Radiation Detox Smoothie - Plus, Best Natural Sources Of Iodine

A delicious smoothie with mildly detoxifying effects.
Safe to drink every day for general health and cleansing.

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A Smoothie with Naturally Detoxing Ingredients
OK, maybe this isn't the green drink you expected to see on St. Patty's day but given the recent events in Japan, it's probably a better choice.
On Monday I posted How your diet can help you avoid radiation poisoning where I mention foods that would help you detox should you be minimally exposed to radioactive contamination. I'd like to follow up with a recipe for a smoothie that incorporates some of these important ingredients. Let me assure you that I'm not living in a bunker nor am I duct taping my windows and doors (and neither should you be!).  I'm just sharing some ideas for those of you who are concerned. As I mentioned on Monday, I do not see a need at this point to for anyone in the U.S. to take potassium iodide pills. Drinking a smoothie like this has mild detoxification properties which is appropriate at this time for the minimal risk of exposure in the U.S. so far. It's safe to drink everyday and is a healthful breakfast drink even when you're not worrying about radioactive contamination! 
The base of this smoothie is Living Harvest's unsweetened Hemp Milk, rich in both omega 3 and omega 6 essential fatty acids needed for cell renewal after radiation exposure. An added shot of flaxseed oil provides lots more omega 3. 
Pectin can bind to radioactive particles and remove them from the body. This smoothie has two good sources of pectin: an apple and an orange. Use organic fruit and notice that the entire orange is used, including the skin where the highest concentration of pectin is found.
Kale is rich in chlorophyll which is said to reduce radiation toxicity. 
Please use stevia to sweeten the smoothie. For optimal detoxing, it's important to avoid sugar, honey, agave and other natural sweeteners.

Leave the skin on the fruit for maximum pectin content.

An Excellent Superfood for your Smoothie
Vitamineral Green, by Healthforce Nutritionals, is a green powder that I've used for years. Its ingredients are quite appropriate for a detoxifying smoothie. It contains high chlorophyll foods like spirulina, chlorella, barley grass, oat grass, wheat grass, kale, broccoli, spinach, parsley and more. It also provides seaweeds like Icelandic kelp, dulse, nori, alaria, and bladderwrack that are high in sodium alginate and iodine. Seaweed and sea vegetables are key in protecting against the absorption of radioactive material and in excreting it from the body. Since this product can initiate a detox reaction, I suggest starting out with 1 teaspoon per serving and building up to 1 tablespoon per serving after a few weeks.

Green Super Foods help the body heal itself. Vitamineral Green supports liver, kidneys, blood, bones, colon, circulation and immune function.

Best Sources of Iodine
Instead of searching for potassium iodide pills right now, there are many natural sources of iodine, most of which are seaweeds and sea vegetables. Here are some you can try. Remember the RDA is only 150 mcg per day but like many nutrients, the RDA is sadly on the low side. 

Source of Iodine	Amount of Iodine
Kombu, 1 inch piece	1,454 mcg
Hiziki, 1 tablespoon	786 mcg
Arame, 1 tablespoon	732 mcg
Kelp, (marine coast), 1 tablespoon	595 mcg
Alaria, (marine coast), 1 tablespoon	218 mcg
Agar Agar, 1 tablespoon	120 mcg
Wakame, 1 tablespoon	82 mcg
Dulse, (marine coast), 1 tablespoon	68 mcg
Nori, 1 sheet	40 mcg
Lavar, (marine coast), 1 tablespoon	19 mcg

Detox Smoothie (Vegan)
[makes 2 servings]
1 1/2 cups Living Harvest unsweetened hemp milk
1/2 cup ice
1 medium organic apple, cored and cut into 8 pieces
1 medium organic orange, seeds removed and cut into 8 pieces
2 teaspoons Vitamineral green *
1 cup organic kale, stems removed and chopped
1 tablespoon cold pressed flaxseed oil
Stevia to taste (I used 1/8 teaspoon Sweet Leaf stevia sweetener)


* You can gradually build up to 1 to 2 tablespoons over a few weeks. You can also substitute spirulina or chlorella for Vitamineral green. See package details for suitable amounts.


Add ingredients to a Vitamix or other high speed blender and process until smooth.
Drink immediately.


Per serving (excluding green powder for which nutritional information is not available): 242.5 calories, 11.5 g fat, 1.3 g saturated fat, 4.5 g ALA omega 3 and 3.8 g omega 6 essential fatty acids, 0 mg cholesterol, 3.5 g protein, 29.3 g carbohydrates, 9.5 g fruit sugar, and 6.0 g dietary fiber.