Research on green smoothies: do you get sick less?
In my research I report on in detail, in The Green Smoothies Diet, I asked 175 regular green smoothie drinkers what health benefits they achieved. Because to participate, you had to be in the habit for only 30 days or less, I had one issue I wanted to explore that I wasn’t able to.
So I have a question for you now. This isn’t particularly scientific, but I would like to know from those of you who have gone through a winter with your green smoothie habit:
Aside from any initial “cleansing reaction” (diarrhea, headaches, etc. are experienced by 18.5% in my study, for up to 2 weeks after beginning a very healthy new habit) . . .
Did you notice getting sick less after beginning to drink green smoothies regularly?
I would like to hear about your experience here, if you’ve been down the path for a while. That is one of the greatest benefits for me and my family: before massively increasing our greens consumption, we used to get sick, and now we don’t.
Please tell us your experience.
Posted in: Green Smoothies
Be careful how you make your green smoothie. I was drinking a blender full every day last year. And yes!…I Was feeling a LOT better, until…I had to go home from work early on several occasions, before I realized just what was making me So sick. I was using fruit juice (albeit ‘all natural’) as the base to my green smoothies, along with adding plenty of frozen fruit. Then, I would just add ‘everything but the kitchen sink’, as far as veggie ingredients goes. I think it was a pretty darn healthy green smoothie, except for all that fruit juice. My blood sugar was all over the map. So, I’m a little gun shy to try again. But I really want to. And Yes!…I felt Tons better when I was driniking my greens and all those veggies (–all except fo the blood sugar issue). Plus, my skin was looking so much clearer and brighter. Anyone have a good-tasting, no-fruit, green smoothie?
I have been making green smoothies for several years now. Actual green vegetables juiced in my smoothies and in that time I have never been sick. In fact I do not remember the last time I have been sick and that includes sitting next to a woman on a four hour flight who coughed and sniffled the whole flight. I thought that I must at least get that one from her and waited for four days. It never hit me. I can only think that it is from the green vegetables every day that I make in my smoothie.
In the two and a half years I’ve been raw and drinking green smoothies, the only illness I’ve had is a cold that came right after I ate some cooked rice one year in. I quit eating cooked food for good after that. I haven’t taken so much as an aspirin (no tylenol or any of that other junk, either) for over that 2 and a half years. I’m 54, if that has any bearing on any of this…
Bill
Green smoothies are a great way to get the nutrients we need to prevent illness, but raw broccoli, cabbage, mustard greens, cress, cauliflower, kale, and other raw vegetables contain goitrogens that block iodine utilization and work to lower thyroid hormone production. I’d be interested to hear what others are doing to make sure they are getting enough iodine to keep their thyroid in good shape.
I can say a resounding YES! My daughter and her 3 children (2 years, 3 years and 5 years) came to live with us right about the time I started drinking green smoothies – about a year and a half ago. They were sick constantly last winter with colds, flu, ear infections etc… My husband caught everything they had but I didn’t get sick at all. I haven’t been sick since I started which is not normal for me because I would catch everything that came along before smoothies. I have convinced my husband to drink them with me and the two and three year old grandkids love my smoothies, they hear me making them and come running with cups in hand! Looking forward to a healthier winter this year!!!
Last winter I was drinking green smoothies every day. I never got sick the entire winter, not even a cold. My kids all brought home various sicknesses from school but I never caught anything. Sometimes I would feel like I was coming down with something but it would never take hold. In addition to a good diet I also exercise a lot which I think helps.
I get sick less and I recently had a headcold and really didn’t feel very bad at all compared to before green smoothies.
I am 62, the oldest of my other five siblings. We range from 62 to 45. I have always considered food as fuel..either high-octane jet-fuel or diesel sludge depending whether you get it green and fresh or go to McDonald’s (ick). Green smoothies are nothing new to me and my husband.
We are active, very healthy, rarely sick, no major or even minor problems. All my five siblings are on some kind of drug except me. One of them around mid-fifties just told me has prostate cancer. NOW he’s calling me for advice. (sigh) I told him this: Number One: Get off cow’s milk in any form. Number Two: Go for those greens. Number Three: Read two books. The Ph Miracle and the China Study. They back it all up with indisputable hard science.
Yes, GreenSmoothieGirl is right on!
Crystal, consider the idea that you may not be getting “sick”. It could be that it’s you body’s way of dispelling the toxins. Continue on your green smoothie journey with additional volume and see how that works for ya.
been on green smoothie for one month and a half lost 12 pounds eating nothing but raw vegetable and fruits have not learn how to prepare raw but I am taking classes. I have been feeling a little tired, mabe I am not getting enough something. I am on pure herbs to help heal myself from allergies and highblood pressure. I do like doing green smoothies a lot I am a greensmoothie girl forever. I do have grandchildren around me everyday no one has gotten sick as of yet. I will address H1N1 after I have been on the green smoothie for a while.
I have a story for you! My husband was diagnosed a few years ago with cirrhosis of the liver. This was suspected from a blood test…he had a CT scan and was sent to a liver specialist, so believe me it’s well documented. This made no sense to us (or the docs) as we do not drink, and he had not ONE risk factor for it. The prognosis was rather grim, and I set out to figure out how to deal with it naturally. In my research I discovered a link to gluten and liver disease. We went on a grain free diet and massive veggie smoothies. The odd things I will stick in my VitaMix (it’s like a blender on crack, none better!) are legendary. Note to self- green beans and eggplant are NOT tasty in a veggie smoothie, haha!
Anyway, at the next checkup some months later….after a disastrous biopsy put him in agony and I said NO MORE! his liver enzymes were totally normal! No evidence of liver disease, cholesterol had dropped 50 points (still eating animal proteins) and he had lost 85 pounds, me 60.
The doctors could not believe it and refused to attribute it to diet. But we know and we never get sick anymore! We have deviated pretty bad this past year and gained some back and are all achy again so we are back on track….don’t ask me why we humans will SEE the evidence that something works and let our stupid taste buds seduce us down the wrong road again…..it’s so not worth it!
oh and p.s. to Jan McCune- I never put fruit in my smoothies, once in a while I add some frozen organic blueberries (fruit shoots up your insulin levels too much if you are trying to lose weight) but just to make it easier I use a base of store bought organic carrot juice I get at Costco so it’s affordable. I put a couple cups in there and throw any and all fresh veggies I have in the Vitamix….often organic spinach, red or yellow bell peppers, broccoli, celery, raw nuts, whole flax sometimes (the vitamix pulverizes them) anything we are in the mood for. You find what tastes best to you….mine aren’t for the faint of heart,lol! But using the carrot juice instead of fruit makes it sweet and easy and with half the carbs…….sometimes I add coconut oil and some more ice and wham! Glass of life 🙂
Hi, My name is Maria and I have been an avid whole foods eater for 20 years. In the last few years I have been eating a lot of raw, green and sprouted foods. I drink a green smoothie daily with very little fruit, maybe a 1/4 – 1/2 cup of berries, lots of greens and some other things. Last spring, my family got the swine flu. My husband and one son missed a week of work/school. I nursed my family for two weeks straight. Thankfully they all have fairly strong immune systems, so nobody ended up at the doctor!! Boy, were they sick though. Bad cough, high fever, not able to move for a couple of days. The cough was awful.
Anyway, out of a family of six, 5 got the swine flu. I did fight it off for four days meaning I felt a scratchy throat and I was tired, but I was never sick. My body fought hard!!
I was in a bad emotional state at that time. Thankfully, I am not there now, but I know if it happened now, I wouldn’t even know my body was fighting. I know my immunity was lowered from my stress level at that point, but I did not get it!! I do eat mostly raw, lots of greens and cultured foods. So, I know it all helps!!!
Jan McCune,
I’d recommend a liver cleanse for your problems.
http://www.herbdoc.com
I have an 8 year old, 6 year old and 3 year old. I haven’t been to the pediatrician since my oldest was 18 mos. old. We still eat a little meat, but we also eat lots of fruits and vegetables. We have been drinking carrot juice and drinking green smoothies for a long time. My kids beg for both. My kids rarely get sick and if they do I treat them at home and it only last a couple of days. My kids have never taken any prescription or over the counter drugs. That is almost unheard of. Every child I know of has been on some kind of medication. I know that eating as much raw food as possible helps you have better health. Just more people would realize that so they wouldn’t have to suffer so much.