TIRED, UNMOTIVATED AND STARVING BY 2PM

So many people find themselves in that mid-afternoon slump.  The benefits of drinking your fruits and veggies go beyond pure nutrition..

• Overall health is rapidly increased – people with chronic illnesses, cancer, disease, or anything else that makes your body unhealthy have been reversed thanks to juices and smoothies.
• Better digestion
• Increased energy
• Better sleep
• Clear skin
• Weight loss (this is not a guarantee and will depend on a number of things)
• Easier absorption of essential vitamins and minerals
• Increase the amount of water you drink every day to stay hydrated

NUTRIBULLET VS. JUICING

Nutribullets are different than juicers in that your drink will have pulp from the veggies and fruits whereas a juicer will literally be a juice.  They extract the pulp and leave you with only the juice of the veggie or fruit.  

INGREDIENTS TO MAKE OR BREAK YOUR DRINK

A delicious smoothie that really kicks up digestion is coconut water, half a green apple, 1 tablespoon of lime juice, a very tiny piece of fresh ginger and a big handful of kale.  You can add in a digestive enzyme packet to this or a hydration stick, or both.

Carrots are also a great way to add vitamins to your drink as well as sweeten it up.

To break it down, I’ve listed the ingredients below to better explain how they work in a drink as well as their benefits.

FRUITS

Fruits are a great way to add sweetness to a vegetable drink.  The one issue however is the amount of sugar these drinks can have.  It is important to balance your drinks with fruits and vegetables to alkalize the sugar content.

GREEN APPLES

Apples are great to add fiber and more flavor to your drink.  Green apples are recommended because they supply the lowest sugar content out of any apple.  Be sure to remove the seeds when adding them to your drink – the seeds are toxic to the body.

When your drink tastes a little bland, adding an apple (or lemon juice) is a great way to freshen up the flavor.  Green apples work well in 99.9% of every juice you make.

BERRIES

No matter what berry you use, it will also give it a yummy punch of flavor.  The antioxidants in berries are wonderful and you just can’t go wrong!  Throw them in to most anything you make.  Most berries will end up taking over the drink, except for strawberries – they give a lighter taste.

LEMONS & LIMES

There are so many benefits to these that I could go on forever and ever.  Here’s the nitty gritty on what you really need to know:

Lemons – great for “detoxing” in the morning (flushing your system) and adding flavor.  Half a lemon is usually the perfect amount.

Limes – also great for “detoxing” however a little goes a very long way.  I generally only use 1/4 of a lime in a juice.  It is a very strong taste and can make a drink too tart.

AVOCADO

Similar to banana’s and pears, this will thicken up your drink.  Avocado provides almost zero flavor to my taste buds, however it is a healthy dose of good for you fat and a good source of calories for when you are depending on drinks throughout the day.  A good mix with avocado is to combine with coconut water, mango, pineapple, kale and a small piece of ginger.

VEGETABLES

So that you don’t go on sugar overload, here are some go-to veggies to healthify your drinks.

SPINACH

The consistency in spinach gives drinks a thicker texture without being overly flavorful.  Rich in iron and potassium, spinach is a great addition to your drinks.  Make sure you add some ingredients that are water-based so that the drink doesn’t get too “chalky”.  Celery, cucumber, citrus and berries will all help to bring more water in.

KALE

Kale, whether it's curly kale or lacinato kale, are great for smoothies. Be sure to use only the leaves and discard the stems.  Kale has a very light taste so you get all the nutrition and just a little bit of the flavor.  No matter what drink I am making, I always throw a handful or two of kale in.

GINGER

Ginger is an anti-inflammatory, digestion helper, used for centuries in medicines and teas…basically ginger is king.  My one warning is a little bit, and I mean a little bit, goes a very long way.  One of the first juices I made contained spinach, lemon juice, cucumber, green apple and a huge chunk of fresh ginger.  Holy moly…it was strong.  To the point that I had to pour it down the drain.  I thought my days as a juicer were ruined, until I tried it again and only used 1/10 of what I put in the first time.  Big difference.

CUCUMBER

Cucumber is great for hydration and will actually alkalize the sugar content in the drinks you make.  The veggie will break down some of the sugars from fruits so your body doesn’t go on overload.  It also adds a fresh taste to drinks – just be sure to wash it thoroughly.  This can be added in to just about any drink and there is very little flavor to it.

CARROTS

Carrots are anti-aging miracles containing a ton of vitamin A which helps contribute to a healthy immune system, increased energy and cell growth (hence anti-aging).  They give drinks a kind of sweetness you won’t find in fruits, but with so much less sugar.

BEETS

Beets aren't for everyone.  They have a very strong earthy flavor, but give your drink a beautiful color and a huge boost of fiber, folate and vitamin C.  They are also known to help lower blood pressure.

PEPPERS

Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and incredibly high in vitamin c.  You will definitely be able to taste them in a drink so if you’re not a pepper fan, start with a one to two ratio of bell pepper and your fruit of choice.

CELERY

Adds a very light, watery consistency with a hint of celery flavor.  I like to add them because they will help alkalize the sugars from the fruit, much like cucumbers.  If your drink is too sweet, add in some celery to help.  

BROCCOLI

Even if you don’t particularly like broccoli, you won’t really know you’re drinking them because their flavor is so slight.   Cruciferous vegetables are harder to digest than other vegetables, so start small and see how you like them.  They are paired well with green apples, kale, cucumber, lemon juice and water.

ADDITIONS TO DRINKS

Healthy additions to your drinks can be…

• Arbonne Chocolate or Vanilla Protein Powder
• Arbonne Hydration Sticks
• Arbonne Digestive Enzyme Sticks
• Ground flax seeds
• Hemp seeds
• Nut Butters
• Cocao Powder
• Chia Seeds
• Cashews, almonds, sunflower seeds
• Coconut oil (in very small amounts)
  
• Coconut Water
• Almond or Coconut Milk

Get Creative!

Now you have your list, so get creative!  The best drinks have one to two fruits and two or three vegetables along with one to two additional add ons.  This will give you the best balance of flavors in your drink.

The following recipes are mostly for after the completion of your 30 day detox, however you can try to sub in ingredients to make them in line with the detox.