The Standard American Diet
Most days when I stand in line at the checkout, I get a few odd looks from the people behind me. Sure, they recognize the apples, cucumber, lemon, ginger, and carrots. But somehow, anything green and edible has slipped off their radar. And as they stack their "healthy" frozen diet entrees, processed lunch meat, and meal replacement drinks, they stare at all my healthy produce and wonder "what's up with this guy?" Most Americans ignore the truth and don't want to hear about the adverse effects that the American diet has on their body. Pizza, hamburgers, and processed meals may save time, money, and taste fantastic, but eating it day in and day out will speed you along to an early grave. They don't call it fast food for nothing.The news is sobering. Experts predict that by year 2020, Diabetes will hit record levels and a whopping one in three Americans will be diagnosed with it. Let me repeat that: ONE IN THREE!!! And children as young as 10 are are showing early signs ot attherosclorosis. That means a prepaid ticket to a heart attack. Heart attacks are the number one killer. And it is 100% preventable. The Standard American Diet is so over processed, so, affordable, and so readily available, but so far removed from what humans are designed to eat. It's time we all evaluate and educate ourselves about the quality and effect of the food we put into our bodies.
Get Back To Nature
When I tell people I juice about half of the vegetables in my grocery bag, they look at me like I'm some radical health nut or fanatical food freak. "Wow, I could never do that," they say, as they convince themselves that taking home a frozen "Diet" meal will actually help them maintain optimum health. What the average American is eating and drinking for their health is not working. And while I am not a Vegan, Vegetarian, or Raw Food evangelist, I'd say on average I consume more green vegetables than most vegetarians because of the green juice I drink.
What most people don't know is that juicing is one of the best ways to have a radiant, energetic life, and truly optimal health. Eating and juicing leafy green vegetables and fruits is a simple and economic way to feed your body what it needs to stay healthy and fight didsease. Sure, organic produce costs more. But if you base your diet on healthy fruits and vegetables and consume them as the majority of you calories, you won't have room in your stomach for the frozen pizza, fast food burger, and fattening deserts. When you fill your body with organic, healthy nutrient-dense food, you will feel better and won't crave the junk. Over time, you will feel less compelled to eat the average American food. You will consume fewer calories and you won't have to diet because a lean body is the natural side effect of nourishing your body.
"I like vegetables. Can't I just cook them?" I get that a lot. The short answer is no. But including cooked green vegetables should also be included in your diet. Raw fruits and vegetables contain sensitive micronutrients that become damaged when heated. By all means, eat your cooked spinach. Eat your Lima Beans. And chow down on the steamed Broccoli. But it is important to unlock the vital micronutrients when consuming healthful fruits and vegetables. Juicing is one of the best ways to get the nutrients your body needs.
Cellular Health
When thinking about juicing your veggies remember this concept... Cellular cleansing. Leafy green veggies, especially spinach, kale, and dark greens like broccoli have a high chlorophyll content.
When you hear the word "chlorophyll", you may vaguely remember this word from High School Biology. To some of you, the word may mean almost nothing, other "than the green stuff in plants." That's half right. Chlorophyll is the phytochemical that makes plants green. But, it is also a very important proteinous compound that acts as our internal healer, cleanser, antiseptic, cell stimulator, rejuvenator and red blood cell builder, just as it is the "lifeblood" of the plant. Chlorophyll is a green photosynthetic pigment found in abundance in leaves of plants (vegetables). It absorbs sunlight and changes it into chemical energy for the plant.
Researches have reported that the chlorophyll molecule is remarkably similar to hemoglobin in human blood, the substance that carries oxygen in our body. Except that our hemoglobin has an iron element in the center of the structure and chlorophyll has a magnesium element. Experiments have shown that our body is able to convert chlorophyll into hemoglobin, thereby enriching the blood. Besides chlorophyll, green vegetables also contain other equally amazing substances that work together in synergy, to heal. Only nature has a way of putting groups of nutrients together that complement each other and when consumed, worked synergistically to repair, to cleanse and to heal. There are a host of other vital vitamins and minerals present in natures harvest. Kale is also very high in calcium. Parents know they should give their kids more calcium. The dairy industry has hammered into our brains that it's high in calcium and "does a body good." But for those of us that are lactose intolerant, milk, cheese and yogurt may not may not be an option. Leafy greens like Kale are an excellent calcium rich alternative without the added fat and cholesterol punch. Besides, it's loaded with chlorophyll. I think I mentioned that.
Nutrient Absorption
One of the main values of juicing is that it "pre-digests" the food so you can absorb all the nutrients. This is important because most of us have impaired digestion as a result of making less-than-optimal food choices over many years. This limits your body's ability to absorb all the nutrients from the vegetables. When we juice, we are able to extract almost 100% of the nutrients trapped in the fibers. Properly extracted, the green juices are loaded with live enzymes, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and sodium. There are also pro-vitamin A, vitamin B-complex and vitamins C, E and K. For example, you will be surprised that when you juice 100g of fresh spinach and 50g of fresh parsley (total of 150g), the green juice would yield much more iron than 300g of beef and more calcium than 300g of milk! Just imagine the amount of goodness you are consuming from these green juices! Moreover, the nutrients from these juices can be quickly assimilated and absorbed by your cells, not taxing on your digestive system. On its journey down the digestive tract, it does a quick spring cleaning of your system—it vacuum cleans your blood of fungus, bacteria and undigested food particles that may have escaped digestion. Did I mention juicing cleanses the liver? I'll save that for another article but suffice it to say, taking care of your liver is vital for optimum health and vitality.
Weight management
When you're Green, you're lean. Aside from feeling great, one of the added benefits of drinking your vegetables is a trimmer waistline. Mother nature makes the healthiest, most nutritionally packed diet food known to man. And it's cheaper, better for you, and can give you the weight loss effects you desire without the preservatives and chemicals found in most man made diet drinks. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, your healthiest option to lose unwanted weight is to follow a diet that is rich in plant based foods. Adding green juice to a nutritious diet plan will help you get the essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. A tall glass of green juice will fill you up, provide the necessary nutrition, and speed up your metabolism, and will also keep your cravings in check. If you are considering a low calorie green juice diet for weight loss, remember to first consult your doctor.
"But I'm too lazy to juice"
Like anything good for you, juicing takes a little bit of time and preperation. And let's face it: We're all just a little bit lazy and a whole lot busy. But the little bit of effort to juice nutritious fruits and vegetables pays off with big dividends. If a juicer takes longer than 10 minutes to clean, we'll find excuses not to juice at all. I find that using an old scrub brush or toothbrush works well to clean the parts. Especially on the metal grater. If you buy a high-quality juicer, the whole cleaning process should only take about 5 minutes. Whatever you do, you need to clean your juicer immediately after you juice to prevent any remnants from contaminating the juicer with mold growth. Make sure the juicer gets cleaned after each and every use. I Can't stress that enough. I call it my "Zen Clean Up." Practicing mindfulness, not laziness, I ensure that each new juice is as amazing as the last.
So... What do I Juice?
Now that you're convinced that juicing is a good way to feel great, you're probably wondering what to throw into that brand new juicer. My favorite is a little something I call
"The Green Machine"
1 organic apple
1 organic cucumber
1 organic lemon
6 stalks organic celery
1/2 bunch of organic Kale
1 oz Ginger
And for a little extra kick I sometimes throw in a Habanero pepper. Wahoo!! I like to juice the leafy greens first, then use the liquid from the cucumber to help wash any remaining goodies in the juicer blades.
Sometimes I toss in half a peeled grapefruit and half a beet. I always wash my veggies with Vegi-wash or a plant-based cleanser. Have fun with it. And don't go Kamikaze on beets if you choose to juice them. If you do, you'll want to be near a restroom later in the day. Gives a whole new definition to cellular cleansing if you catch my drift. So don't juice a handful of beets and go on a long road trip. Bad idea.
Final thoughts
I hope you can understand the basic principle of nourishing your body with healthful green juice. Experiment with flavors, research, read, and go online. There's a ton of info on YouTube so you can see what others are running through their juicer. But let the juicer beware. Not everyone out there knows what they're doing. Above all, use your brain and have fun. Again, always check with your Doctor or health care practitioner before embarking on any health and fitness regimin. Ask them about any potential health related issues or ill effects that could arise, especially if you are diabetic.
So raise a glass of healthy green juice and toast to your wellness. Cheers!
Most days when I stand in line at the checkout, I get a few odd looks from the people behind me. Sure, they recognize the apples, cucumber, lemon, ginger, and carrots. But somehow, anything green and edible has slipped off their radar. And as they stack their "healthy" frozen diet entrees, processed lunch meat, and meal replacement drinks, they stare at all my healthy produce and wonder "what's up with this guy?" Most Americans ignore the truth and don't want to hear about the adverse effects that the American diet has on their body. Pizza, hamburgers, and processed meals may save time, money, and taste fantastic, but eating it day in and day out will speed you along to an early grave. They don't call it fast food for nothing.The news is sobering. Experts predict that by year 2020, Diabetes will hit record levels and a whopping one in three Americans will be diagnosed with it. Let me repeat that: ONE IN THREE!!! And children as young as 10 are are showing early signs ot attherosclorosis. That means a prepaid ticket to a heart attack. Heart attacks are the number one killer. And it is 100% preventable. The Standard American Diet is so over processed, so, affordable, and so readily available, but so far removed from what humans are designed to eat. It's time we all evaluate and educate ourselves about the quality and effect of the food we put into our bodies.
Get Back To Nature
When I tell people I juice about half of the vegetables in my grocery bag, they look at me like I'm some radical health nut or fanatical food freak. "Wow, I could never do that," they say, as they convince themselves that taking home a frozen "Diet" meal will actually help them maintain optimum health. What the average American is eating and drinking for their health is not working. And while I am not a Vegan, Vegetarian, or Raw Food evangelist, I'd say on average I consume more green vegetables than most vegetarians because of the green juice I drink.
What most people don't know is that juicing is one of the best ways to have a radiant, energetic life, and truly optimal health. Eating and juicing leafy green vegetables and fruits is a simple and economic way to feed your body what it needs to stay healthy and fight didsease. Sure, organic produce costs more. But if you base your diet on healthy fruits and vegetables and consume them as the majority of you calories, you won't have room in your stomach for the frozen pizza, fast food burger, and fattening deserts. When you fill your body with organic, healthy nutrient-dense food, you will feel better and won't crave the junk. Over time, you will feel less compelled to eat the average American food. You will consume fewer calories and you won't have to diet because a lean body is the natural side effect of nourishing your body.
"I like vegetables. Can't I just cook them?" I get that a lot. The short answer is no. But including cooked green vegetables should also be included in your diet. Raw fruits and vegetables contain sensitive micronutrients that become damaged when heated. By all means, eat your cooked spinach. Eat your Lima Beans. And chow down on the steamed Broccoli. But it is important to unlock the vital micronutrients when consuming healthful fruits and vegetables. Juicing is one of the best ways to get the nutrients your body needs.
Cellular Health
When thinking about juicing your veggies remember this concept... Cellular cleansing. Leafy green veggies, especially spinach, kale, and dark greens like broccoli have a high chlorophyll content.
When you hear the word "chlorophyll", you may vaguely remember this word from High School Biology. To some of you, the word may mean almost nothing, other "than the green stuff in plants." That's half right. Chlorophyll is the phytochemical that makes plants green. But, it is also a very important proteinous compound that acts as our internal healer, cleanser, antiseptic, cell stimulator, rejuvenator and red blood cell builder, just as it is the "lifeblood" of the plant. Chlorophyll is a green photosynthetic pigment found in abundance in leaves of plants (vegetables). It absorbs sunlight and changes it into chemical energy for the plant.
Researches have reported that the chlorophyll molecule is remarkably similar to hemoglobin in human blood, the substance that carries oxygen in our body. Except that our hemoglobin has an iron element in the center of the structure and chlorophyll has a magnesium element. Experiments have shown that our body is able to convert chlorophyll into hemoglobin, thereby enriching the blood. Besides chlorophyll, green vegetables also contain other equally amazing substances that work together in synergy, to heal. Only nature has a way of putting groups of nutrients together that complement each other and when consumed, worked synergistically to repair, to cleanse and to heal. There are a host of other vital vitamins and minerals present in natures harvest. Kale is also very high in calcium. Parents know they should give their kids more calcium. The dairy industry has hammered into our brains that it's high in calcium and "does a body good." But for those of us that are lactose intolerant, milk, cheese and yogurt may not may not be an option. Leafy greens like Kale are an excellent calcium rich alternative without the added fat and cholesterol punch. Besides, it's loaded with chlorophyll. I think I mentioned that.
Nutrient Absorption
One of the main values of juicing is that it "pre-digests" the food so you can absorb all the nutrients. This is important because most of us have impaired digestion as a result of making less-than-optimal food choices over many years. This limits your body's ability to absorb all the nutrients from the vegetables. When we juice, we are able to extract almost 100% of the nutrients trapped in the fibers. Properly extracted, the green juices are loaded with live enzymes, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and sodium. There are also pro-vitamin A, vitamin B-complex and vitamins C, E and K. For example, you will be surprised that when you juice 100g of fresh spinach and 50g of fresh parsley (total of 150g), the green juice would yield much more iron than 300g of beef and more calcium than 300g of milk! Just imagine the amount of goodness you are consuming from these green juices! Moreover, the nutrients from these juices can be quickly assimilated and absorbed by your cells, not taxing on your digestive system. On its journey down the digestive tract, it does a quick spring cleaning of your system—it vacuum cleans your blood of fungus, bacteria and undigested food particles that may have escaped digestion. Did I mention juicing cleanses the liver? I'll save that for another article but suffice it to say, taking care of your liver is vital for optimum health and vitality.
Weight management
When you're Green, you're lean. Aside from feeling great, one of the added benefits of drinking your vegetables is a trimmer waistline. Mother nature makes the healthiest, most nutritionally packed diet food known to man. And it's cheaper, better for you, and can give you the weight loss effects you desire without the preservatives and chemicals found in most man made diet drinks. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, your healthiest option to lose unwanted weight is to follow a diet that is rich in plant based foods. Adding green juice to a nutritious diet plan will help you get the essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. A tall glass of green juice will fill you up, provide the necessary nutrition, and speed up your metabolism, and will also keep your cravings in check. If you are considering a low calorie green juice diet for weight loss, remember to first consult your doctor.
"But I'm too lazy to juice"
Like anything good for you, juicing takes a little bit of time and preperation. And let's face it: We're all just a little bit lazy and a whole lot busy. But the little bit of effort to juice nutritious fruits and vegetables pays off with big dividends. If a juicer takes longer than 10 minutes to clean, we'll find excuses not to juice at all. I find that using an old scrub brush or toothbrush works well to clean the parts. Especially on the metal grater. If you buy a high-quality juicer, the whole cleaning process should only take about 5 minutes. Whatever you do, you need to clean your juicer immediately after you juice to prevent any remnants from contaminating the juicer with mold growth. Make sure the juicer gets cleaned after each and every use. I Can't stress that enough. I call it my "Zen Clean Up." Practicing mindfulness, not laziness, I ensure that each new juice is as amazing as the last.
So... What do I Juice?
Now that you're convinced that juicing is a good way to feel great, you're probably wondering what to throw into that brand new juicer. My favorite is a little something I call
"The Green Machine"
1 organic apple
1 organic cucumber
1 organic lemon
6 stalks organic celery
1/2 bunch of organic Kale
1 oz Ginger
And for a little extra kick I sometimes throw in a Habanero pepper. Wahoo!! I like to juice the leafy greens first, then use the liquid from the cucumber to help wash any remaining goodies in the juicer blades.
Sometimes I toss in half a peeled grapefruit and half a beet. I always wash my veggies with Vegi-wash or a plant-based cleanser. Have fun with it. And don't go Kamikaze on beets if you choose to juice them. If you do, you'll want to be near a restroom later in the day. Gives a whole new definition to cellular cleansing if you catch my drift. So don't juice a handful of beets and go on a long road trip. Bad idea.
Final thoughts
I hope you can understand the basic principle of nourishing your body with healthful green juice. Experiment with flavors, research, read, and go online. There's a ton of info on YouTube so you can see what others are running through their juicer. But let the juicer beware. Not everyone out there knows what they're doing. Above all, use your brain and have fun. Again, always check with your Doctor or health care practitioner before embarking on any health and fitness regimin. Ask them about any potential health related issues or ill effects that could arise, especially if you are diabetic.
So raise a glass of healthy green juice and toast to your wellness. Cheers!
No comments:
Post a Comment