Feeding your skin with Smoothies!!!!
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free skin care · Thu Dec 24, 2009 5:28 pm

I'm sneaking 15 minutes on EDS Laughing

(Christmas Eve - just got back from church and the neighborhood Christmas Eve fete' will start at 8:00.

I want you all to know I strongly suspect the boyfriend got me a blender for Christmas... Now ordinarily I'm not much for objects that you plug in for BF presents but in this case I'm happy to make an exception.

Hope you lovely ladies (and gents) have a fabulous Christmas. Peace.

free skin care · Wed Dec 30, 2009 12:11 pm

Hi Ladies, another question for those of you who own a power blender. Can the Vitamix or Blendtec chop/mince foods such as garlic or ginger, or is it very easy to overdo it and end up with soup? I cook a lot of Chinese foods at home so there's always a lot of chopping and mincing going on.. My food processor just broke down before the holidays and I really need to replace it before I get a blender, and it truly sucks because I've totally been saving up for a power blender. So if a blender can double up as a food processor, it would give me one more reason to justify the purchase Very Happy

(Seriously, they don't sell Vitamix or Blendtec here in Malaysia, but I found them in HK selling for $900 USD Shock

with only 1 year warranty and no returns accepted!) Also, has anyone used a Waring blender? I found it also has 3 horsepower but not a lot of reviews online.. Any input would be much appreciated. Thanks to you all for your wonderful advice, and Happy New Year!

free skin care · Sun Jan 03, 2010 5:56 pm

sister sweets wrote:

I'm sneaking 15 minutes on EDS Laughing

(Christmas Eve - just got back from church and the neighborhood Christmas Eve fete' will start at 8:00.

I want you all to know I strongly suspect the boyfriend got me a blender for Christmas... Now ordinarily I'm not much for objects that you plug in for BF presents but in this case I'm happy to make an exception.

Hope you lovely ladies (and gents) have a fabulous Christmas. Peace.

So did you get a blender??? A good one??? Laughing

rebecca

free skin care · Sun Jan 03, 2010 6:29 pm

I just have to chime in hear for a sec...

Since Christmas, I have been taking care of not only my thoroughly, disgustingly sick hubby, but also my 2 disgustingly sick grandsons... And boy are they all as sick as dogs with the worst URI's I've ever encountered.. (They all had flu shots, so I'm fairly confident it isn't the flu.)

Anyway, to get to the point of all this; I DIDN'T CATCH IT! Dancing

(And NO, I never get a flu shot.)

So the moral of my long winded saga is that 'vitamins/antioxidants' in the form of "smoothies" are what saved me from getting sick..

Okay, so I also admit I was following everybody around with Clorox and Lysol, and washing my hands a gazillion times a day, but I do believe fighting it from the inside, is really what saved the day...

Smoothies rule...

free skin care · Sun Jan 03, 2010 7:27 pm

Kassy_A wrote:

I just have to chime in hear for a sec...

Since Christmas, I have been taking care of not only my thoroughly, disgustingly sick hubby, but also my 2 disgustingly sick grandsons... And boy are they all as sick as dogs with the worst URI's I've ever encountered.. (They all had flu shots, so I'm fairly confident it isn't the flu.)

Anyway, to get to the point of all this; I DIDN'T CATCH IT! Dancing

(And NO, I never get a flu shot.)

So the moral of my long winded saga is that 'vitamins/antioxidants' in the form of "smoothies" are what saved me from getting sick..

Okay, so I also admit I was following everybody around with Clorox and Lysol, and washing my hands a gazillion times a day, but I do believe fighting it from the inside, is really what saved the day...

Smoothies rule...

Kassy I have had the exact same experience. My coworker got so sick driving home from work she had to pull over and I had to go get her. I took her to the doctor and stayed with her for hours while she was hooked up to IVs very close contact between us. Also I work with high school students and they were dropping like flies with the flu...so far so good and I didn't get either type of flu shot!!Smoothies to the rescue!!! Kassy we better also knock on wood...I remember the last time I was bragging about something and what happened Shock

free skin care · Sun Jan 03, 2010 7:43 pm

In my position I am "strongly" encouraged to get a flu shot - working with students in a college and also in a health care environment. They'll even pay for it - and bring the shot to me. No thanks! I'm all about my own immunity. And I'm not an advocate of such things (seen too much of the bad side) but won't get into that here. All around me I watched students, faculty, etc with H1N1 - swine flu - dropping like flies.

They think I'm the odd duck always - so there I am with my green smoothie and antioxidant drinks taking it all in and healthy, happy..... yeppir....

free skin care · Mon Jan 04, 2010 12:56 pm

That's amazing that none of you are getting sick! I have only been drinking about three per week and it's the first time in as long as I can remember that I haven't gotten sick. I call it the "Christmas Bug" because I always get sick right before Christmas. I was drinking two per day but have slacked off to only 3-4 per week since October.

Anyway, my New Years Resolution was to drink one every day and feed one to the hubby and kiddo as well. A smoothie a day keeps the doctor away!

I didn't get the flu shot either.

Oh, and yes, Toby. Let's all knock on wood. heehee Laughing

free skin care · Mon Jan 11, 2010 3:44 am

Hi everyone,

I was reading on another thread that since eating really healthy (raw food, smoothies etc) some people are experiencing facial puffiness when they consume salt. I seem to be experiencing this too (since starting smoothies) and was just wondering if the body may get used to it in time, or should I completely avoid things with too much salt, Chinese food, crisps etc ?

The way my face looks afterwards is causing me some distress. My cheeks seem to look flatter and my chin and jaw line look puffy and mis-shapen,

any advice would be greatly appreciated

Jackie xx

free skin care · Mon Jan 11, 2010 9:31 pm

Jackie... do you mean that since you've cleaned up your diet when you eat less clean foods you show it in your face?

Is it possible, that you've actually gotten rid of the puffiness, and now when you indulge you show it readily?

Really, this is like the person that eats at McDonalds all the time... they don't ever feel ill. However, a person who would usually never touch the stuff gets very sick with one burger. Kind of like how those that live in Mexico can consume their water (so I hear), but if you travel there and drink up... you will be in the bathroom for the duration of your trip.

I don't eat a lot of salt for example. Went on a cruise... the food was loaded with salt. I looked like a stay puffed marshmallow within a day, even my eyes were swollen. It took over a week at home to purge by body...

The thing I've noticed is that people are generally more swollen and I think this means "toxic" than they realize. When they clean up their diet, the changes are amazing.

In fact, if you take a look at the thread where everyone is doing a lymphatic massage on their face... and people seem to think they've lost weight...but they claim not to ... their faces have improved so much... you will also notice that they indicate they've been changing their diet to foods that suit them and are whole in nature... in addition to purging the lymphs... they've detoxed and they are showing it... I would bet that if they stopped the lymphatic massage and went on a crap diet, that in DAYS they'd be swollen and puffy again. That's not a sign of something wrong. That's a sign that a person is doing something wrong.

The puffiness is a sign of your body COPING with yuck! In the same way that inflammation is a coping mechanism for physical injury. It's an if then statement that only works in one direction.

A little scary when you look at it that way... huh???

free skin care · Tue Jan 12, 2010 5:13 am

Hi Claudia,

thanks for your reply. It's the only thing I can put it down to really, if I've eaten alot of junk (like over Christmas etc)my face becomes puffy and my eyes are so dull, like a real murky hazel.

Maybe I really need to avoid salt (even sugar sometimes i've noticed)to see if things clear up. The fact I know it could be the cause is very reassuring in itself,

thanks again

Jackie xx

free skin care · Tue Jan 12, 2010 10:25 am

Jackie... I think it's a VERY REASONABLE reason.

In my line of work, when we address why a person is not responding to their facial work as desired we will often question them as to their sleep, their diet etc.

It's been interesting because many will complain that we aren't addressing their concern. However, it's the most simple foundation to go for.

So, consider more common comprehended topics.

Smoking: Virgin lungs to cigarettes will naturally start coughing,upon first use. Eventually the smoker will get used to inhaling the toxin, and even crave it. Many smokers can seemingly go a lifetime without negative side effects. Usually interpreted as lung cancer or emphysema (major discomfort). However, further investigation will prove they are in fact negatively effected. They just don't notice enough or care enough about that impact to endure the very difficult time quitting.Things like... poor blood circulation that means less resiliency in ALL tissues. Discolored skin, and nails (can you imagine the inside?) Even their sweat smells of cigarettes... the list goes on. Smoker lips anyone???

Now, when a smoker quits... Ask them if they can tolerate being around smoke at all. They tend to have the most vile response to it.

What is the cause for their response? The smoke? Or quitting? It's kind of like when they first started.

Think of working out in a gym: A person cleans up their diet. They workout hard. Cardio and weights. Their body starts to look great and feel great. Ready to sport a bikini! Woo hoo! The person goes on vacation, and lays on the beach for 2 weeks. Drinks fruity alcoholic beverages with pretty umbrellas... Eats whatever is on the menu. Goes home bloated, and none of the new skinny pants fit, and feels like ick!

Is that the working out? Or the retreating back to old ways that created the problem?

I find that as a society we don't notice the 1 and 2 pounds of fat we gain every year. We don't notice the loss of muscle and bone every year. (that when all applied together often might not even translate into weight gain, but rather a shift in ratios of muscle to fat to bone) People wake up one day, look in the mirror and say OMG! What happened. And it happened over night.

Nope, sorry it didn't. It took a lifetime of bad habits. (habits that are often better than our neighbors... but still bad to say the least)

HOWEVER, when we start making corrections. And we start to see improvements...Let's face it. We are really watching and paying attention to ourselves. RIGHT? 'Cause very few people suddenly get into great shape without effort, by accident. Guess what happens the SECOND we revert to an old bad habit. We notice what it really does to us.

So, in your case:

You've started to clean up your diet. You're eating more greens and more fruits. This is great. You're getting your body the nutrient that it needs to survive a long healthy life.

Your body responds by letting go of the water retention. You are less puffy in the face. (that is NOT the only thing that has improved, but it may be what you really can only SEE)

Then... well, it's the holidays. You enjoy some extra treats, and traditional meals that well... have some less than desirable ingredients. That's ok... This is part of life's pleasures... HOWEVER, your body knows what you've done. And it must protect itself... Here comes the extra water. Distressing? Sure. The same as a hangover. Did something go wrong? Nope. Your body is still quite functional. It's teaching you a lesson...

I really think that more often than not, people have grown accustomed to feeling dehydrated, constipated, lacking in flexibility, and spunk.

When they manage to correct those issues they are much more aware of those problems sneaking up on them than they ever were before.

free skin care · Tue Jan 12, 2010 12:34 pm

Very interesting Claudia. It's good to know that our bodies are trying (sometimes against all odds) to take care of us even though we often don't help it along.

I agree that we don't notice changes happening over time until it's very noticeable and we think it happened overnight. Then, of course, we expect any actions taken to remedy the situation to work overnight!!

free skin care · Tue Jan 12, 2010 12:41 pm

thanks Claudia!

this may also go some way to explain why building my cheeks at the moment is taking ages. I used to have a great build in the cheeks with FE, then tried another program - not only has that build disappeared, it looks worse than before. This has led to a sagging of the lower cheeks and jaw line, so I am trying really hard to eat the right foods. I think this may be another reason puffiness shows up so much on my face now,

Jackie x

free skin care · Tue Jan 12, 2010 9:03 pm

I made a green smoothie the other day and it was awful. Not so much because of the taste, but the thickness of it.
I wondered what the benefit of the smoothie over just eating the raw vegetables is. I tried to find it in this thread but there are too many pages to go over.
Maybe more nutrients are absorbed because the vegetable is broken down so much...? But if I chew them well, what's the difference?
I read conflicting things online and really am not in the mood to play detective right now Confused

free skin care · Tue Jan 12, 2010 9:16 pm

Hi Sandra - Just briefly - you can pack a lot more vegetables and fruits in a smoothie (and even travel with it) than you would sit and ingest in one sitting. Thereby you get more servings than you might otherwide.

Also - yes You got it; the greens, etc are more readily digested by the breaking down that is done in the blending process (It's hard to chew food to this degree with each and every bite!).

Did you blend fruits in also? If you add a banana, an apple, a cucumber and a stalk of celery to many handfuls of greens it should have a sweet taste. Some here put Stevia into the blend and it's pretty good. This may make the thickness more palatable - or add more water or even a bit of juice if that helps.

Hope you will give it another try.

free skin care · Tue Jan 12, 2010 9:33 pm

Hi!

I used spinach, some beet greens, one large carrot, an apple and cold water.

Like I said, the taste wasn't so bad, but the texture going down our throats made us want to puke!

I'll try some other combinations. Any good ideas for one tomorrow?

free skin care · Tue Jan 12, 2010 9:52 pm

Sandra... It's first a matter of finding a palatable flavor... and then texture... It should be SMOOTH... and if it's too thick then thin it out with water.

I agree with SisterSweets... you can get a load more fruits and veges in a smoothie than say a salad and fruit... and yes, the breaking of the fruit and veges down means all your body has to absorb is the nutrient. So for example, I can get about 8 cups of loosely packed spinach with a banana, an orange, a cup of pineapple, and a cup of mango. I can get that down quite quickly.

When I make soups... like my broccoli soup for example I can easily consume a pound of broccoli for dinner... I'm not sure I could nosh a pound of straight broccoli.

All that said... I'd personally try a few more recipes... But if it boils down to gagging at every attempt. I'm not so sure I'd make myself so miserable.

Good luck!

As a mom of kids, I can tell you that whole pcs of greens pass right through their system... so little is absorbed from that... I would think...

Tue Jan 12, 2010 10:46 pm

My green smoothie is yummy!!!!

Chocolate or Vanilla Almond Green Smoothie

16 oz chocolate or vanilla almond milk.
A scoop of whey protein. A tsp of cinnamon.
A tbsp of superfood powder. A handfull of spinach. Frozen blueberries. A few chuncks of pineapple. It even blends in my cheapo wal-mart blender.

Best deal I've seen on the net for a quality green superfood powder.
swansonvitamins dot com
Their Green Max Powder.

free skin care · Sat Jan 16, 2010 12:50 pm

My favorite autumn and winter-time smoothie is really simple and very delicious. I am loving it right now! It is:

Pear Green Smoothie

** 4 very ripe D'Anjou pears

** a couple to a few handfuls of spring greens

I use those Earthbound Organics spring mixes that you get at Whole Foods, and I like it super-green so I will put in a half pound of spring greens. But you can just start with a couple handfuls. When the pears are really ripe--which you can tell by when you press them, they should give quite a bit under the pressure of your fingers--it's really just divine! No additional sweetener needed! Yum!

Anyhow, this is a great, no-fuss, simple green smoothie for a beginner that tastes delicious!

free skin care · Sun Jan 17, 2010 3:03 pm

I am curious .... has anyone taken the time to actually do a nutritional analysis of their preferred Green Smoothies? This can be done quite easily; there are various websites you can join to get this information for any recipe you may make. I think Claudia may have a recommended site; a few other people on this thread may also have access to one.

I think this would be a very beneficial exercise for most of you. It's interesting to see what nutrients you are getting, plus which ones are absent. You can also see information on calories, fats, proteins, fiber and more.

I have done a nutritional analysis for the 4 most recent smoothie recipes given on this thread ... Toby's Lemon Smoothie; Toby's Blueberry Smoothie; CM's Pear Smoothie and Claudia's Spinach Smoothie. I see strengths in each one and of course some similarities across all 4 recipes. However, I have some concerns as well especially if these smoothies are used daily as a snack rather than a meal replacement. There is also an overload of some nutrients which may be detrimental to your health in the long run, if consumed daily.

Unlike most smoothie advocates here, I do believe there can be such a thing as "too much of a good thing" when it comes to food and nutrition. In other words, more isn't always better.

free skin care · Sun Jan 17, 2010 3:17 pm

Lacy,

Yes, I did nutritional analyses of my diet and the green smoothies that I eat about four years ago. I still have the rough notes, but not everything in full anymore.

Would you be willing to post your analysis of all four smoothies, since you have the data readily available?

I aim to make my smoothies between 400-600 calories of fruit and 1/2 lb of greens (e.g., spring greens, kale). So for me personally, they are always meals, and never snacks (though I aim for 4 meals a day, not 3). What is your concern about having them as snacks, instead of meals--is it that a lot of the smoothies are low calorie?

Also, could you indicate also which nutrients you are concerned about getting too much of? I did an analysis about 4 years ago looking into the nutrition in them, and there was nothing I noticed that was too much in terms of a given nutrient and I used the standard government ULs for the nutrients when they are present in food, not supplements. Perhaps we are using different data sets. What data are you using for the ULs?

Thanks!

free skin care · Sun Jan 17, 2010 3:49 pm

cm5597 wrote:

Lacy,

Yes, I did nutritional analyses of my diet and the green smoothies that I eat about four years ago. I still have the rough notes, but not everything in full anymore.

Would you be willing to post your analysis of all four smoothies, since you have the data readily available?

I aim to make my smoothies between 400-600 calories of fruit and 1/2 lb of greens (e.g., spring greens, kale). So for me personally, they are always meals, and never snacks (though I aim for 4 meals a day, not 3). What is your concern about having them as snacks, instead of meals--is it that a lot of the smoothies are low calorie?

Also, could you indicate also which nutrients you are concerned about getting too much of? I did an analysis about 4 years ago looking into the nutrition in them, and there was nothing I noticed that was too much in terms of a given nutrient and I used the standard government ULs for the nutrients when they are present in food, not supplements. Perhaps we are using different data sets. What data are you using for the ULs?

Thanks!

My comment about using smoothies as a snack was related to caloric intake primarily. You are right CM; most of them are in the 400-600 range, which to me is a typical meal; snacks should be less IMO. If someone were to eat 3 meals a day and add one or two smoothies as a snack throughout the day, then I think their diet may be too high in calories. I realize caloric intake varies by age, gender, weight and activity level; my nutritional analysis was determined for a daily requirement of 2,000 calories (which may not be appropriate for everyone).

My concern regarding nutritional overload wasn't directed to your smoothie. In fact none of them exceed the upper daily limit on their own. I would be concerned however when other meals are also consumed during the day. Water soluble nutrients are of course excreted; my concern was for the fat soluble ones which the body stores as reserves. (I think that is right?) It is difficult to speak about exceeding upper daily limits when only one part of a daily diet in looked at in isolation.

I would love to post the analysis for each smoothie. However the online tool which I used refuses to copy properly. It would require a lot of editing to post here, which is why I suggested each of you do your own analysis for any smoothie you wish to make.

If you would like CM, I can forward your analysis privately by PM, but it will take me some time to put it into a format that is useful to you. Actually your smoothie was the one I had the most difficulty with, since spring greens are not a food item per se and were not listed in my database (I had to estimate your greens by using various individual types of greens).

Additionally "handfuls" aren't very precise measurements, and everyone seems to use this term regarding their greens. I estimated a handful as 2 cups (which may be wrong). And of course any analysis you do is only as good as the database you use; I am hoping mine is reliable and accurate!

free skin care · Sun Jan 17, 2010 4:27 pm

Lacy53 wrote:

My concern regarding nutritional overload wasn't directed to your smoothie. In fact none of them exceed the upper daily limit on their own. I would be concerned however when other meals are also consumed during the day. Water soluble nutrients are of course excreted; my concern was for the fat soluble ones which the body stores as reserves. (I think that is right?)

I know this is true for many of them (e.g., vitamins A and D), but I don't for certain know whether it applies to all of them.

Lacy53 wrote:

It is difficult to speak about exceeding upper daily limits when only one part of a daily diet in looked at in isolation.

Ok, gotcha. I thought you were saying that eating too much green smoothies would cause a problem with getting too much of particular nutrients.

Lacy53 wrote:

I would love to post the analysis for each smoothie. However the online tool which I used refuses to copy properly. It would require a lot of editing to post here, which is why I suggested each of you do your own analysis for any smoothie you wish to make.

I don't want to put you out of your way, then. Just if it was easy to do, posting it would be great, but no worries if it's not a simple cut and paste thing.

Lacy53 wrote:

If you would like CM, I can forward your analysis privately by PM, but it will take me some time to put it into a format that is useful to you. Actually your smoothie was the one I had the most difficulty with, since spring greens are not a food item per se and were not listed in my database (I had to estimate your greens by using various individual types of greens).

Ah, yes, that was the same difficulty I had. I had to cobble together information from different sources, and even then, it was incomplete, so I then estimated the rest of the nutrients using values for other greens. I was hoping you'd found a complete nutritional analysis of spring greens, which would be awesome to get Smile

So then we probably have the same or similar data, in which case, I'm all set--thank you! Smile

Lacy53 wrote:

Additionally "handfuls" aren't very precise measurements, and everyone seems to use this term regarding their greens. I estimated a handful as 2 cups (which may be wrong).

So true. I don't usually use the terms "handfuls" or "bunches" as they are so imprecise, but did so here, as I thought that might be more helpful to someone starting out. Instead, I used to measure the amount greens by weight (I have this cute little dietary scale that I use). After months of making the smoothies, these days, I just eyeball things and know roughly how much greens and fruit, etc., and hence how many calories and other nutrients are in them.

free skin care · Sun Jan 17, 2010 5:12 pm

hey there...

I use a program called diet power to analyze. Anyhow... I use the nutritional data on anything that I purchase that comes in a pkg. (pineapple, mango), and let the program give me data for things like water, oranges, bananas, spinach.

My smoothies, as measured, are about 300 calories. A bit more, obviously, if I add more goodies... Say a teaspoon of Coconut Oil. And Chia seeds also are quite caloric.

I eat them as a meal. The only thing that shows up on my analysis is high in Sugar (which since is all from fruit, I'm not worried about, because I'm getting all the fiber. I think this would be different, if I was drinking juice instead.), and Vitamin C... Also not worried about.

These are often so filling (especially when I really pack them, that the next meal tend not to be very heavy... just for the sake of comfort)

What nutrient did you come up with that is so high/bad? Worth looking into.

These are not a snack. And they easily fit the high number of fruits and veges recommended during the day.

Also, I think it's often more concerning to get too many fat soluble vits/minerals when you're ingesting them as a pill as opposed to food. With the exception of needing to rotate greens. As they can become toxic if you eat the same one over and over in the long run, I can't think of any foods that are whole in nature that will offer toxic doses. Anyone???

Also... it's my understanding that RDA's are virtually bottom limits to meet...Not maximum dosage...

In the end, however, you are right. A person should evaluate their entire diet when making these sorts of changes. Incorporating smoothies, does not mean add them on top of eggs and bacon, with a burger for lunch and chicken and mash for dinner...and pie for desert. Shock

free skin care · Sun Jan 17, 2010 5:37 pm

Hi Lacy and CM:
Here are some thoughts I have.

When I put a smoothie together in the morning I figure I am getting 3 servings of vegetables and probably 2 servings of fruits. I also usually add flax seeds and/or chia seeds. No problem in terms of my own personal food pyramid needs. (mypyramid.gov)

If this is used a snack it's certainly better than most snack food. Yes, I agree, the calories are higher than I like my snacks to be too, but if you live in the US (where % obese statistic outnumbers the overweight statistic) you realize most people are snacking on much more calories and much worse items. In terms of calories - as you know there are those who easily plow through a bag of potato chips and/or a pack of cupcakes (serving size be damned)for a snack.

I consider my smoothie to be breakfast. I also look at it as having the benefit of alkalynizing my system, of getting phytonutrients, fiber, vitamins, minerals and hopefully EFA's of some sort (depending upon what else is in it). A bit short on the protein stick but I don't see that I'm ...getting too much of a good thing.

I feel assured knowing that the smoothie has given me a good baseline. Balance is key and variety in a smoothie fixin is important too. I think most of us rotate our veggies and fruits. I know I do.

I tend to have yogart and walnuts for lunch (or something similar.)

I would suggest that the *smoothie people* are above average in their concern for achieving positive nutritional status and I would expect they are better than the average bear on keeping things well-rounded with the rest of their food choices..

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