Morning Sunrise Detox Smoothie

Start your day with a little sunshine with this morning sunrise detox smoothie! It is packed with a variety of "sunshine" fruits that help to awaken the mind and body. Ditch the coffee - this is all you need to help feel refreshed and totally alive!

Lemon is a natural energizer; it hydrates and oxygenates the body so it feels revitalized and refreshed. Consuming lemon, in some liquid form (whether in water or a smoothie) in the morning can help to ready your digestion for the day and flushes out unwanted materials. It is also great for purifying the blood and aids in weight loss by helping improve fat metabolism. 

Pineapple contains the digestive enzyme bromelain, which has been proven to aid in digesting protein, breaking down fats and reducing inflammation. Mango and banana also help keep the colon clean, and will help reduce toxic build-up in the intestines, mitigating any chance for these toxins to re-absorb back into the blood stream!

Ingredients: (serves 1)
- 2 cups chopped mango
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 golden delicious apple
- 2 cups chopped pineapple (make sure it is ripe, or you will get, what I like to call, "battery acid mouth")
- 1 ripe banana (optional - if you can't digest banana and pineapple together, leave out the banana)

Blend the above ingredients in a blender such as the Vitamix and enjoy immediately!

Carrot Orange Ginger Zinger Juice!

This juice is not only incredibly easy to prepare, but it tastes FANTASTIC and is good for you too! It is a rich source of a number of necessary nutrients and minerals - kind of like a miracle concoction that is good for various purposes. It helps treat and prevent diseases and helps to improve our hair, skin and nails. 

Here are 15 reasons why you should start drinking this juice! Loaded with large amounts of beta-carotene, potassium and B vitamins, the health benefits are endless…

1. Improves immunity and controls heart disease

2. Reduces cholesterol

3. Aids in the clotting of blood

4. Prevents cancer

5. Helps the body repair muscle (like after working out)

6. Increases metabolism for fat loss

7. Increases oxygen carrying capacity

8. Controls blood sugar levels

9. Aids in digestion

10. Calcium for strong, healthy bones

11. Anti-aging

12. Controls sun damage

13. Prevents acne

14. Reduces dryness and scarring

15. Heals external wounds & gums

Ingredients:
- 4 oranges
- 5 large carrots
- 3-4 inches ginger root
- Optional: 1 lemon (for some added zingy-ness!)

Juice the above ingredients in a juicer such as the Omega, and enjoy immediately for optimal benefits! This juice can be drunk every day, or even twice a day!

Anti-Inflammatory Tropical Fruit Smoothie

Inflammation is the root cause of all disease. Essentially all chronic diseases have the same trigger: inflammation. It has been linked to everything from heart attacks and strokes to Alzheimer's disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer. Many lifestyle-linked diseases are often the cause of poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking, poor environment and gum disease, all of which stem from chronic low-grade inflammation. 

If you suffer from ongoing, irritating pain in the body (joints & muscles), allergies or asthma, high blood pressure or blood sugar problems, ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome (constipation or diarrhea), constant fatigue or lethargy, and skin problems or red, bloodshot eyes, you may want to re-think your diet, and start eating foods that can help these conditions go away. Starting with this smoothie is a great way to help improve the inflammatory state of your body!

This smoothie is loaded with fruits and roots that help to reduce the levels of inflammation in your body. Pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain, which helps reduce CD4+T lymphocytes in the body (primary effectors involved in the inflammatory response). Ginger is also a wonderful anti-inflammatory, thanks to their inflammation-scavenging compounds called gingerols. Fruits like oranges and mango are also great to help cleanse out excess mucus in the body and improve bowel movements - in fact, the digestive tract is the main area of the body where the inflammatory response takes place. Keeping a clean digestive tract is therefore very crucial to help reduce pain and inflammation throughout the body.   

Ingredients:

- 1 cup freshly juiced oranges

- 1 lime, juiced

- 2 cups chopped mango

- 2 inches ginger root

- 1 cup chopped pineapple

Put all of the above ingredients into a blender such as the Vitamix, and pulse-blend for 30 seconds to prevent oxidation. Enjoy immediately!

3 Smoothies For Weight Loss

If you are thinking of slimming down, especially now that summer is just around the corner, then these smoothies are just the thing to help you reach your fitness goals. These nutrient packed smoothies help you lose weight by satiating your hunger and shutting off the hunger signals in your brain by satisfying nutrient requirements. If you consume "empty" calories (foods which are so processed that they have little nutritional value but only calories which get converted to fat), then you are never truly satisfied and may seemingly eat forever. Consuming foods which are nutrient dense (like all fruit and vegetables) will satisfy you faster, and prevent you from over-eating.

Fruit and vegetables are also great at regulating blood sugar levels because they contain fibre and natural carbohydrates which prevent blood sugar spikes and thus prevent weight gain.

Here are 3 easy smoothie recipes which can help slim your waistline!

Banana-Kiwi:

- 4 kiwis, peeled if un-organic, peel left on if organic

- 3 ripe spotty bananas

- 1 cup spinach

- 2 medjool dates, pitted

- 1 cup young thai coconut water

Banana-Strawberry:

- 2 cups organic strawberries, frozen or un-frozen

- 3 ripe spotty bananas

- 1 cup leafy greens of your choice (spinach, kale, etc.)

- 2 medjool dates, pitted

- 1 cup young thai coconut water

Banana-Date-Fig:

- 3 ripe spotty bananas

- 5 medjool dates, pitted

- 5 dried figs, soaked to re-hydrate (or 5 fresh figs)

- 1 cup young thai coconut water

- 1/2 tsp. raw vanilla bean powder

For each smoothie, blend in a blender such as the Vitamix and enjoy immediately! If you want, you can do a 3-day smoothie cleanse (or longer), and drink one of these for breakfast, one for lunch, and one for dinner (although you may want to double up on each of the recipes if that is the case). 

The Ultimate Beet Juice Cure-All

Daily intake of beet juice has a host of benefits - but what makes this juice even more special is that it contains the anti-inflammatory effects of ginger and turmeric, as well as the flushing properties of cucumber and celery. This juice works in a synergistic way, in that the beets, apples and dill help to dislodge built-up toxins throughout the body, while the flushing benefits of cucumber and celery help to remove these toxins from the body. 

We are constantly bombarded with toxic substances in every day life (even if we do eat a fully organic, raw diet, our environment and stress can take a toll on our health as well). Drinking this juice daily can help to ensure that our bodies stay clean and clear of toxic chemicals, pollutants and other bacteria, viruses and deadly pathogens. 

Here are some of the many reasons why you should drink this juice today (and every day!):

- Contains natural nitrates which relaxes and opens blood vessels helping to improve blood and oxygen flow, reduce blood pressure, and prevent cardiovascular disease. 

- Balances oxygen use and improves stamina (perfect for those who exercise)

- Relieves diseases related to calcifications in the body such as arthritis, heart disease, cancer, kidney stones, eye problems, varicose veins and atherosclerosis.

- Removes toxic heavy metals from the body

- Lowers cholesterol

- Filters liver & kidneys, resulting in beautiful glowing skin and healthy hair

- Natural anti-inflammatory and antibiotic

- Effective in helping treat cancers such as leukaemia, colon, lung and skin, liver, spleen, breast, prostate and testicular cancers (google "beet juice cancer" for more information)

- Prevents birth defects

- Helps treat iron-deficiency anemia

- Improves digestion and stomach acid production

- Lowers homocysteine levels

- Increases production of detoxifying enzymes in the liver (glutathione, catalase, SOD)

- Prevents progression of Alzheimer's disease

- Helps prevent gas/bloating

- Aids in fat metabolism and weight loss/management

- Reduces side effects of chemotherapy

Ingredients:
- 3 large peeled beets
- 4 inches turmeric root (or 1 tsp. turmeric powder)
- 4 inches ginger root (or 1 tsp. ginger powder)
- 2 large peeled lemons
- 1 cucumber
- 4 stalks celery
- 3 apples of your choice
- 1 medium sized bunch of dill

Juice the above ingredients in a juicer such as the Omega, and drink immediately to prevent oxidation.

Rawsome Gluten-Free Chewy Granola Bars

Raw granola bars are an incredibly tasty, easy, and much healthier substitution to the synthetic, processed granola bars you find in supermarkets. They provide you with real, raw, wholesome energy, and help prevent disease instead of cause it. If you have ever picked up a package of granola bars at the grocery store and read the ingredients, you won't be surprised to find a myriad of weird words that might seem alien to the human language.

These granola bars are 100% raw, gluten-free, vegan, and taste about 100% better than the stuff you find in stores. They will also help you save money by making them in bulk and storing in the freezer for whenever you want an energy dense snack to help charge you through the day. You can make them with nuts, or completely nut-free. The granola bars imaged here contain walnuts, but for instance, instead of walnuts you can use raw amazonian peanuts or pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds (that have been slightly soaked and sprouted before hand). 

You can also make these with, or without a dehydrator. I always like to stick mine in the dehydrator for about 8 hours just to get rid of a little moisture before freezing. However, these will do perfectly fine straight from prep, and into the freezer to help solidify them!

Ingredients: (make sure all the dried fruit is sulphite-free!)
- 1 cup dried mulberries
- 1/2 cup dried, unsweetened (no-oil), raisins
- 1 cup pitted, medjool dates
- 1/2 cup dried, unsweetened cranberries
- 1 ripe, spotty banana
- 1 tsp. spirulina powder
- 1 cup pumpkin seeds, soaked, and sprouted until a little tail pokes through
- 1 cup sunflower seeds, soaked, and sprouted until a little tail pokes through
- 1/4 cup hemp seeds
- 1/4 cup unsweetened, preservative-free shredded coconut
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. vanilla bean powder
- Pinch cayenne powder
- Optional: can add 1 cup soaked walnuts in replacement for the 1 cup of sunflower or pumpkin seeds
- Optional: can add 1 cup soaked and sprouted buckwheat to make for a more dry granola bar

Instructions:
1. Discard soak water from seeds (and/or nuts if you choose to use). Use a food processor to process the seeds, banana, mulberries and medjool dates. Scrape the sides, and re-spin, until fully incorporated. Transfer to a bowl.

2. Put into the bowl, the raisins, spirulina, hemp seeds, coconut, cinnamon, vanilla and cayenne if you so choose. You would also add the sprouted buckwheat to your mixture at this point, if you so choose to use buckwheat. Mix together well.

3. For crunchier, more conventional-tasting granola bars, dehydrate them! Spread out on a dehydrator sheet, and dehydrate at 140ºF for 8 hours. Flip, and dehydrate for another 8 hours. Alternatively, for a softer, more brownie-like granola bar, spread out on a parchment papered cookie sheet and freeze over night.

4. Cut the bars into whatever size you please and enjoy! You can store the dehydrated bars in the freezer forever, and same with the ones that are not dehydrated, if you do not have a dehydrator.

Anti-Stress Banana Smoothie

Do you constantly worry, have anxious, racing thoughts, have a poor time concentrating, or suffer from nervous habits (biting the nails, pacing), moodiness, irritability (short temper), depression, loss of sex drive or frequent colds? You may suffer from symptoms of a high-stress, high-anxiety lifestyle which can wreak havoc on your health. Stress, aside from diet, is one of the most important factors in determining the quality of your life and how long you will live. 

This smoothie will help relieve stress and anxiety due to the power of fruits and vegetables and their anxiety-relieving effects! Bananas are one of the few fruits which contain the amino acid tryptophan and vitamin B6, both of which help to produce the natural chemical serotonin which fights depression and helps us un-stress!

The high potassium levels in bananas and dates is also another reason you may want to drink this smoothie if you are stressing out - potassium is a vital mineral which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates the body's water balance. Our metabolic rate rises when we are stressed and reduces our potassium levels. Consuming these fruits will simply help rebalance our potassium levels. 

Coconut water is a miracle for de-stressing (high mineral content, and helps re-balance our electrolyte levels to help keep us calm), and mango is high in crucial B Vitamins, which help combat stress, nervous tension and depression. It is also rich in the mineral magnesium, an anti-stress macro element that has a normalizing effect on the nervous system, nourishes the nerve cells, prevents depression, anxiety, and reduces the effects of stress, fatigue, irritability and normalizes sleep.

Ingredients:
- 2 ripe spotty bananas
- 1 cup ripe mango, chopped
- 1 cup young thai coconut water
- 3 pitted medjool dates
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla bean powder
- 1 cup cucumber
- 3 celery stalks

Blend the above ingredients in a high-speed blender such as the Vitamix (highly recommended!) and enjoy!

Magnesium Infused Smoothie

Did you know that over 80% of Americans are magnesium deficient? This is not surprising given the Standard American Diet which lacks a variety of vitamins and minerals. In fact, millions suffer from magnesium deficiency without even knowing it!

Magnesium is required by over 300 different enzymatic reactions in the body, with the more important functions being creation of cellular ATP (energy), heart muscle contractions, proper bowel function, proper formation of bones and teeth, relaxation of blood vessels, regulating blood sugar levels, and significantly reduces cancer risk (in fact, over 46% of patients admitted with cancer are magnesium deficient!).

This smoothie is loaded with magnesium rich foods which can help infuse your body with the magnesium it needs. If you are feeling tired, have consistent muscle tension or muscle cramping, heart palpitations, loss of appetite, weakness, constipation, anxiety, or more, then go out and buy these ingredients and get blending!

Ingredients:
- 2 ripe bananas
- 1 cup blueberries
- 2 tsp. kelp powder
- 1 cup raw almond milk (see recipe HERE)
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 4 pitted medjool dates

Blend the above ingredients in a blender such as the Vitamix, and pulse blend for 30 seconds to prevent oxidation. Enjoy!

Ultimate Superfood Smoothie

This smoothie is a great way to pack in a good hearty serving of fruit and greens into your diet! It contains some of mother natures best antioxidants and gives you that little extra boost that you may need throughout the day!

Berries are known for their powerful effects on the body. They are natures most potent superfood! They rank highest among most fruit, in terms of antioxidant content, and effectively combat cancer cells, and help reduce inflammation. What else do berries do? Find out below!

Benefits of consuming this smoothie?

- Anti-cancer

- Anti-inflammatory (arthritis, gout, chronic disease and illness)

- Improved cardiovascular health

- Anti-obesity effect (lose weight more efficiently)

- Anti-aging

- Improved sex drive

- Reduced fatigue

- Higher energy

- Better mental clarity

- Improved memory

Ingredients:
- 2 cups mixed organic berries (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries & strawberries)
- 2 ripe spotty bananas
- 2 tsp. spirulina powder
- 1/2 tsp. fresh vanilla powder
- 1 cup leafy greens of your choice (I used spinach)
- 1 cup young thai coconut water (or regular water if you don't have access to coconut)
- Optional: pinch of cayenne

Blend the above ingredients in a blender such as the Vitamix, and enjoy immediately!

3 Simply Delicious Juice Recipes

These juice recipes are fast and easy to prepare and can be easily made in the morning for a days worth of energizing, alkalizing and immunity boosting benefits. Consuming a variety of colours throughout the day is one of the best ways to bring your health to the next level. How do these juices help your body? Find out below!

Sweet Red: Helps improve your energy levels, fights off fatigue, improves mental clarity and helps you sustain your focus throughout the day. By providing the brain with natural-based fruit sugars, you awaken the nerves and help improve conductivity throughout the body. The primary source of energy for the brain is glucose, and without it we feel sluggish, moody and un-motivated.

Immunity Booster: Do you always seem to catch whatever illness is going around? This is a sign that you may need to strengthen your immune system. This juice helps boost the activity of white blood cells while enhancing the body's immune cell activity. Say good-bye to the cold & flu!

Alkaline Calmer: Helps your body detox, provides natural anxiety relief due to incredible calming properties and helps to cleanse the body from the inside out! Reduces bad body odour, puts you in a stable state of mind and completely regenerates and filters the blood. That's the power of greens for ya!

Ingredients:
Sweet Red: (can also be made into a smoothie)
- 1 cup strawberries
- 2 apples
- 1 cup green (or red) grapes
- 1 lemon
- 1 cucumber

Immunity Booster: (can also be made into a smoothie)
- 3 oranges, peeled
- 1 lemon
- 1 cup ripe pineapple
- 3 inches turmeric root
- 2 inches ginger root

Alkaline Calmer: (best made into a juice)
- 1 bunch cilantro or parsley
- 1 cucumber
- 2 cups fennel
- 4 stalks celery
- 1 green apple
- 1 lemon
- 2 inches ginger root

You can juice or blend the above ingredients, for each recipe (separately), except for the alkaline calmer which is best made into a juice. I recommend the Omega Juicer or Vitamix!

Blood Sugar Lowering Juice

This juice is great to help lower blood sugar levels because it contains bitter gourd which has been shown to display incredible blood-sugar lowering type abilities. Bitter melon contains three active substances called charantin (confirmed blood glucose-lowering effect), vicine, and an insulin-like compound called polypeptide p. 

These substances work individually, or together, to help reduce blood sugar levels! Not only that, but bitter melon contains a lectin that reduces blood glucose concentrations by acting on peripheral tissues and suppressing appetite, similar to the way insulin acts on the brain.

If you currently suffer from diabetes, or have other blood-sugar issues, this juice is just the thing you need to help get your blood sugar stabilized and back on track. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
- 1 medium bitter gourd
- 2 pears
- 1 cucumber
- 1 lemon
- 1 small bunch parsley or cilantro (coriander)

Juice the above ingredients in a juicer such as the Omega, and consume immediately for optimal results. This is for 1 serving. Drink 1-2 times daily to help stabilize blood sugar levels.

The Green Calcium Juice

This juice is jam-packed with plant-based calcium and magnesium, two essential minerals in the maintenance of good bone health. It is also incredibly alkaline, which means preservation of crucial alkaline minerals in the bones. When we consume acidic foods like dairy, meat, and other animal products as well as wheat, refined sugar and processed foods, the body tries to buffer this acid by drawing on alkaline mineral reserves in our bones, which ultimately leads to weak and brittle bones and eventually osteoporosis. 

Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to consume dairy products to get adequate amounts of calcium. In fact, many plant foods contain plenty of calcium to infuse your bones with all of the minerals they require to be strong and sturdy! Broccoli, bok choy, and parsley are incredibly high in calcium, and making just one serving of this juice will provide you with over 50% of your RDA of calcium! Happy juicing!

Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups broccoli
- 2 organic green apples
- 3 stalks bok choy
- 1 cucumber
- 1 bunch parsley
- 1 lemon

Juice the above ingredients in a masticating juicer such as the Omega, and enjoy immediately to preserve freshness and reduce oxidation!