Your Guide to a Healthier Lifestyle with Smoothies

Get ready to embark on a transformative health journey as we uncover how one of my patients overcame severe illnesses through a simple yet powerful dietary change - incorporating smoothies! This episode will equip you with a treasure trove of knowledge about the power of nutrient-packed smoothies and how they can help replenish vitamin deficiencies, a common cause of several health problems.  During this episode, we cover how you can start creating your own smoothies that can be tailored for your specific health needs.

I'm offering my recommendations for choosing the perfect smoothie-making equipment for your kitchen. Whether it's a blender or a juicer, we've got you covered with pros and cons of each and how to make an informed choice based on your needs.  We'll also discuss what you'll need to make more than one smoothie at a time.
 Worried about food allergies or sensitivities? We've got tips on how to read protein powder labels too. And for all you busy bees, learn why planning and prepping smoothies in advance is a game-changer.   So join us, and let's make smoothies a regular part of your lifestyle, helping you stay healthy, energetic, and feel your best. As a bonus, I've got a freebie of 111 Smoothie Recipes waiting for you to kick-start your smoothie routine. Let's blend in some health

Get your free copy of 111 Smoothie Recipes

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Transcript

Charlyce: 0:54

Welcome back to the Art of Healing Podcast. This is Charlize, and thank you for joining me for today's episode. I was inspired by one of my patients who recently had a very nice health revolution. She has been through a multitude of severe illnesses and we discussed one thing that might be worth doing. It did take a few steps, but she was able to do it and over about an eight-week period we saw some improvement. So that step was adding smoothies to her nutritional routine. So in today's episode I want to talk about that. I want to talk about, if you don't already do smoothies, some of the benefits of doing them, how to get started, my tips and tricks, because I've been doing smoothies as part of my routine for the last several years and I have some tips to make it a little bit easier. So let's get into smoothies.

Charlyce: 2:01

So my patient had come to see me as a new patient to sort out several issues Before seeing me. She had a complicated medical history. She'd had coronary heart disease, so that's blockages in the arteries that supply the heart, which had led to a heart attack. She was still being treated for high blood pressure, she had a lifelong history of obesity, she was constantly trying to lose weight and, among other things, she'd also develop problems with her bladder, which led to her seeing a urologist where she was diagnosed as having bladder dysfunction. Because of that, she was started on a medication to prevent her bladder from causing painful spasms, which, unfortunately, she had a terrible reaction to as we were working through what she had been through. The medication reaction she had was moderate to severe, so she developed a severe rash all over her body in a form of a rash in which a large portion of the skin peels away from the hands and the feet. Now, by the time she and I met, most of this reaction had started to resolve. But she was concerned that a possible combination of this medication reaction, along with all of her other medical issues in her long list of medications, was leading to some of what she was noticing.

Charlyce: 3:38

So she had several abnormal findings on her nails. She had several types of ridges in her nails, her nails were not growing, they were very fragile and friable, and we also noticed that the cuticles of her nails weren't firmly attached. So as she and I talked, I told her that her nails were actually giving us a clue, and having a look at the nails was a good way to let us know which way to start. And her concern, as well as mine, was with this reaction that she saw the external findings for have changed her body internally because, on top of the nail findings and her skin wasn't recovering as very dry, it would crack easily, particularly on the hands and the feet was she having internal findings? During her exam I had a close look at her nails and it looked like there were a few different things going on. So definitely I could see that they were thin and they were fragile as they were cracking easily and her cuticles were damaged and not very well attached to the nail and then she was also developing some banding of her nails. So it's very open with their patient.

Charlyce: 5:04

I wondered about being depleted on nutrients and I will. It's probably a good topic to cover deeper just nail findings that can tell you about what's going on with your body. But with a combination of her nail findings, I suggested that we check to see if she was deficient in nutrients, to check if she's deficient on vitamins, to check if she was deficient on minerals and to go ahead and do a full assessment of her dietary habits. So she was very open to keeping track of her diet for about seven days. So the lab work we did did reveal that she was deficient on pretty much everything that we checked. She was low on vitamin C. She was low on all of her B vitamins. Selenium and zinc were low. We discovered that even copper was low. So she was deficient on just about everything. We checked In the lab work we were able to check her protein storage and that was low as well. So the conclusion that we came to together and as I'm discussing I do need to disclose that she had actually seen a couple of dermatologic specialists so, although the reaction had passed, there was just no obvious treatment from a medical standpoint. You know, it's nothing like a steroid would take care of it or a topical medication would take care of it. So all the due diligence of getting to the point that we were was already done.

Charlyce: 6:39

So I discussed with patient that it looked like she was deficient on everything. Then we reviewed her nutrition journal and how she did as far as her dietary intake. So we discovered that she did get some nutrients into her diet. She was consuming leafy greens once or twice a day. She was also consuming some fruits. We discovered that her protein intake was actually lower than what she had perceived and that there were some sodas that would get into her diet once or twice a day. But overall she and I discussed that likely the combination of not enough nutrient intake, which in part was in habit. But also she did admit that her appetite was just kind of poor. She just didn't have much of a desire for many foods and although she wanted to eat healthier, she often just didn't find many of those healthy foods just very appealing. She didn't find many foods very appealing, so sometimes just kind of a junkier food was there and available.

Charlyce: 7:57

So in working with my patient it seemed that the easiest solution would be to include smoothies. So let's talk about how including smoothies can help. If you are deficient on any nutrients or suspect that you are, including smoothies depending on what's going on, maybe once or twice a day can really boost your nutrient intake. So she and I decided that we would formally make smoothies her prescription. So first place to get started with smoothies or juicing is I do recommend doing them at home. I used to buy smoothies from various shops or different places. Now comparing those to what I make at home, the nutrient quality, the sugar quality, the fiber content is just far better at home. I can assure I can use the freshest ingredients. I can reduce or eliminate added sugars, which is my preference in my smoothies from here on out, but then you can also tailor those to your needs. You'll see, in the show notes I'm going to include a freebie which is 111 smoothie recipes. So if you click on that link you'll have access to the recipes, which just all kinds of grape that you can tailor to your needs. But being able to make them at home is better. You know over the years when I've tried to advise patients and understand we're busy or if it's not part of your schedule, but I just really have struggled with finding anyone that makes smoothies that don't get too much into more of like a milkshake, or the sugar content's high, the fiber content's low, the pure nutrient aspect of it is reduced, or maybe they're actually smoothies produced from highly processed foods At home.

Charlyce: 10:02

The equipment that you'll need I have been using a ninja bullet for the past four years or so, so that has suited my needs perfectly. The ninja bullet comes with different size. I forget what you call them, but you it's the cups you attach right to the bullet. So there's small sizes, there's medium sizes, a large size, and this can be used pretty much like a blender. So you can actually use it to make nut butters, you can use it to make almond milk. It's very versatile and so that's been my go to. But I know that some of my patients have had success with some of the blenders that are online or similar, like the Ninja Blender.

Charlyce: 10:48

So you'll want to shop around. You want to take Amazon reviews or ask friends and family, because to get started with making smoothies at home, the first thing you'll need is something to make it. There are juicers as well. I have leaned more towards the blender or the bullet, because then you can use it for multiple uses. However, if you feel very passionately, using a device that produces just juice, that presses the produce into juice, can be great. I just prefer to have a device that I could use for more than so.

Charlyce: 11:21

My ninja bullet I can use to make sauces, nut butters. I use it for multiple like a food processor. So get first place. Get started is to shop around and find the, the product that is going to suit your kitchen the best. Next is having a rough idea of what types of smoothies you're going to make. So from today's episode, as a hope you'll accept this. Thank you.

Charlyce: 11:55

For me, I'm going to be providing this ebook. It's got a hundred and eleven recipes for different smoothies, so that might get kind of overwhelming, but it's kind of fun because you'll have a lot to pick from. But what I do personally, what I recommend, is when you're doing your shopping and you're thinking, well, I'm going to do smoothies this week, think beyond one smoothie, so think multiple smoothies, and we'll talk about like some here in a little bit about how you know prepping them and making them ahead of time is the way to go. It's what I do. But you'll probably want to have some type of leafy greens.

Charlyce: 12:37

So not a bad idea to buy the leafy greens of your choice, if you can buy them, you know, as fresh and as unprocessed as possible. When I'm shopping I do try to get leafy greens that are in bundles, so you know they're already cut at the grocery store. But they're in bundles, so I try to do that. But if I'm kind of busy, and you know as a cheetor shall cut, I may buy some that are in a bag because they're already pre-washed. They're already beneath the times, cut up. You know, I do feel so much bad about that because as a conscious shopper you know, as we all try to be, I don't want to necessarily purchase anything that generates more waste. So you know it's nice if you can get the produce works, not packaged, but sometimes the bags of leafy greens does save time and sometimes is better quality.

Charlyce: 13:32

You may want to have some kind of fruit for the flavoring and as you're making your own smoothies, you'll quickly notice that the fruit will deliver the sort of sweetness that you might feel that you need and oftentimes will take away the need to add anything else. As far as sugars, and as you're shopping for your fruit as well, think about more than one smoothie, so you might be able to purchase enough produce to cover two or three smoothies. Or if you get a system going where you can make a week's worth and freeze the rest. You want to have some source of protein. So in the 111 smoothies recipe it does mention in there using protein powders, which are a great source. You'll have some awareness, if you can, about your food tolerances. So if you do shop for protein powders and you know that you have food and tolerances or allergies, I would definitely recommend you read the label.

Charlyce: 14:29

The protein powders can be made of whey, pea protein, nut proteins. Some are made of animal proteins. They may actually contain bovine collagen which is from cows. So if you purchase a protein powder, which is fine, just read the label very well. Protein powder can be more expensive, so that's why it's also good to make sure that protein powder fits your individual needs. A source of protein you can use is a high quality nut butter from organic nuts or just nuts themselves. If you purchase a high-grade smoothie maker or blender, a lot of times it can process those nuts down very well. So I personally like walnuts is my protein source in my smoothies. I like the taste of them. I like that they don't overwhelm the taste of anything else. But if you do use a protein powder just my advice for patients with our individual person we're discussing I advise you just read the label really well and make sure that protein's not from you know that you're vegan and this was a collagen protein source which is not vegan. That would come from cows. Many of the popular smoothie makers at home will come sort of self-contained where the device you make the smoothie in you can drink the smoothie out of.

Charlyce: 15:57

I would advise you to purchase a container that is able to keep your smoothie cold for a long period of time, such as a vacuum silk container or a high-grade shaker bottle. I've had the same one I've used for several years, and what this allows me to do is to save time by making my smoothies the night before. So when I'm working with my patients and we discuss using smoothies as their own individualized nutritional booster, I strongly advise them. If they think they'll be busy the next day, don't even try to make your smoothies, because, although this is a healthy thing to be doing, if you got a busy morning, you got to get yourself and family ready. If you got a commute, definitely make your smoothie the night before. So I blend up my smoothies is one of my evening routine and I store it in the refrigerator and then, depending on what I have going on, I'd even store one in the refrigerator and then put one in a container that I know will freeze and have it frozen, so then the next day I can enjoy my smoothie when time allows Maybe that's after I get to work or, you know, before I'm hitting out and I don't have to stop and make it that next day. In working with my patient. That was something she hadn't considered. It was just simply making it the night before. It saves you several minutes and you don't have to do all that cleanup. It's your grab-and-go drink, so you're like your own fast food producer, which is great.

Charlyce: 17:35

I did almost forget that with your smoothies, you'll want to have some kind of liquid content In the recipes that you'll get. It's going to give you the inspiration on the liquid content to use. But this is the awesome thing when you make your smoothies at home, you can tell her it to your needs, your needs. So I often use purified water is my liquid, because, for me, I often work on trying to stay more hydrated. I talk a lot during the day. I also live where it's hot, so having water is my liquid base. I can assure that I'm starting my day with a little bit more hydration than just drinking my water to start with.

Charlyce: 18:18

But if you know that you're protein deficient, then using a liquid base that is high in protein, depending on your needs. So maybe you can include dairy. You know, like if you're a pregnant woman, it might be good to have a really high quality source dairy. You can also use Greek yogurt. Actually, you can thin out to a liquid and it can also be a protein source too. In your smoothie, using brewed green tea that's been cooled off is a great booster because that gives you that energy. You know green tea has got that EGCG that we like because it helps our metabolism. It has that little touch of caffeine which also helps with our metabolism in our brain. So there you can also tailor specifically to your needs with the liquid. But if you're in a pinch you can always use if you have it available. Purified or filtered water makes a great liquid for your smoothies.

Charlyce: 19:23

And then, finally, with your smoothies you might want to add, like a bonus, some kind of bonus or some kind of kick. So you'll see that many of the recipes the bonus is sometimes cocoa or cocoa powder. Chocolate smoothies are my absolute favorite, for me one of my favorites because I can get that chocolate fix. You can mix that with other flavors. I will sometimes do a few cherries, like maybe two or three cherries, if I don't take very many cherries to give that flavor. That little bit of sweetness mixed with chocolate is great. You may find that using a sideberry puree is a good way to add that little bit of kick. But that's where you'll determine, and I know for me mine often ended up being sort of a flavor of the week, depending on what I've stocked my refrigerator with. But you start to play around with it and if the smoothies become something you do on a regular basis, you may keep your own sort of menu of things. So in the the book that you'll see that's available, download the 111 smoothies.

Charlyce: 20:31

You'll see a combination of various clean juices that you can try, some that are for morning boost, some that are for skin, some that are brain boosting, my personal favorite. You'll see a variety, so definitely play around with it. But as you purchase your ingredients, one way to just think about it is that's probably what's going to last you for the next week or so. So might be good to think about what's going on with your body. Do you think like for the next couple of weeks she'll be in a lot of meetings and having to do a lot of cognitive work, so maybe the brain booster juices would be better for you. Or if you maybe just come off a vacation and you've been, you know, eating and feel kind of heavy and heavy from travel, maybe some of the cleaning juices would be better for you. But think in terms of batches so that when you do go shop you can have what you need and hopefully it'll last you, you know, several days.

Charlyce: 21:34

Once you're all set up and you make one smoothie, if possible depending on the setup you've created you can make a second smoothie and freeze it. If you freeze it, then you want to make plans to thaw it. So it'll need to thaw out. Maybe, you know, it'll be room temperature and it's when you'll consume one afternoon, one day, or you'll have an refrigerator well overnight if you plan to drink it in the morning. So I usually recommend maybe one smoothie a day, but with my individual patient here we opted to do two a day of her choice.

Charlyce: 22:07

We just, you know, discuss with her specific deficiencies, which were the best, and she felt ready to do two because she was sick and tired of being sick and tired. She's very motivated. So for her purchasing the Ninja Bullet, getting her refrigerator and her pantry stocked, she felt that two a day would be best and for her, one of those ended up being basically a meal because, again, her appetite was poor, which we kind of know. If you're deficient on certain minerals, you don't have a great appetite.

Charlyce: 22:41

So my patient that undertook this step, which was to include two smoothies a day into her diet. She also worked on eliminating sodas because we agreed that the sodas were putting artificial stuff into her system and not very helpful. We agreed upon adding a probiotic because likely her digestive tract was very weak after that terrible reaction to the medication and from her previous health challenges. And she stuck to this for about eight weeks, 10 weeks, and the results were fantastic. So we got back together in eight weeks and already her nails were starting to improve and grow back normally. A few weeks after that she noticed that the itching and cracking in her skin was much better. Then, of course, the best thing is, after about three months we repeated her laboratory values and most of her nutritional deficiencies were much better. She was so deficient, so deficient and I know it was processing for her that she was deficient, although she was obese, but she was so deficient on her nutrients that even taking this more aggressive step, she still needed help. But we agreed upon her sticking to her smoothies, augmenting with her diet as much as she could and giving it more time. So after several more weeks and her sticking to her smoothies while still consuming solid meals and even snacks. She was able to lose about 15 pounds. Her skin resolved itself, her energy slowly got better and her nails did get better than the issues were beginning to resolve and they were growing back normally.

Charlyce: 24:30

So if you are not someone that normally makes smoothies on your own, but you're ready to get started making your own, in your show notes I will place a link where you can sign up to get a free copy of 111 smoothie recipes, juiceies and smoothies, so that will be in your show notes as well. As, if you desire, you have the ability to connect with me through my weekly newsletter, which I email out to all the folks. So we stay in touch and I deliver a copy of the podcast episode that you can download in case you missed it, so that will be in your show notes. If you are interested in knowing more, especially if you're wondering if you're deficient on certain nutrients or you're wanting to actually get down to the root cause and dig a little deeper yourself, it may be possible if you'd work with me. It is possible if you live in the United States. If you live in certain states and I will put that information as far as which states those are you can connect with me as a patient where we can discuss if you'd benefit from testing very specifically for nutrient deficiencies, if we need to test the health of your gut, if we want to do some more detailed testing and, in addition to the smoothies, if that's something you need to add, if they need to be tailored and if there's more that you need to be doing. So you can find out more about working with me at DrCharliescom. So check your show notes, both for the smoothie recipes and have fun shopping, as well as for how to connect with me if you're wanting to dig a little deeper.

Charlyce: 26:17

So, as always, thank you so much. I hope this episode was helpful. This is a topic that I took for granted just because I started doing smoothies probably about six or seven years ago and I thought the rest of the world had been doing them, but I've discovered, talking to my patients, that it doesn't actually seem like the easiest and it could seem daunting if it's not part of your lifestyle. But hopefully you'll leave this podcast with a plan, maybe a shopping list, sort of an easy habit and something that you can tailor specifically to your needs, what you need to feel your best. So, as always, thank you for joining me. I will see you next week for another new episode. Bye-bye.