My Spring Green Detox Smoothie Recipe
Our bodies need a good spring cleaning just as much as our homes do! While your body is designed to detox efficiently on it’s own, most of us are not well equipped to deal with the onslaught of chemicals and toxins that we’re exposed to on a daily basis. ‘Toxins’ (aka heavy metals, pesticides, medications, chemicals and food additives) enter your body everyday through the air you breathe, the water you drink & the food you eat. Most of us are completely overburdened with these chemicals from our environment, which is why I commit to a seasonal cleanse four times yearly. No crazy water fasts, juice-only diets or colonics. Just some everyday changes that give my detox organs the break they need to repair and regenerate.
While the term detox has become controversial in the health world it’s actually just a natural process that helps your body eliminate toxins from your environment. If any health care provider tells you that “detoxing” isn’t real then I suggest you seek a new doctor, as this person obviously wasn’t paying attention during chemistry, physiology or anatomy classes in medical school. Detox = detoxification, and there are many evidence-based foods and supplements to support you body’s natural detoxification systems.
This specific detox recipe combines all the foods and vitamins that help to support detoxification through the intestines and liver. Flax seeds and frozen cauliflower, specifically, provide dietary fibre to bind and remove toxins from the intestines before they can be reabsorbed into systemic circulating. The intestinal mucosa is very active in the processing of toxins since it converts lipid-soluble toxins into water-soluble molecules for excretion before they are even transported to the liver for processing. Starting the day with a fibre-rich shake gently and effectively enhances this natural detox process through your digestive system.
Once toxins reach the liver, there is an intricate process of detoxification that involves 2 phases. One major concern when detoxing is that the reactive intermediate created during phase 1 liver detoxification is often even more reactive and harmful than the original toxin. This toxic compound must move into phase 2 of the detox process quickly and efficiently, since it’s in phase 2 where the reactive toxin becomes conjugated into a nontoxic and water-soluble molecule to be flushed out of the body. Poorly designed detoxes may be potentially dangerous because they often contain the nutrients needs to support phase 1 detox while ignoring phase 2 supportive functional foods. Juice cleanses, for example, contain a ton of antioxidants and vitamins to support phase 1 detox but are lacking in the protein and fibre needed to clear toxins out of the liver and intestines via phase 2 detox.
This well-balanced detox smoothie provides all the vitamins and minerals to support both phases of the detox process as well as a blend of antioxidants that help to protect against the free radicals generated during detoxification. The cauliflower, ginger, kale and lemon juice in this smoothie contain the nutrients needed to induce phase 1 detox, while flax seeds, berries and hemp seeds provide all the protein & fibre needed to support phase 2 detox pathways. This month I’m starting everyday with this detoxifying, nourishing smoothie to elevate my energy and get me feeling my best this spring.
Green Detox Smoothie Recipe
This alkalizing green smoothie is my favourite gentle, yet effective spring detox breakfast.
Ingredients
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 cup of frozen kale
- 2 tbs hemp seeds
- 1 tbs flax seeds
- 3 - 4 pieces steamed frozen cauliflower
- 2 cups almond milk or water
- 1 inch piece ginger, peeled
- 1/2 cup frozen berries
Instructions
Add all ingredients to a high powered blender and blend for 1 minute.
References:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3793502/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3591652/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22318307
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4375225/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2124382
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4488002/
If you live in the GTA and want to help developing your own medically supervised detox protocol you’re welcome to book in for an initial consultation or contact me via my website for additional information.
This information is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your Naturopathic doctor or primary care physician. Do not use the information in this document for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. Always speak with your Naturopathic doctor before taking any medication or nutritional or herbal or using any treatment for a health problem. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, contact your health care provider promptly. Do not disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking professional advice because of something you have read online.
