Image Up Advertising & Design

SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | MARCH 2022 9 By Clare Mendez, Resident Many of us wake and head to the kitchen for a cup of coffee for some get up and go. Caffeine actually has a lot of benefits for us. For starters, caffeine can actually protect against Alzheimer's and slow age-related cognitive decline. While dependency on a coffee is slightly worrying, switching to green tea could help give you a major health boost while helping to wake you up. The great thing about drinking various forms of green tea is that they don't just contain caffeine but also a host of other brain-boosting ingredients such as l-theanine. L-theanine actually helps us feel calmer and less anxious, unlike coffee which can give you "jitters." Green tea also increases the production of dopamine, norepinephrine and other neurotransmitters associated with focus and attention. When you increase your focus, this will also increase your memory. While on the subject of green leaves, let's talk about leafy greens such as spinach, kale and collard greens to name a few. While we all know that organic, non-GMO fruits and vegetables of any kind are good for us, some are better than others. Dark leafy greens are packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein. There are thousands of ways to prepare delicious meals with these powerhouses. More to the fact, potassium and electrolytes found in abundance in leafy green vegetables are essential to keep an optimal fluid balance in your body which helps with bloating and gut infections. They supply us with plenty of calcium too, for bone health. The beta-carotene found in leafy green vegetables converts to vitamin A in the body, supporting the reduction of fine lines and wrinkles, smoother completion and stimulates cell turnover for clean skin. Another benefit to adding green leaves to your body and soul is "forest bathing." Forest bathing is the practice of immersing yourself in nature in a mindful way, using your senses to derive a whole range of benefits for your physical, mental, emotional, and social health. It is also known as Shinrin-Yok - the act of absorbing nature through your five senses. It is done by consciously walking through a wooded area looking, smelling and feeling the energy the trees and nature gives back to you. The longer you stay and breathe in the fresh oxygen the better the benefit. Several Japanese studies showed that after three days of camping in a forest participants showed an increase in cells that fight cancers and infections in the body. Forest bathing relieves depression and confusion in people and has been proven to fight fatigue and increase strength. It balances hormones and metabolic processes in the body and this, in turn, improves sleep. Lots of studies have also shown that it reduces pulse rate, stress levels, and blood pressure, reducing risks of heart attack. The key to live long, healthy lives, I surmise, is to think green. Drink it, eat it, and get out to the forests and bathe in it. Green Leaves Soup du Jour

• Cover