive so it can be a great help in lowering your blood pressure and risk of stroke. All that potassium and calcium relaxes the arteries and has a calming effect.

7.  Celery is excellent for cleansing the liver and kidneys of toxic chemicals, and waste.

8.  Celery seeds help boost the immune system with its anti-bacterial and anti microbial properties.  It's been used for hundreds of years to fight infection.

9.  Celery is considered a super food.  It aids in weightloss by boosting lipid metabolism.   The rich antioxidants listed above, along with vital electrolytes, makes it a great resource as you start your journey to drop a few pounds.  Take celery along, you'll be glad you did.

10.  Celery is a great food to boost your energy.  Eating celery floods your cells with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants to clean up our less than stellar diet and environmental factors.

So, that's quite an impressive list!  The trend right now is to juice your celery.  How much difference does juicing make from eating a stalk or two?  There is no hard data that juicing is better than eating.  Juicing removes the pulp/fiber and some die hard celery juicers believe this enhances the healing benefits of  celery. For now, it's nothing more than personal opinion.  Regardless of how you get celery into your body, it's a superfood, with amazing nutrition and healing benefits. 

The Evolution of Energy

Sometimes, I think energy is built upon nothing more than good intentions.  It's unpredictable; flighty at best! 

Do you know what I'm talking about?  You look at the kids at the park, or maybe your own little tribe and wish for the day when you could have just one ounce of the energy that seems endless in their compact frames.  Instead, we wake up and count the hours til we can appropriately drop back into bed without people questioning our level of competency.

Where does energy come from and where does it go when we need it most?

Energy comes from many sources and ways.  To start with, all of our cells run on energy and the fuel is food.  That's a given.  You can't get very far in a day if you are starved and running on fumes of cold pizza from last night's dinner quandary.  Quality food is where energy is stored.  Greens, healthy and moderate protein, good fats and whole carbs. 

Even still, our nutrition can be on point and we still feel tired and worn out...so what are the other factors to consider when we feel we can't go on?  In some ways, there is nothing we can do to change our declining energy.  Age has a way of stealing some of it away.  Our muscles lose mass and tone, stress has built up over the years and our decreasing stomach acid makes it harder to absorb vital nutrients that give energy to our cells.

This may sound like bad news, but it's not entirely and you shouldn't take your dwindling energy sitting down!  First, visit your health care provider for a complete physical and get your physical self in tip top shape, then try one of these easy things to jump start your day in a more energetic way.

Create a plan and get organized- like any worthy goal you want to achieve, you have to figure out how to get there.  Often times, our lack of energy is nothing more than being suffocated with clutter; a cluttered mind, a clutter room, a cluttered life.  These seemingly innocent and unrelated environmental factors weigh us down more than we realize.  Don't believe me?  Take a day or two to get one small part of your life in order and gauge how your energy increases with the added order.

Get up and move- nothing is more exhausting than sitting around.  You don't have to sign up for weekly 5K's or marathon sprints, take a walk around the block.  Allow your mind to expand and lungs to fill with fresh air.  It's in the expanding of space where you can revitalize your tired mind.

Get out of the box-  Before we even realize it's happened, we put ourselves in a box.  We do the same thing every day.  The routine never changes, old habits, no matter how well they serve us feel like some well worn shoes we love to wear.   Do something different.  Add a new element to the day.  Take a different route to work.  Stop at the Farmers Market you drive past every weekend.  Create something, say yes to the friends who want you to join them for dinner.  These little things are like a shot of energy you never knew was possible.

Finally, never underestimate the power of sleep.  Did you know that your body rejuvenates each cell during sleep?  It is also the most beneficial time for metabolism repair and fat burning.  So, get your zzz's.  It is not a badge of honor to burn the candle at both ends. The optimum time for sleep according to some researchers is starting at 10 pm.  Beyond that, it becomes more difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Even though it's natural for some of our energy to decline as we age, it doesn't have to be a dramatic shift.  There are so many factors beyond age, that determine our energy levels.  Take a look at ways you can lift yourself from the slump you may find yourself in.