How This Epic Smoothie Changed My Life
Before my first bout of alopecia areata happened back in 2015, I was eating what I thought was a healthy diet. I’ve been a nutritionist since 2009, and had learned plenty about how to eat to say in shape, and for overall health…or so I thought.
Then my autoimmune issues started. After a deep dive into the research on autoimmunity, I realized that my diet was lacking in things I needed to heal and truly thrive….. Not just stay in shape.
My life changed when I found Dr. Terry Wahls. After reading her incredible book, The Wahls Protocol, I fell in love. I felt an intuitive knowing that Dr. Wahls’s principles would aid in my healing process. Part of what drew me in was the fact that she used these principles to heal her own multiple sclerosis. Her story is an inspiration anyone with autoimmunity should read ASAP.
And taking one look at her nutritional guidelines, it’s easy to see how this way of eating heals…
Nine Serving of Fruits & Vegetables Per Day!
The Wahls Protocol aims for eating NINE SERVINGS of vegetables & fruits per day! This sounded impossible to me at first, but now I easily get seven to nine servings on most days. Here’s what she recommends
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- 3 Cups of leafy greens
- 3 Cups of cruciferous
- 3 Cups of colored produce
The rest of the diet is paleo, removing grains and dairy, and including nutrient dense proteins and organ meats. It is more or less the AIP diet with a focus on EATING TONS OF NUTRIENTS.
The results of this way of eating are nothing short of miraculous. After five years of really upping my nutrient density, I feel better now on every level that I ever did in my twenties! It cleared up my depression, helped my digestion, and most importantly, keeps symptoms of autoimmunity in check.
Smoothies Are Nutritional Magic
I use smoothies to help me hit my target of 6-9 vegetables per day.
The benefits of smoothies are a mile long, but my favorite benefits are:
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- A delicious way to get more healing nutrients into your day.
- Boost in energy
- Mental clarity
- Lower inflammation
- Nice skin
- Helps digestion
- No cooking (yay!)
- You can bring a smoothie with you anywhere. I love to bring my smoothie into my office and read in the morning.
You’ll notice I add tons of different vegetables in this smoothie. Things like broccoli and cauliflower don’t seem like typical smoothie ingredients, but trust me when I say IT WORKS. I know the ingredients sound insane for a smoothie, but when it’s all blended together, it tastes so fresh and delicious. It is absolutely my favorite meal of the day.
The lemon juice and frozen berries are the predominant flavors, and the rest of it just tastes…fresh! Finally, the coconut milk adds a beautiful richness to round everything out.
Tips for This Smoothie
- Coconut milk makes this smoothie SO delicious. If you use coconut milk, look for brands that don’t have guar gum in the ingredients. Whole Foods sells the Native Forest Simple coconut milk. Trader Joe’s also has a great coconut milk. I LOVE the Arroy-D coconut milk.
- Use the juice of two lemons for added tartness. Adding extra lemon juice compliments the vegetables, and makes this smoothie taste lovely.
- Make any adjustments you like. Change the fruit to your liking, use different greens, and feel free to experiment. Some days I use raw beets and beet greens, other days I use bok choy and avocados…like this…
- Get a a few 32oz metal tumblers for your smoothies, and some metal straws so you can travel with it if you need. I have two large, steel tumblers I got from target years ago. I use them every. single. day.
- Change up your greens and try things like chard, collard greens, red kale, bok choy or dandelion. Switching it up on a regular basis helps your body to get a variety of nutrients.
- Cut up your favorite fruit and put it in a large gallon freezer bag ahead of time. You can freeze any fruit and use it in a smoothie, even watermelon! I use papaya and pineapple when I’m not using berries. My favorite is the triple berry bag from HEB, which lasts forever.
Here’s How To Make an Autoimmune Healing Smoothie
[tasty-recipe id=”1460″]
Whether or not you have autoimmunity, aiming for more vegetables in your day is guaranteed to serve your body and mind well!
Much Love,
Brenda
