is it a dark colour??

Google image silverbeet. It's only $1-$2 for a HUGE bunch but the thing is they wilt down like spinach. Silverbeet actually tastes like spinach (I used it in stir fry, however spinach is more milder whilst silverbeet has a slight bitter tinge). I haven't used it in a smoothie yet, might tomorrow!

So yeah, it looks beautiful! Just pan fry it for ten seconds, it'll shrink and become soft. I still think there's nothing better than spinach in salads and smoothies.

pun intended,

Sounds like a good plan to just get one pizza! 🙂 I hear you about the staying up late - I'm a real night-owl. It's not easy for me to be on a "normal" schedule, haha. I've read over and over though that being asleep before 11pm is really important, as our bodies do more healing during the hours of 11pm-2am.

EddieE,

Acne-wise, it doesn't sound like rice will be a problem for you. Nutrition-wise, just be sure you're leaving enough room for fruits and veggies. 🙂

Mindwitch,

Hang in there - hopefully you will continue to improve. Eddie listed some good greens for you. However, to combat the problem you spoke of, I recommend adding in some more starches to your diet - either grains or starchy veggies like sweet potatoes. Be sure to eat some good fats too from sources such as nuts and seeds. Just be careful not to add too much of either, as both can contribute to acne. You might also try supplementing with acidophilus, which helps with digestion. Hope this helps! 🙂

Thanks. But I have decided to avoid pasta because I eat ezekiel cereals and bread, and I think that's enough 😛 Too much carbs is probably bad for me. 🙂 I've gained 6 lbs in 1 week and a half... not good. I think I might break out. but the green smoothie helps not to make them form.. 🙂 or it will be small. I see tiny bumps above my chin. Dang hormones 🙂 I am sure that leafy green will take care of it.

By the way, I received my Paul product . I chose " 5 steps to beautiful skin advanced skin balancing system to normal to Oily/Combination skin.

I am afraid to try it. 🙂 Perhaps I will wait till college is over.. 😛 Because I have 2 months summer vacation from college.

Ha ha, too much Emoticons. 🙂 :whistle: :rolleyes: :surprised: :confused:

eddie maybe you can cut down on the bread or cereal just to add in the pasta.

Btw as for the product, if it aint broke don't try and fix it.

If you are worried about oily skin drink rooibos tea actually everyone should drink it.

It is probably the most pwerful anti acne teas and a great way to clear acne.

pun intended,

Sounds like a good plan to just get one pizza! 🙂 I hear you about the staying up late - I'm a real night-owl. It's not easy for me to be on a "normal" schedule, haha. I've read over and over though that being asleep before 11pm is really important, as our bodies do more healing during the hours of 11pm-2am.

EddieE,

Acne-wise, it doesn't sound like rice will be a problem for you. Nutrition-wise, just be sure you're leaving enough room for fruits and veggies. 🙂

Mindwitch,

Hang in there - hopefully you will continue to improve. Eddie listed some good greens for you. However, to combat the problem you spoke of, I recommend adding in some more starches to your diet - either grains or starchy veggies like sweet potatoes. Be sure to eat some good fats too from sources such as nuts and seeds. Just be careful not to add too much of either, as both can contribute to acne. You might also try supplementing with acidophilus, which helps with digestion. Hope this helps! 🙂

thanks for the responses. i do add sweet potatoes to my diet. my acne has slightly improved but only thanks to me adding romaine lettuce to my meals and drinking more water. when i make my smoothes i usaully add about two appples a orange and fill the rest of the blender up with lots of spinach and water or occasionally with bak choy. when i initiallly started i recognize that i may have used a bit too much fruits but even when i've limited my fruits heavily i don't see much of a substantial improvement in regards to my skin. i do believe that this does work in regards to clearing up the skin but in my case it doesn't do that much. i've tried adding kale to my smoothie but it jus made my smoothie really....grosss and thick i almost choked on it.

Brissyguy,

Good to see you posting again! How did the silverbeet taste in your smoothie? I've never tried it - or seen it I don't think!

Swits,

Welcome aboard the green smoothie train! Glad you're seeing great results so soon - keep it up!!

pun intended,

Mixing the two greens together - or just alternating spinach/kale/greens like collards, spring mix lettuce, etc. would be a great idea. It'd definitely good to get a variety!

Eddie,

Waiting for summer isn't a bad idea just in case! Just don't forget! haha I definitely think it's worth trying in order to stop using ProActive!

Adam,

Thanks for sharing about rooibos tea! I had no idea!

Mindwitch,

Kale will definitely be gross if you don't de-stem it before adding it in - been there, done that! haha How long have you been doing green smoothies? Since you're seeing a slight improvement, I'm willing to be that the longer you do them, the more you'll improve. I sure hope so! Have you looked at the diet tips section on the first page?

Brissyguy,

Good to see you posting again! 🙂 How did the silverbeet taste in your smoothie? I've never tried it - or seen it I don't think!

Swits,

Welcome aboard the green smoothie train! 🙂 Glad you're seeing great results so soon - keep it up!! 🙂

pun intended,

Mixing the two greens together - or just alternating spinach/kale/greens like collards, spring mix lettuce, etc. would be a great idea. It'd definitely good to get a variety! 🙂

Eddie,

Waiting for summer isn't a bad idea just in case! Just don't forget! haha I definitely think it's worth trying in order to stop using ProActive!

Adam,

Thanks for sharing about rooibos tea! I had no idea! 🙂

Mindwitch,

Kale will definitely be gross if you don't de-stem it before adding it in - been there, done that! haha How long have you been doing green smoothies? Since you're seeing a slight improvement, I'm willing to be that the longer you do them, the more you'll improve. I sure hope so! 🙂 Have you looked at the diet tips section on the first page?

I got the samples. But I think I will just go ahead and order the real one.

Because I don't want to miss a day or two and then I will break-out for not using anything...

You think I will be fine if I switch to paula choices?

Like what's the percent of breaking out? 😛

Eddie,

I think the majority of people do great on her products, but there will always be the few who don't, so it's hard to say for sure. I would order the samples, and at least see if you like the way it cleanses. Sowet tried a samples of hers (...a cleanser, but he didn't say which one) and didn't like it (he said it didn't foam well). I use her skin balancing cleanser though and absolutely love it. It cleanses really well, turns into a nice lather when I apply it - even removes hard to remove make-up. I think the formulated really well - reminds me of a sample I got from a derm three years ago - some French brand, only Paula's is much less expensive! So, we're all different. It's up to do you what you decide, but I think there's a great chance that you'll really like it! I hope so!!!!

Eddie,

I think the majority of people do great on her products, but there will always be the few who don't, so it's hard to say for sure. I would order the samples, and at least see if you like the way it cleanses. Sowet tried a samples of hers (...a cleanser, but he didn't say which one) and didn't like it (he said it didn't foam well). I use her skin balancing cleanser though and absolutely love it. It cleanses really well, turns into a nice lather when I apply it - even removes hard to remove make-up. I think the formulated really well - reminds me of a sample I got from a derm three years ago - some French brand, only Paula's is much less expensive! So, we're all different. It's up to do you what you decide, but I think there's a great chance that you'll really like it! I hope so!!!! 🙂

I got the samples but I have no idea how to use them.

Could I apply this on a particular area to see if it works?

It was too good so I just stir fried the whole lot of silverbeet with some beef and wheat free natural soy sauce (Tamari). I also just discovered beans, great source of fibre and protein and they're so delicious especially in quick curries and salads. I just make a huge bunch and then it lasts me 2 days and I take it to uni.

I also bought stevia to sweeten stuff but I don't know if it's making a difference. I tried a little on my tongue and it's pretty ... weird tasting.

I thought I might make pudding instead of smoothies, and it really works. Mix some gelatin and pour it into your smoothie and set in the fridge for 30minutes!

Gelatin is made from animal bones and cartilage (most, for money saver matters, is made from pig fat) and it smells FOUL and it really didn't make my smoothies turn into 'jelly' so I grabbed some agar agar from the asian store and it's made from seaweed so it's vegetarian.

Agar agar has nothing in it so the WHO labels it as an 'unlimited' food supply (ie. no calories etc) however it does say it has 100grams of carbs per 100grams but then it also says that it has 100grams or fibre per 100grams so technically it has no carbs?

Anyway I did a quick google search to find it's a great fibre source and it has no sugar, carbs, fat etc.

Just thought I'd let you know (since I'm having so many revelations lately) that pouring some fruit into a bowl and adding some agar agar to make jelly would be a really nice idea.

EddieE,

I'm not sure what to tell you about the samples. I think trying a small area on your face first sounds like a good idea. That way if there's a reaction and you break out, it won't be all over. If you're concerned about an allergic reaction, such as a rash, try it somewhere inconspicuous. Good luck!

Brissyguy,

Wow! Very cool about the agar agar!! Sounds like fun to experiment with. Thank you for sharing that! And yes, you are right about beans!! They are also very, very high in antioxidants!! Good to eat everyday! I add them to salads, soups, or just eat them plain with a little avocado, some lemon juice and Mexican seasoning. They are great as a quick and easy snack that way and so filling as well.

ABG, thanks for the advice on the other thread (blending chicken).

I was wondering about something, perhaps you have done some research on that. Does the blended food even need HCL or can it go from the stomach straight to the small intestine where the nutrients absorb into the bloodstream.

I am wondering if anyone happens to know if a few months of these smoothies stop/lessen acne forever or does one need to keep these in the diet in order to prevent breakouts?

Since reading that these smoothies raise HCl production in the stomach and aid in protein digestion, I'm very interested in it

I am wondering if anyone happens to know if a few months of these smoothies stop/lessen acne forever or does one need to keep these in the diet in order to prevent breakouts?

Since reading that these smoothies raise HCl production in the stomach and aid in protein digestion, I'm very interested in it 🙂

You'll need to keep them in your diet, but trust me, once you see how they make you feel, you won't want to stop them! They taste great, make you feel/look awesome, and they're not that expensive (especially in comparison to other acne treatments.

hesitation,

You are welcome! I'm not sure about HCL, but I do know that foods are much easier to digest when blended. However, I would still think some HCL would be needed to digest the chicken in its entirety. Maybe Dotty has come across this and would have an answer for you.

Dotty,

For me, I have the keep the smoothies up, or my skin lets me know about it. I'll get a couple small blemishes here and there but nothing major - just enough to say, "Hey! Need more greens!!" I've been doing the smoothies for 4 years and have also incorporated a lot of veggies into my diet, so I can actually go longer without smoothies than in the past, and when I do break out from lack of greens, it's usually just really small blemishes that disappear in a couple days rather than a regular sized one that takes a week or two to fully disappear. Also, I eat a mostly vegan diet, so animal protein digestion isn't much an issue for me. Apparently, I just really need what the greens contain, but it makes sense, as greens are our most nutrient-rich foods, and they are our most powerful foods for combating acne. My posts give links, etc. explaining more. There's even a link to your DIM thread.

I believe they are super healthy and will probably start making them soon myself too. Although I love to chew my food and enjoy it rather than just gulp down smoothies. How big difference is there between eating the same greens in a salad and a smoothie (thoroughly chewed)?

Hesitation, it depends on how much HCl you need. For example, if you need 10 tablets of HCl, the smoothie might not be comparable to a bottle of HCl. But it is certainly worth a try. If you find HCl is helping you now, I would not stop taking it. But I would begin making green smoothies and then in 30 days see if you can lower or stop your dosage of HCl.

On the Wikipedia page about low HCl, it states that it is usually an underlying cause such as Celiac Disease or another food sensitivity or an overuse of NSAIDS (asprin/IBProfin).

--

Now I'm beginning to wonder if this smoothie is improving everyone's acne because it raises the HCl (stomach acid) levels in the stomach? On the green smoothie information page, they found that out of 27 participants, only 2 had normal HCl levels. After drinking green smoothies for a month, the HCl had greatly improved in 16 of the participants.

In the last 6 weeks, at least 10 people on this acne site have stated taking HCl really improved their acne. Perhaps we are beginning to find a common link?

hesitation,

You get four times the amount of nutrition from blended foods, so incorporating some blended greens everyday is a great idea. You can still have a salad in addition though, and chewing is important for keeping our jaws strong - we definitely don't want everything to be pureed.

Dotty,

That's a really smart observation, and you could be onto something there. I think it may just be a combination of things - the HCL levels being raised, plenty of beta-carotene that converts to the amount of vitamin A our bodies need, fiber to keep us regular, and a rainbow of nutrients and phytonutrients, many of which we may not even yet know about. Maybe greens are just "magic."

FINALLY got our Vitamix by UPS today, and made my first green smoothie.

Consisted of handful of spinach, handful of kale, handful of grapes, a banana, an orange, handful of strawberries, water and ice.

It was delicious. Couldn't taste the greens at all, and there was a great fruity taste about it. Headed to the Sunshine Market to get some good, fresh fruits so I can start this. Planning on doing a breakfast smoothie, before class two days a week and the rest post morning workout. Not only to help with acne, but I'm hoping for improved overall health as well. I'm sure these smoothies and all their nutrients can help out.

I've learned quite a bit from this thread, and I hope its just the beginning

FINALLY got our Vitamix by UPS today, and made my first green smoothie.

Consisted of handful of spinach, handful of kale, handful of grapes, a banana, an orange, handful of strawberries, water and ice.

It was delicious. Couldn't taste the greens at all, and there was a great fruity taste about it. Headed to the Sunshine Market to get some good, fresh fruits so I can start this. Planning on doing a breakfast smoothie, before class two days a week and the rest post morning workout. Not only to help with acne, but I'm hoping for improved overall health as well. I'm sure these smoothies and all their nutrients can help out.

I've learned quite a bit from this thread, and I hope its just the beginning 😉

I think that's too much fruits... that's why you didn't taste the green.

if the color comes out green - the better. 🙂

That's so true. But it could also be because spinach is really mild. If you want your family to taste some or to fool your eyes then add some berries. Just a small handful will make it really purple! I find adding coconut milk makes it really creamy like real milk and the flavour is nicer and the smell is wonderful.

I made a really good flourless, sugarless chocolate cake today and topped it with fruits and icing and it was divine.

Coconut milk is an excellent idea!

Hey Guys. I have been reading this thread for some time now and about two weeks ago I decided to try this out. I started out using Spinach and Arugela, mixed with a Banana and Berries. I did one a day and noticed that my skin started feeling smoother and my skin started clearing up a little. I really didn't have bad acne, just random spots on my face.

I then decided to start doing green smoothies twice a day to see if I could completely clear myself and recently I started getting small bumps randomly all over my face. I'm wondering if I'm doing this too much? Is my body getting too much Vitamins or too much of something that its rejecting it or having an allergic reaction to it?

Here's what I'm doing for smoothies:

Morning:

Spinach

Green Apple or Banana

Blue Berries

Afternoon:

Spinach or Kale

Blue Berries/Strawberries

There are some variables that came into play. Is the Spinach I got a bad brand or batch, as I switched to a different bag than I normally get? Is too much Spinach bad for you? I use Spinach mostly and maybe thats overkill. Yesterday I decided to try some Kale for the first time and I mixed that with blue berries and no change in bumps. I do eat relatively healthy. I usually have a smoothie for breakfast and every once in a while eggs too. A salad for lunch and usually some kind of Chicken or Steak for dinner.

I think that's too much fruits... that's why you didn't taste the green.

if the color comes out green - the better. 🙂

Yeah, I figured it was but I was just kinda throwing everything I had in there for the hell of it. It was actually VERY green, so I wasn't too concerned about that. Gonna do some more experimenting over the next few days to find the right mixture 😉

ABG, are you still able to eat foods that are considered bad for acne? Like some sugary stuff...