Happiness is just 3 cups away...

By Jessica Campbell, MS, FNTP

Help ME! She says through bloodshot eyes after preparing the perfect Thanksgiving feast and meeting December face to face like a staring contest. I don't want to detox but I never want to eat again. How can you help me from feeling fat and tired? I hear you and I've got your back. Happiness is just 3 cups away...

I wish I could say that was a cup of Joe and two stiff Martinis... trust me I forget about feeling fat and tired after that, and turn into a bundle of fun. But, then you wouldn't want to be the one waking up beside me and by waking up I mean at least 3 or 4 times a night with nausea and groaning.

If that sounds familiar, then try this new equation for a more healthy, more relaxed, and more restorative holiday happiness.

By happiness is just 3 cups away, I mean 3 cups of beautifully colored vegetables, berries, and seasonal fruits.

Don't go!

Not yet, please let me explain why this will bring you the happiness you deserve and exactly which ones to eat to improve your vitamin and mineral status for happy health.

Happiness is just 3 cups a day

Cup 1 Leafy Greens

Remember this phrase: Greens put your vitamins B.A.C.K.

Leafy greens provide the body with ample amounts of vitamins B, A, C, K, and minerals. B vitamins improve your mood and protect your brain cells. Vitamin A is a key nutrient for the thyroid in promoting a strong metabolism.

Taking large amounts of vitamin D can offset your vitamin  A levels.

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that can help reverse cancerous cells from forming and vitamin K is the understated workhorse for your immune system. Minerals are the cofactors that allow us to process these amazing nutrients and bring them into our cells. Think of them like keys to open the cell doors; each cell needs a different key so we need them all.

In winter, it's nice to cook our hearty greens: kale, collards, and swiss chard and toss them into soups or stews. Breaking them down with a 3 min steam will unlock the vitamins locked in the indigestible fibers. Try them in every meal, whether it's greens, eggs, and ham for breakfast or kale and potato soup for dinner. My kids love Kale chips for a snack, or a bruised kale salad for lunch.

Cup 2 Crucifers and Sulfur Rich Veggies

There are many opinions out there about whether to eat broccoli and cabbage crucifers for thyroid health, but the bottom line is these veggies are rich in sulfur and beneficial to the detoxification system. If you have a thyroid condition, please cook your crucifers 3-5 minutes for optimal digestion.

Sulfur is essential for the brain, liver, and mitochondria (those fascinating cell structures you may remember from biology that look like kidney beans with a zig-zag divider line. Mitochondria are responsible for producing energy, tired much?

Sulfur is also essential in proper detoxification of the harmful chemicals we ingest every day. If not detoxified properly those chemicals become radical oxidants that damage DNA and cause cancer.

Crucifers to the rescue: include broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels, kohlrabi, turnips, and rutabaga. Sulfur rich veggies also include onions, leeks, shallots, garlic, mushrooms, and asparagus.

Try my nutrient dense mashed potatoes with 1 cup rutabaga snuck in there for the holidays, or this easy cabbage salad. I toss turnips, onions, and cabbage into my corned beef and cabbage . If you don't think your kids will eat turnips, read about my daughter's 3rd grade class gobbling up their St. Patricks Day Feast.

Cup 3 Rainbow Colored Carbs

More vegetables? YES! Studies show we simply cannot get enough of these delicious gifts from the soil. Full of life, minerals, vitamins, probiotics, energy, and happiness, we need to eat every color every day. For your 3rd cup of carbs, the rainbow of colors has different flavonoids and polyphenols which are super fancy words for antioxidants that prevent cancer.

Cancer is not something that grows in your body by chance. It is a byproduct of your body not being able to properly metabolize and detox toxic chemicals. We all ingest potential cancers every day; however, 3 cups of rainbow-colored carbs, crucifers, and greens are enough to protect your body and live a long life, cancer-free, and happy.

Include seasonal fruits and berries like cranberry, pomegranate, and OMG a glass of organic red wine. Yes, it's true! Include dark orange persimmons and pumpkins. Try yellow butternut and acorn squash, star fruit, lemons, and green artichokes, peppers, and kiwi. Blueberries can be frozen if out of season or dehydrated and tossed in a winter salad.

It may sound like a lot, but I encourage you to take your holiday as a time to rest, slow down, and cook some delicious foods. Bring a vegetable dish to your next pot luck and skip the holiday cookies. Choose a pumpkin pie or make zucchini cake, but whatever you do, remember that happiness is just 3 cups away...

Please share some photos below of your cups of holiday cheer. You can use a URL to your Pinterest, Instagram, or Facebook photo too. We would love to be inspired by your healthy holiday treats.

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Eat the Rainbow Challenge -- Reset Your Health After Kids -- Steamed Vegetables -- How to Stop Inflammation