“Cells rejoice!…& a recipe for ‘Lemon Basil Smoothie’.”

♥Hi Friends!

Here’s a little more info on Green Smoothies because really, I could take several posts and not be able to list all the “Holy cow”, “Out of this world” HEALING benefits you can get from incorporating them in to your diet.  So here’s a list of my top 5.

1♥  THEY RAMP UP YOUR ENERGY LEVELS-I love to make our Green Smoothies first thing in the morning.  They energize me and set me up for a more productive day.  Since they are full of phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals and “who knows what else”, they wake up your system.  A high powered blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec, breaks open the cell walls of the veggies and fruits so your body barely has to do ANY work assimilating their goodness.  The feeling of increased energy can be almost immediate.

You know, I’ve always been a fairly positive and happy person.  Also, a little laid back and lazy (or so I thought).  Turns out, although I am laid back, I’m NOT LAZY!  I’m actually a happy person who’s just been giving my body the wrong kind of fuel all along.  Woot! Woot!  You should see me now!

2♥  THEY START OR SPEED UP THE HEALING PROCESS– The HEALING foods in Green Smoothies alkalize (get rid of the acidic environment) and detox (push out the nasty poisons) your body.  Guess what?  Disease has a really hard time living in an alkaline body, and when you detox (HEAL), you are giving it a good swift kick right out the door!

Also, because they are such nutritional powerhouses, the HEALING benefits are more than we can even know.  Here’s a list of the basic items in the first stage of “SMOOTHIE IN STAGES”, from my last post.  Get a load of just one of many HEALING compounds each of these raw, whole foods contain and what they can do for your body:

  • GREENSvitamins A, C & K (help fight cancer)
  • CHIA, FLAX, or HEMP SEEDSomega-3 fatty acids (good for heart health)
  • BANANASpotassium (helps lower blood pressure)
  • ORANGESbeta-cryptoxanthin (may help fight colon cancer)
  • APPLESpectin (helps lower cholesterol)
  • GINGERgingerols & shogaols (help with stomach aliments)
  • BERRIESvitamin C (helps strengthen the immune system)
  • PINEAPPLEbromelain (anti-inflammatory which helps fight all disease)

3♥  THEY LUBE YOUR CHASSIS–  Ha!  My mother use to say that when I was growing up, in reference to things that went right through you after you ate them (wise mother!)  Funny now when I think about it!  Anyway, Green Smoothies really help your digestion take a step in the right direction and things just seem to run a lot smoother during the day (if you get my drift).

Why is this the case?  They are chucked full of fiber, insoluble (which attracts water to the intestines) and water-soluble (which softens the stool).  Fiber is a carbohydrate found in plant-based foods.  It has no real nutritional value and your body can’t digest it.  According to an article entitled “Fiber, Digestion & Health” by Gannett Health Services (Cornell University) it “affects the rate of digestion of foods, the absorption of nutrients, and the movement of waste products (stool) through the colon.”  An active colon is a happy colon!  Plant-based foods, especially veggies and fruits, move through your digestive track at a much higher rate of speed than processed or animal based foods and are some of the best sources for these fibers.  Green Smoothies really do help “lube your chassis”.

A little hint:  Since disease is linked to poor gut health, it’s a VERY good idea to be taking a probiotic every day.  And if you aren’t use to raw, whole foods, Green Smoothies can really do a number on your system.  I had a period of intense “digestional adjustment” (if that’s even a term) and they can cause discomfort  (think gas, bloating, upset stomach) for a few days (or weeks).  Why?  Green Smoothies help HEAL, detox and clean out your entire digestive track.  When your system starts moving, things that have been hanging out there for a long time (and have worn out their welcome) are slowly stripped away.  That includes all the bad bacteria.  Putting good bacteria back, with a probiotic, will help aid in the HEALING process.

4♥  THEY GET YOUR DAILY GREENS IN:  Another benefit about making Green Smoothies a part of your “morning routine” (but please just make it an “any time of day routine”) is that you don’t have to give one more thought about getting your greens in the rest of the day.  (My family loves this about them.)  Unless you want to of course.  And that seems to happens.  The healthier you get, the more your body starts to crave the HEALING foods.  Your menu choices for the day change and the not-so-healthy foods get crowded out .  My Honey likes to say I’ve “ruined” him because he now often finds himself ordering salads for lunch at work.  Yessssssssss!!!

5♥  ALONG WITH THE PHYSICAL BENEFITS, THEY HELP HEAL YOUR SPIRIT& MIND:  The SPIRIT/BODY/MIND connection is REAL!  As we eat of the LIVING foods Heavenly Father created (which to me means they have a spirit), it helps foster an environment for HEALING in all three areas.  Eventually, food is no longer just about how it tastes, but how you feel spiritually, physically and emotionally when you eat it.  And when you are no longer distracted by an addiction to food (which most Americans are) you can feel the whisperings of the Spirit better.  This helps create a healthier attitude with food and life in general.

WOW!  Is it really any wonder that when you drink a Green Smoothie your cells stop what they are doing, start HEALING, and rejoice?  And I bet if you listened close enough you could hear them loud and clear, singing “Hallelujah!!!”

♥Love you!

PS:  Click here to link to a page I happened upon today with just about any question and answer you can think of about Green Smoothies.

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If you are a little more adventurous in the Smoothie department, here’s one with a little different flavor that I came up with.  The lemon and basil together are refreshing!  Lemons help balance your PH, detoxify your liver and aid in digestion.  And according to whfoods.com, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular health, and DNA protection describe some of basil’s HEALTH benefits.

LEMON BASIL SMOOTHIE

  • spinach and kale
  • 1-2 sprigs basil (to taste)
  • 1 tsp raw wheat grass powder (optional)
  • 1/2 a lemon
  • 1 small apple
  • chunk of cucumber (optional)
  • nub of ginger
  • 1 Tbsp chia seeds
  • squirt of raw honey (optional for sweetness)
  • 1 cup frozen blueberries or cherries
  • frozen strawberries

Fill your Vitamix or Blendtec container halfway with greens (a little snuggly).  Cut lemon and apple in pieces.  Put the rest of the ingredients in and top off with strawberries just to the top of the container.  Fill water to the top line.  Process for 1 minute.  While it’s processing I like to add a few more strawberries to thicken it up.  Enjoy!

4 thoughts on ““Cells rejoice!…& a recipe for ‘Lemon Basil Smoothie’.””

  1. I LOVE LOVE LOVE your recipes and the way you break things down. Since I found your blog 2 weeks ago I’ve made your pesto 4 times. It’s amazing!!! Please keep your recipes and informative blogs coming. 🙂

  2. I attended your class in the Centerville Stake House. I loved your
    suggestions. (I’m the one who gave the closing prayer!) I am 76 years old . I feel much younger until I look in the mirror! I have already been making smoothies since your class .I just needed a
    little more information. How can I print your info?

    1. Hi Ruth! I’m SO excited you’re doing the Smoothies! Yay! I just tried printing some things from my blog and it worked rather nicely. It looks like it shouldn’t be too difficult (even for me!) Open the post you want printed out. Go to your printing options and click on “print”. Or if you just want a recipe printed out, highlight it, then go to your printing options and click on “selection” and then click on “print”. See if that works. If not, my husband is an IT guy and we can come help you!

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