If your gut is happy, it is one less thing for you to worry about. This can help reduce your anxiety a great deal. Especially as now there is evidence that gut health affects your moods. (Who’d have thought gut microbes communicate with the nervous system using neurochemicals?) So, taking time to treat your tummy to some TLC is a mantra you should repeat every morning. These smoothies will not only energize your body, they will also calm and focus your mind for more productive things. Use that energy for something better than worrying about yourself!
To start with, here are the basic goodies that you should try and incorporate in your smoothies:
Kale, spinach, carrots, lemons, oranges, and beetroot (beets) all contain a great deal of Vitamins A, D, E, and K which are important vitamins for your mental wellbeing, and fortunately these all taste amazing whizzed up. Ginger and turmeric are also fantastic spices to bring to the party, as ginger relaxes and soothes the gut, and turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory.
Strawberry Serenity
1 cup of cooked beetroot (beets)
2 cups of strawberries
1 teaspoon fresh turmeric (grated)
1 teaspoon of ginger (grated)
1 cup of almond milk or orange juice
Whizz everything up in a blender until it’s smooth and frothy pink.
Peanut Pacifier
Banana is a filling fruit that will regulate your blood sugar levels and take away that gnawing empty feeling that can be mistaken for anxiety. And using them frozen adds a gorgeous texture to your smoothie. The magnesium in the spinach and peanuts is very calming.
2 cups fresh spinach
1 tablespoon peanut butter, no additives
Handful of kale
Sliced frozen banana
Almond milk, or other non dairy milk, to mix
Few drops of CBD Oil
Blitz everything to make a velvety green glass of goodness.
Another great ingredient to add to your smoothies is kefir. Kefir is like a thin yogurt, that you can buy in most supermarkets nowadays, however it is higher in protein and pro-biotics than your average “Muller-Corner”. Of course if you are feeling creative, or you just want a constant supply of kefir at hand then you can always make it yourself. Here’s a video showing how you can make your own kefir. (If you’re vegan, or would prefer a dairy free option, I make my own coconut milk kefir using water kefir grains and a can of coconut milk in exactly the same way.)
Blueberry Bliss
1/2 cup kefir or plain yoghurt
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 cup unsweetened juice, blueberry or pomegranate are lovely with this smoothie
1/2 medium fresh or frozen banana
Few ice cubes, if using fresh banana
Whizz it all up adding more juice if you prefer a lighter texture.
Banana Spice Special
The cinnamon in this smoothie is great for digestion, nutmeg is good for anxiety and also excellent for insomnia,
1 ripe banana
1 cup kefir or plain yoghurt
Dash of vanilla, essence or powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Sprinkling of ground nutmeg
Mellow Mango
Mangoes contain linalool which has an anti-anxiety and antidepressant effect. Peaches contain a natural sedative and also promote sound sleep. They are excellent for balancing emotions and particularly good for helping with PMS and also anxiety associated with the menopause. Both peaches and mangoes increase serotonin, the feel good hormone, and reduce cortisol, the hormone responsible for ‘fight or flight’.
1 ripe mango, either fresh or equivalent frozen
1 ripe peach
1 cup juice, pineapple or orange
OR 1 cup of kefir or plain yoghurt if you prefer a creamier smoothie
This smoothie is wonderful with frozen mango. At a pinch I just tumble some frozen mango straight into the blender with a good splash of coconut kefir, and leave it at that.
Saffron Soother
And finally, though not technically a smoothie this is a drink I would not be without. Saffron is so calming and soothing and perfect just before bed.
1 cup milk or dairy free alternative
Few strands of saffron
Little honey to taste
Gently warm the milk with the saffron without boiling. After a few minutes pour into a cup, stir in a little honey and sip in bed.
Adapting your morning routine by incorporating a smoothie into your day will drastically transform your physical and mental health. A good tip is to make sure you always have a stock of frozen fruit so you’re never without a little sweet boost for whatever you’re whizzing up that day. Adding different nutritional powders, like spirulina, acai, maca or hemp, to enhance the benefits can be adapted from day to day depending on what you are aiming to improve!
