Pre-Workout

Mango & Coconut Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie!⁣⁣The change of season is here! Longer days, warmer temperatures and a sense that the world is slowly getting back on schedule. @sabrinavirdee is rolling out a delicious treat that can be enjoyed anytime of the day. By adding natural ingredients along with a bit of love, you will be cooling down in no time with a cold smoothie in hand! Add Kaizen Naturals Vanilla Protein Powder and help build muscle, repair tissue! Check out past recipes to put together a full day of eating, snacking and enjoying time with your loved ones and friends! #livelifehealthy⁣⁣Mango & Coconut Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie⁣Serves 1⁣INGREDIENTS ⁣1½ cups Frozen Mango ⁣½ cup Frozen Pineapple ⁣½ cup Coconut Milk ⁣1 tsp Turmeric Powder⁣1 cup of Cold Water⁣1 scoop of Vanilla Protein Powder *optional ⁣⁣DIRECTIONS1. Add all your ingredients into your blender and mix until you have a smooth and creamy consistency. Add more water for desired thickness! Enjoy!⁣ Recipe created by: @sabrinavirdee

Almond Hemp Energy Balls? Yes please! On the go treat that will energize you all day? We got it.  Packed with superfoods and high in protein, these Energy Balls will keep you energized and on the move all day feeling healthy and complete. Healthy Planet Ambassador  marissaliana shared with us one of her favourite Fitness snack recipes, AMAZING Almond Hemp Energy Balls. Super fast and easy to prepare, this is the energy ball you will be craving pre and post workout. Combine hemp seeds, chia seeds, almond butter and  protein powder together for what will quickly become your new favorite post workout snack. Find what drives you and fuel it with a heart healthy and nutritious treat made with love. #lifelivehealthy Almond Hemp Energy Balls Ingredients: 1/2 cup Organic Traditions Raw Almond Butter 1/2 cup Manitoba Harvest Hemp Seeds 4 tbsp Prana Chia Seeds 1 overly ripe banana 2 scoops Vega Vegan Vanilla Protein Powder (70g) 2 tbsp Shady Maple Farms MapleS 6 tbsp Giddy YoYo Dark Chocolate Chips   How to prepare Mix all ingredients in a bowl and stir until well combined. Roll into golf ball sized balls and store in freezer for best texture. Let thaw for 5 minutes before eating and enjoy!   Put together your favourite Energy Ball recipe, tag @healthyplanet on Instagram and show us what keeps you going! Use the Healthy Planet hashtag #livelifehealthy and we will share your recipe with our followers! Keep spreading the love!

Mother’s Day is quickly approaching! This is the perfect opportunity to treat all the Mama's in your life and even yourself to a few sweet gifts to celebrate this beautiful day. Healthy Planet is currently running an INCREDIBLE Mother's Day Sale, full of pampering and practical products for all Mothers! I have narrowed down my top 4 favourite products that not only do I use, but would make the  perfect Health & Wellness gifts for the Mama's in your life this Mother’s Day!   Organika Collagen – Because healthy skin is always on trend. Collagen has many beautiful benefits that does our body so good - promotes skin health, boost muscle mass, improve ingestive health, burns fat, alleviate joint pains, promotes heart health, and improves cognitive health. Our bodies naturally produce collagen, however our ability to produce it decreases less and less as we age. This is why it is so important to either incorporate foods that contain collagen in our diet or supplement it with a product like, Organika Collagen. Because let’s be real, who doesn’t want beautiful skin? Skin Essence Facial in a Jar – Spoil the Mama's in your life with this multipurpose product. You can either use this as an exfoliator to scrub away dead skin or leave it on as a mask so that the product can absorb all the oils and impurities out of your skin. Either way, this product will leave your skin super soft, supple, nourished and will brighten your overall complexion!   Everyone Hand Soap Coconut Lavender – This is the best naturally smelling hand soap on the market. I really love that it is kind to our earth, cruelty free, gluten free, does not contain synthetic fragrance, and really does a wonderful job at cleansing and moisturizing the skin.   Andalou Naturals Body Lotion Lavender Thyme – You will not catch me without some sort of hand lotion in my diaper bag. With all the diaper changing and constantly washing my hands to avoid catching my toddler’s germs, it strips away my natural oils leaving my skin super dry and cracked. I love this hand lotion not only does it DELICIOUS but it also does a fab job at moisturizing and keeping the skin moisturized for a long period of time. If Lavender Thyme isn’t your jam, they also have a large selection of other scents as well!   Written by Healthy Planet Ambassador @lifestylebycp.  Follow Cherrie as she lives her best life spreading her vision of the Health and Wellness lifestyle with the help of Healthy Planet!

Tis the season to embrace your family and loved ones. Your time is occupied by holiday parties, friend's gathering and surrounding yourself with family. It’s a chance to immerse yourself into the holiday spirit and leave behind the stress of daily life and the issues that come with it. While we mask the not so positive parts of ourselves during the holidays to keep up a positive and festive mood around others, doing so can lead to increased stress and anxiety. This can make way for excessive eating and sometimes deepen an already depressed state of mind. Taking care of your mind and body during the holiday season is of utmost importance not just for you, but those around you as well. With the New Year quickly approaching, we all know what comes when the big hand strikes Midnight. A laundry list of how we are going to improve our Health and Wellness in the upcoming year. Resolutions like increased time in the gym, adapting to an organic diet or making a pact to spend more time with nature are popular with the health and wellness lifestyle. Healthy Planet is here to help assist you in being the best version of yourself.Here is a list of some of our favourite New Year Resolutions and how we can help reach your goals! Digestion Health: Change of Diet Resolution: We an all overindulge in food and sweets over the Holidays. Here are some of our favourite products that will help realign both your gut health and digestive health for the New Year. Genuine Health Probiotic Gut Health - Benefiting both skin health, digestive health and immunity. Start your New Year building a defense in your gut against bloating and weak digestion. New Roots Digestive Enzyme - Get more energy from your food while helping increase vitamin and mineral absorption from foods. Helping with digestion, boating and gas, give a little love to your Gut Health with the arrival of the New Year. Traditional Medicinals Eater's Digest Peppermint Tea- This Kosher, Non GMO, Organic, after dinner tea is perfect for occasional indigestion and soothing a full belly. Let’s be serious, who doesn’t love a cup of tea after dinner. Dry Winter Weather: Spend More TIme In Nature Resolution Spending more time in nature can bring a sense of calmness following the busy holiday season. Dedicating more time walking and exploring the outdoors can be a fun way to enter the New Year feeling invigorated and fresh. Earth's Care Dry and Cracked Skin Balm - Winter months can be harsh and cold. Increased time spent exploring outside will leave you cracked and dry. Absorb the benefits of Shea Butter, Arnica and Cajaput Oil. Dr. Bronner Lip Balm Peppermint - Keep your lips from getting chapped with a classic. Support proper moisturizing of your lips over the cold months into spring. All organic and all love, Dr. Bronner should be a staple for everyone this New Year. Traditional Medicinals Throat Coat Lemon Echinacea Tea - Heating up with a warm and comforting Tea after enjoying a walk in the park in the Winter months is the perfect treat. Organic, Non GMO, Kosher and Fair Trade. Gym Supplements: Joining Gym Resolution One of the top New Year Resolutions is joining the gym. We always promote self care and improving your body at Healthy Planet. Allmax ISONatural - Gluten free and formulated with probiotics to improve intestinal microflora, Allmax protein technology is a great addition to any training regiment. Vega Sport Pre-Workout Energizer - Go into your workout fully energized and ready to build your best self empire. Increase your endurance while raising your menta focus and recovery time. Amazing Grass Green SuperFood - Complete raw food with powerful antioxidants, Organic, Raw, Gluten Free, Natural, support your body while you train it to be the best it can be. Going Organic: Going Organic Resolution The Organic movement has made huge strides in the last few years. With the public understanding the importance of healthy and pesticide-free produce and products, trading in your processed foods and items for Organic will be an easy transition. Organic Traditions Sprouted Quinoa - Full of protein and incredibly versatile in the kitchen, quinoa is one of the easier proteins to fuel your body for the New Years challenges. Organic Traditions is one of our favourite Organic brands on the market. Prana Organic Cashews - Known to reduce inflammation, improve metabolism and lower the risk of diabetes, Prana Organic Cashews are some of the best Organic nuts on the market. Manitoba Harvest Organic Hemp Hearts - An easy way to add omegas, protein and fibre straight into your diet, Manitoba Harvest Organic Hemp Hearts are free of any additives or preservatives. A healthy and organic addition to your New Year Goals. Going Cruelty Free: Cruelty Free Beauty Self Care Resolution One of the most popular and fastly growing New Year Resolutions/Movements is jumping on board the Cruelty Free Cosmetics and Self Care. We are proud to carry all Cruelt ...

Rise and Shine! We all know Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and should provide nourishment throughout it. Think of breakfast each day as a starter kit to keep your body healthy and happy. One of my favourite ways to start a busy day is a Quinoa Breakfast Bowl. 1 cup of Quinoa is packed with heaps of iron and magnesium as well as about 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber. The best part of the Quinoa Breakfast Bowl? All the healthy additions you can add to load it up for texture and even more flavour. With 1 pot and roughly 30 min, you can start your day with a healthy and tasty breakfast to keep you concentrated on your tasks at hand and not on your empty stomach. Follow us as we give you the step by step in creating one of the easiest and healthiest starts to the day that you can imagine. Quinoa Bowl Ingredients: * 1 cup uncooked white quinoa  *2 cups coconut milk (light canned or beverage in carton)  *1 pinch sea salt  *2 sticks of cinnamon  *1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder  *2 pinches of nutmeg powder   Additional Toppings (optional): *mixed berries *sliced banana *chopped apple/pear *grapes *nuts/seeds *hemp/chia seeds  *maple syrup  *cocoa nibs  *dried coconut  *One of our go to toppings is a do it yourself blended blueberry yogurt (blend blueberries into fresh greek yogurt until combined thoroughly)   Instructions: 1. Make sure to thoroughly rinse your quinoa for 2 minutes, sifting through and removing any pebbles or discolored pieces that may remain. 2. Lightly toast your quinoa by first heating a small saucepan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add rinsed and drained quinoa and stir while drying up moisture and lightly toasting the quinoa. 3. Add your 2 cups of coconut milk and your pinch of salt along with the cinnamon sticks, cardamom/nutmeg powder and stir. Bring it all to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low and cook for 20-25 minutes, uncovered while stirring occasionally. A slight simmer throughout the cooking time is needed. 4. Once the coconut milk is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, remove from the stove. Stir and add more coconut milk if you desire a thinner consistency. 5. Serve your quinoa bowl with any additional toppings (listed above) and enjoy a healthy start to your day. 6. Quinoa will last roughly 2-3 days. When reheating, use a microwave and or saucepan. Add a bit more coconut milk to add more moisture if needed when heating up. Create your own favourite variation of the Quinoa Bowl and show us your masterpiece by tagging #HealthyPlanetBreakfast on your instagram page. Looking forward to seeing all the different variations

Pre-Workout supplementation has been one of the hottest categories in supplementation for more than a decade. and with good reason. Getting effectively motivated with the ideal nutrients before your workout can mean the difference between success and failure. Selecting a great pre-workout supplement can be a daunting task and isn’t for the faint of heart. There are literally dozens of selections out there, for every gym rat you ask you’re likely to get a different answer from each one. Here we’ll breakdown the elements that make up a great pre-workout supplement so you can make an informed decision. Caffeine Pre-workout supplements give you a pretty huge advantage in the gym for a few reasons. First and foremost, they work on motivation and energy. Typically, not unlike an energy drink, the main ingredient is tried and true caffeine (methylxanthine). Whether it comes from a coffee, a caffeine pill or in the form of a pre-workout supp, this ingredient is a potent one that provides a long list of benefits. Most importantly to your workout is its ability to stimulate your brain to get you motivated. Aside from waking you up and giving you mental energy, it has the effect of reducing your perception of exertion. Simply put, you’ll push harder because the weight actually feels less heavy than it normally would. The result – you’ll simply get more out of your workout, you’ll lift more, run harder and go longer. This is why (at least for a time) caffeine in elevated amounts was considered to be a banned performance-enhancing substance. 1-3, Dimethylamylamine or DMA In the last few years, there have been additional stimulants introduced to further enhance this effect. They, like caffeine, work on increasing the secretion of norepinephrine (NE) by the adrenal glands. One of the most contentious of these is called 1-3, Dimethylamylamine or DMA for short. This ingredient is a chemical that was said to have come from Geranium extract, but this has been scientifically challenged scientifically both for and against. It has since been declared illegal in many countries and banned by certain sports organizations like WADA. Hordenine, Synephrine and Octopamine There are other key ingredients that you can rely on to provide a very similar stimulant action, Hordenine, Synephrine and Octopamine. All of these exert very similar stimulant actions and complement caffeine very nicely. Naringin is an ideal addition, as it extends the action of the stimulants by reducing the rate at which your body breaks them down. This increases the activity time of the stimulant and improves their effect. Yohimbine The one stimulant that is unique to the others and highly effective is Yohimbine. Unfortunately, this ingredient in illegal in Canada, but is very popular in US formulations. The advantage with this ingredient is that it is known to increase blood flow and act on specific fat receptors in the buttocks and thighs, generally lowering body fat. In terms of pre-workout supplementation, it produces a strong stimulant effect that tends to work well in conjunction with caffeine. Aside from the stimulant effect so important to getting your head in the game, the elevation of norepinephrine also has a strong fat-burning effect. So, in addition to getting the mental focus and motivation critical to getting a good workout, you will simultaneously burn more fat. The mechanism of action is a liberation of stored fat in the form of long-chain fatty acids that can be burned by the body to produce energy. L-Carnitine The addition of L-Carnitine to your pre-workout supplement is an ideal complement to your pre-workout stack, but it should be taken between an hour and 30 minutes before you train (whereas your pre-workout absorbs very quickly and should be taken right before you train.) L-Carnitine in the body transports the long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) into the cell where the mitochondria burn the LCFA as energy. It is well known that mitochondria are the powerhouses of the cell, but less well known is how the supplementation of L-Carnitine supports this process. Arginine Arginine is a primary component of most of these pre-workout supplements, and for good reason. It has been a standard in medicine for increasing nitric oxide in cardiac patients for decades. Nitric oxide (NO) relaxes blood vessels and increases blood flow. One of the keys to Arginine is uptake and absorption. This is why you will often see blends of varied forms of Arginine to ensure that your body actually uses the Arginine for NO production. Another key factor of Arginine that is lesser known is its ability to help stimulate the release of growth hormone. Arginine also happens to be one of the substrates that your body uses to endogenously make Creatine. Ginkgo Biloba, Ginseng and Citrulline Ginkgo Biloba, Ginseng and Citrulline are top favorites and worth having in any pre-workout supplement – Ginkg ...