“Spicy White Bean and Collard Green Soup”

Now that the big snow storm has hit the East Coast, a spicy and hearty soup is exactly what we need to give us enough get-up-and-go to shovel out the driveway. This soup is quick and simple to make, and it’s sure to delight everyone in the family. And this soup is full of healthy ingredients that will do the body good.

Ingredients:
2 - Cups of Organic Dry White Beans Cooked
4 - Cups of Organic Low Sodium Veggie Broth
2 - Tablespoons of Organic Tomato Paste
4 - Cups of Prepared Fresh Organic Mexican Salsa
2 - Cups of Organic Mushrooms Cut in Half
3 - Cups of Organic Collard Greens Chopped - But Any Green Will Do
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Take your organic white beans and cook them as usual but with the addition of the tomato paste. Once the beans are cooked add the salsa, veggie broth, cook for another 5 minutes. Then let cool to lower than 116 degrees and add the collard greens and mushrooms (We don’t want to cook away all the live enzymes in the collard greens) and then serve. And this soup can be saved in individual portions and frozen from those days that you really don’t feel like cooking.

And if you want a even heartier soup add some cooked brown rice.

Remember - Green Veggies Prevent Depression
Studies show that when we eat processed food, eat lots of fatty foods, eat lots of meat, take in lots of refined sugars, we end up with irritability, depression, moodiness, feel tired all the time, listless, fearful, have lots of aches and pains, we don’t sleep well, and we tend to want to be alone a lot of the time, plus we have uncontrollable thoughts that keep racing through our mind.

At the same time our sugar levels go way up… and then way down, then we feel very tired. Then we want to feel better, so we end up eating more fast food, meat, processed food, and junk food in order to try to gain more energy… but it doesn’t work.

One study of 5,000 people done in Britain with one group eating there normal diet with all the fatty processed food, and another group that ate nothing but plant based whole foods. The end result showed a significant lowering of depression for the group that ate fruits and veggies.

Another study with 500 people had the participants eat a diet similar to what people eat in Japan — lots of veggies, mushrooms, and fruits. And the control group at their regular diet with meat. And the study showed that control group who ate meat had lower tryptophan levels… and tryptophan helps to prevent depression. And those who ate fruits, veggies, and mushrooms were feeling good.

And a lack of Omega 3 oils in the diet was found to be more common in meat eaters, than with whole foods plant based dieters… thus meat eaters have a much higher incidence of depression. Thus it’s also important to eat flax seeds, walnuts, avocados and other nuts, and chia seeds to prevent depression.

And a study at the University of Illinois and Arizona State University showed those who ate a vegan diet had less depression.

Another study from Australia showed that women who ate a vegetarian diet were 30% less likely to come down with depression. Another study in the journal of Nutrition showed that those who at lots of meat, eggs, and organ meats had changes in their brains from inflammation which can cause depression.

Also depression is connect to the amount of natural B-Vitamins we get from our diet. Without folate and other live B vitamins we start to feel depleted and our mood shifts and we become sad and want to be alone. In a study in Japan women with low amounts of B vitamins in their system were much more likely to be depressed.

So what should we eat to feel better?—GREENS

Dark green leafy veggies full of B-Vitamins, full of nutrient dense minerals, and live enzymes that help with depression. Plus greens that reduce homocysteine levels thus helping with depression.

Chlorella contains lots of B-12 vitamin, in fact more B-12 than what you find in liver… and B-12 is important for boosting your mood so you feel great! At the same time it also contains Vitamins A, C, E, and K and a full spectrum of B Vitamins.

Chlorella contains lots of Omega fatty acids that also boost your mood and help you to feel good. And Chlorella helps with inflammation, blood sugar regulation, and boosts your immune system at the same time.

Chlorella contains more chlorophyll than any other food on the planet… and chlorophyll is well know for detoxing the body and can give a person a lot of energy, that can also translate into feeling better. Many feel Chlorella helps them relax and have a clear mind and feel better in general. And even people with fibromyalgia with depression feel they can resume their regular activities when taking lots of Chlorella.

Also include in your diet, kale, lettuce, endive, collard greens, turnip greens, escarole, mustard greens, arugula, spinach, broccoli, watercress, swiss chard, and seaweed, and any others greens you might think of.

Here is a video of a woman who became a vegan and her depression disappeared.

See Link – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6AlF1WCHSQ

Enjoy this wonderful healthy soup!

Dr. Paul Haider – Master Herbalist