Renew Your Health Shots

2020-07-23

During these times I am finding it more important than ever to take special care of my body so my immunity is in tip top shape. There is no better time than now to start building up our immune systems. There are a lot of ways to do this; getting more sleep, eating fruits and vegetables that provide an array of micronutrients and vitamins,  and nourishing the body with stress-reducing activities. This recipe is a great way of ingesting some really powerful ingredients in a shot form; the healthy kind.

We have all seen the little juice shots in the stores that offer a wide array of benefits to our bodies. These are concentrated blends of mostly fruits and vegetables that are aimed at improving our bodies defense  system.  While I still enjoy purchasing these from time to time it’s also nice to know I can create them from home and customize them to whatever my body is needing.

Vitamin C, which is a powerful antioxidant, is the star of these little drinks. Antioxidants are substances that protect against cell damage. So what does cell damage actually mean? Throughout our daily lives things such as environmental toxins, smoke, pollution, etc as well as natural processes within our body to break down food into usable energy and exercise can create unstable molecules known as free radicals. While our bodies all at one time or another have free radicals it is the imbalance of more free radicals than stable molecules that tips the equilibrium to a more damaging state within our body known as oxidative stress. Having oxidative stress build up is damaging to our cells and in turn can be linked to cancer, Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular disease and decreased immunity. To help combat these free radicals we can  consume a diet rich in fruits and vegetables chalked full of natural antioxidants. These shots are a great way to get in some of these vitamin C rich fruits.

The ingredients can be interchanged  depending on what your body is needing but the recipe I was needing today contains  coconut water, orange, lemon, ginger, turmeric, cayenne pepper, and black pepper

• Coconut water: provides electrolytes and hydrating fluids
• Orange and lemon juice: high in vitamin C
• Ginger: strong antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties and can help alleviate nausea, settle the stomach and reduce common symptoms of viral illnesses
• Turmeric: part of the ginger family and a common spice; curcumin is a major component of turmeric and gives turmeric that yellow color and provides anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
• Cayenne: contains vitamin C and other antioxidant properties. More definitive research is still in process however there is promising data that cayenne may improve/increase metabolism and improve heart function
• Black pepper: includes the spice piperine which helps improves the bioavailability of curcumin (improves how well your body absorbs the nutrient)

Ingredients:

½ pound ginger root (peeled if not using a juicer) or about 4oz ginger juice

4 small lemons or about 4oz lemon juice

6 small to medium oranges or about 8oz orange juice

1 tsp turmeric powder

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

Few crack of black pepper

8oz coconut water

Directions

1. Using a high power juicer, extract the juice from the ginger root, lemons, and oranges.

If you don’t have a juicer there are options!

• Feel free to use store bought organic orange, lemon and ginger juices just make sure there is no added sugar to the juices; you want 100% pure juice.

Or

• Blend together your peeled oranges, lemons and ginger root in a high-power blender and strain the pulp using a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth

2. Once you have your juice add to a blender along with the turmeric, cayenne and cracks of black pepper and coconut water. Blend for at least 30 seconds
3. Taste test! Per your preference you can add more heat (cayenne), or if it’s too acidic or strong for your liking you can add filtered water or more coconut water.
4. Store in air-tight bottles or mason jar for up to 1 week

Nutritional Content

Serving size: 2oz

-Provides 15 calories, 3g carbohydrates , 0g protein

Tips and tricks!

*If you ever purchased those store-bought shots save the bottles, wash and re-use them for your homemade shots. Also they are good for taking dressings on the go!

*Before washing out your blender and/or juice machine collection apparatus fill with fresh, filtered water, swish around and pour into a water pitcher for some refreshing water. Some of the ingredients get stuck on the inside and you don’t want to waste these precious ingredients.

*Get creative, if you don’t like much heat scale back on the cayenne and/or ginger, if you want it to be a little more “earthy” add more turmeric. If you aren’t a fan of coconut water, filtered water or omitting completely is fine. You can add other ingredients such as apple cider vinegar.

Cautionary:

*Ingredients have a bit higher acid content and may cause GI upset and/or heartburn. I would recommend consuming with a meal.

*Recipe is higher in potassium, if you have been instructed to monitor your intakes of potassium (i.e kidney disease) than consider other food and drinks that contain higher potassium and reduce

*Turmeric stains! Wipe up and rinse out promptly from counters and clothes

Momtazi-Borojeni AA, Haftcheshmeh SM, Esmaeili SA, Johnston TP, Abdollahi E, Sahebkar A. Curcumin: A natural modulator of immune cells in systemic lupus erythematosus. Autoimmun Rev. 2018;17(2):125-135. doi:10.1016/j.autrev.2017.11.016

Panchal SK, Bliss E, Brown L. Capsaicin in Metabolic Syndrome. Nutrients. 2018;10(5):630. Published 2018 May 17. doi:10.3390/nu10050630