Monday, December 17, 2012

My First Convert

Recently I was at a friend's place and we watched "Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead." I had told my friend about juicing previously, but he never seemed interested one bit. But after watching the movie juicing was all he wanted to talk about. He was loaded with questions and wanted to start juicing right away. So for this podcast I decided to sit down with him and ask him a few basic questions about the movie, and his newfound interest in juicing. Check it out below.



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Thursday, December 6, 2012

Juicing Slideshow

Below are a few pictures that I've taken while juicing throughout the last few months.

Juice Stop



I don't think I've made any fresh fruit or vegetable juice for over a couple weeks. I've been busy getting caught up in my classes and juicing just hasn't been a top priority for me as of late. Fortunately, just because I haven't made my own fresh fruit or vegetable juice doesn't mean I'm not getting any fruit or veggies in my diet. I like to eat salads, big salads, every chance I get. I also like to go to Juice Stop when I'm on the run. There are two different locations here in town. One in the Fairlawn Shopping Plaza at 21st and Fairlawn, and there's also the Juice Stop Cafe in the Brookwood Shopping Center at 29th and Randolph. Anyways, I'll stop in, grab a smoothie (Hawaiian Hula is my favorite), and sometimes a pretzel. Whenever I'm at the 21st and Fairlawn location I also like to get a shot of wheatgrass juice (the other location used to offer it also, but I heard their juicer broke). There's a sign at Juice Stop which claims that one, one ounce shot of wheatgrass juice is equal to consuming two pounds of raw vegetables. I have no idea if that's true or not but a claim like that leads me to believe that a shot of the stuff probably won't hurt any. So if you're pressed for time and on that side of town then stop in and try it for yourself.



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Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Juicing Remedies For Stomach Ulcers

I recently posted about a book that came with my juicer called "Juice Alive: The Ultimate Guide to Juicing Remedies." The book has many remedies for many different health disorders. My last post focused on colitis, so I wanted to follow that post up with some information and remedies for stomach ulcers. In this post I'm going to give the information and juicing remedies that the book lists for stomach ulcers on page 231. 


Stomach Ulcers
Stomach ulcers are characterized by inflammation in the stomach, which can cause stomach pain (especially after eating and when lying down) and burning sensations in the stomach. In some cases, stomach ulcers can also result in stomach bleeding. Once thought to be primarily due to stress, since the 1990s it has been recognized that over 90 percent of all cases of stomach ulcer are caused by an overabundance of a type of bacteria known as Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), which some researchers now speculate can also cause stomach cancer. (However, recent research indicates that H. pylori can be a normal flora without causing ulcerations. Some researchers are now suggesting that H. pylori  appears to thrive on ulcerated tissues and may not be causative.) Food allergies and the overuse of pharmaceutical drugs, especially aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID's), as well as steroids and other types of pain relievers, can also cause stomach ulcers. 

A related type of ulcer is duodenal ulcer, which affects the duodenum, the upper region of the small intestine, which is connected to the stomach by an organ known as the pylorus. Duodenal ulcers are caused by the same factors that cause stomach ulcers, including H. pylori infection.

The following juices can both relieve ulcer symptoms and help the body eliminate H. pylori infection

Juicing Recipies
  • Combine 1-2 ounces wheatgrass juice in 8-16 ounces green juices (any combination of green vegetables).
  • Juice 3 medium carrots, 1/4 head cabbage, 1/2 medium cucumber, and 1 garlic clove. Makes 14 ounces. Consume once daily.
  • Raw potato juice can be added to carrot and celery. Consume 6 ounces twice daily.
  • For duodenal ulcers. Drink raw cabbage juice throughout the day (can be mixed with carrot or celery). Consume 6 ounces three times daily. 

Juicing Remedies For Colitis

I recently posted about a book that came with my juicer called "Juice Alive: The Ultimate Guide to Juicing Remedies." The book has many remedies for many different health disorders. In this post I'm going to give some information and juicing recipes that are listed in the book as remedies for colitis.

Note: The following is taken directly from the 2nd edition printing of the book, as it appears on page 173.

Colitis
Colitis is a condition of the colon that is characterized by inflammation, as well as abdominal pain, diarrhea, flatulence and, in some cases fever. It is primarily caused by lack of fiber in the diet, poor eating habits, poor diet, nutritional deficiencies, and food allergies. The following juices can be helpful for reversing and preventing colitis. 

Juicing Recipes
  • Juice 3 medium carrots, 1/4 head cabbage, 1-2 garlic cloves, and 2 celery stalks. Makes 16 ounces. Consume once daily
  • Juice 1/4 head cabbage, 1 medium papaya, 2-3 medium carrots, and add 2 ounces wheatgrass juice. Makes 20 ounces. Consume once daily.
  • Juice 1/2 small head cabbage, 8 ounces broccoli, and 1/2 medium beet. Makes 8 ounces. Consume one to three times daily.
  • Juice 8 ounces blueberries, 1/2 medium papaya, and 1 medium apple. Makes 10 ounces. Consume once to twice daily. 

Healthy Twist
  • Drink juice of 1/2 medium lemon with warm water each morning, followed by carrot and apple or carrot, beet, and cucumber juice (8 ounces).
  • Aloe vera added to the above juices, or to 8 ounces of filtered water, can also be helpful.

Consideration
  • Avoid citrus juices. 

Juicing Remedy For Headaches

I recently posted about a book that came with my juicer called "Juice Alive: The Ultimate Guide to Juicing Remedies." The book has many remedies for many different health disorders. In this post I'm going to give a few  recipes that are listed in the book as remedies for headaches/migraines as well as the information about headaches and migraines that the book provides. 

Note: The following is taken directly from the 2nd edition printing of the book, as it appears on page 192. 


Headaches
Headaches rank among the most common of all health conditions, affecting nearly everyone at least once in their lives. In most cases, headaches are temporary, but in others, they can prove debilitating, depending on their type. Migraine headache is an example of this latter type of headache, as are headaches that continually recur or persist for long periods of time. Such headaches should be attended to by a physician, as should all cases of headaches that are accompanied by blurring vision, convulsions, dizziness, fever, and head trauma. 

There are many potential causes of headaches. These include physical factors, such as spinal misalignments, muscle spasms and muscle tension, and physical trauma or injury. Other potential causes of headache include allergies, constipation, poor diet, poor digestion, hormonal imbalances, infections and nutritional deficiencies. Juicing can often prove beneficial for headaches caused by this second class of factors due to the abundant supply of nutrients juices contain. 



Juicing Recipes
  • Juice 4 medium carrots and 4 celery stalks. Makes 14 ounces. Consume once to twice daily.
  • Juice 3 medium carrots, 1/2 medium beet, 1 medium cucumber, and 1/4 bunch parsley. Makes 14 ounces. Consume once to twice daily.
  • Juice 3 medium carrots, 3 celery stalks, 1/4 bunch spinach, 1/4 bunch parsley, and 1/4 head lettuce. Makes 16 ounces. Consume once daily.
  • Juice 1/2 medium papaya, 6 ounces cantaloupe, and add 1 tablespoon noni juice. Makes 8 ounces. Consume once to twice daily.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Juicing Remedy For Better Sleep

I recently posted about a book that came with my juicer called "Juice Alive: The Ultimate Guide to Juicing Remedies." The book has many remedies for many different health disorders. In this post I'm going to give a few different recipes that are stated in the book to help people who have insomnia (I'm one of these people,) I'll also share the information on insomnia that the book provides.

Note: The following is taken directly from the 2nd edition printing of the book, as it appears on pages 202 and 203.

Insomnia
Of all sleep disorders that affect Americans, the most common is insomnia. According to sleep experts, nearly 60 percent of all adults in the United States suffer from some form of insomnia at least once a week. There are three types of insomnia. The most common form is characterized by a difficulty sleeping upon going to bed. This type is known as sleep-onset insomnia. Another type of insomnia, known as sleep-maintenance insomnia, is characterized by frequent awakenings during the night, with difficulty falling back to sleep each time. The third type of insomnia, known as early-wakening insomnia, occurs when people wake after only a few hours of sleep and are unable to return to sleep. All three forms of insomnia leave people feeling tired and exhausted throughout the day.

There are many factors that can cause insomnia, including psychological conditions such as anxiety, depression, unresolved emotional upsets, and chronic stress. Other factors include poor sleeping habits, unhealthy diets, habitually eating late in the evening, poor nutrition, and hormonal imbalances, especially a lack of hormone melatonin. Juicing can help to correct dietary and nutritional factors that contribute to insomnia. Because juicing can also enhance the overall health of the endocrine system, which is responsible for hormone production and regulation, regularly drinking juices can help alleviate hormonal imbalances, which may contribute to insomnia. Such juices include the following.

Juicing Recipes

  • Juice 3 medium carrots, 1-2 celery stalks, and 1/2 head lettuce.
Makes 12 ounces. Consume one hour before bed.


  • Coconut milk with passionflower fruit (equal parts).
Consume 8 ounces before bed.


  • Juice 6 ounces cantaloupe, 4 ounces blueberries, and add 1 tablespoon noni juice.
Makes 4 ounces. Consume before bed.

(Note: I made the first recipe stated. It didn't taste very good, and it's hard to say whether or not it helped my insomnia any because I only tried it once. If I were to try another recipe for insomnia next then it'll probably be the last one, because it actually sounds tasty.)

Cleaning Your Juicer

This post probably could've been combined with my most recent one, but I decided to give the topic of cleaning juicers its own section because it's something that has been inquired about. Also, I'm sure that if many people were to say what the most frustrating thing about juicing is for them, then I'm guessing a pretty common response would be "cleaning the juicer." This is understandable. We've already been through the process of acquiring, prepping, and juicing our fruits and vegetables. Now we have a delicious, healthy, big glass of nutrients to drink, and there's nothing we'd rather do than sit back, relax, and enjoy the fruits of our labor, literally. There's just one thing, that big, dirty, juicer sitting in the kitchen staring back at us.

Much like the title of my last post, cleaning a juicer, takes some effort. The good thing is that a few tips can save a little time and make the cleaning process a little bit easier. All juicers are different, so the specific cleaning steps might vary some, depending on the juicer, but the basics are the same. I decided to do a little searching on the subject before writing the post, just to make sure there weren't any gems that I didn't already know about. I came across a video on cleaning a juicer, and was surprised to see that the juicer in the video appears to be the same juicer that I own. So, I figured instead of telling you my step by step guide to cleaning a juicer, I could just show you the video instead.

One thing I saw in the video that I haven't been doing was using a small pipe-cleaning brush to clean the pour spout on my juicer. I'll definitely start doing this because this is one area that I've noticed a bit of a build-up occurring.

I have just a couple of tips that the video doesn't mention: It's best to clean the juicer shortly after using it. I've made the mistake several times of waiting too long after making my juices to clean my juicer, and it's something I've always regretted, because it doesn't clean up near as easily. Another thing I usually do is put a plastic bag in the area that catches the pulp. That area is easy to clean, but it's even easier to simply take out the bag full of pulp and discard it without washing a thing (other than the rest of the machine.)

Here's the link to the video about cleaning a juicer. Unfortunately there's a 30 second ad that you're subjected to watching beforehand (man, I hate those things.)

Juicing Takes Effort

Like other household appliances, juicers can oftentimes be tucked away in cabinets and other hidden places, rarely seeing the light of day, forgotten, eventually put back in its box and into an attic or other storage place, waiting for the next garage sale or swap meet.

There's some good reason for this. Juicing can be a bit of work. You have to buy fruits and veggies (which are more expensive than many processed convenience foods,) clean them (some people go to great lengths to ensure their veggies are cleaned,) prep the fruits and veggies (cut off bad parts, peel some of them, take cores out of some, dice into manageable pieces depending on your juicer, etc.,) juice them (finally,) and then you have to clean the friggin' thing. That seems like an awful lot of work just to get some healthy fluids in your life. 

These are some of the reasons that I've gone days, weeks, even months on end without juicing. It's funny how much a person's opinion on the ease, or difficulty, of juicing can vary from one individual to another. I either hear some juice enthusiast talk about how easy it is and how it only takes a couple of minutes out of a persons day, or I hear someone who's new to juicing talk about it like it's the most difficult, frustrating part of their day. Really? My thoughts about it tend to be right in the middle. Juicing isn't really easy, and it isn't really hard, it's just, a process. A process that takes a little time, thought, and effort, much like many other activities in our lives. 

Excuse me here for getting a little deep and turning something like juicing into some sort of life lesson, but my best advice is to think positively about the whole situation and experience. If there's one thing I notice about myself it's that a certain mindset or way of thinking can make a big difference as to how I perceive something. The difference between a pleasing juicing experience and a stressful one is often something as small as our current frame of mind. Listen to your favorite music (for some reason I really like Bob Marley when I juice,) do it when nobody else is around, think about the positive effects it will have on your health, just do whatever you have to do to and think however you need to think to make the experience as positive as possible.