25. 7 Nutrient-Dense Foods I Can’t Live Without

And just as the wisdom of Ayurveda teaches us, staying grounded and connected with nature is about making these small, consistent choices that really honor our bodies. And these foods, they are simple, they're accessible, they're great with aligning yourself to the energy of the season and ultimately a way for you to feel really balanced in your health rituals. Hi everyone. I am so excited to dive into today's episode with you. We're going to be talking about nature's most potent nutrient packed foods that not only bring balance and vitality into your life, but are also super easy to add to your daily routine. These foods have been cherished for centuries by our ancestors who knew a thing or two about resilience and strength and healing. And guess what? Modern medicine backs them up now too. So we're bringing together ancient wisdom and the best of modern knowledge to support you in feeling your best naturally from the inside out. There are so many simple tools that we can adopt from the wisdom of our ancestors to heal. Before we get into it, I want to let you know about a free course that I've put together. It's called the eight Roots of Healing. It outlines some of my absolute favorite ancient healing practices to help you feel rooted in wellness. If you're interested, just head over to monasharma.com programs. You'll have access to daily videos to help you shift from imbalance to balance. And I'm really proud of how it's helping people feel some sense of ease when it comes to their wellness routine. All right, now let's get into the good stuff. Today I'm sharing my top seven nutrient dense foods that you can easily incorporate into your daily life to supercharge your health. I was recently chatting with the amazing Katherine Arnsten from a brand called Energy Bits on the podcast and she is the algae queen. She shares how algae, specifically spirulina and chlorell, are amongst the most nutrient dense foods on the planet. And while I'm a huge fan of those two superfoods, I thought, well, why stop there? There are so many other nutrient powerhouses rooted in wisdom that we can explore together. So let's dive in. So number one, obviously is spirulina and chlorella. These are the algae powerhouses. Okay, so I have to start with these because let's be real, they're amazing and I actually feel a difference. Spirulina and chlorella are literally some of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet. Spirulina is packed with protein, antioxidants, B vitamins, and essential amino acids. Also chlorella, on the other hand, is known for detoxifying properties, especially binding to heavy metals and getting them out of your body. So a quick tip, if you're on the go, try taking them with you. The brand Energy Bits offers these great travel sizes also to make it easier and to get your dose of greens while you're on the go, take your spirulina in the morning and take your chlorella at night to help your body detox and help you sleep. So if you go to energybits.com use code Mona M O N A for 20% off and tag me when you start taking them. I swear that these are hands down like a daily essential for me because you want to just get all that yummy green goodness into your body. All right, Number two is turmeric, the golden healer. Turmeric is one of those ingredients that Ayurveda has championed for thousands of years and with good reason. Turmeric is one of those ingredients that Ayurveda has championed for thousands of years and with good reason. It's anti inflammatory, it is antioxidant rich and it's really fantastic for our joints and for our digestive health. The active compound in turmeric is curcumin and is what makes it so powerful. So how are you gonna use it? Add a dash to your scrambled eggs in the morning. You can blend it into a smoothie or you can make a really yummy warming golden milk latte. Or even make your own turmeric ginger shots, which I love. It's easy to make a concentrate of this in advance. So when you blend together water, lemon, ginger and maybe a little bit of honey, you can keep it as a concentrate in your fridge. But don't forget to add a dash of black pepper. Peppering in black pepper increases turmeric's bio by 2000%. Science really backs this and your body will thank you. Maybe make a little ritual out of it. Okay, so one of my favorite morning grounding routines is trying a turmeric latte. Another way to really incorporate it to your lifestyle at home is to leave turmeric out on your dinner table at night. You can add a few dashes with your meals and that way you're connected to something that's reminding you of healing in this ancient healing tradition. Also, number three is ginger. I mentioned ginger quickly. So ginger is amazing for digestive and your immune support. And if you know me, if you followed me for a while, you know that I love ginger. Ayurveda has always praised it for its digestive and warming properties. It's also a really great natural immune booster and it's fantastic for aiding digestion. It's really perfect also for those colder days when our bodies are craving warmth. So a quick idea is to grate a little bit of fresh ginger into hot water. You can add some leaven if you want to make it a nice morning drink. Or you can also add ginger to your cooking, which is really easy. When I'm feeling low energy, I'll often add ginger to my meals or make a ginger tea. And this is something that I really highly recommend, especially over the holidays to help ease digestion with a lot of the new maybe nostalgic foods that you're going to be eating. And hey, like really, who doesn't love that little ginger zing? That fire that it gives you? That ginger has a way of waking up all of your senses. It makes you feel a little bit more alert. You know what I'm talking about? When you take that ginger turmeric shot, it just woo. It wakes you up a little bit. So try giving it a go and notice how you feel. Number four is moringa. Moringa is the miracle tree. It is a powerhouse that's packed with vitamins A, vitamin C and vitamin E, plus calcium, protein and even iron. It's been used in Ayurvedic medicine for over 4,000 years. It's known as the miracle tree because moringa can support everything from our skin health to our immunity. Skip this by the way, if you're someone who is pregnant or trying to to get pregnant. So how are we gonna add moringa? You can try adding a teaspoon of moringa powder to your smoothies. You can sprinkle a little bit on top of your salads or roasted veggies. It's one of those really subtle add ins that doesn't overwhelm the flavor, but brings a ton of nutrition to the table. Number five is ashwagandha, nature's chill pill. Ashwagandha is one of Ayurveda's prized adaptogens, meaning it helps our bodies really adapt to, to stress. It's known for its calming effect. It can support healthy energy levels. It supports our immune health and even our mental clarity. So basically it's like nature's answer to staying cool and calm and collected, which I think we can all benefit from sometimes. So an easy hack for ashwagandha is to take it in a powder form in your evening tea or mix it into warm water or some Almond milk for a really calming bedtime drink. There's also a really great supplement that I love called Cortisol Manager. And I take one capsule, sometimes two capsules at night during time times of stress. And I feel like it's like giving myself permission to unwind no matter how hectic my day has been. Sometimes we need a little help. And hey, who doesn't really need that sometimes? But like any herbal remedy, I want you guys to remember that herbal remedies are often best used with the guidance of a practitioner, especially if you're using it for a long time. So it's definitely worth giving it a go. But definitely work with a practitioner if you're mixing different herbs long term. Number six, organic berries. These are antioxidant powerhouses for your bodies. So berries like blueberries and strawberries and raspberries are packed with antioxidants that protect our cells and keep our skin glowing. And the best part is that they taste really, really yummy, really great for our kids. They're easy to add into your meals or your smoothies or even your water bottle, but they've got to be organic, so you're not taking in that dose of pesticides and herbicides and all that other nasty stuff that would defeat the purpose of the berries themselves. So a really quick snack idea is adding berries to your homemade trail mix. Toss them into your yogurt if you want, in the morning, or some kefir. I always say food is medicine, but it should also be enjoyable. And berries cover both categories. So love on your berries, feed them to your kiddos. And I love what Jim Quick says. He calls blueberries brain berries because they're also great for our brain function. And number seven. Number seven is miso. Miso is great for our gut health. So it's an incredible probiotic rich food that supports our gut health, which is central to everything else in our bodies and how our bodies function. In traditional Chinese medicine, miso is valued for its ability to really nourish and warm our body. It's a super, super versatile way to add probiotics into your diet as well as really igniting our digestive fire for starting our meals with a warm miso soup. Other ways to enjoy it, Add a spoonful of miso to your salad dressings. The flavor is really savory and it's grounding. It's an easy way to get these probiotics without having to think too much about it. Please make sure that you're using organic and non gmo, non genetically modified miso. Also, you can purchase them in really great big bins that you can keep in your fridge. They last forever. Easy to buy fresh that way. And also easy to just literally take a scoop and add it to a cup of hot water for a nice soothing digestifier boosting drink throughout the day. All right, wrapping up. I want you to start listening to your body. What were some of your favorites from what I recommended today? Do you already use some of these or are you excited to try some new ones or bring them back into your protocol? Remember, these are not quick fixes. These are all here to really support us over time. But they're things that you want to keep in your medicine cabinet, which is your fridge. The beauty of these foods is that they're super gentle. They have a really profound impact when you use them consistently. Consistently. So try adding one or two of these into your daily routine and just see how they make you feel. And just as the wisdom of Ayurveda teaches us, staying grounded and connected with nature is about making these small, consistent choices that really honor our bodies. And these foods, they are simple, they're accessible, they're great with aligning yourself to the energy of the season and ultimately a way for you to feel really balanced in your health rituals. Thank you so much for tuning in. If you found this helpful, maybe share it with somebody who could use a little bit more nourishment in their life. And remember, wellness is a journey. It is not a destination. Please go ahead and like and subscribe to my podcast. It helps me more than you know. Until next time, remember, you are your greatest healer. It.