Need to take control of your health? Got 15 minutes?
It’s becoming more evident that we all must take control of our health and well-being. We have more power to heal ourselves than we’ve been led to believe. Science is now revealing that we’re not victims of our genetics. Our thoughts, beliefs, and lifestyle choices are what most influence our health.
Many consumers are more health-conscious than ever but are being tricked into buying highly processed and unhealthy convenience foods.
Many of the so-called “healthy” ready-made options can wreak havoc on your health.
Food companies deliberately create a false sense of health by advertising their products in a misleading way. They use health buzz words like organic, gluten-free, and heart-healthy but if you look a little closer the actual ingredients are highly inflammatory.
Commercially prepared foods often contain preservatives, oils, sodium, and sugar that can be hidden in your favorite products and cause you a host of health problems.
Adding a daily drink of whole foods can be an easy offset when the food you eat is less than optimal.
Smoothies can be a simple and satisfying staple that will give you better digestion, reduced inflammation, and detoxify your body.
Years ago I found myself suffering from poor digestion and in my search for relief I stumbled on the green smoothie philosophy of Kimberly Snyder. Her delicious detox-designed green drink helped eliminate the sluggish feeling I had in my gut and gave me more energy than I could have imagined.
At the time I was looking to clean up my eating habits and detox my body. I liked her simple approach, promising me glowing skin and hair with her quick blend recipe. The taste was great. It was fast and easy, but the real gem was how it made me feel.
The benefit of consistently adding organic fruits and vegetables to my morning routine helped my chronic gut issues. When we consume less than optimal foods, it becomes harder for the body to digest and eliminate toxins. As a result, our body becomes stagnant and we set ourselves up for inflammation.
Kimberly’s nutrition advice made sense, the additional vitamins, minerals, and fiber that I added to my diet helped me heal rather quickly. My morning green smoothie became my new best friend. Since I loved the added side effects of more energy and less brain fog, I decided to stick with it.
Removes Toxins
The body gets run down over time from unhealthy food choices like alcohol, caffeine, drugs, stress, and environmental toxins that are a part of modern-day life.
We become a holding container of toxic waste that doesn’t always get eliminated. If waste doesn’t get eliminated, it will find its way into the deep crevices in the body. Stagnant waste builds up in our bodies to cause inflammation.
Inflammation will become chronic and find its way into your organs and it will take an even deeper cleanse to get rid of it. Vital organs come under pressure and begin to work inefficiently, causing illness and disease.
Eating plenty of veggies that contain loads of fiber, especially leafy greens, helps to naturally detoxify the body.
Anti-Inflammatory
The body responds to an unhealthy diet by triggering inflammation. Early signs and symptoms (brain fog, headaches, and low energy) may be subtle, but if the inflammation goes undetected for a long period it can lead to disruptive health issues.
Nutrient-dense foods provide bioactive compounds that are vital to the health of our cells. The more nutrients your body gets, the higher level at which it will function. Consuming fruits and vegetables is an effective strategy to treat chronic inflammatory diseases like cancer, cardiovascular, and Alzheimer’s.
Improves Digestion
The health of the digestive tract is linked with just about every other function in the body, including brain health. The key to healthy digestion is adequate stomach acid, enzymes, and healthy bacteria. When these three are doing their job, the body is in balance. But, when one is off, it can knock the entire body out of sync.
Stomach acid, Hydrochloric acid (HCI), is produced during the digestive process and is needed to break down proteins in the stomach, absorb certain nutrients and keep infection and disease away. Lower levels of absorption, particularly B vitamins, may put you at a greater risk for anxiety and depression.
As we age, our body naturally produces less HCI, so when it comes to the foods you eat, you should stay clear of processed foods and sugars and fill your diet with greens that help to increase stomach acid.
Enzymes are made by the gut’s good bacteria so any imbalance in the gut will affect enzymes negatively. Green smoothies are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, and high-quality amino acids that work synergistically to prevent and repair damage in the gut and the entire body.
Kimberly Snyder’s Glowing Green Smoothie
Certified “celeb” nutritionist promotes a plant-based diet for optimal digestion that results in clear skin, renewed energy, and weight loss. Kimberly is the author of several books, including my favorite, The Beauty Detox Solution. It’s a powerful guide that teaches you more about your digestive system, toxin elimination, and creating more energy with nature’s food.
Recipe for 2–4 servings:
2 cups cold filtered water
6 cups chopped romaine lettuce (1 small head)
7 cups chopped spinach (1 medium bunch)
1½ cups chopped celery (about 3–4 stalks halved)
1 medium apple, cored and coarsely chopped
1 medium pear, cored and coarsely chopped
1 medium banana, peeled and cut in thirds
1/2 of fresh lemon, peeled and seeded
1⁄2 cup minced fresh cilantro (stems are okay)(optional)
1⁄2 cup minced fresh parsley (stems are okay)(optional)
Fill the blender with 2 cups of water. Blend the spinach and romaine until smooth. Add the celery, apple, pear, and herbs and blend again until smooth. Finally, add the lemon juice and banana, and do your last blend.
Pour and eat fresh!
Anthony William’s Heavy Metal Detox Smoothie
Medical medium Anthony William believes that we’ve all been exposed to toxic heavy metals and they are the primary cause of countless health symptoms and conditions. Anthony is the author of several books, including my favorite, The Secret Behind Chronic Disease and Mystery Illnesses. The ingredients in the Heavy Metal Detox Smoothie are designed to gently, safely, and effectively remove heavy metals from your brain and body.
It’s delicious and designed to drink daily.
Recipe for 1–2 servings:
2 bananas
2 cups wild blueberries
1 cup cilantro
1 cup orange juice
1 tsp barley grass juice powder
1 tsp spirulina
1 small handful of Atlantic Dulse
Optional: water to blend
In a high-speed blender, blend all ingredients until smooth. If a thinner consistency is desired, add 1 cup of water.
Serve & enjoy!
Dr. Brooke Goldner (Dr. G) Whole Foods Green Healing Smoothie
Dr. Brooke Goldner, a board-certified physician and founder of GoodbyeLupus.com, is the creator of a hyper-nourishing nutrition protocol for Lupus reversal and the best-selling author of Goodbye Lupus. Before Dr. Goldner became a doctor, she was a patient diagnosed with Lupus at age 16. She endured years of chemotherapy and steroids until she adopted a plant-based diet 15 years ago and within 3 months her Lupus was gone. She has helped thousands of people reverse lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, and heart disease…all by getting them to switch to a plant-based diet and focus on high-nutrient plant foods.
Dr. Goldner understands that trying to eat all the required foods in a day can be overwhelming, so she suggests, “Just drink them instead. Even if you’re still eating fast food, adding your greens in a drink will help you reduce inflammation.“
Recipe for 1–2 servings:
Pack your blender with power greens (kale, spinach, collards, or a blend), until it is 3/4 of the way full. And REALLY pack it in there.
1 ripe banana (the riper, the sweeter the flavor)
3 tbsp whole flax seeds
Frozen fruit to taste (suggests mango, pineapple, or peaches)
Water (or coconut water) to fill the blender to the top of the greens
Blend REALLY well and enjoy!
Life is busy.
Commercially prepared foods are convenient but may compromise your health. If you want good health, smoothies are a fast and easy option to detox, reduce inflammation, and improve your digestion.