Green Smoothies vs Juicing For Psoriasis

The following post is an introductory piece surrounding juicing for psoriasis, or more specifically the benefits of green smoothies for psoriasis and not just juicing.

I first started raw vegetable juicing for my psoriasis in 2009 when I was living in Dublin, Ireland. At the time I actually didn’t even know the difference between juicing versus green smoothies but I did forecast that putting healthy vegetables into my daily diet would surely have a positive effect on my psoriasis.

For anyone else who does not know the difference between juicing and smoothies, basically smoothies are healthier for you as they contain the whole vegetable and fruit, pulp and all, whereas juicing just contains, yes you guessed it, juice from the vegetables and fruit.

If you juice for psoriasis, you are missing out on all the benefits of the pulp as that is where all the fibre is stored. Juice also has higher sugar content, therefore a possible trigger for your psoriasis. People with psoriasis need as much fibre in their diet as possible to ensure swift elimination of waste through your intestines.

My Personal Raw Veggie Shakes Experiment

As you can see from my beating psoriasis trifecta post, I finally decided to experiment with dietary changes in 2009 in Dublin to see if my psoriasis would improve (pre-smart psoriasis diet website).

I started making green smoothies or raw vegetable shakes every day and I would store the smoothies in old jam jars in the fridge and drink these juices with pulp intact 3 times per day (I didn’t even know at that time that you should really consume smoothies as soon as possible after preparation to get the best health benefits).

I also cut out alcohol and cigarettes as well during this period.

The results were astonishing.

I eliminated all psoriasis on my face, scalp and nails. I 99% cleared all psoriasis from my hands.

This was a HUGE achievement for me as I had daily meetings at work where I always felt insecure about my appearance and now no one could tell I had psoriasis.

I still had approx 25% coverage on my body and legs, but all skin visible to the public was clear! Halleluja!

I was now strutting into work in the mornings with my new found confidence!

Remember this was still before I figured out my smart psoriasis diet plan but it was the genesis of it.

Sidenote: If only I checked my Vitamin D levels then, I am 100% positive I would have improved my psoriasis even more.

I even had some of my male friends comment on how healthy and younger I was looking. To get a compliment about your appearance from one Irish man to another Irish man is basically unheard of!

So before you leave thinking green smoothies are a fad, I urge you to try it out for 30 days, just once per day, and see how it will positively affect your life and your psoriasis.

Psoriasis, Juicing & Smoothies Introduction

As everyone who reads this blog knows by now, psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that is characterized by dry, scaly skin, and red patches with a distinct border between the normal skin and the patch. These patches may appear as big or small spots covering a large area of your body.

Fortunately, you can improve this condition by observing a healthy lifestyle that should include daily green smoothies/raw veggie juicing for psoriasis and proper skin care.

While there is still little scientific research conducted to prove the effect of green smoothies or juicing on psoriasis, the benefits of freshly prepared green juices (with pulp included) cannot be overemphasized.

Juice with pulp provides you with all the nutrients you need, including chlorophyll, Vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients putting minute stress on your digestive tract as they are just fluids and fibre.

According to a review of scientific literature published in 2010, the association between nutritional deficiencies and skin disorders is well established.

The Importance Of A Healthy Diet For Psoriasis

The excessive toxins in your bloodstreams try to escape your body through the skin when your liver and kidney fail to filter them appropriately. This often results in skin disorders and disruptions like psoriasis.

Skin diseases are a warning sign that your body is not getting rid of toxins as it should. However, with proper healthy diet and lifestyle change, you may get rid of skin conditions like Psoriasis.

Green juices and smoothies are some of the best healing foods that can help put your body back to balance. The juices help to remove the unwanted toxins, microbes, and parasites from your body, to repair your cells, nourish and heal them.

Related Post: Best Superfoods for Psoriasis

What Is The Difference Between Juices And Smoothies?

The main difference between smoothies and juices is the mode of preparation. Smoothies are prepared by blending the ingredients without removing or separating the ingredients. On the other hand, juicing involves the separation of juice from the pulp. Other differences include;

• Blending (Smoothies)

Smoothies have a lot of benefits to the human body, including the elimination of toxins, improving digestive health, fostering weight loss, facilitating nutrient absorption and improving your overall digestive health.

Their main downside is that they are not smooth to the taste when compared to juicing. However, thankfully we have found some tasty recipes which makes Smoothies taste more like a treat than a medicine!

• Juicing

Proponents of juicing claim that the nutrients are better faster when you drink freshly squeezed vegetable and fruit juices since there is no need for digestion. Juices are also more pleasant and have a better taste than most smoothies.

The biggest disadvantage of juicing is that they eliminate the pulp, which is an essential source of fiber. Also, juicing machines are costly, and they lead to a lot of wastage.

At Smart Psoriasis Diet, I fully recommend Green Smoothies for psoriasis over juicing. The fibre is essential for faster results and too much juicing with the wrong ratio of vegetables to fruit can hinder your progress and not help it. Juicing in moderation is absolutely fine, but the added benefit of fibre from whole foods such as vegetables and fruit is just too good to ignore or avoid.

Why Are Green Smoothies Suitable For Psoriasis Sufferers?

They are packed with vitamins, nutrients and fibre.

These juices provide all the nutrients that you need, including vitamins, minerals, chlorophyll, antioxidants, and phytonutrients. The number of vitamins and nutrients you will get from each drink will depend on the fruits and vegetables you choose for your Juice. If you opt for a green smoothie, you will get to benefit from all the fiber generated from your preferred fruit/ vegetable.

Antioxidants

Leafy vegetables and fruits are packed with high levels of natural antioxidants due to the high phytonutrients that they contain. Adding green smoothies and juices into your diet helps to rid of the free radicals which cause inflammation in your skin. They also help prevent the formation of leukotrienes which worsens the symptoms of psoriasis.

They help to build a strong immune system

A good number of people with psoriasis have a weakened immune system. Green juices and smoothies provide vital nutrients and fiber and play a significant role in building your body’s immune system. Incorporating green smoothies and natural juices can, therefore, go a long way in easing your psoriasis.

Alkalinity

Some studies claim that increasing the pH levels in your body can help ease the symptoms of psoriasis significantly. For your body to operate optimally, it needs to be moderately alkaline. Usually, acidic toxins in your body created as a result of a poor diet are expelled by your kidney. When their levels increase, they build up in your skin, thereby aggravating psoriasis and other skin conditions.

Green smoothies are categorized as strong alkalizing foods due to their high mineral content. Whenever you increase the intake of green smoothies, you help your body to reduce the acidity levels in your skin. In turn, your skin begins to repair itself, thereby reducing the symptoms of psoriasis.

Chlorophyll

Green smoothies are rich in chlorophyll content. Chlorophyll offers numerous health benefits that can help manage psoriasis. Some of these benefits include the elimination of free radicals and toxins, encouraging healthy skin, boosting immunity, balancing body pH, as well as balancing your hormones.

Fibre (Soluble and Insoluble)

It is actually because your body can’t digest fibre that it plays such an important part in digestion. Soluble fiber, like that found in cucumbers, blueberries, beans, and nuts, dissolves into a gel-like texture, helping to slow down your digestion. This helps you to feel full longer and is one reason why fibre may help with weight control.

Soluble fibre as found in blueberries and cucumbers dissolve into a gel like substance (think of porridge made with water) which actually slows down your digestion, making you feel fuller for longer.

On the other hand insoluble fibre which can be found in all your favourite dark leafy green vegetables as well as carrots and celery, does not dissolve, therefore adding extra bulk to your stool. This allows the food to be eliminated in a healthy and efficient manner and is vital for your gut health, which we know is linked to autoimmune disorders.

Add Green Smoothies and Raw Vegetable Juicing (With Pulp) To Your Diet

If your body has a blockage, it may use the skin to push out the built-up toxins. This may result in a host of skin problems ranging from acne to psoriasis. Adding green smoothies to your diet cleanses your body, thereby helping your kidney and liver work well again.

They also improve your immune system so that your body can fight off any imbalances that may be speeding up the generation of skin.

When making your juices or smoothies, it is highly recommended that you adopt more vegetables and fewer fruits. This is because most people with Psoriasis already have an underlying yeast infection and drinking sugar-rich juices with a lot of fruits can flare up the Candida.

You should also avoid the nightshade family of vegetables like tomatoes, white and red potatoes, capsicum, peppers, and tobacco for a minimum of 60 days and then reintroduce slowly into your diet to gauge the reaction.

Adding more vegetables to your juice increases your anti-oxidant levels. Additionally, it is one of the easiest ways of providing mega-doses of powerful minerals, vitamins and living enzymes to your body.

When preparing smoothies or juicing for psoriasis, it is highly recommended that you drink the juice while still fresh since every minute it sits, the nutrients oxidize and get lost for good.

Related Article: My Daily Diet Plan For Psoriasis (Meal Plan & Recipes)

What Are Some Of The Best Ingredients For Juices And Smoothies?

Here are some of the best ingredients to include in your smoothies and juices that are less sweet;

• Celery
• Cucumber
• Fennel
• Watercress
• Kale
• Spinach
• Beetroot
• Radish
• Wheatgrass
• Cilantro
• Ginger root
• Lemongrass
• Coconut
• Chayote
• Guava
• Apple
• Carrots
• All berries (except strawberries)

Bottom Line

If you live a hectic life and you struggle to get at least 5 servings of vegetables a day into your diet, you should seriously consider adding green smoothies for psoriasis into your daily routine. All you need is a blender, some fresh fruit and veggies and 10 minutes per day.

If you currently take green smoothies, let me know in the comments below how you find they benefit you and your favourite ingredients.

Smart Smoothies Recipe Ebook Available Now!

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