The glow-boosting skin smoothie

Glowing skin goes hand-in-hand with a healthy diet, and what better way to give your skin a boost of skin-loving goodness than with a super green smoothie to help give you clearer, glowing skin.

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Naturopath, food coach, and co-author of The Medicinal Meal Plans, Claire Murray, has created the ultimate super green smoothie. Blitz it up and get sipping!

Claire's Glow-Boosting Skin Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients:
1 - 2 cups nut milk or coconut water (start with one cup and add more to reach desired consistency)
¼ - ½ avocado
1 heaped tsp chia seeds
1 handful baby spinach
2 tsp coconut butter or coconut oil
1 chopped frozen banana (or handful frozen berries)

Optional extras:
¼ tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp honey
1 tsp greens powder (e.g. spirulina)
1 tsp cinnamon

Method:
1. Place all ingredients in a blender.
2. Blitz until well combined. Add more milk if needed.
3. Drink up!
 
bh: How does this smoothie promote glowing skin?
Claire: I always like to say that a healthy and glowing complexion is a reflection of a healthy body. When your body is thriving in the environment you live in and is well looked after in terms of diet and lifestyle, your skin cannot help but reflect that.

For this smoothie, I’ve worked with two targeted food groups that specifically boost the health of the skin. The first food group is green vegetables. They help to reduce inflammation, and they contain a high amount of fibre to help keep the digestive system healthy as well as antioxidants, which the skin utilises to prevent damage and premature ageing.

The second food group is good fats. The skin needs both fats and water to make sebum, which keeps it moisturised, soft and supple. Good fats can also help to halt inflammation occurring in the body or on the skin as eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis or acne. Healthy fats literally feed the skin moisture from the inside out, helping to balance oil production and prevent premature ageing.

bh: How often should you drink the smoothie?
Claire: I would recommend drinking the smoothie daily or at least several times a week for optimum benefits.

bh: What are your other tips for healthy skin?
Claire: To get a healthy complexion for years to come, eliminate those elements of your diet or lifestyle that create inflammation, place increased burden on the liver, aggravate or inflame the digestive system, dehydrate the body, and create stress or anxiety.

Diet and lifestyle habits that can affect the health of your skin are undiagnosed foods intolerances, refined carbohydrates and sugar, excess wheat and dairy, smoking, excessive alcohol or caffeine intake, low water consumption, and medications that impact the body's systems. Focus on lessening your stress through meditation, walking or yoga. Also, fill your diet with vegetables, fruits, grass-fed or organic meat, fermented dairy, eggs, coconut, nuts and seeds and gluten-free whole grains and you will have the recipe for healthy and glowing skin!

For more of Claire’s tips and tricks for glowing skin, visit www.clairesholisticpursuits.com.

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Would you like to try Claire’s glow-boosting skin smoothie? How do you get glowing skin?