Packed with goodness and a BIG boost from the “superfood” Green Qi, this lime & coconut super smoothie not only tastes AMAAAZZING & so refreshing, but it also has a long list of benefits to your body:
Alkalising & Detoxifying,
Supports Gastrointestinal Health,
Big Injection of Antioxidants
Plus phytonutrients & other essential nutrients that stimulate your body’s healthy cell renewal, assists in maintaining a balanced diet by supplementing your fruit & vegetable intake.
What is even better is that it only takes a couple of minutes to prepare & can be enjoyed by the whole family. My 3 boys love the smoothie, we often have it as an after school snack – what a great way to up their veggie intake! It makes for a nutrient packed breakfast or mid morning snack.
Let’s talk about Coconut Oil and “Why You Need It Daily” but first let me explain this fat. Although classed as a saturated fat, coconut oil functions differently in your body to other saturated fats, which are know as long-chain fats. Over half of the fats in coconut oil are medium-chain fatty acids – MCFA (also known as MCT Medium chain Triglycerides) which provide a host of health benefits, including not being stored as fat and being available for energy use.
Coconut Oil Aids Weight Loss
It may not make sense to add fat to your diet to aid weight loss, based on the what we have been taught over the years BUT Coconut oil is a no-carb oil that helps burn fat, calories and decrease appetite. More and more information and studies are surfacing to support the claim that this magnificent oil can play a role in fat loss.
A study conducted on 40 women with abdominal obesity revealed positive effects related to coconut-oil supplementation. After 12 weeks, the women consuming coconut oil daily showed a reduction in waist circumference, as compared to the group who consumed soybean oil.
Dr. Bruce Fife says in his video:
Adding fat into your diet can be the key to your weight loss success. Low-fat dieting actually causes weight gain, and is one of the reasons for our current obesity epidemic. You can lose weight on these diets temporarily, but in the long run you end up gaining all your weight back, and then some.
…Fat also satisfies hunger so that you don’t feel like you are starving. You feel satisfied. In fact, with an adequate amount of fat, you don’t get hungry even when you cut down on total calorie intake. Your metabolism and energy levels remain elevated. You feel a lot better and get better results.”
MCT’s are antiviral and antibacterial, medical studies have discovered that Medium chain Fatty Acids found in coconut oil can kill bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites that are the cause of many illnesses.
These are just some illnesses MCFA’s combat:
Herpes
Hep C
HIV
Measles
Conjunctivitis
Toxic Shock Syndrome
Throat and Sinus infections
Giardia – parasite infection
Thrush
Jock itch
Gastric Ulcers… the list goes on!
Refer to to the book “Coconut Cures” by Dr Bruce Fife CN,ND if you want to learn more about this.
Coconut Oil Improves Energy and Endurance
The MCFA’s in Coconut oil are sent straight to your liver and converted into ketones that are very quickly released into your bloodstream to be used for energy, they produce a longer sustained energy and increases your metabolism. According to Dr Mercola “MCFA’s can even pass the blood-brain barrier to supply your brain directly with energy. This is one of the reasons coconut oil is thought to have positive effects on those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.”
Coconut Oil and Oral Health
You may have heard of oil pulling, this is an Ayurvedic practice, Ayurveda is one of the world’s oldest holistic health systems.
The practice of oil pulling requires you to swish to an oil such as coconut oil around the mouth for 20 minutes before spitting it out (not in the drain) the mouth is home to billions of bacteria, pulling acts as a detoxifier in the mouth.
When done daily the benefits include:
Brightening & whitening teeth
Healthier gums
Removal of mucus
Boosting the immune system
Preventing bad breath
Increasing energy
Having a clearer mind
Decreasing headaches
Clearing the sinuses
Alleviating allergies
Better sleep
More clearer skin
Decreasing inflammation
How to Oil Pull
I personally practice this ritual on a regular basis, if you want to try it here is how:
Drink a glass of water
A tablespoon of coconut oil in the mouth (does not need to be melted – the warmth of our mouth will melt it)
Swish it around for 20 minutes while you are doing something else like listening to a podcast, housework, writing affirmations etc
Spit the oil into the garden or rubbish but NOT down the drain, the last thing you want is to block the pipes.
Your done, just repeat it the next day.
Coconut Oil Prevents Heart Disease and High Blood Pressure
Heart disease, which includes heart attacks, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases, is the leading cause of death in Australia and affects more than 3.7 million Australians.
Although coconut oil is classed as a mostly saturated fat, it is not to blame for the spike in heart disease, on the contrary, coconut oil:
Increases your HDL cholesterol (thats the “good” one)
Lowers your risk of heart disease due to the increase in HDL
Helps convert your LDL cholesterol (the bad one) into good cholesterol – I personally experienced this through adding coconut oil to my diet daily, I drank a cup of of hot water with a tablespoon of coconut oil to start my day
Coconut oil health benefits are immense both internally and externally, the benefits detailed above just scratch the surface, if you want to learn more Dr Bruce Fife is an expert on all things coconut, check out his books or you tube videos. When purchasing coconut oil opt for the organic unrefined oil.
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DETOXING Your Body & 5 Foods That Naturally Assist
Detoxing your body rids it of toxins that are stored in the fat cells. It increases your metabolism, strengthens your body’s immune system function and fights off infection. In this article we share 5 foods that naturally assist in detoxing your body.
Toxins can affect our health in many ways potentially leading to a multitude of healthy functioning issues:
Some can kill the friendly bacteria in our gut
Block oxygen from binding to red blood cells
Block absorption of vitamins and minerals
Hindering the body’s natural ability to burn fat – leading to weight gain
How do these toxins enter our body?
Consumption – The foods and drinks we ingest. These days even some fresh foods can carry toxins in the form of pesticides, water & plastic water bottles.
Inhalation – The air we breath, air fresheners.
Absorption – Your skin is your largest organ and absorbs some of what it comes into contact with. Think of household cleaners and personal care products such as detergents, deodorant, toothpaste and body wash to name a few. Any product that you put on your body that contains harmful chemicals.
If you experience digestive issues, weakness, bloating, nausea, mood swings and skin issues, these are all signs that there are too many toxins in the body.
Detoxing at least once a year for a 2-4 week period would prove beneficial to any person’s health. I personally embark on a 28 day detox after Christmas and upon returning from any holiday.
Benefits of Detoxing your body are many:
Reduced inflammation
Healthy skin
Increased energy
Cleanse the liver
Sharp thinking
Boosted libido
Improved physical performance
Increased metabolism leading to weight loss
5 Foods That Help Your Body Naturally Detoxify
Asparagus
Asparagus are full of amino acids and minerals that protect your liver and cells against toxins. An additional benefit of this power vegetable is it is a natural diuretic. This is important to aide the body in liver drainage, an essential function to remove toxins from the body
Food Tip: Use it in frittata or omelette, grill or BBQ it to add to your meal.
Avocados
Packed with antioxidants and good fats, avocados can dilate blood vessels while blocking toxins that have been known to destroy arteries.
The nutrients in Avocados promote healthy circulation, they contain the powerful antioxidant known as “glutathione”. Glutathione helps the liver detoxify synthetic chemicals from the body. This in turn helps to cleanse your body off the unwanted toxins. And if that isn’t enough reason to add Avocado to your meals, it has been found to block 30 various carcinogens!
Food Tip: Add it to your smoothie – like this quick superfood smoothie recipe, or mash with lemon, salt and chilli and spread on your favourite meat, rice cake or sourdough.
Beetroot
Beetroot has the ability to cleanse and restore energy to the body, and naturally detox your blood and liver. Thanks to the many minerals they contain beetroot can provide you with an immune boost that assists to improve blood flow, protect the blood vessels from damage, and prevent you feeling fatigued.
Including beets in your diet will give you a boost of potassium, fibre, manganese, and folate. It’s detox power is in the compound “betalains” that help to remove heavy metals and neutralize toxins in the body.
Food Tip: Opt for fresh beetroot, grate into a salad, meet patties or simply have a beetroot juice pre workout.
Parsley
Parsley is a diuretic that assists the digestive tract and helps to control cholesterol. It is rich in minerals that help kidneys stay strong, remove toxins and fats. Parsley contains a powerful antioxidant that helps regenerate cells and facilitate the function of the kidney.
Food Tip: Add it to your juice for a boost, make pesto with parsley to dip veggie sticks into or boost salads and steam vegetables with fresh parsley.
Lemon
This refreshing citrus fruit has a compound in the peel that stimulates liver enzymes, making them water-soluble and easier to flush the toxins out of your system. An additional benefit is the antioxidants in lemons are great to alkalize your body and maintain a healthy PH level to maintain your best health.
Food Tip: Add to good quality oil with salt as a salad dressing, place slices in your water; cold for summer, warm water for winter.
Remember by detoxing annually for a period of 28 days you will improve your body’s immune system and promote optimal function. Keep this in mind after the Christmas blowout or the holiday indulgence.
Make sure you include these 5 Foods That Naturally Assist Detoxing in as many meals as possible. Set your health and fitness goals, consider starting the year with a detox. I will be enjoying this 28 day detoxafter the Christmas festivities and post holidays.
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