Spinach Pear Smoothie

Taking care of your gut is one of the most effective ways to support your immune health. Your gut and immune system are constantly communicating - when your gut thrives, your immunity does too. The state of your gut microbiome significantly influences immune health, affecting inflammation, disease resistance, and recovery.

A wide variety of leafy greens, vegetables, and fruits is a great way to improve the state of your microbiome, creating a wide range of communities within the microbiome. Most of us find it difficult to consume enough daily but adding in a green smoothie every day is an excellent way to get the needed variety into our diet. Here's a simple recipe that can be made in just minutes. You can make a larger batch to store in the refrigerator for up to three days, but fresh is even better.

Ingredients:

• one to two cups of fresh spinach

• 4-5 stalks of celery

• 1 avocado

• about 6 inches of cucumber

• a handful of other dark, leafy greens, such as kale, collard greens, or dandelion greens

• a 1/2 inch of fresh ginger

• 8-12 ounces of coconut water, use one with no added sugars

Put all ingredients into a high power blender, like a Vitamix, and blend together. It's best to not over blend as a little chewing will get the digestive fluids flowing faster.

If you need a little more sweetness in the smoothie, you can add an apple or some berries before blending. For a little morning pick me up, adding a date or two will give you a natural energy boost without caffeine.

This easy to do recipe provides your body with the variety it needs for a healthy microbiome.

You should change the greens you use at least weekly for a wider variety to better improve your gut health moving forward.