It’s Juice Time – the Health Reasons for Juicing

     “Eat your vegetables,” was something you probably heard mom say a lot as a kid, and she’s even got scientists and the FDA on her side.  Not only that doctors and the FDA recently suggested that the old “5 a day” is not enough!  Now I can scarf some serious healthy foods, yet I have difficulty getting 5 servings, let alone 7 plus.  What can we do?  I’ve got a solution mom would be proud of, I’ll drink my vegetables!  Getting nutritious vegetables I need, even those I might choose not to eat, is simple with my juicer.  I know lots of people don’t like broccoli which is incredibly healthy for you, so try juicing it with veggies you do like and you probably won’t notice the taste.  Even those who aren’t much on eating fruits and vegetables will find they can make drinks in their juicer they’ll love and are packed with nutrients.

     Juicing is increasing in popularity and juice bars are turning up in towns all over the country as more people find out all the benefits of juicing fresh fruits and vegetables.  One reason may be the understanding that the closer food is to its original, raw form the better it is.  As food undergoes extensive processing the levels of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes decreases.  Juicing has the potential to correct the processed food caused nutrient deficiency most of us have in a hurry.  Soil depletion is another problem we face, created by time, over-farming, and other issues, that contributes to our need to consume more produce.  Juicing on a regular basis allows us to get the intake of fruits and vegetables we desperately need.

     A juicer in a way is “pre-digesting” the food.  Our bodies do need fiber for healthy digestion but it gets eliminated as waste.  The process of juicing gets rid of most of the fiber leaving a nutrient dense drink that is easily assimilated by our system as the digestive process is minimized.  As a result our body gets a quick natural energy boost.  Why use artificial stimulants like energy drinks, caffeine, sugar or coffee when juice can provide the desired energy increase naturally.

       The polluted environment and stressful lives we lead take their toll on our bodies paving the way for disease.  Pure juice and juice fasts can have a positive effect in helping clean our burdened systems; green juices are particularly good.  Phytochemicals and antioxidants aren’t just big words you can impress your friends with but are part of what makes fruits and vegetables important to us.  Phytochemicals, are explained by Wikipedia as chemical compounds found in plants that are under research for potential health improving properties.  Perhaps one of the best known is Lycopene, found in tomatoes, which is thought to lessen a man’s chances of getting prostate cancer.  An antioxidant is a molecule with the ability to decrease or stop oxidation, which  is a process where free radicals are created and begin reactions causing cell damage. The possibility of disease and more rapid aging increases the more cells die off.    The pomegranate is an excellent source of many types of antioxidants. 

     While purchasing bottled or frozen juices may be the easy way to go, sadly they aren’t nearly as healthy.  Some are watered down, most are pasteurized, many have added sugar and all experience deterioration sitting around on store shelves.  To receive the most benefit from juice it is best to do it yourself or at least going to a quality juice bar.

     The enjoyment of fresh juice is spreading, no longer confined to trendy locales, juice bars are popping up even at the local mall and the cost of owning a quality juicer has decreased to the point that almost everyone can afford one for their kitchen.  A more energetic, vibrant life awaits you, so don’t just wish you had better health, do something about it, get into juicing!   

Be Healthy and Satisfy Your Cravings – the 80/20 rule

Journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step…Ancient Chinese

Rejoice! Treats are still possible and even desirable on the path to good health. Give yourself some leeway especially early on. Use the 80 / 20 Rule. If you consume what is great for you eighty percent of the time, your body can process the other twenty percent without too much trouble. Think of the 80% / 20% Rule as a sliding scale – a contingency that you don’t have to be too rigid, but also don’t have to feel defeated if you “cheat”.

It’s easy to occasionally “slip” on the path to better health, and for those who have a tendency towards self-criticism or perfectionism there might be an inclination to “beat oneself up” and feel like a failure. Sound familiar? Don’t be fooled by these old patterns. There are zillions of healthy recipes and ideas to replace the old – a trick of those who succeed is finding healthy foods to replace favorite treats.

Be kind, gentle, compassionate and patient with yourself. Trust the process. Know that this is an expedition with many phases; give yourself time to grow, to change, to learn and adapt. You didn’t build a lifetime of habits overnight, and they probably aren’t going to change overnight.

When you feel you’ve slipped, and more than likely that time will come, forgive yourself and gracefully get back on track. The truth is you are probably more disciplined and committed than the majority of folks, so just “let it go”, return to “good  habits” and resume your course.

A Candy Bar or a Pomegranate?

What a question! Which would you choose? I know I’d choose – the pomegranate of course –

Those sweet juicy red-purple seeds popping out as you break it open – just waiting to get munched and squirt that sweet juice into your mouth….mmmmm- better not have on a white shirt – or be near the carpet or furniture.

I was reading today David Wolfe telling about how bright beautiful colors in our foods let us know they’re full of antioxidants derived from hydrogen molecules that help carry toxins out of the body. In fact pomegranate has demonstrated some protective factors from prostate cancer.

And well, a candy bar, made of refined sugars and all kinds of yukky things, that well…I wouldn’t want to put into my body. For $1 – $1.50 I’d grab a pomegranate in a heartbeat and not be able to wait to get home to crack that baby open!