One might argue that smiles are not related to health, but they certainly help! We can trick the brain into thinking we are experiencing something humorous or happiness-related and induced a series of hormonal responses. Fake it until you make it sort of thing. What better way to celebrate world smile day than doing your best to make someone else smile.
We need this day this year more than ever as we see the divide between one another grow deeper than ever before. This month Canadians will be celebrating Thanksgiving, but not everyone will have a family to celebrate with this year as many families have chosen to exclude their loved ones over medical decisions. As such, we need to remind ourselves to be extra kind to one another.
Acts of Kindness to Help Make Someone Smile
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Compliment someone. It can be someone in your house, a friend, or a total stranger. Just give them a compliment. You never know how a simple compliment might help lift their mood. I’m sure if you think about it, you might even remember a random compliment you received many years ago that made you feel really good.
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If you are in a position to give, take donations to your local food bank or soup kitchen. Hand out new or gently used warm clothing to people in need. A little can go a long way.
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Pay it forward: a common way to give a smile right now is to pay for someone else’s order while in a drive through.
International Vegetarian Day
A great way to also celebrate both Global Smoothie Day and International Vegetarian Day is by introducing some vegetarian options into your diet. International Vegetarian Day was founded in 1977, celebrating the benefits one might find in living the lifestyle of a meat-free diet. There might be a link between a vegetarian diet and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. This is of course limited to those who have replaced meat with a diet filled with various nutrient-rich foods, high in antioxidants.
Antioxidants can reduce damage caused by oxidative stress; particularly, the damage leading to and coming from atherosclerosis. Of course, atherosclerosis is a leading contributor to cardiovascular disease.
Smoothie of Celebration
You can try out some smoothie companies such as Evive Smoothies or Revive Super Foods who deliver pre-mixed or pre-portioned ingredients for smoothies right to your door, which make meal prepping incredibly easy for those of us who work shift work! Alternatively, let’s try a quick and delicious smoothie filled with antioxidants:
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1 c frozen blueberries
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1 cup spinach
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1 frozen banana
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1/2 an avocado
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3/4 cup or more of milk alternative of your choice (I am particularly fond of Pea Milk… despite its name)
Blend all of the ingredients above in a high-powered blender until smooth. Add your milk alternative until you get the consistency that you desire. Cheers!
Please note that a high powered blender is totally worth the investment. I used a Hamilton Beach blender for years before I finally broke down and bought a Vitamix blender and I have not regretted spending the money on it. I use it every single day for smoothies, making it a very worthy investment for my household.
