Hot Yoga and Green Smoothies - What Do They Have in Common?

Greens and Blueberry Smoothie

You wouldn't think that hot yoga and green smoothies would have much in common but they are both super good for your health. Many people find that when they start a Bikram yoga practice and are dedicated to it, they begin to crave healthier food, like fruits and veggies. One way to get lots of both into your daily diet is a green smoothie for breakfast or an on-the-go lunch.

For the past couple of years, I've started every day with a healthy green smoothie. I make a big batch in the morning and then my husband and I both drink it for breakfast and lunch.

I turned a small flower bed into a greens garden.

As you can see from the photo, I put in everything but the kitchen sink! Last fall, I even put in a greens garden so I'd have fresh organic greens all winter long. I am still getting kale, mustard and collard greens from it, even when it's snowy outside. Collard and mustard are super healthy but it's almost impossible to find organic in the stores and they are very easy to grow in any patch of yard or garden.

Here is my delicious green smoothie recipe:

2 cups green tea
1 small banana
1/2 cup berries
1 teaspoon Hemp Protein
4 oz yogurt
1 tsp chia seeds
1 tsp flax seeds
large handful of greens. You can use spinach, kale, carrot or beet tops, salad greens, mustard or collard greens.

Hot Yoga Doctor's Smoothie Recipes

When I get up in the morning, I put the green tea and chia seeds into my Vitamix. Chia seeds absorb about 9 times their weight in water and become a gel, which is easier to digest. Chia seeds are full of protein and fiber, plus lots of nutrients. Flax seeds contain omega3 fatty acids, which are good for your heart and brain. Hemp is a great complete plant protein. The yogurt supplies probiotics for digestion and your immune system and berries, along with greens pack a powerful nutritional punch to start your day off right.

I've supplied links to the products I use in my smoothies, which are available on Amazon.com. I suggest whole flax seeds because once they are ground into meal, they being to loose nutritional potency. You don't have to have a Vitamix to properly blend this smoothie but a powerful blender does help.

If you've been practicing Bikram or hot yoga for a while and you have a craving for something healthy to eat, try this delicious green smoothie. It will give you energy for your workout and for your entire day.