Intense food cravings that are very hard to ignore are a problem for many people. Modern day diets now include many processed and prepackaged food-like substances that supply little to zero nutrition our bodies cry out for.

Our bodies require a certain amount of nutrients to thrive. Drinking or eating something that is packed with an abundance of vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, phytochemicals and chlorophyll helps to fill this need and satisfy our cravings as we go throughout our day.

When you get some healthy greens into your system you will notice cravings for junk type foods lessen and cravings for more healthy nutrient dense foods like vegetables increasing.

Looking and feeling our

best really is as simple as eating better…not about eating less.

We need to reduce or eliminate altogether the known culprits in our foods that have been linked to skyrocketing levels of degenerative disease and weight gain.

We are beginning to have a better understanding of how adding something as simple as a few more raw uncooked foods while eating less processed ‘empty’ foods is a great way to take better care of our healthy.

Raw Foods and Green Smoothies

But getting raw foods into our diets can sometimes be a bit tricky…at least until “green smoothies” became so popular.

Making and serving delicious green smoothies is an easy way to get these raw foods into our bodies and those of our family. When we fill up on nutrient rich smoothies, it leaves less room for processed refined “non-nutrient” foods, sweets and other over-indulgences.

Eating clean and eliminating the junk from your diet helps you to feel lighter and more energized. It helps re-build healthy digestion energy production, metabolism and weight management.

By eating raw foods, we inject health-promoting vitamins, enzymes, fiber, healthy ‘carbs’ and fats, anti-oxidants and Phytonutrients which are compounds and chemicals that help plants defend against environmental challenges such as damage from pests, or ultraviolet light and appear to provide humans with the same type of protection as well.

Studies show that you can reduce your cancer risk by as much as 40 percent by eating more raw vegetables, fruits, and other plant based foods like coconut, nuts and seeds. Cooking is not our friend…it dramatically reduces food’s phytochemical content and reduces or destroys the ability of antioxidants in food to do their job correctly.

This is where green smoothies shine. What better way to get these health promoting goodies into our bodies than to throw then into a blender and puree up a super delicious power drink?

They not only help prevent disease and weight gain, but provide super nutrition and increase our vitality and energy…the very things we need to live life the fullest.

Green smoothies are a combination of tender green leaves blended with fruit and water. Any greens and any fruit can be blended to your taste. Greens are extremely nutritious but are also hard to fit into most daily meals and diets.

Although you can use whatever you want be aware that cabbage or broccoli are too starchy and do not mix well with fruit. It’s best to look for any type of green leafy vegetable that is soft enough to wrap around your finger. Spinach for example is a great one to start with as it has a relatively mild flavor and blends easily with other ingredients.

Keep in mind as that not all green smoothies turn out green. What you include in the way of ingredients will determine the color and it may not always be the most pleasing color to your eyes but the hidden nutrients are there.

Here’s a getting started recipe. Use whatever veggies and fruit is in season in your areas for maximum freshness and change it around depending on what is available.

Start simple by adding just a few greens to your traditional fruit smoothies until you get used to the idea.

• 2 handfuls of spinach
• Few sprigs of parsley
• 1 banana
• ½ cup blueberries
• 1 cup water

Place all ingredients into a high speed blender with water and blend to desired consistency and smoothness. (Can be kept 2-3 days in fridge but best consumed fresh).

Your body is an amazing machine; if you give it the right fuel it knows how to heal itself. Many people have cured themselves of all sorts of health problems by incorporating green smoothies into their diets.

“If you’re overweight or obese, you’ve probably heard that the path to better health starts with losing weight. What you may not have heard though, is that if you want to lose weight and keep it off, you’ve got to start by being healthier.”

Let me help shorten the learning curve and provide you with the tools you need in my…
“Rebound Free Weight Loss” program. There’s no time like now to empower yourself. You can do this…you just need the right help.

For more tools and resources from Carolyn Hansen to assist you in attaining your health and fitness goals and achieving the success you desire in life, please visit:

Carolyn Hansen Fitness