Just look at all of that glorious green! I actually went outside just so I could show you all how green this smoothie was. Don’t you feel special? 
So you’ve probably noticed that I’ve been more than a little stressed out. Stress is a normal part of life and in small amounts it can actually be good. However, prolonged stress can lead to a host of issues with people. Here’s the link to a list of the effects on the body from stress. Out of the 50 listed, the past two weeks I’ve been exhibiting:
- Neck ache, back ache, muscle spasms
- acidy stomach
- headaches
- insomnia
- anger, irritability
- Acne
It’s crazy because I never associated muscle spasms with stress but there were a couple of times where I would be shivering even though I wasn’t cold. This happened especially after each argument with my boss over the work stuff. Don’t get the wrong idea here. I’m the person that usually just rolls with the punches even if they are frequent. If someone is being unfair or giving me far too much work to handle I usually just say, “whatever” and go with it. This time I actually stuck up for myself and my subordinate and it was ROUGH! I’ve never had to fight so hard for what I think is right. In the end my boss let up and he let me do things my way but holy cows it was not easy. So believe it or not, all of this led to the above smoothie 
That last effect on the list is already rearing it’s ugly head and my terrible eats for the last two weeks are not making things better. So I’m cleaning things up this week to help clear my skin and get me healthy again all starting with this smoothie. Pumpkin is chock full of:
- Alpha-carotene
- Beta-carotene
- Fiber
- Vitamins C and E
- Potassium
- Magnesium
Which are all amazing for your skin. I also added cinnamon to bring out the pumpkin flavor. Cinnamon has been shown to be a natural anti-inflammatory. Spinach also has a lot of vitamin A, fiber, and multiple anti-oxidants. Add them all together and you have one nutritious smoothie.
In the Mix:
- 1 c Spinach
- 1 Whole frozen banana cut into chunks
- 1/3 c pumpkin
- 1/3 c plain yogurt
- 1 c milk of choice ( I used unsweetened almond milk)
- Lots of cinnamon ( I didn’t measure but prob put half a teaspoon)
I layered with half the banana on the bottom, then spinach, pumpkin, yogurt, and the other half of the banana. I then added the milk and cinnamon. Blend. Enjoy!
Next time I think I’ll add some flax and more cinnamon. I like a lot of cinnamon and I only got a hint of it this time. This is not a sweet smoothie so if you like go ahead and add a little bit of your sweetener of choice. Keep in mind though, that if you have acne issues, sugar tends to aggravate them.
Here’s to clearing things up 
Have a great day all!
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