Q: Since maca comes in a powder, one of the easiest ways to use maca is to put it in things you already drink every day. Add two to three teaspoons of maca powder to rice milk to your favorite cup of tea. It will not change the flavor very much and add all the health benefits of the maca to your diet every day. You can make specialty drinks with maca in them. Try a chocolate maca monster drink, which is a great snack or dessert drink. Blend 2 to 3 tsp maca powder, 8 oz almond milk, 8 oz purified water, 1 cup strawberries or blueberries, 2 tbsp honey, and 2 tbsp of chocolate powder. Blend until combined and enjoy an energy boost that will last hours. Maca works great in smoothies to add more nutrients to the fruits and vegetables already in the mix. For a green food maca smoothie, take 1 handful of any green you choose, such as spinach or kale, and add it to 1/2 to 1 cup of coconut water. Throw in 1 ripe banana, 1 ripe kiwi, 2 to 3 tsp maca powder, 1 tbsp honey or agave nectar, and 1 tbsp coconut butter. Blend in a blender until smooth.  Throw in some ice to make is a cold, refreshing smoothie. You can switch out the ingredients if you don't like kiwis or bananas. Try adding a 1/2 cup of your favorite berries or other fruit such as peaches, apples, or nectarines. Choose whatever fruit combination you like best. Maca powder can be added to many other things. Stir a few teaspoons of it in your morning oatmeal. Add it to the base of any soup your making to add extra nutrients to the mix. Maca can be added to almost any dish, and you can also make recipes with maca as the main ingredient. Don’t use more than a few teaspoons per serving. It might start to overpower other flavors, but use enough to get your daily boost of maca power. You can make yummy maca energy bars to eat as a snack during the day. To make these, chop 1 cup of almonds to a food processor. Add 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, 1/2 cup flax meal, 1/2 cup pepitas, 2 tbsp chia seeds, 2 tbsp maca powder, and 1/2 tsp of salt to a bowl and pour in the almonds. Melt 1/4 cup maple syrup, 1/4 coconut oil, and 1/3 almond butter in a saucepan on low until combined. Add this mixture to the bowl of dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Lay a piece of parchment paper on an 8x8 inch pan. Spread the mixture on the pan until flat and even. Refrigerate for about an hour, or until hard.
A: Put maca in your drinks. Make a chocolate maca drink. Blend a maca smoothie. Add maca to food. Make a maca energy bars.

Q: Minor injuries involving wrists strains or sprains can be treated at home.  A strain involves overstretching or pulling a muscle or the tendons that connect that muscle to bone.  A sprain occurs when a ligament is overstretched or torn. Ligaments connect one bone to another bone.  The symptoms of strains and sprains are very similar. You can expect the area to be painful, swollen, and have limited movement of the affected joint or muscle area.  Bruising is more common with a sprain, as well as sometimes hearing a “pop” sound at the time of the injury. Strains involve muscle tissue, so muscle spasms can sometimes occur with a strain. Both strains and sprains respond well to this form of therapy. R I C E stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. Try not to use your wrist as much as possible for several days to allow it to start healing. Rest is the most important step in the four areas defined as RICE.  Resting your wrist means avoiding activities with the involved hand. Do not allow your wrist to do any work at all if possible.  This means no lifting of items with that hand, no twisting of your wrist or your hand, and no bending your wrist. This may also mean no writing or computer work, depending on the severity of your wrist injury.  To help your wrist to rest, you may want to consider purchasing a wrist splint. This is especially important if you have a tendon injury. A splint provides support for your wrist and helps immobilize it, to keep you from causing further injury. Wrist splints are available in most drug stores. Applying ice to the injured wrist, the cold temperature works its way through the exterior of the skin and into the deeper areas of soft tissue.  The colder temperatures decrease blood flow to the area and help to minimize swelling and reduce inflammation in the area.  Ice can be applied by using ice placed in a baggie, frozen veggies, or some other form of ice pack. Wrap the icepack, baggie, or frozen veggies in a cloth or towel, and avoid placing frozen objects directly on your skin.  Apply the ice for 20 minutes at a time, then let the area warm to room temperature for 90 minutes. Repeat this process as often as possible, at least two to three times each day, for the first 72 hours after the injury. Compression helps to minimize swelling, provides light stability, and helps to prevent sudden movements that can be painful.  Using an elastic bandage wrap, start at your fingers or hand area, and wrap your wrist. Progress towards your elbow. For the greatest stability and to promote healing, the area should be wrapped from the hand and fingers to the elbow.  This is done to prevent swelling of the lower part of the extremity while it is being wrapped.  Each subsequent wrap should cover 50% of the previous wrapped part of the elastic bandage.  Check to be sure your wrap is not too tight and there are no areas of numbness.  Take the wrap off when it is time to ice the area.  Do not sleep with the wrap on. For some injuries, your doctor may recommend some method of support for your wrist during the night. Follow the instructions provided by your doctor. Elevating your wrist can help to reduce pain, swelling, and bruising. Keep your wrist elevated above the level of your heart when you are applying ice, prior to compression, and when you are resting. It may take as long as four to six weeks for your injury to heal. Keeping the wrist wrapped during this time can allow you to gradually resume your activities, provide support for your injury, and prevent further damage. Gradually work towards resuming your previous level of activity with your injured wrist.  Mild discomfort in working to regain mobility or during reconditioning exercises is normal.  Try taking NSAIDS such as tylenol, ibuprofen, or aspirin for pain as necessary. Any activity that causes pain should be avoided and approached more gradually.  Every person and injury is different. Expect your recovery time to be about four to six weeks.
A:
Treat your injury at home. Apply R-I-C-E treatments. Rest your wrist. Apply Ice. Compress your wrist. Elevate your wrist. Continue to wrap your wrist beyond the first 72 hours. Resume your normal activity.