"Boy, am I glad to have this recipe! I wish I had known about it last year - I was seriously dehydrated and suffered..." - Sinclair, ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() About the Author: John Immel, How to Make Banana & Apple Smoothie with GingerSERVINGS: 1 PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES COOK TIME: 0 MINUTES MEAL: STYLE: EAT IN: PREPARATION OF THIS HEALTHY RECIPEPeel, core and chop a raw apple. Peel the skin from the fresh ginger by scraping it with a knife. Select a banana that is ripe but not too soft. Under ripe bananas are too grainy for smoothies. Add with juice of lime and remaining ingredients and 1c water into a blender and puree. You may also substitute 1/4 tsp ground ginger for 1/2 inch fresh ginger root.
How Can This Ayurvedic Recipe Make You Feel Great?AYURVEDIC ANALYSISSummer CirculationDramatic changes in circulation by late spring help your body adapt to the brutal summer sun. A red, flushed face on a hot mid-summer afternoon reveals how your body keeps cool - by circulating more blood close to your skin. More blood in your skin means you radiate more heat away and encourage evaporation of sweat.Heat also increases your heart rate, bringing with it courage, boldness, and a sense of summer adventure. It also relaxes your muscles, which feel heavy during the dog days of summer. Dilation of blood vessels lowers blood pressure and causes swelling in the hands and feet on warm days. Sweat: Water or Blood?Although sweat cools the body, it depletes vital fluids, making dehydration a serious concern this time of year. But sweat is more than mere water. It also contains electrolytes and oils, and is more like blood plasma. That's why Ayurveda equates sweating to bleeding. While summer sweat is inevitable, it shouldn't be encouraged.As it depletes electrolytes, the summer sun withers your strength. Electrolyte loss causes fatigue and eventually muscle spasms. Leg cramps, often called "charlie horses" is a common sign of low electrolyte/potassium levels. A pounding headache may accompany your fatigue and the feeling that you've been cooked beneath the summer sun. You can prevent dehydration by paying attention to your tongue: a dry tongue or palate is one of the first signs of dehydration. When fluid loss is sufficient to dry up saliva, stomach glands are also too dry to produce the 2/3's of a liter of hydrochloric acid necessary for digestion. Refresh, Replenish & Keep CoolApples, bananas and limes are juicy. They replenish electrolytes and restore energy after sweating or whenever muscles are tired in the afternoon. Bananas are especially high in potassium and also contain Tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known as the "happy and relaxed" hormone.Apples, bananas, and limes are also refreshing. They cool the blood. The sourness of apples and limes gently releases bile from the liver. Since bile is a hot and oily substance, its release reduces general irritation and inflammation in the body. Apples are crunchy and leave a rough feeling on the roof of the mouth, both signs of astringency. Astringency tightens and tones tissues that are loose and lax from hot summer dayheat excess. Light for Summer DigestionWhen too much blood moves into the skin, there is less blood in the chest and abdominal organs. Reduced blood supply to digestive organs causes appetite to wane by summer. You might also have acid reflux, or other signs of indigestion. Lime and ginger coax blood back to GI tract, stimulating appetite and digestion. Whereas oatmeal may be too heavy for breakfast this time of year, an apple and banana smoothie in the morning provides fiber without heaviness.WHAT IS BANANA & APPLE SMOOTHIE WITH GINGER?This delicious smoothie is loved by kids and adults alike, and it's easy enough to blend up when friends and neighbors drop by. It's ideal for breakfast or to replenish electrolytes during an afternoon lull. Best of all, it's dairy and ice-free. WHY EAT AN AYURVEDIC DIET?Eating Ayurvedically makes you feel nourished and energized. An Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body type and the specific imbalances you are working with at any given time. Ayurveda shows you your specific body type’s needs and what should be favored in your Ayurvedic menu. Watch as you eat less but feel more satisfied because what you are eating truly nourishes you. Since Ayurveda believes all disease begins in the digestive tract, food is your first medicine. By eating a healthy diet that’s ideal for your body, you experience optimal health.Is Banana & Apple Smoothie with Ginger Good for My Ayurvedic Diet?AYURVEDIC MEDICINAL BIOCHARACTERISTICSWhat is the biocharacteristic theory of medicine?
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES![]() Experiences are Personal
Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary.
The list of actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.Digestion: Sialogogue , SIALOGOGUEA sialogogue increases saliva. Sour foods are often great sialogogues, and increase output of all exocrine glands. Salty taste is very moistening as well. Bitter, pungent and sweettastes also increase salivary output but to a lesser degree. AstringentsStomachic , STOMACHICAn herb that increases appetite or settles a nauseas or nervous stomach. These generally increase the digestive fire, therefore relieving symptoms of sluggish or difficult digestion.Antispasmodic , ANTISPASMODICHerbs that reduce or inhibit muscle spasms or cramping, such as in asthma, colic or IBS.Carminative , CARMINATIVEStimulates the release of gas. Helpful for bloating or cramping abdominal pain. Propels food downward.Antacid ANTACIDHerbs that neutralize acidity in the gastrointestinal tract, the stomach in particular.Cleanse and Detox: Burns Toxins BURNS-TOXINSAn herb that detoxifies by helping your body metabolize toxins, as opposed to eliminating them.Energy Vitality Strength: Stimulates energy , STIMULATES-ENERGYThis category groups thyroid and adrenal stimulating herbsNutritive NUTRITIVEAn herb that is strengthening and nourishing.Heart & Circulation: Cardiac stimulant , CARDIAC-STIMULANTHerbs that increase the heart rate. Useful in cardiovascular health, blood stagnation, and subjective feeling of heaviness in the chest area.Rebuild Electrolytes REBUILD-ELECTROLYTESSubstances that increase your electrolyte balance. Electrolytes help you retain water, keep your palate moist, and truly quench your thirst.Immune System: Anti Inflammatory ANTI-INFLAMMATORYReduces inflammation in the body. Different herbs and carriers target different body systems.Lung and Sinus: Demulcent DEMULCENTHerbs that coat or form a soothing film over a mucous membrane, relieving minor pain and inflammation of the membrane.Skin Care & Beauty: Antipruritic ANTIPRURITICAntipruritics are herbs that inhibit itching that is often associated with itching skin conditions such as sunburns, allergic reactions, eczema, psoriasis, chickenpox, fungal infections, insect bites, or contact dermatitis (as in poison ivy exposure.)Eat Well for Life With Ayurveda: Balance Your DoshaView Other Healthy Recipes for
This recipe is recommended for Summer. Check out these other Summer recipes here.
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