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Join The Green Smoothie Challenge for Earth Month

Plant Based Treaty’s Green Smoothie Challenge for Earth Month has officially begun, and it’s not too late to join! Sign up today and get ready to learn about healthy recipes, mental health, planetary health, and advocacy. It’s time to save the Earth and make green smoothies!

Week One  |   Recipes and Health

Week one of the Green Smoothie Challenge is all about delicious, whole food, plant-based recipes for optimal health. This incredible nourishing green smoothie by Dr. Brooke Goldner is loaded with goodness, including one pound of power greens like kale and spinach making up 75% of the smoothie, flax or chia seeds for omega-3, water, and 25% fruit like delicious bananas, mangoes, or pineapple. Dr. Goldner whips up her smoothie masterpiece in this video below.

Dr. Goldner says, “when you put the right foods in your body, your body actually knows what to do to fix itself…everybody gets results…you’re getting hyper nourished and you’re going to get healthier.” She explains this smoothie helped reverse her own Lupus over 17 years ago and it also helps with autoimmune diseases, diabetes, and heart disease. If you know anyone with these health conditions, week one is the perfect opportunity to invite friends and family to join the Green Smoothie Challenge.

No blender? Make healthy cruciferous salads like these 21 salads by Forks Over Knives.

Week one includes improving fitness levels and boosting endorphins with exercise. Dr. Goldner is married to Thomas Tadlock, an award-winning trainer and best-selling author of Miracle Metabolism: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Quickly Lose Fat, Gain Muscle, and Heal at Any Age.

Tadlock says, “When you move, when you put resistance against your body, whether it’s with weights or if you’re doing some body weight exercises, or just going out for a hike, it’s so good for your body because getting your muscles to actually contract in your joints lubricates all of your joints, but it also signals the release of hormones in your body that can actually reverse aging, protect your heart, increase your lifespan, and increase your energy overnight.”

The arrival of spring is the perfect time to get outside for a nature hike or walk, a new sport, or join a gym or fitness class. If you need motivation, watch the first 20 minutes of this inspiring video with Dr. Goldner on Wellness Wednesday.

Week Two  |  Mental Health

Harvard Health Publishing suggests cutting out all processed foods and sugar for two to three weeks to see how you feel.

“Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate sleep and appetite, mediate moods, and inhibit pain. Since about 95% of your serotonin is produced in your gastrointestinal tract, and your gastrointestinal tract is lined with a hundred million nerve cells, or neurons, it makes sense that the inner workings of your digestive system don’t just help you digest food, but also guide your emotions. What’s more, the function of these neurons — and the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin — is highly influenced by the billions of “good” bacteria that make up your intestinal microbiome.”  

Omega-3 fatty acids are important for maintaining brain health and include flaxseeds and chia seeds included in the green smoothie recipe.  They can help reduce inflammation and have the potential to enhance mood and cognitive function.

For week two, you will be encouraged to read books on how to revolutionize your mental health, tell others what you are grateful for, and participate in a fun dance competition! Join Plant Based Treaty ambassadors for fun and energetic smoothie dances – shake up your smoothie, not the planet!

Week Three  |  Planetary Health

Week three also focuses on clean air and water and how to raise awareness in community groups. After all, trees are the lungs of the Earth.

Week Four  |  Advocacy

Get your green smoothie ready and learn how to incorporate healthy eating in your advocacy at schools, universities, and hospitals and register for a welcome call to join a Plant Based Treaty team.

April 22 is Earth Day, and you can help us turn Parliament green by writing to your city councillors and members of parliament and educating them about the planetary benefits of a plant-based food system. While you’re at it, ask them to advocate for green smoothies in the parliamentary canteen! You can also request your local library or community centre stock green smoothie flyers and feature a plant-based recipe book display to inspire others.

•   Plant Based Treaty’s 3Rs: Redirect, Relinquish, and Restore
•   Environmental 3Rs: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
•   Green Smoothies 3Rs: Refresh, Revive, Restore!

By week four, you will be a green smoothie pro, so consider making one for a friend, coworker, teacher, or family member and share the green love. The challenge wraps up with smoothie glow-up photos and the opportunity to share video clips and testimonials with others from around the world. Cheers!

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