We need oxygen to survive, yes, but did you know oxygen is actually one of the main catalysts for energy and a healthy bodily environment?

Healthy cells in the body are aerobic: like us, they need enough oxygen to function. A healthy body is one that is capable of efficient absorption and utilization of nutrients.

Blood with a low oxygen level is the environment where chronic diseases and anaerobic cancer cells thrive. Oxygen deficient blood does a poor job at absorbing good nutrients and removing toxins and wastes from our bodies

So we want are bodies to have enough oxygen available for its many behind-the-scenes, life sustaining activities. Yes, we can go to yoga classes and learn how to breathe properly to maximize oxygen intake – this is important. But nutritionally, there are a couple things we can do to help transform the health of our cells and aid our bodies to be more efficient:

Beets

You’ve probably seen athletes and gym fanatics down a shot of beetroot juice before a workout, it’s nothing new, but it’s about time we recognize how powerful this root veggie really is. Beets are a fantastic source of inorganic nitrate, that is converted to nitric oxide in the body… say hello to lower blood pressure and a better workout. Studies have confirmed this, showing that if consumed 2-3 hours before a workout, beetroot juice canincrease oxygen uptake by 16%! It helps our muscles, too: a lower oxygen cost of exercise lowers the amount of ATP our muscles use to produce the same amount of physical activity. Almost no amount of training can achieve the same high results; let’s leave it to the beets. Make fresh cold-pressed juice your go-to, but you can also find ‘shots’ of beet juice, and a powder form that’s perfect for daily use!

Chlorophyll

So the coolest thing about chlorophyll is that its chemical structure is almost identical to our own red blood cells: in other words, it’s really, really good for us. It mimics the action of oxygen transportation in out blood, so that we get increased nutrient delivery and oxygen to our cells. AND it is packed with vitamins and antioxidants that work against the nasty things like inflammation, free-radical damage and the growth of unhealthy cells. We should keep eating organic and living clean, but in our modern industrial world, our bodies really appreciate when we go the extra mile to protect them from the damages of environmental toxins. Chlorophyll really is a super-nutrient that can help our bodies thrive. It is most abundant in all green vegetables and organic green juices, but for traveling abroad you can find it in a pure liquid form of Chlorophyll in almost any health store. It’s tasteless and makes your glass of water super-powered!

Written by Isabella Gucci-Ruffalo