Green Smoothies: Live Like It Matters

By Nikki Mennel

Nikki Mennel experienced a stroke in September 2011 at the age of 39. Nikki and her husband Jurgen, used green smoothies as a foundation for a complete health and lifestyle change, with incredible results. Nikki's vision is to encourage people to lead healthy, happy lives using simple diet and lifestyle changes.
Discover how Green smoothies will su

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sangas & Moss Pty Ltd
• Release date: Sep 12, 2013
• ISBN: 9780646908113

Book preview

GREEN SMOOTHIES

Live Like It Matters

NIKKI MENNEL

First published in 2013

© Nikki Mennel 

This book is copyright.

All rights reserved. Apart from fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the written permission of Nikki Mennel/Cheeky Chimp Smoothies.

[e-mail]

www.cheekychimpsmoothies.com

MEDICAL DISCLAIMER

This book has been written and published strictly for informational and educational purposes only. Everything written in this book is my opinion only and anything you choose to do is at your own risk. It is not intended to serve as medical advice or to be any form of medical treatment. You should always consult your physician before altering or changing any aspect of your medical treatment and/or undertaking any dietary changes including the suggestions as described in this book. Do not stop or change any prescription medication without the guidance and advice of your physician. Any use of the information in this book is made on the reader's judgement after consulting with his or her physician and it is the reader's sole responsibility. This book is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition and it is not a substitute for a physician.

For Jurgen. 

Thank you for your love, support and always believing in me. 

You have always followed your dreams and encouraged me to follow my mine. 

You are an inspiration and a gift. 

Thank you and I love you.

Contents

Chapter 1 My Journey

Green Smoothies Have Saved My Life

Chapter 2 What Are Green Smoothies?

How to Make a Green Smoothie

Chapter 3 Chimp Gourmet

Chewing vs. Blending

Stomach Acid

Raw Food

Chapter 4 Greens

Rotating Your Greens

Protein in Greens

Carbohydrates in Greens

Chlorophyll

Storing Your Greens

Chapter 5 Global Shift

Organic

Biodynamic Growing Methods

Seasonal Produce

Micro Greens

Chapter 6 Cholesterol

Medication

Chapter 7 Omega 3

Chapter 8 Acid vs. Alkaline

Chapter 9 Fibre

Chapter 10 Water

Chapter 11 Blenders

High Powered Blenders

Chapter 12 Live Like It Matters

Mind

Body

Spirit

Chapter 13 Recipes

Green Smoothies for Kids & Beginners

Green Smoothies

Super Green Smoothies

Banana - less Green Smoothies

Green Soups

Chapter 14 Food List

Where to from here?

Your body’s ability to heal itself is far greater than 

anyone has permitted you to believe.

Unknown

---

Chapter 1

My Journey

Green Smoothies Have Saved My Life

In August 2011, I was very stressed in my job and had been for over a year. My blood pressure was high, I was not sleeping and was experiencing migraines. I was eating a high animal protein diet that was low in carbohydrates. I ate a small amount of vegetables and few leafy greens. I had always chosen diets based on losing weight. My diet was often erratic due to stress. I had just started running to lose weight but I did not really enjoy it. After a lot of agonising, I decided to resign from my job. It was the first step towards making positive changes in my life. However my stress levels, lifestyle and diet were just about to teach me one of the biggest lessons of my life. I had no idea what was about to happen next.

Imagine being paralysed and trapped in your body without a voice as your brain cells are dying.

Four weeks later I had two strokes on the left side of my brain. I was thirty-nine years old. Luckily, my husband Jurgen was home at the time and called an ambulance within minutes. Things may be different today if I had not received quick treatment. I lost the use of my right arm, leg and face during the stroke. I was unable to speak, write or stand. I was conscious throughout the stroke. It was distressing to realise that my body was beginning to shut down and not understand why it was happening. I was not in any physical pain. I still find it hard to comprehend the damage that occurred to my brain on that day. Imagine being paralysed and trapped in your body without a voice as your brain cells are dying. It was one of the most frightening experiences of my life. All I could do was watch what was happening around me. I realise now that I had really taken my health and wellbeing for granted.

I was taken to the emergency wing at my local hospital and seemed to be improving. I was able to start speaking and answer simple questions. Jurgen arrived at the hospital half an hour later. We started to talk and my speech became jumbled again. The emergency staff told me they were upgrading my condition and quickly took me away for a CT scan. This is when I first learned that I had experienced a stroke. Jurgen and I were stunned. We did not cry or speak, we just held hands. I can’t imagine what must have been going through his mind in that moment. I later learned I had experienced two strokes, one at home and one at the hospital. The damage to my brain was described as being the size of a twenty cent piece and a ten cent piece. The stroke occurred on the left side of my brain in the area that deals with motor skills and language.

After several tests, I arrived on the ward approximately six hours after the stroke began. Spending time in a neurology ward can be pretty confronting. I shared a room with two other ladies. The lady in the opposite bed had beautiful long black hair on one side of her head. The other side of her head was shaved with a large scar across her skull. She looked like two different people who had been joined together. I will never forget how peaceful she looked as she slept. She never spoke or seemed aware of anyone around her. I began to wonder what was in store for me.

I put on my best brave face when people visited. I joked with friends, the medical staff and Jurgen. When I was alone, I pulled the covers over my head and was scared for my future. I felt a sense of guilt about the possibility of burdening Jurgen with a wife who needed care when we were so young. I wondered if the stroke was going to limit him and change our lives forever. It did change our lives but not in the way I thought it would.

I was very tired on that first night as it had been such a big day. I closed my eyes then realised that if I had another stroke while I slept, no one would know. I spoke to the nurse and she assured me that I needed to rest. She said she would keep an eye on me and that it was going to be okay. I went to sleep and dreamed of my Dad. He was sitting next to me on the hospital bed.