PMS Fighting Red Cabbage Dandelion & Banana Smoothie

 

 

Almost 2 years ago, I started talking about hormones and my experience with imbalances. The video I received the most questions and comments from other women dealing with similar issues was the one titled 5 Natural Solutions To Get Your Period Back .

In this video, I spoke of a supplement I used to help flush excess hormones out of the body. DIM or Diindolylmethane is a compound formed in the body when cruciferous vegetables (such as cabbage, broccoli, kale, and brussel sprouts), are consumed.

 

PLEASE NOTE THAT I’M NOT A DOCTOR AND AM SHARING INFORMATION BASED ON MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND RESEARCH. PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THIS ADVICE IN LIEU OF PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL CARE.

While taking the supplement is convenient and helpful to some women in specific situations, such concentrated amounts are not for everyone. (And as always, its best to consult with a doctor is you are having medical concerns since I am not a doctor and am speaking from my persona experiences).

However, consuming cruciferous vegetables in their whole food form during certain times of the month are great to help fight or control the hormonal crazies before they get the best of me.

This is what made me figure out a quick and easy way to get some of these beneficial veggies into my system. I usually drink this smoothie off and on during the first part of my cycle. But, I try to make it a semi-daily staple during the second part of the cycle when hormones are fluctuating a lot leading up to the start of my period.

Before, you start to think I’m absolutely bonkers, I want to give a HUGE nod to one of the first women who inspired me to question and subsequently cherish the alchemy of food and our hormones, Alisa Vitti founder of FloLiving.

Her book WomanCode is THE book I always suggest to other women who are just starting out learning more about their hormones and natural ways to get them under control. Click here to check the book out for yourself.

Ok, now it’s time to get into this smoothie.

Why These Ingredients:

My intention when eating and cooking is to combine foods for optimal function of the body, mind, and (yes, I’m going to say it although it’s super cliche) soul. This alchemical way of selecting and combining certain ingredients hopefully not only results in foods and dishes that taste good, but are good for us in the long run.

With that said, I choose ingredients that can (generally) be found in most stores. I have included:

Red/Purple Cabbage

Cucumber

A Ripe Banana

Dandelion Greens

Coconut Water

Ok, so seeing this list, you might think…”What are dandelion greens and can I really get them in most stores?” Dandelion greens are just that, greens from a dandelion plant…yes, the dandelions aka “weeds” that people pick out of their gardens.

NO, I don’t recommend marching outside and picking the greens you see on the street for a plethora of reasons. The biggest reason is because that shiznit on the street is DIRTY!! Just think about the variety of germs & things that can be on those greens on the street.

It’s ideal to purchase dandelion greens which are organic simply because of the lesser potential for it to have excessive pesticides sprayed on them. Does that mean that I would never purchase them unless they are organic, ABSOLUTELY NOT. It’s not realistic nor always in the budget, (at least until I become a millionaire), to always purchase organic. I spoke about this with produce in general in my video on my YouTube channel titled Organic Produce: Is It Worth It? Why I Still Purchase Non-Organic Too.

Let me break down the ingredients a little bit further and explain why I chose them.

 

 

 

Red/Purple Cabbage

Purple cabbage is in the cruciferous family which also includes brussel sprouts, broccoli and kale. As mentioned here by Integrative Medicine Doctor Sara Gottfried, MD, cruciferous vegetables help block excess estrogens from the environment (aka xenoestrogens). In addition, the fiber helps carry the estrogens out the body. Lastly, she states how the crucifers help with programmed cell death (a good thing), and help with premature aging.

Also, Dr. Micheal Greger of the awesome website and resource NutritionFacts.Org, shared in his video and blog post titled Superfood Bargains, that red cabbage is one of the best veggies with the highest antioxidants per dollar spent. It also stays well in the fridge making it easier to reach for on a regular basis.

Cucumber

Cucumbers were added to this recipe for their high water content. They will help the body along by causing me to go the bathroom more often. The fiber and water in this recipe help with elimination overall.

A Ripe Banana

Ripe bananas are great for natural sweetness. It also adds to the fiber content and helps me feel fuller than just making a juice with the other ingredients. I try to wait until it gets a little freckled to ensure the sweetness is just right.

Dandelion Greens

This is the one ingredient that might be hard for some and easy for others. Dandelion greens are known in the herbal community for their liver stimulating abilities. The liver is key in hormone balancing according to Traditional Chinese Medicine based on the fact that it helps with detoxification and elimination in the body.

What makes them an even bigger bang for their buck is their prebiotic properties. Prebiotics help with gut health by providing places for good bacteria to grow on their own. Many companies are starting to include prebiotics in their probiotic products, but why pay for a specialized supplements if you can get them from food.

I can usually find these greens at Whole Foods and/or my local food co-op or health food stores with a grocery section. If you aren’t able to get dandelion greens, you can easily sub them out for kale or even collard greens.

Coconut Water

I mean, who doesn’t love coconut water? 🙂 No really, I added coconut water as the liquid because it is full of potassium, has natural electrolytes which will help quench thirst even more, and is naturally sweet.

However, I try to purchase coconut waters that are lower in sugar content and do NOT have any added sugar AT ALL. This is the brand I usually purchase when shopping because it fits in my budget.

Ok, now that we are clear on the ingredients, I wanted to explain one more thing. I try to keep real life in mind when sharing. Not all the time do we have time or patience for measuring cups and chef knives when making a smoothie.

So, I used measurements based not tools we always have on hand…our hands. Follow the pictures to see the approximate measures and palmfuls of veggies that I included. And for the record, this is my blender and where I purchased it.

Let’s get started.

Red Cabbage & Dandelion & Banana Smoothie 

 

1 Palmful of Roughly Chopped Red Cabbage

1 Palmful of Dandelion Greens (5-8 Leaves)

1/2 One Cucumber

1 Ripe Banana

1 Cup (8 oz+) of Coconut Water

 

 

Add all ingredients in a blender. Blend and enjoy immediately. If the mixture is too thick for you, add a bit more coconut water. I promise it doesn’t taste like a glassful of cabbage. It tastes like a sweet green smoothie or juice in my opinion. The cucumber and banana shine through but it is a great balance for the bitter greens and cabbage.

 

 

I really wanted to make the presentation a lot nicer but the backstory on this post and smoothie was it was made right before my daughter’s nap time so my time was super limited. PLUS, I actually spilled it right after I poured it *insert crying face emoji*. Check out my quick IG Story video below.

I try to drink this once a day during the week leading up to my cycle. You may find that you will have to go to the bathroom more often, but that helps me in the long run.

Let me know below if you try it out. Be sure to check me out my instagram for more great gems.

FTC DISCLOSURE: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you click on them and make a purchase, I will receive a small finder’s fee on the sale. This does not increase your price in any way shape or form. Using these links help support the continuation of this website. All opinions are my own. Thank you in advance.

 

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