Green Smoothies to Reduce Pain by
Lowering Inflammation
Video by Dr. Justin Thompson
Green Smoothies to Reduce Pain
Are you experiencing increased pains, soreness or just not feeling that well? This could be due to a variety of issues, but one common cause is increased inflammation in the body. One easy way to lower inflammation is through green smoothies! While making this green smoothie video, I wanted to make something light, delicious, and cost efficient. Many of us do not have a full produce aisle in our fridge. This would be ideal, but the reality is that too many of us do not keep enough fresh fruits and veggies on hand. That’s why this recipe utilizes two of the more common fruits found in our homes, bananas, and grapes! While you can lower inflammation through nutrition, keeping the body moving well with exercise and chiropractic adjustments is also key.
This is my take on a ‘grape ape’, and it is a refreshing smoothie that is packed full of nutrients and antioxidants. All you need is some bananas, grapes, and greens of your choosing! If you do not have time to freeze any of the fruit you can just add ice! Many people do not think of grapes when making smoothies, but this does not take away from the many health benefits that will help lower inflammation! 1 cup of grapes contains 21% of the daily value of copper. Copper is an essential mineral Involved with energy production. 1 cup of grapes also provides 18% of the daily dose of vitamin K! Vitamin K is important for bone production and blood clotting. There are also healthy amounts of B vitamins in grapes which are important for protein metabolism which influences our energy levels.
Grapes are a rich source of bioactive molecules including phenolic acids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, stilbenes, and lipids. These are the compounds which contribute to the health benefits of grape and grape-derived products. They possess antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic activities which make them very versatile in the nutritional world! The research below dives into some of the many potential benefits of grapes and its amazing anti-inflammatory properties!
Research
“Phenolic acids have broader role in human health benefits including anti-inflammatory, therapeutic usage, antidiabetic, anti-cancer, antiapoptotic, antiageing, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, radioprotective, pulmonary protective, hypotensive effect, and antiatherogenic effects”
“Proanthocyanidins from grapes especially from seeds have shown a broad pharmacological and therapeutic health effects against cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, obesity or cancer that are related with oxidative stress and inflammatory processes”
“The potential mechanisms underlying the antihypertensive effects include a lowering of vasoconstrictory molecules such as angiotensin II and endothelin 1, an improvement of the vasodilatory molecule nitric oxide, and an attenuation of oxidative stress and inflammation.”
Recipe
- 2 frozen bananas
- 2 generous handfuls of grapes (picked off stem, green or purple to your preference)
- 1 generous handful of greens (spinach, arugula, kale)
- 1-2 cups of coconut, almond milk, or water as needed for desired consistency (optional)
- Daily dosage of essential nutrients
- 1 scoop of your favorite protein powder (optional)
Resources
Sabra A, Netticadan T, Wijekoon C. Grape bioactive molecules, and the potential health benefits in reducing the risk of heart diseases. Food Chem X. 2021 Oct 27;12:100149. doi: 10.1016/j.fochx.2021.100149. PMID: 34761204; PMCID: PMC8567006.
Our Message
If you’re looking for a Chiropractor near you that you can trust, choose one who will not only get rid of your back pain, neck pain, or headaches but who will also guide you to living a healthier lifestyle to keep you out of pain. Our Chiropractors located in McKinney, near the corner of Eldorado Pkwy. and Stonebridge Rd., will teach you what the research says about how and why we should eat a better diet, move more and have more positive thoughts. By improving these areas of our lives we can become healthier, stay out of pain and decrease pain!