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gMarias - Thank you very much. I appreciate you taking the time to write that up for me. All your advice is took on board and I look forward to trying the smoothies for a second time!
No problem! 🙂
Just remember to try some berries - low sugar with a potent taste that overpowers most greens, especially spinach. (I use a frozen Berry Medley from Wal-mart. no sugar added)
Brissyguy,
Are you just doing fruit? Remember that when you blend you get four times the amount of nutrition because the cell walls are so thoroughly broken down. So, if you were putting 1 cup of spinach in your smoothies, you'll need to be adding 4 cups to your salads to reap the same benefits, hehe. 
Try to rotate your greens too!
Wow, it's only been three days since I started drinking green smoothies!
So far I'm feeling pretty good. My skin feels more taut and smooth, and my existing acne seems to be getting smaller/clearing. I admit, I've been cheating a little too. So I'm going to try going more towards the 90% healthy food range than what I'm at now (which is less).
I've also noticed more regular bowel movements, which was something of an issue with my celiac disease. I haven't had regular bowel movements since it surfaced and I started getting symptoms about 3 months ago.
I had some hyperkeratinization (lsign of Vitamin A deficiency) on my upper thighs and it's pretty much gone now.
The vertical ridges in my nails (sign of malnutrition) are smoothing out.
The only negative thing I've noticed is that I've been having headaches a lot. I've heard this is a sign of your body detoxifying. So I'm going to assume that they'll go away pretty soon. Anyone else experience this?
Oh-and many many thanks to ABGFairy for all that info you sent me! 
Question time...
We could run a little Cohort Study among ourselves here to help promote green blends (if you guys dont mind!)
1 - Who here is totally clear? Nb - if not totally clear then please reply also - very important!
1a - If you are clear then for how long?
2 - How long have you been taking a green smoothie *daily*?
3 - Any *special* ingredients in your smoothies? Outside of the usual you can buy in the supermarket.
4 - Are you taking, doing anything else for your acne? Eg BP, Antibiotics, Accutane, Colostrum, Other washes etc
Now obviously for anyone who knows their biostats, this is going to be biased, but its a start!
Thanks
John
My answers...
1 - Not clear, but improving daily. At this rate will be clear incl redness in 10 days
2 - 2 weeks
3 - My usual is broccoli, spinach, apple, orange, pear, some ginger
4 - Im also using a Sulfur soap bar 2x a day and BP nightly, and Colostrum 2x daily since Dec 13th. In 2 weeks(if totally clear) i plan to drop BP and rely on Sulfur soap and Greens only. I dont think its the Colostrum thats helping my acne, since it was breaking me out horribly until i started Greens + BP 2 weeks ago
Question time... 🙂We could run a little Cohort Study among ourselves here to help promote green blends (if you guys dont mind!)
1 - Who here is totally clear? Nb - if not totally clear then please reply also - very important!
1a - If you are clear then for how long?
2 - How long have you been taking a green smoothie *daily*?
3 - Any *special* ingredients in your smoothies? Outside of the usual you can buy in the supermarket.
4 - Are you taking, doing anything else for your acne? Eg BP, Antibiotics, Accutane, Colostrum, Other washes etc
Now obviously for anyone who knows their biostats, this is going to be biased, but its a start!
Thanks
John
Hi there!
1) I'm only on day four, so I'm recovering from my detox (initial breakout, headaches, fatigue), but I am noticing a lot of improvement in my skin, and my allover health.
2) Four days. I also upped my veggie intake in general, reduced meat, and reduced grains even more (I already eat gluten free though, because I have Celiac Disease).
3) *Special* ingredients? :shifty2: Haha ^_^ Mine are pretty basic. I alternate my greens between kale and spinach. I use a largish handful of greens, a carrot, about 1/4 c of water, and a few slices of frozen peach, a few frozen strawberries, and a piece or two of frozen pineapple. Kale will never be delicious in smoothies, but this combo with spinach is delightful! It's not very sweet at all, but it has a nice light flavor. Spinach and strawberries are soulmates.
4) [see signature]
:boogie:
CelloIsLove,
You are very welcome for the information!! I'm thrilled you're getting such great results with the smoothies!! Yay!! The headaches could definitely be a sign of detox, so I would say to hang in there for sure!
joconnor,
Great idea!
I'd say 98% of the time, my skin is blemish free.
Exactly 4 years now! I started doing green smoothies in January of '06! Time flies! I remember drinking my smoothies during the last Winter Olympics!! haha It took about 4-6 weeks to see results. I was doing the smoothies for health reasons. The side-benefit of clear skin was so delightful!!!! I had been trying for quite some time to clear up my skin. I also started using Paula Begoun's products at the same time, but many times, I tested the smoothies by going a few days without them, and each time, I would start to break out again within a week or so, so I knew the smoothies were essential for keeping my skin clear. These days, I eat so many veggies, that if I go a few days without the smoothies, I'm usually okay.
4 years
I mostly use spinach, collards, bananas and apples - they are my basics. Kale, pears, frozen fruits and berries and random veggies/greens often find their way in as well. I always get some cruciferous greens in every week - very important I think!!
I use Paula Begoun's skin care line for combination skin and love it. I also take fish oil, vitamin D, a multi, and probiotics, which are all supplements that help your skin and overall health.
I hate running out of supplies though. My fridge is fully packed and my freezer is the same too. I literally bought a kilo or two of frozen berries not too long ago (they were on sale so it worked out to be like $20something) and I'm up to my last packet! I ran out of spinach a while ago and I haven't seen a banana or green apple for what seems to me ages.
I used to juice (apples, carrots, celery, oranges) fruits last year. I bought a machine and did it for a whole two weeks before I got tired of cleaning the machine and buying so many fruits and them doing stale.
Persistence I guess.
I got my hair cut yesterday, and the hairdresser complimented my hair... A lot.
Its growing far quicker than before.
My skin is healing more quickly too.
An old sports scar on the bridge of my nose is noticeably reduced. On my nose itself, the pores are much smaller and smoother. I havent shaved in a few days,usually that was a big cause of breakouts... Nothing so far. I havent had a new spot in ages...
I love this new diet!
Thanks ABG...
This is the sort of health care that people should be getting. Not bags of expensive pills, that no-one really knows what they do.
Medicine can be so distorted. In our Med school, we do the stomach for 1 week. Thats it. 1 week in 4 years. Nothing, zilch on diet. I could be a qualified GP without knowing a single thing about the benefits of diet
Why? Lots of reasons...
Its a shocking situation
The rotations here are 12 weeks for each. I think GP's here only spend 12weeks on diet then which isn't alot if you think about it. Shame. I had a spinach smoothie yesterday with berries, some green apple and a small banana. Mhm mhm! Threw in some coconut milk and shredded coconut.
joconnor,
It's my pleasure to share this information, so you are very welcome!! I'm glad you are seeing such great benefits!! And wow, you are going to be a great doctor seeing as though you already realize the benefits of nutrition!! We desperately need more doctors like you, and you will make the world a better place for sure.
Brissyguy,
I've never tried that combo, and it sounds really good!! Weren't you doing yogurt for a while too? I sometimes sneak that in mine, even though I'm not one to eat yogurt (and I don't recommend it for those prone to acne), and it's sooo good when I do. haha 
I've been cabbaging it up a lot recently...
Taste isnt great, but its very easy to drink something when you 'know' its going to do so many good things for you...
Dark Green Cabbage
Broccoli
Hazelnuts
Apple
Pear
Ginger
Strawberries
Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
Plus a head of cabbage costs 40cent in Aldi. Spinach costs 2.50euro for a 200gm bag in Superquinn. No contest really!
Im sure cabbage is up there with Spinach in terms of goodness...
Question
How much does boiling vegetable degrade their vitamin and enzyme content? Any studies?
Tremendously it seems...
I don't know for sure about boiling, but it's definitely better to use low-medium heat rather than boiling temperatures. Your smoothie sounds very healthy!!! Cabbage is a cruciferous veggie, which is what you want, and you can see its nutrient rating here: http://www.drfuhrman.com/library/article17.aspx . I'm guessing that maybe you're using bok choy?
Alright cool I am gonna try this. I tried them before for about 3-4 days but it was with a dairy experiment (yogurt) which did not end up well because of the dairy. I am using a magic bullet which seems to work fine for now.
Just bought a whole bunch of organic veggies and 5 lbs of organic carrot. Is it ok if I blend the carrot instead of juicing it? I don't have a juicer! I bought some fruits as well, mostly berries. Do you have a list of good vegetables to try blending?
To give a brief history, I have been doing paleo for about 7 months with good success (until I tried the dairy experiment). Used to get 20+cysts at a time through out my face, neck, and shoulders. Now I get less than 5, and my shoulders have been clear for months. Over a month ago I switched to an anti-candida diet which helped even more but really sucks for sports, so I am bringing fruits back (with the smoothies!).
Obviously I don't follow the other diet advices as I am paleo, except for the low GL one. I am not changing this any time soon (ever?) because it has helped in so many ways and is really enjoyable. I also follow a warrior-diet-like eating schedule, I only eat 1-2 big meals between the hours of 5pm and 10 pm. The book recommends smoothies through the day for daily detox. Here was my smoothie today:
2 whole carrots, 2 handfuls of baby spinach, 2-3 cups of berries. Pretty good actually. I had some left over and I made a small experiment, added a teaspoon (to the left-over) of 100% cacao powder. It was not bitter as pure cacao is because of the berries, it had an interesting taste. The best way I can describe it is really dark chocolate infused with berries. I will probably play with this if I get bored one day.
Just my 2 cents - green smoothies have been VERY good to my skin. But at the same time I started them (about 1 month ago) I also cut gluten out of my diet.
When I cheat and have some gluten, I break out. But also when I get lazy and don't make a smoothie, I break out. So I believe it is BOTH dietary changes that are clearing me up.
Other points that have been made that I agree with:
1. Definitely go for the spinach/spring mix/romaine. NO Kale.
2. Dairy and PB break me out so I avoid those. I also void artificial sweeteners.
Lastly, I highly recommend keeping the rest of your diet low GI.
venam,
I think the smoothies are a great way to add fruits back to your diet! Any veggie is fine for blending so long as you like it! I mostly make fruit based smoothies (with greens of course), but for veggie smoothies, I think the key is to always have at least half an apple or pear, and a little lemon juice. They are just a matter of experimenting with to see what you like. There are some ideas given under recipes in the first post. Cruciferous veggies will be your best bet. Hope it goes well!!
lara6,
Sounds like you might definitely have an allergy to gluten! How awesome that you got that figured out. I'm really glad the combo of the two is helping you so much!
Kale and collards are both highly nutritious, cruciferous greens. Here is a list of nutrient density for different plant foods, and kale is at the top: http://www.drfuhrman.com/library/article17.aspx . If you tried and don't like kale, it may be because you left the stems, which are very tough. I always de-stem kale.
Hello! it's been 4 days drinking green smoothie. Yes, I am back to it
Finally I made it taste good... I found the right recipe for me.
1 banana
Mixed berries
a little bit of water
and 3 handfuls of spinach
I usually take it to work and drink half of it each break.
I decided to buy organic kale.. I am going to mix it with spinach.
Does it taste bad with -
1 banana
Mixed berries
water
and 2 handful of kales?
Or is it OK to mix kale and spinach?
Anyways, I am impressed with the results. When I touch my skin, it feels soft... It is no longer oily. I am still using proactiv. 
I really want to go with paula product, but I am scare to do this.
I added pasta and sauce into my diet. 
I am adding a few things gradually.
This time, I won't stop drinking green smoothies. I hate this occasional break-out on a particular area ( chin and forehead )
Glad you're back on the smoothies Eddie!! Kale should be just fine in that recipe - just consider de-stemming it, as it has really tough stems!! I think Paula has some samples you can try before buying. Proactive isn't formulated all that great actually. You can read Paula's review here: http://www.cosmeticscop.com/free_brand_rev...Activ+Solution+ . I would definitely try Paula's stuff!
Hi, I usually just read these threads but since I have a question I figured I'd make an account.
It'd been 4 days since I've started drinking green smoothies and I really enjoy them, but there is one problem. A short while after I begin drinking them I tend to get a little light headed and I'm not sure why exactly. I figure it's from the vegetables? I never really ate vegetables often (I know, bad bad bad) so maybe it's just because my body isn't used to this intake. Usually I just put some mixed berries (blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, strawberry) and a bit of banana with a handful of baby spinach and a dash of cinnamon in my smoothies. Sometimes some mango and/or pineapple. I used to drink fruit smoothies nearly every day a few months ago and never got any headaches or anything similar to this. Do you think it will go away if I continue drinking these, add only half a handful and gradually work my way up, or should I stop? I really think that the greens would help me, especially since I rarely ate them and I've finally realized I actually like vegetables, but if I'm going to feel dizzy or nauseous whenever I drink them then I don't know if I want to continue, maybe I'll just eat them. I'm at a loss :\
Hey there pun intended, I wish I knew what to tell you! Rest assured though that you are not the only person who has experienced light-headedness after a green smoothie. My siblings and I all have felt these effects after a smoothie. I do think I felt them more often in the beginning, and more pronounced, than I do now. I don't know if it's partially due to detox or just the fruit sugars. You might try a little less fruit, or lower sugar fruits, like green apples and pears. Bananas, mangoes and pineapples are all high sugar fruits. Also, more greens will help off set the fruit sugar. You might also avoid doing the smoothies on an empty stomach. You can also try adding some fats to your smoothie by throwing in some nuts/seeds. If you're taking a fish oil (DHA) supplement, which everyone needs, you can take this at the same time as well (but not "in" the smoothie!! haha).
Glad you're back on the smoothies Eddie!! 🙂 Kale should be just fine in that recipe - just consider de-stemming it, as it has really tough stems!! I think Paula has some samples you can try before buying. Proactive isn't formulated all that great actually. You can read Paula's review here: http://www.cosmeticscop.com/free_brand_rev...Activ+Solution+ . I would definitely try Paula's stuff!
OK. I will try the samples thing :). Thanks
Is it this one ? http://www.paulaschoice.com/product/Skin-B...alancing-system
My skin looks much better due to green smoothie. And I feel much better. 🙂
Thanks for the suggestions, I really appreciate it! I realized I'd drink the smoothies some time after I'd eat a light breakfast and it doesn't take long for me to get hungry again, so that could be the problem. And I'm glad to hear that I'm alone on feeling lightheaded, now I don't feel like a total freak haha. I'm definitely going to chill out on all the fruits with high sugar.