Feeding your skin with Smoothies!!!!
EDS Skin Care Forums Forum Index » Skincare Tools & Do-It-Yourself Skincare

free skin care · Tue Aug 25, 2009 10:35 am

cm5597 wrote:

I've experimented a lot with the timing of when you eat certain foods. I was really surprised how much of a difference when you eat foods makes to the detoxification profess for me; I thought it would make a small difference, but it actually made a big difference! This is something that Natalia is big on, and that I've found through experimentation to be correct. So you definitely want to eat the easiest to digest and healthiest foods first, i.e., fruits and vegetables. But it does takes take a while for most people to learn to make and be able to eat a meal out of just fruits and veggies.

Hi cm5597 - Thanks for sharing a lot of great info about green smoothies, I've really enjoyed reading your posts. Can you please elaborate on your smoothie experiments and the timing of eating certain foods? I have always been under the impression that you should eat fruits (exclusively) first as they digest that much faster compared to veggies, and that if you mix the two together you can actually slow down the digestion process of both the fruit and vege. What has your experience been between a fruit or veggie-only smoothie compared to a combo smoothie in terms of digestion and detoxification?

Would you mind sharing a typical smoothie day with us, ie., what you have for breakfast and/or lunch and the timing of any food ingested after your smoothies (such as any snacks, for example).

Thanks so much for your input! Smile

free skin care · Tue Aug 25, 2009 11:47 am

Hiya ScotsLass!

ScotsLass wrote:

Can you please elaborate on your smoothie experiments and the timing of eating certain foods?

Here is what my experience on what promotes the most energy and the best detox results in terms of timing:

* Eating only raw fruits and veggies in the morning

* Eating slightly smaller meals, so I eat 4 meals instead of 3. Digestion requires a lot of energy, so evening it out leaves me with more energy. I aim for 400-600 calories per meal.

* Eating only raw fruits and veggies until dinner. Fats--especially nuts and seeds, but also avocado and coconut (though less so)--slow down digestion and detoxification, so the later in the day you eat them, the better. Almost all the time, I save these "overt fats" for my last meal of the day.

* I can eat the largest volume of food around lunch time, but my digestion really starts to slow down around 4 pm, so I eat 3 of my 4 meals before 4 pm and to make sure I get most of my daily nutrients in sooner, rather than later. (Interestingly, I saw a research article saying that chimps in the wild--our closest ancestors--stop eating around 4 pm on average.)

* For a 400-600 calorie fruit and vegetable meal, I need about 2-2.5 hours to digest it before I'm hungry again (fruit digests more quickly). For a meal with nuts and avocado, I usually need 3-4 hours.

* The earlier in the day I finish my last meal, the better I sleep and the less sleep I need. I'm currently experimenting with this, by stopping around 5-6 pm, and I definitely do feel better, even if I'm eating the exact same food. Tonya Zavasta (www.beautifulonraw.com) has a book ("Quantum Eating") that goes into a lot of detail about eating your last meal of the day as early as possible for maximum health benefits. She says that she eats her first meal of the day at 7 am and her last meal at 2 pm, and as a result, she claims that she only needs 6 hours of sleep and wakes up euphoric. I haven't tried anything that rigid yet by any means, but even stopping by 6 pm, she claims that you get good results...so that's what I'm experimenting on and so far she seems to be right.

* The earlier in the day that I eat all my greens, the most satisfied and grounded I feel, and the less calories I need.

* When I was still regularly eating beans and grains, I got the best results by eating them in the last meal of the day.

ScotsLass wrote:

I have always been under the impression that you should eat fruits (exclusively) first as they digest that much faster compared to veggies, and that if you mix the two together you can actually slow down the digestion process of both the fruit and vege. What has your experience been between a fruit or veggie-only smoothie compared to a combo smoothie in terms of digestion and detoxification?

I haven't noticed any significant differences for me personally for any of the possible permutations, but the vast majority of the vegetables that I eat are either greens or are technically non-sweet fruits (e.g., tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers). There may be a difference, but for me, if there is a difference, it is very small.

For example, I will eat a smoothie of just honeydew melon (notoriously easy to digest and people say it shouldn't be food combined with anything else) and spring greens, and I have no problem with it, and zero tummy or gas issues. However, if I add a single scoop of raw rice protein powder or flax oil (another experiment I tried Smile

), it gave me gas, indicating not good food combining.

Plus, my body seems to need A LOT of greens, so I don't think I would be able to get enough greens if I didn't do the greens smoothies. And when I hit the 1.5 lbs+ range of greens a day plus fruit and low fat, I feel absolutely amazing. Seriously, what keeps me doing this is not only the health benefits (as if that were the case, I probably won't do something this extreme otherwise), but the natural high I get. If I only eat, say 1 lb of greens, I feel great, but don't quite get the same euphoria. But I'm sure different people have different thresholds Smile

ScotsLass wrote:

Would you mind sharing a typical smoothie day with us, ie., what you have for breakfast and/or lunch and the timing of any food ingested after your smoothies (such as any snacks, for example).

I try to keep things fairly simple. If you are familiar with various style of raw food eating, I am closest to 80-10-10 (80% carbs, 10% fat, 10% protein), except that I aim for 2 lbs of greens a day (rather than 1 lb), I aim for more like 15% or less fat on average (though I'm not rigid on this), and I don't follow all the natural hygiene (an even more rigid style of eating) rules. So a typical day for me is:

* Meal 1: 400-600 calorie green smoothie, containing 1/2 lb of spring greens (only meal I eat at home)

* Meal 2 (2-2.5 hrs later): 400-600 calorie green smoothie, containing 1/2 lb of spring greens

* Meal 3 (2-2.5 hrs later): 400-600 calories of fruit

* Meal 4 (2-2.5 hrs later): Green juice with 3 apples, 4 stalks of celery, 1 bunch of greens, 1/2 cucumber; a salad or vegetable medley with some guacamole, nuts or fancy nut pate, and/or salad dressing; some ground flax or chia seed

For the green smoothies, these days, I usually prefer to just blend up 400-600 calories of one fruit alone--e.g., ripe pears, peaches, nectarines, strawberries, honeydew melon are my favorites--rather than to mix fruits, as I feel like taste of the fruit is less muted than if I mix a lot of different fruits together. But in the beginning, for most people, I think something like a bag or package of berries, plus a couple oranges, plus a couple bananas is usually more appealing to those who are new with green smoothies.

To be honest, I don't think this would be very appealing to lots of people, but (1) I've been doing high raw or all raw for 5 years, so it took a long time for me to like just plain whole raw foods (a big key is learning how to pick the freshest produces and how to ripen foods, so that they are so sweet, succulent, and flavorful), (2) I really do like it a lot now, and (3) hopefully, it will give people some ideas of the kinds of things they want to do (and don't want to do).

HTH Smile

free skin care · Tue Aug 25, 2009 3:53 pm

Once again this is great info, cm5597!! Thank you so much for all the helpful details, I appreciate it! Smile

I have a list of books I want to read about green smoothies and eating raw, and have tinkered with several smoothie combinations over the past year or more, but have not been committed about really incorporating a green/raw lifestyle into my daily diet until now. I also admit that it is unlikely I will want to give up cooked food entirely anytime soon, so finding the balance between these two 'worlds' is what I am striving for at the moment.

cm5597 wrote:

Here is what my experience on what promotes the most energy and the best detox results in terms of timing:

* Eating only raw fruits and veggies in the morning

This is actually easy for me since the AM is the one time of day I really do enjoy green smoothies. Historically I have been adding a scoop of whey protein powder to my AM smoothies as well as Vitamin C powder, MSM powder, Chia Seeds, and for added energy Maca powder or Matcha green tea (powder). I am not a morning person at all and require a lot of extra energy to get me going, so the added boost from the chia seeds and maca or matcha really does help a lot. The scoop of whey protein also sustains my appetite very well, but I might be missing out on some added detoxification by adding it to the smoothie so early in the day...? I will try my next AM green smoothie without it and see what happens.

cm5597 wrote:

* I can eat the largest volume of food around lunch time, but my digestion really starts to slow down around 4 pm, so I eat 3 of my 4 meals before 4 pm and to make sure I get most of my daily nutrients in sooner, rather than later.

Having nothing but green smoothies until my last meal of the day may be challenging but I am keen to try this since I have a bad habit of missing lunch and then eating something quick but not necessarily nutritious around mid-afternoon. Do you make your 2nd and 3rd smoothies at home and then take them with you to work (or school)?

cm5597 wrote:

* The earlier in the day I finish my last meal, the better I sleep and the less sleep I need. I'm currently experimenting with this, by stopping around 5-6 pm, and I definitely do feel better, even if I'm eating the exact same food. Tonya Zavasta (www.beautifulonraw.com) has a book ("Quantum Eating") that goes into a lot of detail about eating your last meal of the day as early as possible for maximum health benefits. She says that she eats her first meal of the day at 7 am and her last meal at 2 pm, and as a result, she claims that she only needs 6 hours of sleep and wakes up euphoric. I haven't tried anything that rigid yet by any means, but even stopping by 6 pm, she claims that you get good results...so that's what I'm experimenting on and so far she seems to be right.

Ok, I would give ANYTHING to wake up euphoric every day, but I doubt I could ever be as disciplined with my eating habits as Tonya Zavasta - LOL! No meals after 2:00 PM must take some serious effort to adjust to. Don't you find you feel hungry again in the evenings after your last meal at 5-6:00 pm? I do and it bugs the hell out of me! Confused

cm5597 wrote:

ScotsLass wrote:

I have always been under the impression that you should eat fruits (exclusively) first as they digest that much faster compared to veggies, and that if you mix the two together you can actually slow down the digestion process of both the fruit and vege. What has your experience been between a fruit or veggie-only smoothie compared to a combo smoothie in terms of digestion and detoxification?

I haven't noticed any significant differences for me personally for any of the possible permutations, but the vast majority of the vegetables that I eat are either greens or are technically non-sweet fruits (e.g., tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers). There may be a difference, but for me, if there is a difference, it is very small.

For example, I will eat a smoothie of just honeydew melon (notoriously easy to digest and people say it shouldn't be food combined with anything else) and spring greens, and I have no problem with it, and zero tummy or gas issues. However, if I add a single scoop of raw rice protein powder or flax oil (another experiment I tried Smile

), it gave me gas, indicating not good food combining.

Plus, my body seems to need A LOT of greens, so I don't think I would be able to get enough greens if I didn't do the greens smoothies. And when I hit the 1.5 lbs+ range of greens a day plus fruit and low fat, I feel absolutely amazing. Seriously, what keeps me doing this is not only the health benefits (as if that were the case, I probably won't do something this extreme otherwise), but the natural high I get. If I only eat, say 1 lb of greens, I feel great, but don't quite get the same euphoria. But I'm sure different people have different thresholds Smile

This is good to know and interesting to boot! I did read that melons are not to be combined with any other foods and that they should be eaten on their own (why exactly, I do not know, but assume it has something to do with rapid digestion and neutral, acidic and alkaline materials in the gut). This is another reason why I was a little uncertain about combining certain veggies and fruits in smoothies since I wasn't sure if there were any other rules about combining sweet fruit vs. acid fruit with greens, etc.

I just came across an article about food combining that provided an overview of what foods should and shouldn't be combined together. Here is a brief excerpt from it that might be useful to others who are learning about food combining, such as myself:

Quote:

In a nutshell, starches, fats, green vegetables & sugars may be eaten together as they require either an alkaline or neutral medium for their digestion. Similarly, proteins, green vegetables & acid fruits may be taken together as they require an acid or neutral medium for their digestion. But starches & proteins, fats & proteins & starches & acid fruits should not be eaten together, if the best results are required from the ingestion of the food eaten. www.womenfitness.net/food_combining.htm

Thanks for sharing your daily meal plan - I really like the idea of working up to 3 smoothies a day before my last (cooked) meal. BTW, do you ever have the fruit smoothie in the AM for breakfast or do you normally reserve it for meal #3? For the purposes of detoxification, I am curious if there is a specific order to consume the smoothies that optimizes their detox benefits....any thoughts about this?

free skin care · Wed Aug 26, 2009 10:10 am

cm5597, Thank you so much for sharing all this wonderful information. I always learn so much from reading your posts. I had no clue about a lot of this stuff. I'm particularly interested in a statement you made:

However, if I add a single scoop of raw rice protein powder or flax oil (another experiment I tried ), it gave me gas, indicating not good food combining.

In recent years, I've had some gas issues. If I follow the rules of food combining, do you think those issues will be eliminated, or at least lessened?

free skin care · Wed Aug 26, 2009 6:45 pm

Hi ScotsLass and Skippie--Work is keeping my hands tied for the next few days, so I can't respond in full right away, but I wanted to let you know that I saw your posts. I'll get back to you this weekend Smile

free skin care · Fri Aug 28, 2009 8:04 am

No worries, cm5597! I know what it's like to be busy and not have time to post! Smile

free skin care · Fri Aug 28, 2009 8:33 am

Here are a few smoothie recipes from Womens Health that are supposed to tackle body-specific issues. Thought I would post them since these are the type of smoothies I would have as a 'snack' in the afternoon instead of raw fruit & nuts, or as a pre or post workout booster. I love the fact that I know what the nutritional breakdown is with these smoothies. Please keep in mind that all of these recipes yield 3 servings - so measure your ingredients accordingly.

The Tummy Smoother
You crunch and Pilates your way to a lean, mean middle, and then digestive woes like water retention, bloating, or constipation sabotage your flat-belly dreams. This stomach-friendly smoothie will help: It contains the enzyme papain as well as potassium, both of which calm an angry digestive system, plus four grams of fiber to tame and flatten an upset tummy. Ginger and mint nix nausea, fend off flatulence, and freshen breath. Bonus: The probiotics in yogurt boost friendly bacteria in your digestive tract to lessen gas.

What You'll Need
1 c peeled, seeded, cubed papaya
1 c frozen sliced peaches
1 medium pear, cubed, skin optional
1 Tbsp ground flax seed
1 tsp sliced ginger
6 mint leaves
1/2 c low-fat Greek yogurt
6 ice cubes

Garnish with mint after blending.

Makes 3 servings. Per serving: 109 calories, 2 g fat (0.5 g sat), 21 g carbs, 15 mg sodium, 4 g fiber, 4 g protein

====================================================

The Hunger Killer
This hearty blend is stocked with filling fiber from fruit and protein from tofu. "Fiber helps you feel full without contributing tons of calories, and protein is the most satiating nutrient," says WH advisor Lisa Drayer, R. D., author of The Beauty Diet. Get added ammunition from the omega-3 fatty acids in flax seed oil. "Omega-3's help increase your metabolic rate and burn fat," Avanti says. "They've also been found to reduce the size and number of fat cells, especially in the belly."

What You'll Need
1 c strawberries, hulled
1 c cubed mango
1 lime, peeled and seeded
2 Tbsp flax seed oil
1/2 c silken tofu (1/4 of a package)
1 1/2 c ice

Makes 3 servings. Per serving: 165 calories, 10 g fat(1 g sat), 18 g carbs, 6 mg sodium, 3 g fiber, 3 g protein

====================================================

The Energy Booster
Potassium-rich bananas deliver energizing carbs, while protein powder and peanut butter give you energy to get through the three o'clock slump. Pantothenic acid, a B vitamin in yogurt and honey, helps convert food into fuel. Iron-rich wheat germ and cinnamon up blood oxygen levels so you won't get winded during your midday workout.

What You'll Need
2 frozen bananas, peeled and chopped
2 scoops chocolate protein powder
2 Tbsp peanut butter
2 Tbsp wheat germ
1 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp honey
3/4 c low-fat Greek yogurt
4 Tbsp skim milk powder
2 c ice

Makes 3 servings. Per serving: 294 calories, 7 g fat(2 g sat), 38 g carbs, 102 mg sodium, 4 g fiber, 25 g protein

free skin care · Fri Aug 28, 2009 8:53 am

The Wrinkle Fighter
A berry-based beautifier and skin-smoothing combo: anti-aging vitamin E from wheat germ, sun damage fighting omega-3 fatty acids from flax seed, and vitamin C from berries. Oleic acid (a type of monounsaturated fat) in avocado has been linked to reducing wrinkles.

What You'll Need
1 c blueberries
1 c pitted cherries
1/2 c strawberries, hulled
1/4 avocado, peeled and pitted
2 Tbsp wheat germ
2 Tbsp ground flax seed
1/2 c plain low-fat yogurt
1 c ice

Makes 3 servings. Per serving: 153 calories, 5.6 g fat(1 g sat), 23 g carbs, 35 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 6 g protein

===================================================

The Immunity Builder
Loaded with boosters like beta-carotene and vitamin C from mango, cantaloupe, and pineapple, this smoothie primes your infection-fighting army for action. "Vitamin C increases the production of white blood cells and antibodies," says Tanya Zuckerbrot, R. D., author of The F-Factor Diet. Finally, the duo of almonds and almond milk delivers plenty of defense-fortifying zinc.

What You'll Need
1 c peeled, pitted, cubed mango
1 c chopped cantaloupe
1/2 c cubed pineapple, fresh or canned
1/3 c ground almonds
1/2 c unsweetened almond milk
1 c ice

Makes 3 servings. Per serving: 150 calories, 6.8 g fat (0.5 g sat), 22 g carbs, 41 mg sodium, 4 g fiber, 4 g protein

free skin care · Fri Aug 28, 2009 3:26 pm

Does anyone have, or know the name of the juicer/blender that's on an infomercial these days???

They show you how to even make pizza and things like that, with the blender shooting out ingredients right on top of the crust.

They offer this for 6 payments of 20 bucks.

I've been wanting to get into the smoothies, and can't for the life of me remember the name!

Thanks
Linda

free skin care · Fri Aug 28, 2009 3:59 pm

Healthmaster is a big infomercial now with Montel Williams. I really wanted that one but at the time I called about it the shipping was 4-6 weeks....I couldn't wait. Rolling Eyes

http://www.montelwilliams.com/health-master.html

free skin care · Fri Aug 28, 2009 4:18 pm

Toby wrote:

Healthmaster is a big infomercial now with Montel Williams. I really wanted that one but at the time I called about it the shipping was 4-6 weeks....I couldn't wait. Rolling Eyes

http://www.montelwilliams.com/healthmaster.html

Thanks Toby, but it's not that one. Looks pretty good though.

Guess I'll just have to catch it over night when all the infomercials run.

free skin care · Fri Aug 28, 2009 5:25 pm

LOL... anyone here write for Ivillage???

http://food.ivillage.com/slideshow/food/quick_backtoschool_breakfasts/banana_blueberry_sneaky_smooth.html

Do you ever wonder about how we're all sittin' here talking about stuff... then a month later it's the hot topic on the news stands?

I bet we could start a thread talking about smearing some disgusting element on our faces, and it'd be in the next beauty rags!

Nothing is original... LOL!

free skin care · Fri Aug 28, 2009 8:21 pm

ClaudiaFE wrote:

Do you ever wonder about how we're all sittin' here talking about stuff... then a month later it's the hot topic on the news stands?

I bet we could start a thread talking about smearing some disgusting element on our faces, and it'd be in the next beauty rags!

Nothing is original... LOL!

So true!

I remember a while back the thread about "nightingale shittay" facials, and then it seemed it was in every magazine I picked up..

The powers that be, must all get their info from the EDS gang I'm thinkin! Wink

And now for the smoothie of the day, that I actually got down the hatch without activating the bloody epiglottis.. Embarassed

Savoury Smoothie

6oz low sodium V8
1 celery stalk with leaves
1 handful spinach
1 sweet pepper (yellow)
1/2 cup canned beets
15 fresh green beans
1/2 lemon (pits and all)
dash worcestershire sauce
salt + pepper to taste
1 cup of ice
3 shots of vodka.... nah, just joshin..(but not a bad idea.. Very Happy

)

free skin care · Fri Aug 28, 2009 10:04 pm

Kassie, looks like a good one to try! The beets kind of threw me but I think I'd like the color. Just missing a little celery seed and a lemon wedge on the side.....not to mention the Grey Goose. Smile

free skin care · Sun Aug 30, 2009 10:47 am

Hi ScotsLass!

ScotsLass wrote:

I also admit that it is unlikely I will want to give up cooked food entirely anytime soon, so finding the balance between these two 'worlds' is what I am striving for at the moment.

Great point, balance is soooo key. You have to be happy and satisfied with what you are doing, else there's no point in sticking with it Smile

ScotsLass wrote:

Historically I have been adding a scoop of whey protein powder to my AM smoothies as well as Vitamin C powder, MSM powder, Chia Seeds, and for added energy Maca powder or Matcha green tea (powder). I am not a morning person at all and require a lot of extra energy to get me going, so the added boost from the chia seeds and maca or matcha really does help a lot. The scoop of whey protein also sustains my appetite very well, but I might be missing out on some added detoxification by adding it to the smoothie so early in the day...? I will try my next AM green smoothie without it and see what happens.

I guess I made my recommendations assuming someone is going for max detox. However, if you are going more for rebuilding and tissue repair, or for muscle build, or to repair your gut, or perhaps leveling your blood sugar, then adding something like a protein powder might be much better for you. It depends what you are aiming for Smile

On a related note, I find that a fruit smoothie with greens sustains and satisfies me more than the exact same fruit smoothie without greens. But if I add a raw rice protein powder to that green smoothie, that will curb my appetite even more and last me longer than just the green smoothie alone. However, this *might* be in part because my raw rice protein powder has 70 calories per serving, so it could be just due to the extra calories...I'm not certain. I haven't been rigorious in controlling for that factor.

So my general advice to anyone would be to experiment with a green smoothies, with and without any extras such as chia seed or protein powder, to see what fits your needs best.

ScotsLass wrote:

Having nothing but green smoothies until my last meal of the day may be challenging but I am keen to try this since I have a bad habit of missing lunch and then eating something quick but not necessarily nutritious around mid-afternoon. Do you make your 2nd and 3rd smoothies at home and then take them with you to work (or school)?

If I had to give general advice, I would say that having nothing but green smoothies or fruits and vegetables until the end of the day is something that, if you want to do it regularly, is something that you work up to over many months or even years. It is not easy. For me, the benefits are well-worth it, but I am sure it would not be worth it for everyone one. But most people could probably work up to at least trying it for a couple to a few days.

Yes, I make my 2nd and 3rd smoothies at home and then take them with me.

ScotsLass wrote:

Don't you find you feel hungry again in the evenings after your last meal at 5-6:00 pm? I do and it bugs the hell out of me! Confused

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. If I try to eat most of my calories, e.g., like 70% or more, by mid-afternoon, then I find it way easier. And I kind of like this because (1) I get to "pig out" earlier in the day and don't feel like I am constraining myself Smile

, (2) I find my body is much better at telling me when I've had enough total calories and nutrients for the day, and (3) I sleep better. But it is not easy to adjust to. So maybe making lunch a heavier meal and dinner a lighter meal might help...?

ScotsLass wrote:

This is good to know and interesting to boot! I did read that melons are not to be combined with any other foods and that they should be eaten on their own (why exactly, I do not know, but assume it has something to do with rapid digestion and neutral, acidic and alkaline materials in the gut). This is another reason why I was a little uncertain about combining certain veggies and fruits in smoothies since I wasn't sure if there were any other rules about combining sweet fruit vs. acid fruit with greens, etc.

Here is something that might also help people better understand the fruits and vegetable combining rules. The original rule of don't combine fruits and vegetables was based on the fact that simple sugars (from fruits) do not combine well with starches (from vegetables). But greens aren't like regular vegetables since they are not high in starches. So like Victoria Boutenko argues, they are really a separate category of food that can be combined with anything.

ScotsLass wrote:

BTW, do you ever have the fruit smoothie in the AM for breakfast or do you normally reserve it for meal #3?

Oh, sorry, for my third meal, when I said eat fruit only, I meant that I don't even blend it. I just eat it whole or chopped up (so that I get two meals with the pleasure of eating foods unblended Smile

). But yes, sometimes I eat that meal first. But I do try to make my first meal of the day include greens, as I do feel best doing that. But whatever works for you... Smile

ScotsLass wrote:

For the purposes of detoxification, I am curious if there is a specific order to consume the smoothies that optimizes their detox benefits....any thoughts about this?

Hmmm...there may be one, but I don't know about this...other than if you are going to eat fats (e.g., add chia seed to smoothies) and concentrated proteins (e.g., add protein powder to smoothies), to do so later in the day.

Skippie wrote:

cm5597 wrote:

However, if I add a single scoop of raw rice protein powder or flax oil (another experiment I tried ), it gave me gas, indicating not good food combining.

In recent years, I've had some gas issues. If I follow the rules of food combining, do you think those issues will be eliminated, or at least lessened?

Hi Skippie!

Yes, food combining could absolutely eliminate them for you. That would be certainly be the first, or one of the first things to try doing to get rid of them.

But it's also possible that they could be due to allergies (esp. to grains) or to weak digestion (e.g., low stomach HCl, which by the way, can be improved by eating more greens).

For me, I had serious gas issues my last year of college (my poor, kind roommate!). I didn't know what was wrong with me and it was disconcerting. I eventually figured out that it was a problem I was having with eating grains, so I tried not eating them anymore, and the problem went away. That was a huge ephiphany for me...that the food pyramid being based on grains was completely wrong. In fact, last time I saw any scientific studies on grain consumption, the researchers said that humans have only been eating grains for at most 22,000 years, which is less than 0.5% of the time since we evolutionarily diverged from chimps some ~ 5 million years ago. And brain development peaked hundreds of thousands of years ago, well before any human cultures started eating grains, so they are not necessary to eat. So yeah, if the issues are not due to food combining, grains are something to check for allergies to, as well as dairy (also something that our ancestors have not been eating for very long and that most historical cultures never ate).

Finally, another book that is based on a largely raw food diet, whose author is BIG on food combining, is the book "Feel Great, Be Beautiful over 40: Inside Tips on How to Look Better, Be Healthier and Slow the Aging Process" by supermodel Lillian Muller. I really liked this book and Lillian's great hard-work-but-not-totally-rigid attitude. It is more of a inspirational/motivational book, but she does give some sample menu plans that follow good food combining. However, she does not emphasize greens as much as I personally think that people should eat them. Anyways, I thought I would throw this book out there, since I know many people, like me, are health and beauty book junkies Smile

If anyone has any questions or is struggling with anything, don't hesitate to ask Smile

I'm happy to try to help out, if I can.

HTH Smile

free skin care · Sun Aug 30, 2009 1:47 pm

I am in seriously deep trouble now.. I have duplicated the "Starbucks Mocha Frappucinno" perfectly.. It might even taste a bit better!

I'm not posting the recipe unless you guys specifically request it, so I'm not tarred and feathered for making you all get fat.. Laughing

YUMMO!

free skin care · Sun Aug 30, 2009 7:44 pm

Starbucks Mocha Frappuchinno. That is just down dirty mean to mention it. My hips are widening just typing it. Tarred and feathered? No way - you will be dipped in chocolate and rolled in peanuts. Laughing

(pm me the recipe)

Sun Aug 30, 2009 9:54 pm

Kassy_A wrote:

I am in seriously deep trouble now.. I have duplicated the "Starbucks Mocha Frappucinno" perfectly.. It might even taste a bit better!

I'm not posting the recipe unless you guys specifically request it, so I'm not tarred and feathered for making you all get fat.. Laughing

YUMMO!

I, for one, would love it if you could post it, Kassy. Smile

free skin care · Sun Aug 30, 2009 10:43 pm

And without further ado.. Laughing

Grande Mocha Frappuccino ala Kassy

- 1/2 cup double strength coffee (chilled/cold) (a must!)
- 1/2 cup milk (wimps can use 1 or 2%)
- 1/3rd cup Hersheys chocolate syrup
- 1 TBS vanilla syrup
- 1 pkg sweetener or sugar to taste
- 1 1/2 cups ice (or 2 if you like it super slushy)
- whipped cream (to top it off)

If you have a Blendtec, use the "Ice Cream" #3 button.

Pour/scoop into a tall fancy cocktail glass, top it off with whipped cream and use a straw... Heaven!

Let me know how you love it!

Please, please, please, make it at least once exactly as I've written... After that you can cut calories and skimp if you must.. Very Happy

In fact I'll work on a low cal version as well, because this one will have me on the fat farm in short order.. DH and I each had 2 today loaded with whipped cream.. Embarassed

free skin care · Mon Aug 31, 2009 7:57 am

Toby, I just wanted to say THANK YOU!!! I am 38 and got jowls at 36. I know 36 yr olds aren't supposed to have jowls and I couldn't figure out why I had them. I could tell that it seemed to be puffiness more than sagging but couldn't figure out how to get rid of it. I've tried facercise, which I loved, but it didn't solve the problem. Water retention, (or lack of it) and weight loss (even though I'm already thin-ish Laughing

) had no effect on it either. I also tried firming creams, lymphatic massage and dry brushing. Nothing worked. I have only been drinking the green smoothies for one week and my jowls are almost completely gone! If I keep this up, maybe I'll be able to see my jawbone again within a few weeks. Very Happy

Thank you.

free skin care · Mon Aug 31, 2009 1:56 pm

I'm just curious for all you who have seen such remarkable results from drinking green smoothies (skin tightening), did you not eat many vegetables in your diet prior to the green smoothies? I have been having green smoothies for months (longer than this thread has been going), and I have not seen any difference in my skin. So I am curious what is causing this rapid skin tightening in the ones who have had it? Any guesses or thoughts?

free skin care · Mon Aug 31, 2009 5:37 pm

Tonia I am so excited about your results. I will do a boogie dance for you.

Rileygirl in my case the change with the smoothies has been in flushing out the toxins that has gotten rid of some jowling. I think my skin is more hydrated and plumped now. My diet before was heavy in protein...low carb and no sugar, and low in dairy. Now I have cut down on protein,but I do have eggs, fish, and chicken(just smaller amoounts) no dairy, VERY little grain. I have two very large smoothies daily with lots of greens and low glycemic fruits. Oh and I have flaxseed oil and chia seeds.

free skin care · Tue Sep 01, 2009 8:03 am

Hi everyone,

I'm absolutley loving this thread! What I find a bit strange is that almost everyday for lunch I eat quite a bit of broccoli and salad, but it doesn't seem to be doing anything for my skin. Is it maybe the combination of things in the smoothies that make them more effective ?

Also, approximately how much smoothie do you drink each day ?

Jackie xx

free skin care · Tue Sep 01, 2009 8:50 am

Toby, I had to laugh when I read your post. That's almost an exact description of my diet before Green Smoothies. I've cut back on protein since starting Green Smoothies too. I just don't want it as much.

Riley, Yes, I ate veges but now I've added two smoothies a day with two large handfuls of dark leafy greens each to what I was already eating. That's a full bag of spinach or kale. I wasn't consuming even close to that many raw leafy greens per day. I dove right into two per day because I wanted to see if it would work.

I think the jowls were inflammation. They felt puffy. I don't think it was water retention, lymph accumulation or fat because working on those things didn't fix it. I did see some results from the Perricone diet (anti-inflammatory diet) but it only worked when I followed it exactly. One meal off the diet was enough to bring the jowls back. The diet was so strict that I couldn't maintain it with any consistency. Green smoothies are easy and they taste good. Also, my blender broke this weekend and I was without green smoothies for 24 hrs. Well, guess what. The jowls didn't come back! So, the Green Smoothies work better and they're easier. Woohoo!!!

Oh, and for me, I don't think it was toxins. Previous cleanses yeilded little results.

Tonia

free skin care · Tue Sep 01, 2009 8:54 am

Rileygirl... I think you might have nailed it... Many people don't get half as much fruit and veges as they think they do. And not many can eat as much as they can blend. Plus, the blender breaks it all down (like the chimps do!) making more nutrient available to your body...

I can eat 1 POUND of broccolli in a sitting by turning it into soup. I'm pretty sure I'd have a hard time doing that if it were whole. I do still eat it whole, 'cause I love it, but as a soup I get more.

The thing I've noticed, is that so many people say that have a "great diet"... I'm going to venture many people here who are now seeing improvements, really believed their diets had little room for improvement... and yet.. Voila! Major changes.

I'm going to head back to FE and recommend the following... Find a FREE online nutrition service that you can log your foods... and evaluate your intake for fat, carbs, protein, as well as vits. & Minerals. I wonder if anyone will see a trend....

Automatic Message

If this is your first visit to the EDS Forums please take the time to register. Registration is required for you to post on the forums. Registration will also give you the ability to track messages of interest, send private messages to other users, participate in Gift Certificates draws and enjoy automatic discounts for shopping at our online store. Registration is free and takes just a few seconds to complete.

Click Here to join our community.

If you are already a registered member on the forums, please login to gain full access to the site.