Monthly Archives: May 2015

5 Reasons Cold-Pressed Juice May Not Be All That

At the beginning of the year, as cold-pressed juice became all the rage in Los Angeles, Jimmy Kimmel took to the streets to point out the absurdity of spending $10 on a glass of fruit juice. Kimmel and his team mix sugary drinks, fun dip, and even Skittles and tell people they are actually cold-pressed juice. And of course, in true Kimmel fashion, everyone buys into it.

But Kimmel’s segment raises a good question: Why are people spending so much money on juice if they can’t tell the difference between something healthy and unhealthy?

I should point out that I personally love cold-pressed juice. It’s tasty and gives me a midday pick-me-up when I’m really feeling tired or recovering from a long night. In fact, this past spring, I tried using cold-pressed juice over a doctor’s visit to combat a cold. And it worked! But unfortunately,cold-pressed juice is expensive and making it an everyday part of my life is next to impossible.

So why do people do it? It’s no secret that cooking vegetables makes them lose their nutrients, so this is the same basic concept. Cold-pressed juice is supposed to contain all of the nutrients that a regular centrifugal juicer loses. In order to avoid cooking the vegetables (the fast-spinning blade in a centrifugal juicer gets hot), most people recommend using a cold press juicer (although some experts say even a cold press juicer gets hot, too).

But as with all fads, cold-pressed juicing is so new that we won’t be able to tell the long term effects for, well, a long time. So what do we know?

1. Every Gut Is Different

Wired Magazine points out that, simply put, every gut is different. For instance, I have Crohn’s disease, which means I rarely absorb nutrients unless I have the perfect balance of food in my body. Sometimes drinking juice does a number on me so I have to be careful. But no matter what, unless you pair the juices with other foods, you might not absorb the nutrients at all. You can try the Michael Pollan method to see what nutrients you absorb and when (as Wired points out), or The Plan to figure out which foods are reactive, but really just listen to your body. If you still feel tired after drinking a juice, you might not have the right bacteria or proteins in place to absorb the nutrients.

At the beginning of the year, as cold-pressed juice became all the rage in Los Angeles, Jimmy Kimmel took to the streets to point out the absurdity of spending $10 on a glass of fruit juice. Kimmel and his team mix sugary drinks, fun dip, and even Skittles and tell people they are actually cold-pressed juice. And of course, in true Kimmel fashion, everyone buys into it.

But Kimmel’s segment raises a good question: Why are people spending so much money on juice if they can’t tell the difference between something healthy and unhealthy?

I should point out that I personally love cold-pressed juice. It’s tasty and gives me a midday pick-me-up when I’m really feeling tired or recovering from a long night. In fact, this past spring, I tried using cold-pressed juice over a doctor’s visit to combat a cold. And it worked! But unfortunately,cold-pressed juice is expensive and making it an everyday part of my life is next to impossible.

So why do people do it? It’s no secret that cooking vegetables makes them lose their nutrients, so this is the same basic concept. Cold-pressed juice is supposed to contain all of the nutrients that a regular centrifugal juicer loses. In order to avoid cooking the vegetables (the fast-spinning blade in a centrifugal juicer gets hot), most people recommend using a cold press juicer (although some experts say even a cold press juicer gets hot, too).

But as with all fads, cold-pressed juicing is so new that we won’t be able to tell the long term effects for, well, a long time. So what do we know?

1. Every Gut Is Different

Wired Magazine points out that, simply put, every gut is different. For instance, I have Crohn’s disease, which means I rarely absorb nutrients unless I have the perfect balance of food in my body. Sometimes drinking juice does a number on me so I have to be careful. But no matter what, unless you pair the juices with other foods, you might not absorb the nutrients at all. You can try the Michael Pollan method to see what nutrients you absorb and when (as Wired points out), or The Plan to figure out which foods are reactive, but really just listen to your body. If you still feel tired after drinking a juice, you might not have the right bacteria or proteins in place to absorb the nutrients.

2. Juicing Is a Supplement, Not a Replacement

Do not replace your daily fruits and vegetables intake with juicing. You should still maintain a healthy balance of fresh fruits and vegetables — try a salad every once in awhile! Now, if you’re on the go, an occasional replacement is fine. Either way, a healthy diet has a variety of types of fruits and vegetables.

3. Not Enough Fiber

When most people think of fruits and vegetables, they think fiber. Unfortunately with juicing, the fruits and vegetables lose their fiber almost instantly. The pulp is the part that contains the fiber and with most juicers, the pulp is stripped away. So try adding back some of the pulp or supplementing fiber with other foods such as lentils or black beans.

4. Higher Calories

Juicing is high in calories, but that just means you should pay attention to the labels and ask lots of questions when you purchase your juice from a juice bar (or Google a lot until you find out exactly what you’re adding to your juicer). Balance your juice by adding a protein like almond milk or peanut butter.

5. Too Much Sugar

Because juice is metabolized by your body quickly, it can be dangerous for diabetics. Most fruit and vegetables are high in natural sugars, so be careful as you choose the right juice (or raw fruit or vegetable) for you.

No matter what, listen to your body. If you aren’t feeling well after drinking juice, don’t drink it. If you feel better, drink it. As for me, I will continue to occasionally drink cold-pressed juice when I can afford it (or until a doctor tells me not to).

Kale - Healthy Kale

kaleWhen you mention kale, the majority responds with raised eyebrows and mumble “Huh”? “What’s that”? Kale is an old, hardly noticed and powerful green food. Kale is a leafy green vegetable with a mild earthy flavor. The ideal season for kale is between mid winter and early spring where it can be found in abundance in most produce sections of local grocery stores. However, kale usually is available year round. Righteously so, kale is starting to garner well deserved attention amongst dieticians and other health care professionals. This is due to its natural and nutrient rich phytochemical content which brandish unparalleled health promoting benefits. Kale is a nutritional powerhouse.

Kale is overflowing with essential nutrients such as calcium, lutein, iron, and Vitamins A, C, and K. Kale has seven times the beta-carotene of broccoli and ten times more lutein. Kale is rich in chlorophyll and provides much needed fiber so lacking in the daily diet of processed food eating Americans.

The “Icing on the Kale” are the naturally occurring photochemicals sulforaphanes and indoles which research suggests may protect against cancer. Let’s not forget the essential antioxidant Vitamin E. Rest assured kale spares nothing in providing one with the required nutrients coupled with associated health benefits. This is not a shy leafy green by any means and certainly will assist one in achieving an alkaline body balance.


The naturally rich sulfur content of kale deserves a bit more discussion. Researchers have discovered that sulforaphane; helps boost the body’s detoxification enzymes, potentially by altering gene expression. This is turn is purported to help clear carcinogenic substances in a relatively timely manner. Sulforaphane is formed when cruciferous vegetables such as kale are chopped or chewed. This triggers the liver to produce natural enzymes which function to detoxify cancer causing chemicals, to which we all are exposed on a daily basis. A relatively new study published in the Journal of Nutrition (2004) demonstrates that sulforaphane helps stop breast cancer cell proliferation. Kale should be considered a regular part of the diet, especially for the ladies.

Kale descends from the wild cabbage which originated in Asia. Kale is thought to have been introduced to Europe by the Celtics where it remained a staple. Kale was an important food item early in European history and a crop staple in ancient Rome. Kale was eventually introduced to the USA during the 17th century by early English settlers. Unfortunately, we typically see kale used as decoration or garnishes for side dishes and salad bars. Once here twice forgotten, give kale the special attention it deserves. Your body is guaranteed to thank-you.

A leafy green vegetable starting to gain widespread attention, kale belongs to the Brassica family, a group that also includes cabbage, collard greens, and Brussels sprouts. Choose kale with small leaves as they will be tender and offer a slightly sweeter taste. Make kale leaves a regular addition to your salads. A sautéed side dish of kale, onions, and garlic drizzled in olive oil is second to none. If you are an avid juicer, you already appreciate the natural liquid vitamin content in plenty of green foods. By all means juice up the kale. One of nature’s drinks has never tasted so good.

 

 

Juicing For Weight Loss

Juicing-VitamimBenefitsVitamin C is about so much more than fighting colds! Do you need to lose weight? Did you know that you can target foods high in vitamin C in your juicing recipes to make fat-burning easier? Yes! This simple and well-known nutrient has been shown to play an important role in boosting weight loss and metabolism.

Let’s take a closer look at how vitamin C benefits your body.
What Is Vitamin C?

Vitamin C is also known as ascorbic acid. It is a water-soluble vitamin with an antioxidant function in your body. This means that the nutrient is constantly working to neutralize free radicals that can cause cell damage.

Water-soluble vitamins are not stored in your body. This means that you need to take in a fresh supply of them each day, otherwise you will develop a deficiency which can lead to health issues over time. All the B-vitamins are also water-soluble.

Your body doesn’t have the ability to produce any vitamin C by itself, so you have to make sure that your intake of this nutrient is always adequate. Smokers and folks who are heavy drinkers are highly likely to be deficient in vitamin C.


What Does Vitamin C Do In Your Body?

Apart from keeping your immune system strong, vitamin C functions like a top-rated maintenance guy and handyman in your body! This is the nutrient that takes care of much of the never-ending repair work you are not even aware of.

Vitamin C is one of the main players when it comes to forming collagen. Collagen is a fibrous protein, vital for supporting and connecting a variety of tissues in your body. From your bones to your muscles, teeth, cartilage, nails and skin need collagen to be healthy. Your skin also relies on this protein for maintaining suppleness and a youthful appearance.

So, you can see why you need a steady vitamin C supply for all the upkeep that is constantly taking place behind the scenes!

How Can Vitamin C Help With Weight Loss And Exercise?

If you are using juicing recipes for weight loss, you may find that your results improve drastically if you include more foods high in vitamin C.

Researchers are finding that vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin C can increase your fat burning rate during exercise. How’s that for delicious news? This is superb motivation to increase your daily intake of a whole range of great-tasting fresh produce. Eat some and juice some!

What we see here is impressive teamwork between the antioxidants carnitine and vitamin C.

Carnitine basically helps your body to turn fat into energy. It can also play a role in reducing the inflammation that usually follows strenuous exercise. How does this happen? Your body can produce carnitine, but vitamin C is required to activate it. The carnitine reciprocates by boosting the working of the vitamin C, with you enjoying all the benefits of their interaction.

According to a study done by Carol S. Johnston of the Arizona State University (published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition¹), fat-burning can be up to 30% higher during exercise if you have a healthy level of vitamin C in your body, compared to the results in folks who are getting too little of it.

So, by topping up with a vitamin C-rich juice in time, you can ensure that you gain the maximum benefit from walking, working out or any other fat-loss activity. The vitamin C and carnitine team may also enable you to exercise for longer, as it could add to endurance and give you more energy.

If you have been struggling to lose weight consistently in spite of exercising, you could try adding more foods high in vitamin C. Who knows, this may just be what you need to get your over this frustrating nothing-is-budging plateau.

A Taste Of Other Vitamin C Benefits

While this vitamin is helping you to get your body back into shape, it will do a number of other things you are going to love!

As vitamin C has to do with collagen production, it is exactly what you need for maintaining a youthful, glowing, plump-looking and firm skin! It may be one way of keeping wrinkles at bay, from the inside out. It can also help to combat skin dryness and slow down the aging process.

At the same time your nails and hair will also benefit.

While it has become apparent that vitamin C may not be the ‘magic pill’ that keeps you from getting colds, this nutrient can definitely reduce the severity of a cold or other infection, preventing more serious complications.

Vitamin C functions as an antioxidant and therefore is a major enemy of the free radicals that cause all sorts of havoc in your body. It acts as an awesome ally when you need protection from the cell damage normally initiated by these bad guys and reduces inflammation.

It can therefore help to prevent certain cancers, may lower your risk of developing heart disease and can even prevent the development of serious age-related eye diseases.

Also remember that this vitamin can improve iron absorption in your body. When you are having iron-rich foods, it is a good idea to try and include a selection of foods that are high in vitamin C. This can increase your iron uptake significantly.


13 Fruits Rich In Vitamin C

You can use almost any fruit and get a good dose of this nutrient. It is surprising to discover that one kiwi fruit has more vitamin C in it than one large orange! Here is a list of 13 of the best fruits to keep in mind:

Guava
Strawberries
Kiwi fruit
Papaya
Tomatoes (yes, this is a fruit!)
Cantaloupe or melon
Watermelon
Mango
Pineapple
Blueberries
Cranberries
Orange
Grapefruit

 


14 Vegetables High In Vitamin C

Did you know that one good-sized sweet bell pepper packs roughly three (3) times the vitamin C found in one orange? So, sneak one of these into your juices whenever you can!

Red bell pepper
Green bell pepper
Broccoli
Parsley
Brussels sprouts
Kale
Spinach
Cauliflower
Sweet potato
Cabbage
Squash
Romaine lettuce
Green beans
Collard greens

Beauty Services: For Proper Care Of Your Skin

landscape-1427459608-hbz-skincare-secret-indexOur skin needs proper care and pampering. The texture and shine of skin get away due to various environmental factors. The change of weather, pollution, sun rays and dust are some of the factors that have an adverse effect on the skin. In order to get an appealing appearance and awesome looks, it is necessary to provide proper treatment to the skin.

There are several beauticians that are offering beauty services. These services are used in order to give perfect nourishment to the skin cells so that these can effectively counter the adverse environmental effects. The beauticians use various items like mineral oils, vitamin supplements and other various other substances to provide nourishment to the skin.

Some Of The Most Popular Beauty Services Are Discussed Below.

Facial

The facial masses are widely used to provide nourishment to the skin of the face. In this, the face pack of minerals, vitamins, flower juice and various other naturally occurring substances is used in order to give full nourishment to the tissues. The mineral pack will help in the regrowth of the cells. The essential minerals help in the repair of the injured cells.

Massage Therapy

It is the workout of fingers, hands, legs and elbows in order to give relaxation to the mind and body. It is a technique in which the pressing is performed using the hands and other parts. This eventually results in improving the blood flow through the vessels, thus providing full nourishment to the body tissues. This helps in removing the tension from the muscles and bones.

It is a very important category of the beauty services and is widely used to provide relaxation from the stress. Using this healing therapy, body pain and various other ailments get treated.

Pancha Karma Treatment

It is another very important category of beauty services. This is basically an ancient healing method in which proper nourishment to the body tissues is provided. In this therapy, the toxins of the body get removed using the various methods.

Pedicure And Manicure

Spa is another very effective form of beauty services. It includes spa pedicure and manicure. In this, the proper care of the skin and nails of the hands & legs is provided.

The beauty services are certainly not confined to the above discussed activities. These include various other activities and treatments that help in proving nourishment and treatment to the skin. Some of the healing methods include body enhancement treatments like breast enhancement, liposuction, hair removal and various other treatments.