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Edwynn -> RE: Fruit Smoothie Hangover (1/10/2011 12:19:04 PM)
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The short answer is that 3 fruit smoothies a day may be too much to start out with.
Raw fruits are powerful body cleansers taken in that amount, and this may be a matter of too much too suddenly.
quote:
I was thinking maybe it was a sort of detox or caffeine withdrawal. I haven't had any caffeine or soda in a week. I usually drank 3 or 4 glasses a day of soda.
That would be my suspicion as to the primary cause of the headaches, caffeine being a vasoconstrictor, so now the lack of brain blood vessel contraction makes them seem too big, until things adjust. There are also more complicated processes having to do with adenosine balance disruption caused by regular caffeine intake that require readjusting when the caffeine intake ceases. The added energy to the whole body by intake of so much fruit would likely exacerbate things there.
Staying off the coffee and colas is a good thing, but I would change the smoothie regimen to alternating between one a day and two a day for now. You could probably increase to two per day and sometimes more after 3 weeks or so. The caffeine withdrawal should be complete by then and your body having been through the worst of the internal cleansing, so you can increase the fruit some bit.
One smoothie that I make uses half a mango, small handful of grapes, same with blueberries, 1/3 to 1/2 a lemon OR one kiwi fruit, and the magic ingredient that puts the 'smooth' into this smoothie, ~1/3 an avocado, then a tablespoon of either flax oil or a good olive oil along with a tablespoon of lecithin granules, and an optional 1/3-1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon powder. The lecithin, aside from being healthy itself, is an emulsifier that makes fats and oils easier to digest. (remember, these are the -good- fats.) Along with all that, I use whatever amount of apple juice (unfiltered, as mentioned above) or my self-mixed apple/pineapple blend to bring it to desired consistency. Another good thing to add to that or some other smoothies is 2-3 drops of mint oil. I save a used bottle of some herbal extract or any 1-2 ounce bottle with a dropper in it and pour the mint oil into that, because too much mint oil can ruin things and you can't measure drops with a 1/4 teaspoon. I never use ice for smoothies because it dilutes the more subtle flavors, whereas the bottled juice complements them. I don't use bananas either because I've always been in the habit of one a day with that anyway. Avocado-lecithin serves thickening duties just fine for this purpose.
There is more blender fun to be had than with just smoothies, though.
Nut milks are pretty easy to make, especially the best one, almond milk. Here's a cheap book to tell you all about it:
Not milk, Nut Milks! by Candia Lea Cole
http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=cole&sts=t&tn=nut+milks&x=0&y=0
Abebooks is a nice place to look for books. (I still use a local bookstore when I can.)
Ms. Cole has you blanching the almonds before using them in the blender but alternatively you can soak them for 10-14 hours first, then rinse. You can save for at least 3 days after soaking if rinsed once a day. Soaking then rinsing nuts and seeds, even better if you rinse another two days before using, activates the sprouting process which converts some of the fat and starch into vitamins, especially a lot of B vitamins. Good trade-off there.
With all nut milks or any protein drinks I always add 2-3 Tbsp. of flax oil and another Tbsp. of lecithin. The omega 3 and 6 oils are good for the brain and the arteries.
I'm very sorry for your headaches, but please don't give up, they should be gone soon.
Best wishes,
Edblend.
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