There’s little that tastes better than a fresh fruit smoothie in the morning. They do wonders for the immune system and if you pack them with the right ingredients, they can supercharge your ability to not only prevent colds and flu, but shorten their duration when you’re symptomatic. Here is an incredible smoothie recipe that is as delicious as it is nutritious.
There are so many natural cold and flu remedies that it’s shocking how many people still turn to vaccines which are barely effective for any virus, let alone the flu virus.
A cold or flu can allow your body to purge itself of old and damaged cells that, in the absence of a viral infection, would normally take much longer to identify, destroy, and eliminate. So it’s actually a good thing.
The Importance of Vitamin C In Any Smoothie.
Vitamin C (ascorbate or ascorbic acid) is the subject of a massive amount of experimental and clinical research. In a 1984 review article, long time Vitamin C researcher R. Anderson labeled Vitamin C an immunostimulatory, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic vitamin. Anderson stated that Vitamin C is essential to promote optimal migration of neutrophils and macrophages to infection sites. He notes that high serum levels of Vitamin C increase neutrophil mobility and lymphocyte transformation.
Neutrophils and macrophages secrete toxic oxidants – superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, hypochlorite and hydroxyl radicals – to kill germs. Unfortunately, these oxidants leak out of the neutrophils/macrophages, damaging them and surrounding tissue, promoting excessive inflammation, unless neutralized by adequate antioxidants such as Vitamin C. Anderson also reports that Vitamin C enhances neutrophil microbial killing action by multiple chemical pathways. Anderson also notes that many experiments show Vitamin C to enhance T lymphocyte reactivity to mitogens in humans and animals. Vitamin C also lessens allergic reactions at high doses through inactivating histamine.
Kiwi Orange Coconut Flu Busting Smoothie
This smoothie contains the following ingredients, some of which may not appear to fit well with the others in terms of taste, but believe me they do.
- Kiwi: Kiwi fruits are a powerhouse of vitamin C. They have 4-12 times more vitamin C than an orange, 3 times more than an apple and 60 times more than grapes. New Zealand researchers have shown that a sore throat were cut from 5.4 to 2 days as a result of eating kiwifruit.
- Oranges: Citrus fruits like oranges protect the body through their antioxidant properties and by strengthening the immune system and can even inhibit tumor growth and normalize tumor cells. That the power of an orange. Their zest (the shavings of their peel) are all high in vitamin C. They provide 98mg of vitamin C per cup.
- Coconut: Bruce Fife recommends coconut oil for reducing the length of a cold or flu and he has substantial results. He recommends that you take 4 tablespoons of coconut oil a day while you’ve got a cold. Coconut oil is one of the few foods that is anti-everything (i.e. bacterial, carcinogenic, fungal, parasitic, viral, etc). It even combats tooth decay.
- Ginger: Especially when combined, ginger and honey, are a well known and age-old herbal remedy for cold and flu symptoms
- Lemons: Lemons can be used as natural insecticide and household cleaners. They also clean YOU. They can reduce the severity of your cold and flu symptoms as well as being great for treating congestion and sore throats.
- Cayenne Pepper: Cayenne pepper turns DOWN the heat on inflammation due to its powerful anti-inflammatory compound capsaicin. The one little nutrient prevents the number one cause of death as well.
- Honey: The anti-bacterial properties of honey have been revered and so it is little wonder that it has been used for medicinal purposes all over the world. Daily consumption of honey is said to strengthen your immune system.
- Flax Oil: Flax seeds are high in natural oils that convert into hormone-like substances in the body to reduce inflammatory substances.
Recipe (makes 3 large servings):
- 1 Cup Orange Juice
- 1 and a half Cups Coconut Milk
- 3 Kiwis
- 4 Oranges
- 2 teaspoons of Ginger (raw root ginger)
- 1/4 (or 1/2 depending on tolerance) teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Juice of 2 Lemons
- 4 Tablespoons of liquid Coconut Oil (not hardened)
- 1 Tablespoon of Flax oil
- 4 Tablespoons of Honey (preferably Raw Manuka)
TO MAKE INTO A GREEN SMOOTHIE Add:
- 1 Cup Spinach, tightly packed or 2 cups loosely packed and teaspoon of spirulina.
John Summerly is nutritionist, herbologist, and homeopathic practitioner. He is a leader in the natural health community and consults athletes, executives and most of all parents of children on the benefits of complementary therapies for health and prevention.
Source: True Activist
