Smooth Drinks for Better Health… And, They’re GREEN!

RECIPE #1:  Puree massive quantities of low-fiber, highly saturated fats and trans fats with highly processed, sugary foods.  Mix in gallons of nutrient-leeching carbonated beverages.  Add very LIMITED fruits and vegetables!  Shake, stir and WAIT!  The transformation WILL take place.  The process involves complicated and intricate biochemical reactions and rapid cellular change.  WHAT is the secret result of this nature-bending, mad-food-scientist experiment?   The answer is: The Average American!

 WHAT!?!   How can the same people who brought such advancements as the moon landing, automobile, light bulb, free speech, democracy and computers deliver such a grossly destructive and flawed product?  Technically, no human should consume such a diet without the direct supervision of a trained health professional.  We are literally killing ourselves by the food choices that we unconsciously make or are taught to make from commercial interests.  Changing the American dietary culture is a multifaceted and time-consuming task.  Perhaps the easiest FIRST STEP to dramatically improve the quality of nutrient intake is via the SMOOTHIE (maybe even another American innovation?).

Aside from maintaining an optimum weight or weight loss, increased energy, better bowel function and glowing skin (to name few benefits), a morning SMOOTHIE can supply our bodies with vital nutrition. It will be the nutrition needed to reduce the risks of many chronic health issues now dragging the people of our country to their knees.  Discussed in this article will be a few of my favorite KEY INGREDIENTS and TRADE SECRETS.  Best of all, we get to think GREEN!

When creating a great smoothie, I prefer using a processor called Vita-Mix (I have a Vita-Mix 3600 Plus- found on Ebay used for under $150).  It pulverizes the fruits, nuts and other ingredients.  A powerful blender may work as well.  Cheap blenders don’t last and create a “semi-chunky” drink instead of a delicious SMOOTHIE.  Always use ORGANIC ingredients when possible.  Due to the fruits used, consume at breakfast time when carbohydrates (sugars) are the most beneficial.  Enjoy a SMOOTHIE at least three mornings per week.  Skip one every four days if you are planning to drink more.  Portions may be adjusted and ingredients may be removed or substituted based on individual tastes and needs. 

RECIPE #2 = The Magic Mix:

1.      One apple, orange (or a pear if oranges are unavailable) and one cup of blueberries.  Frozen berries work well and may contain more antioxidants than fresh berries (typically the riper, more antioxidant-rich berries are used for freezing).  Blueberries also help change the color of the smoothie to purple instead of the hard-to-drink-in-the-morning GREEN!  The apple is cored, but leave the skin on.  The outer most peel is removed from the orange leaving the nutritionally rich fleshy-white covering intact.  Seeds are discarded.  Receive all of the great benefits of fruit with the fiber intact (one advantage of a smoothie over juice).  Try to avoid or use sparingly the sweeter fruits such as mangos, bananas, etc.

2.      Add ¼ cup of organic raw walnuts.  Walnuts are relatively high in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fat that helps prevent abnormal heart rhythms and has been shown to cut the risk of sudden cardiac death among people who have already suffered a heart attack. 1  Walnuts also help one remain full until lunch.  This step may be omitted if weight loss is desired.  Instead, eat ¼ cup of raw walnuts or almonds as a mid-morning or afternoon snack. 

3.      Add ½ cup of organic raw coconut or coconut chips containing the fatty acid called lauric acid.  Natural coconut fat in the diet may help to maintain normal body lipids (lipids store energy and form parts of cell structures), thereby protecting the liver and improving the immune system's natural anti-inflammatory response.2

4.      Use a green drink protein powder as directed.  Load the smoothie with the greatly needed vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals (plant nutrients) and enzymes.  Phytochemicals are thought to help with the prevention or treatment of at least four of the leading causes of disease-related death in the United States.3  The enzymes aid in proper digestion and absorption of vital nutrients.  This step fills in the many gaps that the American diet contains.  Many contain probiotics (the good bacteria living in our intestines that support a healthy immune system).  I personally favor two different protein shake powders: Total Green (Protein Powder) by Nutriwest and Living Fuel Rx Super Greens.  Total Green primarily contains undenatured whey protein and abundant nutrients from organic vegetable sprouts.  The benefits of undenatured whey range from immune enhancement and increased antioxidant activity to boosted energy levels and weight loss.  In order to preserve the integrity of the whey protein, the mix is to be added to the pre-blended smoothie and gently stirred in until it is no longer visible.  Living Fuel is a great alternative for vegetarians looking for a green drink protein powder.

5.      Purified water is added to a desired consistency.  A high-antioxidant rich juice such as pomegranate may by substituted.

America, START YOUR BLENDERS!   Your health will improve, your scale will be happier and your energy levels will surge.  Let’s begin today and drink our way back to better health… cheers!

1 Archives of Internal Medicine June 24, 2002;162:1382-1387

2 mercola.com

3 Bloch A et al, 1995