Spring Rejuvenators & Weight Loss Helpers: 3 Anti-Inflammatory Cocktails

Lately I’ve been craving juice, so I was excited when this guest post came across my desk! Enjoy! ~ Wendy

After a brutally cold winter for much of the country, it’s time to embrace the changing season and cleanse and rejuvenate our bodies with lighter foods, juices and smoothies, says nutritionist and juicing pioneer Cherie Calbom, MS. (“The Juice Lady”).

What’s considered healthy and unhealthy seems to change on a regular basis, which is why it’s helpful to recognize further studies that confirm previous findings. Most recently, a study by Georgia State University microbiologist Benoit Chassaing has further confirmed the destructive properties of an inflammatory diet.

Researchers found that common additives in processed foods including ice cream, margarine, packaged bread and many more may promote the inflammatory bowel diseases ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease as well as a group of obesity-related conditions.

“It’s not only intestinal problems; low-grade inflammation caused by food additives has been shown to contribute to weight gain and blood sugar control problems, as well as a host of other chronic disease,” says Calbom, author of “The Juice Lady’s Anti-Inflammation Diet” (www.juiceladycherie.com), which offers healthy meal options, smoothies and robust juice recipes to help readers live an anti-inflammation lifestyle.

“No matter the kind of diet you may lean toward – vegetarian, vegan, low-carb, no-carb, Mediterranean, Neanderthal or any other kind of diet – any and all anti-inflammation efforts are well worth it!” 

Healthy juices and shakes are a convenient way to reduce inflammation, revitalize your cells and lose some of those winter pounds.

“Yes, you can lose weight on the anti-inflammation diet and rejuvenate your body,” says Calbom, who offers just a few of her recipes and discusses their health benefits.

•  Anti-Inflammatory Cocktail
1 green apple
½ large fennel with fronds
1-inch-piece ginger root
1 large broccoli stem
3 leaves kale
½ cucumber, peeled if not organic

Cut produce to fit your juicer. Start by juicing the apple and finish with the cucumber. Drink as soon as possible.

Benefits
Fennel: anti-inflammatory, anti-histamine, analgesic, and antioxidant
Apple: inhibits the development of allergies; rich in histamine-lowering quercetin
Cucumber: analgesic (pain killer); antioxidant that prevents the synthesis of the inflammatory compound prostaglandin
Broccoli: anti-carcinogenic, prevents gastric mucosal damage (suggesting potential histamine-lowering action)
Ginger: as effective as an H2 receptor antagonist prescription drug

•  Morning Energy
1 – 2 carrots, scrubbed well, tops removed, ends trimmed
½ small beet, with leaves
1 cucumber, peeled if not organic
1 handful spinach or several chard leaves
½ lemon, peeled
1-inch-piece ginger root, scrubbed, peeled if old

Cut produce to fit your juicer’s feed tube. Juice all ingredients and stir. Pour into a glass and drink as soon as possible.

Benefits
Beets contain unique phytonutrients called betalains, which have been shown to provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and detoxification effects.

•  Antioxidant Power Smoothie
1 cup unsweetened plant milk such as hemp, coconut, or almond milk
½ cup blueberries
1 pear
½ cup baby spinach
1 tsp. Indian gooseberry extract (optional)*
1 Tbsp. flaxseed
Ice cubes (optional, depending on how cold you like your smoothie)

Add all ingredients to a blender and process until smooth.

Benefits
Berries help prevent damaging effects of free radicals and inflammation by turning off the inflammation signals triggered by cytokines and COX-2s, making them an ideal part of your diet.

Cherie Calbom, M.S.

Cherie Calbom holds a Master of Science degree in whole foods nutrition from Bastyr University. She is author of 26 books including The Juice Lady’s Anti- Inflammation Diet (www.juiceladycherie.com), The Juice Lady’s Big Book of Juices and Green Smoothies, The Juice Lady’s Turbo Diet, Juicing, Fasting, and Detoxing for Life, The Juice Lady’s Living Foods Revolution, The Complete Cancer Cleanse, and Juicing for Life with over 2 million books sold in the U.S. and published in 23 countries. She has worked as a celebrity nutritionist with George Foreman and Richard Simmons, and has appeared on numerous radio and TV shows and in scores of magazine articles. She appeared on QVC for more than 13 years with the George Foreman grill. Known as “The Juice Lady” for her work with juicing and health, her juice therapy and cleansing programs have been popular for more than a decade.