Everyday for lunch I have green drink. 64 ounces of green drink. My drink has gone through several different reincarnations. First it was just a salad blended up in my Vitamix at the beginning of my lymphoma diagnosis. This was a survival tactic since I hated salad. It once brought me to tears to eat it, and now raw vegetables make up 90% of my food!
Update 3/2018: This post was originally published as one of my first posts when I started my blog in January, 2011! Back then blog was called “Green Drink Diaries” and little did I know I’d still be doing this seven years later under a new name. 🙂 Recently, this post has been receiving more traffic so I’m giving it a little bit of a boost in content while keeping the original writing. Enjoy.
The Birth of Green Drink
After learning more about Ann Wigmore’s Living Foods lifestyle, my “green drink” transformed into her trademark “Energy Soup.” She incorporated living sprouts in her recipe along with avocado and sea vegetables.
During my pregnancy I began to play around with more known cancer fighters like kale, cabbage, broccoli, and broccoli sprouts to create “Cortney’s Kick-“Butt” Cancer Fighting Concoction.” Once I was declared in remission at 4 months pregnant I began to add more flavorful vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, cilantro, and carrots into my drink.
This really is close to my current version I fondly call “Green Smoothie.” When it tastes too green I will add an apple to it to take the edge off, but this only lasts a few days before I’m ready to go hard-core green again. It contains only organic vegetables, tastes green and smells green.
I recommend the Vitamix (check this link for refurbished deals!) to blend your Green Drink. Many popular smoothie chains such as Smoothie King or Tropical Smoothie use a Vitamix to make their super smooth smoothies. You can check for today’s deals on Amazon HERE. If you have a standard blender at home, your smoothie will be much grittier which I find more difficult to consume. Try blending it a bit longer to remedy the gritty texture.
Another tip is to drink your smoothie at a COOL temperature. If it’s too hot it tastes even nastier, but if it’s too cold it gives you a brain freeze! The key for me was to hold my nose and gulp my smoothie about a cup at a time. Then, when I was done drinking I would swish water around my mouth and swallow. I would also visualize my cancer cells being restored to healthy ones or even exploding from the oxygen being brought to my cells! I was so proud of myself after I was done. It may have tasted gross, but what a miracle it was performing in my body!
Cortney’s Kick-“Butt” Cancer Fighting Concoction
(What I ate during cancer.)
3-4 cups filtered water
1/2 avocado
2 brussel sprouts (ends cut off)
1 leaf kale
1/2 apple
3 handfuls of baby greens or spinach
1/2 cup broccoli
1/2 cup broccoli sprouts
1/2 cup lentil or mung bean sprouts (or both)
1/2 handful of sunflower sprouts
1/2 handful of buckwheat lettuce sprouts
1 Tbsp dulse or kelp
pinch of cayenne pepper
Directions: Blend all ingredients on HIGH. Make sure to chill first and allow bubbles to settle. This is a challenging smoothie but SO GOOD for you.
“Green Smoothie” (Post-Cancer)
3-4 cups filtered water
½ avocado (pit or no pit)
3 handfuls of baby greens, spinach
1/2 cup broccoli sprouts
1 handful of sunflower sprouts or buckwheat lettuce sprouts
½ any color pepper
1 medium tomato
2 whole carrots (even the leafy tops are really good!)
1 cup lentil or mung bean, sprouted 2 days or cooked
1 apple (cut in 8 pieces)
Other additions or substitutes: cilantro, cucumber, 1 cup raw broccoli, cayenne pepper, oregano, coconut oil, or anything else you want to try!
Directions: Add in all ingredients and blend on HIGH. Make sure ot chill and drink cool after bubbles have settled, approximately one hour in refrigerator.
Have you checked out Goodbyelupus.com with Dr Brooke Goldner who has been healing people of all diseases for over 10 years. She does green smoothies. And she has studied the scientific literature. Very intelligent. She says you need to drink lots of water too and you need Omega 3s in flax and chia seeds to heal your body. Best wishes!
Hi my daughter was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma stage 4 with it in her lungs in September 2020 at age 16, her senior year of high school. With it being stage 4 and her being old enough to help make decisions we all decided to do chemo and healthy eating (She was already a Vegetarian). It was not in her bone marrow and the chemo worked pretty fast so no radiation! We know by the CT and Pet that it has shrunk and will need to monitor. She is heading off to college this summer and am trying to incorporate supplements and clean eating to help prevent it from coming back. I am having her add anything that she will actually take or do but am a little scared for her to take beta glucan. Is it safe for Hodgkins? Can it overstimulate her immune system and cause the cells to duplicate wrong? Not sure how it works in the body. Would love your opinion! Thanks
Hi Shaunna, I really can’t speak on that. I think it would be fine, as I have never heard of it leading to overstimulation even once n the past 12 years since I have used it, but I would check with either Transfer Point directly or Better Way Health or Ancient Elements for their more focused expertise.
Do u know where I can find the heart plus ? It’s not available where Bill Henderson says to get it? Thank you & Congratulations on your healing, God is So Amazing!✝🙏❤️ Thanks for Sharing!
I’ve been waiting on a few different suppliers to let me know they have come up with a comparable product.
Hello my dear, thank you for all your information, but one thing I wonder so much. What do you mean with filtered ice. May be stupid question but I really don`t know. Nice garden by the way. Love your story, gives me hope. Buy, Hennie
You can put filtered water in ice trays or buy a filter for your refrigerator and ice machine. 😄
Hi – I am looking for a smoothie for Lymphoma Hodgkin – Is this the one that you would drink every day all day for how long? No food right? How long before you notice results? I guess I am looking for something to be able to follow every day– How many times to do the cottage cheese and flax seed a day? What for snacks between? Right now he is hungry every couple of hours! He has three tumors that are 8 cm in size – Had 9 to begin with so did chemo– Got them down to one that was less than an in back in April– and the only thing that we changed was going to a low carb diet as was suggested but now they have grown in size! So I am thinking they are feeding on the protein as that is what he is eating a lot of– I need help so we don’t need to do chemo again because I don’t think that is the answer!
I have Hodgkin Lymphoma like Courtney had. I would like to know what company she used to get started on her web site. i like the way it looks. I am just at the beginning and am using her smoothie. I am writting something most days and would like to start out with the right formatAny help would be appreciated.
Aaron Tippetts
Hi Aaron. I started on a free theme with WordPress and the cheapest plan on Bluehost as my server. Now I have a paid WordPress theme called “Get Noticed” and a business sized Bluehost hosting package as my blog traffic has grown.
Can you use powder supplements for sprouts? Or the effect is not the same?
sprouts would be nutritionally better but powdered protein is easier (with 3 kids now I use organic vegan protein)
Just wanted to add that if you add enough lemon juice to overpower the green (a few T.), it makes it easier to get down. I also sometimes add herbs.
I’m not sure where to find all these sprouts – broccoli, sunflower? And the beans you say sprouted 2 days…could you explain? I know you’re a busy Mom…I’ll wait patiently:)
Hi Donna 🙂 Thank you for waiting- I am quite overwhelmed at times, but my blog is a labor of love! I buy my sprouts at my local healthfood co-op, but you can also find seeds online. I sprout my mung beans and lentils in a jar with a screen on top. You could also use a knee high over the top. This youtube video will help! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmKctMME_xc
Thanks for all your wonderful sharing. I have taught Self Healing and Human Mastery in international workshops for years as I feel it is time to take self healing back into our own hands. (yes, and go to a doctor when necessary).
I was wondering if you have a good source for the broccoli sprouts? Also for Chaga by the pound.
Thanks so much.
Blessings of Health, Diana
Hi Diana 🙂 Right on. You know, I found my broccoli sprouts at our local health co-op here in Atlanta. I’m sure you could find them online though!
Cortney,
Do you have any idea as to how many calories and grams of protein there are in your 64 oz. green smoothie that you drank during your cancer? I have just started with the protocol but very concerned in getting enough calories. I am already too thin, with very little weight to spare. Can get 850 calories with the CCFO, and 500 calories with 70 almonds, but looks like a challenge to consume additional 1,500 calories I need daily to maintain my weight. Any additional ideas along with calorie count of green smoothie? Thanks so much. Kim
Hi Kim- oh my goodness, I wish I could remember. Good news is you can add all kinds of good fats and proteins to the smoothie if you needed more calories. 🙂
did you take any vitamins or just the smoothies.??
YES- I take Dr. David Williams vitamins.
Do you by any chance if I can freeze all my greens for smoothie??
Thanks
Hetal
Yes- I freeze all of my smoothie greens: spinach, kale, chard, and bok choy. (:
I read or heard somewhere that fruits and vegetables lose all of their beneficial enzymes when cooked or frozen. Is this correct?
Cooked will lose enzymes and vit/minerals much more than freezing them. But YES- both will lose SOME nutrients. I eat frozen fruit and veggies all of the time.
My green drink concoction:
I’ve been cancer free for 3.5 years. I know it may not be the best due to the fruit sugar but it still seems so healthy and it’s very tasty.
1.5 c filtered water
1 tube zipfiz (great flavor energy powder, B vitamins)
3 handfuls organic baby greens (kale,chard,spinich)
1 clove garlic
1/2 avocado
slice fresh ginger
slice fresh turmeric root
1 tsp. Powdered Spirulina
6-8 frozen organic grapes (I freeze)
3 chunks Fresh, frozen pineapple(I freeze)
4 filtered ice cubes
Your thoughts? Thanks for all you do Courtney! 🙂
Hi Barbara! My thoughts? Looks yum! 7 years out from cancer, I think that what works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for others. If you’re doing well with more fruit in your smoothie, then keep going. Both the pineapple and grapes in your smoothie have anti-cancer properties. 🙂
I wonder if you have any idea as to the calorie/carb/sugar count in this. I know that this is not for weight loss but I still wonder if it is ok for someone who has to watch things like this. I would also like to know if coffee is safe to drink for someone trying to fight cancer of if only green tea is best. Do you still take the same supplements that you did before and would you recommend others do this? I love your blog. It is really eye opening to me.
Hi Holly- I actually have no idea, but the only real calorie rich food in it would be the avocado. The main reason I drank green tea while healing from cancer is because it has such great anti-cancer effects. Coffee just doesn’t offer this and that much caffeine can have negative effects on the body.
Debra,
You’re never to old to take control of your health. I just turned 61 this month and have been juicing for a year now. I feel great. DON’T GIVE UP! Try adding a green apple to your juicing. Keep experimenting until you find something you can enjoy and reap the benefits.
Happy trails your path to wellness.
Linda
I just read your green drink psychology… I will have to try holding my nose, I guess… Lol I really want to do this… Just am so nauseous sometimes… Worried I won’t be able to keep something that tastes so bad DOWN… I’m gonna try and mark this page so I can find it again… Thanks! ~Debra
Hi! I just found your site and am very interested in trying to ‘drink’ some of my nutrition… I’ve tried the green smoothies… With just a little kale… And could not stomach it… Made me think of grass… I don’t know if it’s my stomach problems or what… I have a NutriBullet and it seems to work pretty well (so far)… But then, haven’t had much practice… I love a salad, but can’t do a whole lot of fiber with my stomach (gastroperesis)… Any suggestions on how to do this would be appreciated. I’m 55… Maybe I’m just too old to get thus (sigh) TIA! ~Debra
Hi Debra- keep with your salads f you’re fine with them. Spinach is definitely more palatable than kale if you’re going to try a green smoothie! An easy smoothie would be 1 frozen banana, some cocoa powder, almond milk, and a handful of spinach (or less to start.) It tastes like a milkshake to me! Also delicious is a banana, blueberry almond milk smoothie.
Lisa,
I have been diagnosed w/ LLC. I have the Budwig protocol every morning. I strongly recommend you get Bill Henderson’s book Cancer Free. The casein is cancelled out due to the chemical reaction with the flax oil. Also a cancer cell is a cancer cell is a cancer cell no matter where it is. Read his book it’s an eye opener. Another great site for research is http://www.cancertutor.com.
Happy trails to your path to wellness.
Linda
Hi – thank you!!! It was such a relief finding this blog this morning. I was diagnosed with follicular lymphoma just before the Christmas holidays and am now waiting for the results of bone marrow biopsy which are taking so much longer because of all the holidays. Although I promised myself I wouldn’t, I had a quick online peek just to give all my relatives a little more info than my jumbled panicky medical translations from my doc. All I read was if it’s not localized it’s incurable. I have been a complete mess since then. But this morning I decided to give it another go and after much reading found your wonderful inspiring blog and feel so much better.
I have learnt so much in one morning. Just a little confused with this paragraph on the Budwig Diet website “some people have a dairy intolerance or allergic to flaxseed oil or would prefer to avoid cottage cheese (which is dairy that has casein which can cause inflammation) and best not to use if you have tumors and degeneration in the breast, prostate, brain, lymph or ovaries. In which case we would recommend a dairy extract free of casein such as PROCELLA.”
Having lymphoma, did you avoid cottage cheese? If so what did you use?
I had never heard to avoid the Budwig protocol with lymph cancer. I HAVE heard of concerns over Budwig and estrogen positive breast cancers. I used the Budwig mixture once a day in my protocol and obtained remission in 6 months, so I would say it was helpful for my particular case. (:
I am also following Bill Henderson’s program. I ad stevia and berries to my cottage cheese /flax oil. Here is a great smoothie alternative as I like to try different ones: all organic — fill a vitamix blender with unsweetened almond milk/spinach/lettuce/whole avocado/1 cup blueberries/half apple/as much cinnamon & turmeric as you like, usually about half a shot glass/LARGE tablespoon of coconut oil/chard/celery—–and blend……..makes about 3 quarts….very smooth & creamy……keep very cold, not frozen, until ready to drink……we put it in pint jars & take it with us in a small cooler with blue ice………
Hi Delfina! Thanks for the suggestion. I love that the internet brings all of us taking “The road less traveled” together.
I don’t think green drinks taste bad at all. It’s like drinking Mother Earth, Of course I did eat dirt as a kid.
I have been diagnosed with CLL. It will be a year this December, I am completely vegan raw diet and do the coffee enema, along with the green and carrot juices, My numbers keep climbing I’m at 98,000.White cell count. The magic number for chemo is 125,000 which I don’t plan on doing. I’ve been doing this for almost a year now and I’m wondering what component I’m missing. I follow you, Chris beat cancer and Jess the wellness warrior. God Bless you young kids. You guys are my savior.
Any advise you can give would be greatly appreciated.
I thank you kindly.
God Bless you and your family
Linda
Do you grow your own broccoli and sunflower sprouts or are you able to buy them? I have had success growing my own broccoli sprouts but I’ve had trouble with sunflower sprouts. If you do grow your own, any tips on how to do it?
Thanks!
Hi Emily! I have done both. Growing sunflower sprouts is rather easy with some sprouting trays and soil inside in a sunny space. I buy them at Whole Foods or our farmers market in times that i am too busy…which is like always.lol. Google it and I’m sure you’ll find plenty of videos from experts!
Do you cook the lentils or just throw them in?
When I was fighting cancer and didn’t have kids, I would sprout them in a jar with a mesh lid. Now that I’m a tad busier and cancer-free, I cook big batches and freeze them, thawing out some at a time to use for my smoothies. (:
Hi Courtney,
Thank you for all the information you put on your website.
What is your situation now ? Are you already healthy ? Are you now healed ?
Hi! I am excited to try the smoothie. I don’t have cancer, but I am 32 years old and just want to start preventing it. I am really trying to be healthy. I do not have a Vitamix, nor can I afford one, but I do have a Cuisinart food processor that was a wedding gift, would that work do you think?
Hi Tricia- I am so glad you’re venturing into green smoothies. I have never personally tried blending smoothies in a food processor, although I have tried different kinds of blenders. The Vitamix does something most others can’t- it blends all of the fibrous veggies and fruits into a creamy consistency which is MUCH easier to drink and enjoy. Gritty texture can make smoothies very difficult to get down.
Cortney
Hi Lisa!
Nope, no time for that! I buy Barleans Organic Flaxseed Oil and mx it with the Cottage Cheese with an immersion blender. Nothin’ fancy! (:
Hi Cortney, When you do the cottage cheese/flax oil, do you grind the seeds to sprinkle on top?
Please enjoy this highly entertaining clip called Green Drink Magic! Feel free to share this video or the recipe! : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvV7jcJyWcA
Hi, i enjoy reading your blog. When you started your cancer fighting diet, did you lose much weight?
Thank you so much
Hi Lisa! I sure did, but mainly because I hated vegetables and wouldn’t eat much. NOT recommended! Once I got the hang of green smoothies, salads, and the Budwig protocol, my weight stabilized and I thrived!
Also, the date an time of my post is incorrect. It is March 22, 2012 2:35 PM Thank you.
Hi Patty!
Sorry about the wrong date- not sure why it does that. Anyways, I am glad you asked this question because it sent me off into research land! I have never eaten the pit, primarily b/c I never thought to! However, this information from Victoria Boutenko is interesting and helpful! http://www.rawfamily.com/news/2009/04_09_1.html
Hi enjoying your blog very much. Can you please tell me why you do not use the pit of the avocado? Thank you so much. Patty.
Hey Tonya!
I would chop or break larger fruits and veggies like carrots and peppers, broccoli crowns, apples etc into 2 or 3 pieces, but greens can go in as is. DO NOT STEAM. Not only would it deplete the purpose of a veggie smoothie and its nutrients, but I don’t imagine the texture would be so great. (: Let me know how it goes! Glad you got a Vitamix! You’ll be happy with how well it blends!!! (:
Do you steam the veggies or just throw them in raw. I have a vitamix but just got it and am afraid of breaking it 🙂
Hi Christina,
Sure! My thoughts: I personally like the fiber of it the vegetables filling my belly. Not sure if juicing it would leave me hungry- I’ve never tried it! Also, when I started my anti-cancer protocol I didn’t own a juicer but had a Vitamix already. The Vitamix is also easier to clean up, so it wins in that category. The argument FOR the juicer would be that the nutrients would be absorbed quicker without the fiber, but I personally am a smoothie girl. Either way, you’re going to have to get used to the “flavor” of these veggie smoothies.
Any thoughts on juicing this concoction vs. a smoothie?
Thanks so much for posting your green smoothie recipe. I’ve read through most of your posts and you are truly a great blessing and your story is an inspiration to those who are suffering with chronic illness. I’m attempting to heal 4 years of severe autoimmune arthritis associated with lyme and a leaky gut. Now 3 weeks in to an intense detox protocol with raw vegetable green smoothies as my foundation for nourishment and each day and I’m modeling them after your cancer fighting smoothie recipe. Thanks for your help!
I am so happy to have been of help! I try to be completely authentic. It’s not easy at all to live with chronic illness. With an alternative cancer approach you have to be on a tight regimen and can no longer eat conveniently and freely. I’ sure you feel similarly, dealing with a true chronic illness as you are. Please let me know if I can be of any help. Lately, I’ve also been adding ginger and turmeric to my “Post Cancer” smoothie. The last 4 days I have added cauliflower which gives it a creamier taste. Always experiment with new variations. 🙂
Hi Jen! Since the “Post Cancer” smoothie is a meal replacement, 64 oz is what it takes to keep me full for several hours. That’s really the main reason. Any less than 64 oz and I’ll start to feel hungry 3-4 hours after I drink it. Also, you’re on to me! In order to get in a variety of cancer fighting vegetables everyday, it requires more in the blender. I’m glad to hear you like it!
Great blog! Question: Is there a reason why you drink 64 ounces? My husband and I tried the fruity green smoothie today at lunch–20 oz each–and loved it. Tomorrow, we’ll be trying the “post-cancer” green smoothie. Twenty ounces is pretty filling, so I’m wondering if you can explain why 64 ounces might be better? Is it as simple as trying to get all of the veggie servings one needs for the day into a single meal? Thanks in advance for your reply. 🙂
So, do you just drink it?
Yep, just chug it. I give advice on how to in Green Drink Psychology.
In a mason jar! Great photo, Booba. Remember when we would put beer in a jar instead? Times do change!