On that day too, we’ll also be joining our global families and
partners to kick-off the observance of World Down Syndrome Day – all of us at
Pathfinder will be wearing our CRAZY SOCKS to celebrate the ways that Down syndrome adds beauty
and reveals a deeper understanding of humanity in our lives. World Down
Syndrome Day is a growing global event, held each year on March 21st
– the 3-21 date is a numerical representation of three copies of the 21st
chromosome, which is the genetic cause of 95% of instances of Down syndrome (Trisomy
21).
If you would like to join us by
wearing your Crazy Socks, please feel free to take some pictures of your “neat feet” and
share them to our Pathfinder Village Facebook page. The crazier the
better! We’d love to see how flashy and special your socks can be,
and you can include messages on how you embrace all the ways that our brothers
and sisters with Down syndrome enrich our lives.
Below, my colleague Sally Trosset shares a favorite healthy
smoothie recipe, which can help keep everyone at their best during these days
of lingering colds, vastly changing temperatures, and way too hectic
schedules. Enjoy!
***
As expected, the cold and flu season arrived on schedule this year
and by all measures, it has been a bad one. Thankfully, it appears to
have peaked and doctor’s visits appear to be on the decline. According to a
recent New
York Times article, experts at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
are calling it one of the worst flu seasons in years.
If you’re like me, you want to fend off the flu and nasty winter
colds for your family. At my house I get pretty militant about clean hands,
clean sheets, sneezing/coughing into our elbows, and a can of Lysol in every
room. Fluids,
fluids, fluids (!!!) are very important, but also adding more
immune-boosting recipes to our meal plan is critical. To help my family stay healthy
this season, I’ve been pushing our summer favorite-- a wild blueberry smoothie
– which is packed full of antioxidants and Vitamin C. A staple of our
summer diets, we’ve pulled out the blender
this winter to get our healthy smoothie fix. It has also curbed my girls’
hunger when they return home from basketball practice; usually they’re starving
and dinner is not always quite ready.
This family favorite is made with one cup of wild
blueberries (I use Wyman’s fresh frozen wild blueberries from the grocery
store during this time of year), a splash of orange juice, one cup of spinach,
one cup vanilla-flavored unsweetened almond milk, and 2-3 ice cubes (add more
ice, almond milk or water for your desired thickness). It blends into a
tasty treat with the perfect amount of natural sweetness.
According to a recent
article in Readers Digest, wild blueberries have twice the
antioxidant capacity of larger, cultivated blueberries. Research suggests
that the secret is in the skin. That is where the highest concentration
of the antioxidant anthocyanin is found. Pound for
pound, wild blueberries have more skin than regular blueberries.
Antioxidants are important not only to immune health, but also for
boosting brain, heart and gut health, and may prevent diabetes and some forms
of cancer. With their anti-inflammatory properties and disease-fighting
compounds, antioxidants keep your body strong and can give you an edge when you
need to fight off bacteria and viruses.
Wake each morning and enjoy this delicious smoothie or enjoy it at
the end of the day to hold you over until dinner. The citrus flavor pairs
nicely with the sweet wild blueberries, which have a more intense berry
flavor. A crowd pleaser in our house, it’s refreshing, sweet and healthy
too!
Stay Well!
Sally (and Lori)
