Banana & Apple Smoothie with Ginger
Dramatic changes in circulation 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 sending more blood to the surface of the skin. Blood close to the surface of the skin radiates heat away from the core and encourages evaporation of sweat. Dilation of blood vessels lowers blood pressure and causes swelling in the hands and feet on warm days. More blood in the skin leaves less blood in the chest and abdominal organs. The reduced blood supply to digestive organs causes appetite to wane, acid reflux, and other signs of indigestion. Heat also increases our heart rate, bringing with it courage, boldness, and a sense of adventure. It relaxes our muscles, which feel heavy during the dog days of summer.
As it depletes electrolytes, the summer sun withers our 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 two-third's of a liter of hydrochloric acid necessary for digestion.
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.
Whereas oatmeal may be too heavy for breakfast this time of year, an apple and banana smoothie in the morning provides fiber without heaviness. Lime and ginger coax blood back to GI tract, stimulating appetite and digestion.
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 our 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 two-third's of a liter of hydrochloric acid necessary for digestion.
Refresh, Replenish & Keep Cool
Apples, 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.
Whereas oatmeal may be too heavy for breakfast this time of year, an apple and banana smoothie in the morning provides fiber without heaviness. Lime and ginger coax blood back to GI tract, stimulating appetite and digestion.
about
On hot & lazy summer mornings, start your day with a refreshing, thirst quenching breakfast that replenishes your strength and vitality. 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.
preparation
Peel, 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 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. All freshly blended raw drinks are best consumed immediately. They lose a great deal of their antioxidant power after about 30 minutes. Fruits in general should be eaten on an empty stomach and at least a half hour before a snack or meal.
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