Anti-Inflammatory Tart Cherry Smoothie

This anti-inflammatory tart cherry smoothie contains antioxidants and plant-based nutrients that help heal and fuel your body!

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As many of you may already know, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in early 2020. It took four years of a ongoing battle with the medical system to get that diagnosis. After this ordeal, I was determined to take a “break” from the constant doctors’ appointments. However, some joint pain I had been experiencing got to be so intense last summer that I went through another round of appointments. The doctor found that I have enteropathic arthritis, a form of spondyloarthritis that is associated with Crohn’s disease.

A quick fun fact – something that helps me in nursing school is memorizing recurring word parts. The suffix “-itis” refers to inflammation of some sort – like bronchitis (inflammation of the bronchial tubes), appendicitis (inflammation of the appendix), or hepatitis (inflammation of the liver). 

Arthritis just means inflammation of joints, and it can come in many forms. The tricky part with Crohn’s, though, is that I can’t take most anti-inflammatory drugs. NSAIDS like Advil or Aleve can actually trigger “flares” and exacerbate existing inflammation in the gut. So, Tylenol it is, with the added help of anti-inflammatory foods!

I’ve been on to tart cherry juice since 2016, when I posted a super simple post-workout tart cherry smoothie. (This smoothie is better though!!) Tart cherry is a unique supplement because it’s one of the best-studied whole food medical remedies. For school I spend a lot of time on Google Scholar, where there are hundreds of studies linking tart cherry juice to lower inflammation, reduced workout recovery time, and improvement of muscle function. For a simpler, condensed version, this article from Healthline goes through the same benefits. 

Today’s tart cherry anti-inflammatory smoothie goes a bit farther than my original recipe, by adding in kale, chia seeds, and a combination of cherry juice and kale. I usually buy the Cheribundi brand of tart cherry juice, which you can buy here (affiliate link) or at your local grocery store. Stay well folks! :)

P.S.

For more vegan and vegetarian recipes and meal inspiration, be sure to follow along on Instagram @wellandfull! If you make a recipe, please tag me in the photo and use the hashtag #wellandfull so I can see! I love seeing your creations!