Avocado-Coconut soup!

Health benefits of Avocado and my favorite soup recipe!

I'm a huge fan of avocado and I love the fact that it is so GOOD FOR YOU! I eat avocados everyday with everything, approximately one a day. I put it to my chocolate smoothies, salads, sandwiches, soups  etc. This time me and my mom made an avocado-coconut soup and I recommend for you all to try it!

Ingredients:

2 riped avocados

2 dl coconut milk

juice of 1 lime

lime zest

Himalayan salt

3,5dl water

1/2 glove of garlic

red chili

cayenne pepper

2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro

1. Place the avocados and the lemon juice&zest in a food processor or a blender and blend until almost smooth. I like my soup with a little pieces of avocado, so I don't blend it too much.

2. Pour the blended avocados in a pan and add all the other ingredients except cilantro. Be careful with red chili!

3. Heat it up until its warm but do not boil!!!

4. Serve with fresh cilantro and Finnish rye bread

Health benefits of avocados:

1. Promotes a healthy heart
   Contains vitamin B6 and folic acid, which help regulate homocysteine levels. High level of homocysteine is associated with an increased risk of heart disease. Avocado also contains vitamin E, Glutathione and monounsaturated fat which help in maintaining a healthy heart.
2. Lower cholesterol levels
   Rich in beta-sitosterol which has been shown to be effective in lowering blood cholesterol levels. 
3. Control blood pressure
   Avocados are also a great source of potassium, which helps in controlling blood pressure levels. 
4. Anti-Inflammatory properties
   Phytonutrient compound found in avocados, such as polyphenols and flavonoids have been found to have anti-inflammatory properties, thereby reducing the risk of inflammatory and degenerative disorders.
5. Promote eye health
   Avocado is an excellent source of carotenoid lutein, which known to help protect against age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.
6. Regulate the blood sugar levels
   The monounsaturated (good) fats in avocados can reverse insulin resistance, which helping to regulate the blood sugar levels. Avocados also contain more soluble fiber, which keep a steady blood sugar levels.
7. Prevent birth defects
   Avocados are rich in folate, a B vitamin commonly known as folic acid. The high amount of folate in avocado is essential in the prevention of birth defects, such as neural tube defect and spina bifida.
8. Reduce strokes risk
   The high levels of folate in avocados also protect against stroke. A study has shown individuals who ate a diet rich in folate had a lower risk of stroke than those who do not.
9. Protect against cancer
   Many studies have shown that avocado can inhibit the growth of prostate cancer. The oleic acid in avocado is also effective in preventing breast cancer.
10. Fight free radicals
    Avocados contain glutathione, a powerful antioxidants to helps fight free radicals in the body.
11. Anti-aging properties
    Being rich in antioxidants, avocado is beneficial in preventing aging symptoms. The glutathione in avocado may boosts immune systems, slows the aging process, and encourages a healthy nervous system.
12. Cure bad breath
    Avocados cleanse intestine which is the real cause of coated tongue and this unpleasant condition.
13. Increase nutrient absorption
14. Skin Care
    The avocado oil is added in many cosmetics because of its ability to nourish the skin and make your skin glow. It also aids in treating psoriasis, a skin disease that causes skin redness and irritation.
15. Weight gain
    The avocado has 200 calories for 100 grams. Avocado is a healthy source of calories, unlike many other calorie-dense foods that may contain excess saturated fats and sugar.

(Sourse: http://www.healthonlinezine.info/health-benefits-of-avocados.html)

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Pasta with homemade pesto

Just a quick post. Me and my mom found wholewheat flax pasta on sale the other and decided to make something from it. We chose some simple ingredients and it turned out to be Amazing (and I'm not even a big fan of pasta)!! I hade my pasta with on a salad bed with cucumber, red pepper and tomatoes. I will post my mom's pesto recipe later on today, but you can also use a regular pesto from a supermarket.

ingredients: 

whole wheat pasta

homemade pesto

cherry tomatoes

broccoli

onion

fresh arugula

sea salt

spices

your favorite seeds on top

1. cook whole wheat pasta ,and meanwhile sauté the onion and broccoli with a little bit of oil, on a heated pan.

2. mix sauteed broccoli and onion with pasta.

3. Add 1-2 tbsp of homemade pesto and your favorite spices. We used paprika and black pepper.

4. Serve with hempseed and fresh arugula on top.

Enjoy your day! :)

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DIETS DON'T WORK

Eight reasons for my opinion!

Do you know the feeling when you just have way too many things going on at the same time? I've been there lately, and that is my bad excuse for not posting anything for a long time. I have so many things I want to share with you all, but decided to start here: DIETS DON'T WORK! 
Obesity is an incredibly huge problem in the world today and We are never going to beat it if we rely on diets. Have you noticed that they aaaalll promise you the same thing: A super easy way to get the body of your dreams.
Newsflash; A MAGIC DIET DOESN'T EXIST. Why do I feel this way?

1. They teach you nothing about a healthy diet.
2. 95% of the people who are on a diet, will gain the weight and more in the next 5 years.   
3. They may be harmful, for example by lacking essential nutrients and vitamins.
4. Each one of us is unique, with different needs based on gender, age, ancestry and lifestyle; how could one diet be right for everyone? 
5. Diets are too extreme.
6. Diets might be leading to an eating disorder.
7. They are too restrictive. You are not weak if you can't follow one.    
8. you might lose the pleasure of eating.

What works then? Find a lifelong healthy lifestyle that suits you and your body. I'm not saying you can never have a movie night with popcorn and candies, or you can never eat a huge piece of chocolate cake. Finding the balance between eating healthy and providing your body everything it needs, and treating your mind with your favorite sweets, is the challenge. But it's worth it.

If you don't know how to find the healthy lifestyle that suits you, I would love to give you a FREE health consultation :) Just send me an email to maximizeyourhealth@essililjama.com and I will get back to you.