Originally published July 18 2011
Clear acne with green smoothies
by Elizabeth Walling
(NaturalNews) While most acne solutions focus on surface treatments, truly clear skin comes from treating acne from the inside out. Like the rest of the body, the skin needs nourishment and nutrients in order to heal and cleanse itself. One of the most powerful foods for clearing acne is the green smoothie. This colorful concoction is the best way to combine important nutrients that will feed your skin and clear your acne.
Green Smoothie Nutrients for Your Skin
Green smoothies work because they concentrate vital nutrients in an easily digested form. If you`re someone who doesn`t enjoy eating raw leafy greens in traditional forms like salads, then green smoothies provide an easy way to add a few more servings of these healthy foods to your diet every day. When blended into a smoothie, the nutrients in greens are more highly bioavailable compared to what you can extract by chewing.
Here are some of the nutrients in green smoothies that can clear your acne:
Chlorophyll. This is a potent blood purifier that aids in the elimination of toxins. It is said to improve cell metabolism and speed healing.
Vitamin A. Vitamin A is a potent vitamin for rebuilding connective tissue. Getting vitamin A from food sources (like fresh spinach) is far more effective than risking toxicity with synthetic vitamin supplements.
Sulfur. It detoxifies, balances pH levels in the body, reduces inflammation and fights infection. Sulfur is abundant in leafy greens and is an important nutrient for fighting acne.
Vitamin K. This vitamin helps improve the skin tone and is very helpful for reducing the appearance of scars and red marks left behind by acne.
Trace minerals. Important for skin health, trace minerals are severely lacking in the modern diet. Greens contain these important nutrients and will aid in replenishing any deficiencies you may have.
How to Make a Green Smoothie
The best thing about green smoothies is how easy they are to make. Anyone with a decent blender and some fresh, raw greens is ready to enter the world of green smoothies. Green smoothies can be sweet, earthy or savory depending on what ingredients you choose. Beginners will probably want to experiment with sweet varieties because these are nearly fool-proof. Here are basic instructions for a green smoothie with fruit:
1. Place about 1 cup of fresh greens in your blender (beginners may want to start with half a cup, but you can use as much or as little as you like based on your preferences). Spinach, kale, swiss chard or any other leafy greens will do.
2. Add two cups of your favorite fresh or frozen fruit. Bananas, grapes and pineapples are especially good for sweetening. Berries can add beneficial phytonutrients and beautiful color to your smoothies. Combine different fruits to try new flavors and make it fun.
3. Add enough liquid to give your smoothie the texture you desire (some prefer a thick smoothie while others like one with a more liquid consistency). Pure water, fresh juice or coconut kefir are excellent choices for liquids.
4. Blend until very smooth. In traditional blenders, this may take between one and three minutes. More powerful blenders can get the job done in less than one minute.
5. Pour into glasses and enjoy the refreshing flavor of a green smoothie!
To treat acne, consistency is key: have a green smoothie every day! To speed healing and detoxification, you may want to increase consumption to two or three smoothies each day for a period of weeks.
For more information:
http://heavyonhealth.com/benefits-of-green-s...
http://www.foodforyourhealing.com/food-for-a...
http://www.drwheatgrass.com/_blog/Wheatgrass...
About the author
Elizabeth Walling is a freelance writer specializing in health and family nutrition. She is a strong believer in natural living as a way to improve health and prevent modern disease. She enjoys thinking outside of the box and challenging common myths about health and wellness. You can visit her blog to learn more:
www.livingthenourishedlife.com/2009/10/welco...
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