cheersyallimport: Drink Your Greens

Morning, sunshines! Last month I wrote about 5 Healthy Habits that I [seriously] enjoy keeping. I got some fabulous feedback and requests for more...which totally blew my mind and was really cool at the same time. Yay!

With that said, I knew in an instant the next "healhty habit" of mine that I had to tell y'all about. Three words: Catie's Organic greens. I started drinking them daily in the summer of 2012 (a few months before our wedding!), and I've been hooked ever since.

Let me start by saying that this does not in any way replace my veggie intake. I don't use it as an excuse to skip out on eating greens. I try to keep a whole foods, plant based diet (read "way of life," not "way to lose weight") as much as possible, so using Catie's greens to replace eating green in general would be a no no.

I drink a glass of this every morning. It's like: Good morning, body. Here is a glass of SO MANY vitamins and minerals. You can absorb them easily and efficiently since your stomach is empty and they're in juice form. You're welcome. I'm telling you, y'all. This stuff is THE JAM.

MORNING ROUTINE

1. Lemon water + cayenne pepper for detox [as described here]

2. Coffee with almond milk [addicted and unashamed]

3. Catie's Organic Gluten Free Greens [I've recently started the gluten free kind because...why not?]

Wait 20 minutes for absorption. Then eat breakfast. [Scroll down to #3. That's my go-to favorite!]

I mix a scoop of greens with filtered water, and I'm good to go. I like to keep it simple, quick, and efficient. Just a mix with a spoon...and done. [Nit picky note: I use a Tervis to make the greens + water drink. The curved bottom of the glass makes it easier to mix in the green powder without it getting stuck. Trust me, I've fixed enough glasses of these in 2 years to know! :)]

Some folks, namely my sister and my former roomie, Ensley, (also fellow greens drinkers!) think I'm cray-cray to drink the greens with water only. Genuinely, I think it tastes good. They don't. To each their own, right? I tend to love weird stuff (e.g. I will take seltzer water over juice any day of the week), so these greens with water are my jam. Not too sweet, but sweet enough to be pleasant! They definitely don't taste bad. But with all of that said, you can easily throw them into a smoothie too. Hope even wrote about her favorite smoothie recipe a few months ago and included our beloved greens, of course!

My friends over at Energy Essentials are so fabulous that they graciously sent me Catie's Whole Food Vitamin C Plus to try too!

Surprise, surprise...I loved it too. The bottle label is pink, which is obviously fabulous, and the drink looks enticing (or perhaps less intimidating than dark green juice?) as well . It definitely has a different taste than the greens -- and rightfully so, as it's jam packed with Vitamin C!

I appreciate that you can drink the Vitamin C anytime of day. I look forward to sipping on some glasses of this (with ice!) during the summer. It certainly tastes refreshing. I will be sure to stock up on this during cold and flu season as well.

Since becoming obsessed with the Food Babe, I've gotten really into learning about the transparency (or lack thereof) of the food industry. Energy Essentials is a company that makes fabulous products and has strong values. Their mission statement makes me smile:

"It is our goal as a company and a family, to help provide natural answers for healthy living. Because our cells make up our glands, organs, tissue, veins, arteries and even our bones, Catie has researched and formulated many products to help clean, strengthen, nourish, nurture, help heal and rejuvenate on a cellular level. We all know that not all products are what they say they are. Rest assured that we search very hard to provide NONTOXIC, CHEMICAL FREE, HORMONE FREE, PESTICIDE FREE PRODUCTS, AND AS ORGANIC AS WE CAN GET to help you live your best life now!"

Amen?! Love it!

Want to join me in adding this loveliness to your morning routine!? Please do! Catie has graciously given all Cheers Y'all readers 10% off your Energy Essentials order now through July 6th using the code CHEERSYALL.

Yes, the bottle is $40 (well, $36 with your coupon code!). Y'all know I'm as frugal as all get out. But here is the thing I believe: what I pay for in healthy, organic, non-GMO foods and drinks, I won't be paying for later in doctors visits and/or medical bills. These greens help give me a strong hold on my health -- they keep my body on the offense rather than defense. Money well spent. And a product that I clearly believe in as I've been drinking it for two years! (Oh, and the bottle will last you for a good, long while. :))

Please tell me if you're going to give the greens (or anything else!) a try because I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS!!!

CHEERS...with a big glass of Catie's Greens!