To juice or to blend .. . that is the question.   And it’s a question that I get asked quite often.  Is it best to make fresh juices or to just take the same foods and blend them for a “whole juice”?  Some people feel that blending is the way to go.  After all, the fiber (which is what gets removed when we juice) is good for us . . . right?  Of course the answer to that question is obvious.  The research seems pretty clear, and most “experts” teach that people who eat a high fiber diet, are generally healthier.  Of course, eating a diet rich in whole, fresh, plant-based foods provides lots of fiber.  Getting an abundance of healthy fiber is just one of the many, many benefits of eating a wholesome diet. 

 A fiber rich diet with lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains (optimally gluten-free), accenting with some whole, raw nuts and seeds, is a great foundation for promoting good health.   When the body has been depleted or run down, or is unhealthy or diseased, it needs extra nutrition in order to get built back up.  This applies to vital nutrients like vitamins and minerals, but also to flavonoids, phytonutrients and anitoxidants (and all the other “good stuff” that is found in plant foods).  Some of the minerals we need most are vital in helping to get our body’s cellular pH back to a healthy alkaline level.  Unfortunately, because of modern day farming methods, the foods that we are eating today are often not as nutritionally dense as they were years ago. 

 Now back to the question at hand.  A juicer does one thing really well.  It separates the juice (nutrients) from the pulp (fiber).  When we eat the whole food, the body has to do this work through the digestive process.  It takes time and energy for the body to do this, and therefore it has a limited ability for the amount of food that it can process.  When we digest food, some of the nutrition that we get from our food is used up in the digestive process.  If we have not eaten well over the years, we may not have optimal digestion, and consequently may be absorbing and utilizing even less of the nutrients found in our regular diet.  

I consider freshly made juice to be the best, and most natural, nutritional “supplement” that we can consume.  With any other kind of supplement, we have to trust that it is made in such a way that we will get benefit from it.  Actually, research shows that in some cases we may be getting very little from bottled nutritional supplements, and sometimes they could even be causing us harm.  These supplements may not be natural at all, and/or we may be taking these man-made or extracted nutrients in amounts that are not natural (potentially causing trouble).  And for sure we are not getting the synergy that comes with the balance of the other nutrients that are generally available with the whole food.  Research bounces back and forth on this kind of thing, but I really like to get as much of what my body needs from foods.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against taking a few supplements here and there, if/when that is needed.  I just have more confidence in a whole food that I can hold in my hand, rather than bottles of pills that I really don’t know much about (and certainly could not reproduce in my own kitchen). 

 So, when we use freshly made juices to “supplement” an already healthy diet, I see it as a huge benefit.  It’s a great option when the body needs nutrition in addition to what we can get from our regular daily meals, without increasing the amount the body must digest or process.    In an 8oz glass of freshly made juice, you get the nutrients from approximately one pound of fresh food.    So if we don’t juice, but would like to get that extra nutrition, could we blend one or more pounds of food and eat it in addition to our regular meals each day?  That would overload our digestion.  And if we already have health problems, our digestion may be sluggish to begin with. 

 Some people, myself included, have used juicing to lose weight, regain energy and improve overall health.  Some have overcome pretty serious health problems drinking freshly made juices.  In such cases, people may drink multiple fresh juices every day.  Some have used health regimens that include drinking as many as 13 fresh juices a day and have gotten well from very grave health issues.  If not juiced, that would be thirteen pounds of extra food being processed by the body.  Overload, wouldn’t you say?  Even drinking three to four extra pounds of fresh produce a day in blended drinks, in addition to regular meals would be impossible.  And yet it is very easy to drink these same nutrients in the form of freshly made juices.  When someone is looking for increased nutrition, from the most natural source possible, in a form that can be taken in addition to our regular meals (without overloading digestion) . . . freshly made juices are the way to go.  I also think that juicing is a great option for people that need to give their digestion a break, through reducing the amount the body must process each day. And by the way, it has been estimated by some that up to 92% of the nutrition in fresh juices is utilized by the body. 

So, what’s my take on blended foods?  As long as the foods that are being blended are healthy and beneficial, I think blending foods is another awesome option.  Lots of folks these days are drinking smoothies made with whole fresh ingredients.  Some increase the nutrition by including nutrient dense foods like dark green leafy vegetables, and antioxidant-rich foods like berries and chia seeds.  You can get a variety of these healthy foods blended up for a delicious nutrient-rich meal.  Blended foods like smoothies, “green drinks”, and “blended salads”, also reduce the digestive stress on the body, while increasing the amount of available nutrition.  This can be another great option for anyone wanting to use diet and nutrition to improve overall health, and is especially beneficial for those that have weak digestion. 

 I usually drink a blended drink that includes and abundance of dark green leafy vegetables five or more times a week.  I also drink several freshly made juices almost every day.  And sometimes, I let my digestion rest by drinking only freshly made juices and eating no solid food for a day or more.  I call this a “juice fast” and I generally do this one day a week, and two or more weeks a year.  

So, I don’t see the question of juicing or blending as an either/or proposition.  Each method has benefit and can play a role in increasing our nutritional intake from fresh foods, promoting better overall health.  Why do one or the other, when we can do both?   

“It’s all good” . . . as they say!  :)

Blessings and Good Health to You!

Ginny

The idea of using foods as medicine can be observed throughout history.    In fact, Hippocrates is quoted as saying "Let food be thy medicine, and let thy medicine be food."  In more recent years, it has been thought (and taught) that our genes dictate what diseases we get.  This has led people to believe that if you have a specific genetic makeup,  it is inevitable that you will get certain diseases.  A 2008 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences  (PNAS), revealed that modifying diet and lifestyle habits can change the expression of over 500 genes.   In essence, the study showed that we can actually “turn off” disease promoting genes and “turn on” health promoting genes in a relatively short period of time, simply by changing the way we eat and live.  

With Hippocrates’ revelation being rediscovered through modern medical research, maybe it is wise for us to think about what foods can help us to attain better health.  We evaluate and discuss this topic in great detail at our Abundant Living Wellness Retreats, but today I’d like to take a simple look at several “super foods” that have made it into my ‘Healthy Food Hall of Fame’.  Foods that I consider to be “super foods” must be “nutrient dense” (contain a high amount of beneficial nutrients per calorie) and provide other health promoting compounds that are known to protect our health in various ways. In other words . . . they’re really good for us! 

First, I have to say that virtually ALL whole raw fruits and vegetables have a place on this list as do raw nuts and seeds as well as beans and lentils.  When looking to get the absolute MOST health protection from our diet as possible, it is important to eat a variety of plant-based foods.   Now, let’s take a look at four of these “super foods”. 

 Ginny’s Healthy Food Hall of Fame

Blueberries  are packed with antioxidants and phytonutrients .  These are health-promoting compounds that naturally occur in plants.  They are also high in potassium and vitamin C, and are considered to be anti-inflammatory making them a wonderful food choice (and they are in season right now!).

Dark Green Leafy Vegetables are some of the most nutrient dense foods that we can consume.  They are a good source of a wide range of vitamins and minerals and provide a number of flavonoids, phytonutrients and antioxidants that help to fight disease.  Leafy greens are a good source of calcium, magnesium and vitamin K, so they are great for bone health.  Dark green leafy vegetables are, calorie for calorie, a good source of protein.  Additionally, they also supply nutrients that help to fight inflammation, which is involved in many of the common diseases today.  

Chia Seeds are a complete protein source (all essential amino acids).  They offer 4.4 grams of complete protein in just one ounce. They also are a good source of omega 3 essential fatty acids. They are good for bone health as they provide 18% of RDA of calcium per ounce, 27% RDA of phosphorous per ounce, and 30% of RDA of manganese per ounce.  They are rich in other minerals such as zinc as well as various vitamins. They are an excellent source of antioxidants, and are a good source of dietary fiber.

Flax Seeds are packed with fiber (contain soluble fiber which helps lower cholesterol and insoluble which aids in colon health), omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, antioxidants, and cancer-fighting lignans. They are also a good source of other vitamins including vitamin e as well as minerals such as manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and selenium.

Dark green leafy vegetables (like kale, spinach, chard, collards & romaine lettuce) are considered to be some of the most nutrient dense foods that we can have in our diet.  This important “food group” contains most of the essential nutrients that we need for optimal health.  They are a good source of a wide range of vitamins and minerals and provide a number of flavonoids, phytonutrients and antioxidants that help to fight disease.  Leafy greens are a good source of calcium, magnesium and vitamin k, so they are great for bone health.  Many people don’t realize that they are also, calorie for calorie, a very good source of protein.  Additionally, they supply nutrients that help to fight inflammation, which is involved in many of the common diseases today.   I consider dark green leafy vegetables to be a REAL “super food”,  because of all the health promoting and disease fighting nutrients that are packed into these amazing foods.

Because there is so much “good stuff” in green foods,  I eat a salad and drink fresh vegetable juices made with dark green veggies almost every day.   I also drink a green smoothie five or six days a week.  A few years back, most people did not even know what a green smoothie was.  Today, these power packed meals are becoming almost “main stream”.  A “Green Smoothie” is simply a delicious blended smoothie made with whole, unprocessed ingredients that includes at least one dark green leafy vegetable.  If you are new to this concept, try making a smoothie with baby spinach.  Spinach that is picked early is very mild and will not change the taste of the smoothie (I know, I didn’t believe this either until I tried it for myself several years ago).  As you get more curious, you can try other leafy veggies like kale, chard & collards.  I tried collards in my smoothie for the first time earlier this year, and was amazed that it didn’t change the taste of my yummy smoothie much at all.  When experimenting, just start with a small amount.  You can increase how much you add as you go along.  Eating a green smoothie every day is a great way to begin making healthy diet changes.  For those that are already on a  “health journey”, green smoothies are a great way to take it to the next level.  I’ve provided a couple of simple recipes below.  If you have never tasted a green smoothie, hope you’ll give it a try. 

Tropical Green Smoothie

 1 cup fresh orange juice

1/8 – ¼ cup almonds

1 Tablespoon chia seeds

1 – 2 handful of baby spinach

1-1/2  Frozen bananas

1 cup frozen pineapple

1 Tablespoon dried coconut

Blend O.J., almonds, and chia seeds until smooth.  Add baby spinach and blend further.  Add bananas and pineapple and continue blending until creamy. Add dried coconut and pulse a few times to mix. 

Berry Green Smoothie

 ½  cup water

1/8 – ½ cup almonds

1– 2 dried dates  (optional)

1 orange

1 cup frozen berries

½  frozen bananas

1 – 2 handfuls of your choice of greens

 Blend water, orange, nuts, seeds and dried fruit and process in blender.  Add greens and blend further.  Add frozen fruit and blend until smooth

Blessings and Good Health To You!
Ginny  

Just wanted to take a minute to remind you of some important resources that can help your "health journey" move to another level in 2012.  I don't usually send info out on Sunday but two of these options start tomorrow, so if you are interested you will want to sign up today. If you are looking for improved health, increased energy, weight loss or just an overall sense of well-being, consider checking out these educational opportunities.

Abundant Living is having a two day 'Cleansing & Detox Retreat' this coming Friday and Saturday - January 6 & 7.  for more information check out  our events calendar at www.abundantlivinghealth.com/events  My 'Fasting, Cleansing & Detox' Email Newsletter Series is starting tomorrow January 2, so sign up today.  Subscribe from our web site at www.abundantlivinghealth.com/newsletters  
You will need to check the box labeled “Fasting, Cleansing & Detox” on the subscribe tab at the right side of the page, and include your name and email address. 

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine's 21 Day Vegan Kickstart is also starting tomorrow. You can sign up at www.21daykickstart.org

Hallelujah Acres has several wonderful educational opportunties that you can sign up for at any time, that offers a wealth of information.  Check out http://www.juiceupyourlife.com/  and http://www.hacres.com/contact/signup/health-matters for more information.


Wishing for you a 2012 that is love-filled, joy-filled, and health-filled!

Blessings,
Ginny

Each year in January, I take time out to rest, cleanse, and rejuvenate.   During this special time, I hope to impact as much of my life as possible: spirit, soul and body.  One of the ways that I do this is through engaging in a form of “fasting”.  A true fast is where you abstain from eating/drinking any nourishment other than water.  While I have done some very short water fasts (less than three days at a time), my general approach is to do a modified form of fasting commonly called “juice fasting”. 

Usually, I start my “fast” shortly after the first of the New Year.  This year I started a few days early.  On Wednesday of this week, I began the first phase of my “fast” drinking only water, non-caffeinated herbal teas, fresh juices, and blended green drinks.  Beginning January 8^th, I plan to start a two-week juice fast (drinking only water, non-caffeinated herbal teas and fresh juices . . . primarily vegetable juices). 

If you’ve never experienced any form of fasting this may sound like it would be agonizing, but I count fasting as one of the many blessings in my life.  Because of my extremely positive experiences, this has become a very special time for me that I look forward to each year.  For more information on how I got introduced to fasting for health,  check out a blog entry I made last year by clicking here . . .   My first introduction to the world of fasting...     You can also click on the 'Fasting' tag at the end of this article to see other previous entries.    

If you are interested in learning more about this subject, we are having a two-day “Cleansing & Detox” retreat/seminar on January 6 & 7, 2012.  At this event we will discuss cleansing the body using raw foods and fresh juices.  These two days will be packed with information, including food prep demos and recipes that are great to use when cleansing. 

For more information or to register, send me an email to info@abundantlivinghealth.com. 

The cleansing and healing process

* Methods that can be used for cleansing

* How to support the body during a cleanse

* How to get the most out of your cleansing experience.  

Our cleansing retreat and email newsletter series can be some great resources for gleaning information to give you some ideas for starting the New Year off with a focus toward improving your overall health.  Hope you will sign up today!

Wishing you a very blessed, prosperous and health-filled New Year . . .

Blessings and good health to you!

Ginny

Jim and I just returned from a three- week motorcycle ride out west.  In the past few years I have blogged during our yearly motorcycle journeys, but this year I wimped out and didn’t take the time to do it.  We traveled through Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico before heading home.  We saw evidence all around us of God’s amazing artistic masterpieces in the beauty of nature along the journey.  We also found some really fun twisty, curvy motorcycle roads as we traveled.   It was a great trip, but as always whenever we travel . . . it is very nice to be home. 

I am often asked how to stay on a healthy path when traveling.  Our kids are now grown and Jim is able to take a little extra time off of work, so we really enjoy traveling these days.   I actually find it to be quite easy to stay on track when away from home.  Of course, your mind-set and how determined you are to stay focused is the biggest hurdle.  Some people adjust and make more exceptions with their diet while traveling.  For me, it is important to stay as close to my usual routine as possible.  I am pretty sure that if I eat some of the foods that I don’t normally eat, I would get “hooked” and have a hard time taking them back out of my diet.  Some of these foods really are addictive and it can be hard to consume them occasionally without getting on some kind of yo-yo diet program.  I also just don’t feel drawn to eating the foods that helped me to get so sick years ago.  I don’t want to go back and experience that again!   For all of these reasons, it’s just not worth it to me to get off track.  However, each person has to decide how important it is to stay on a specific "plan" while traveling.  If you use vacation time as a time to relax and not be so focused, that is certainly an option.  If you really want to keep your health focus while traveling, don’t feel you HAVE to compromise.  Once you have made your mind up, it is not hard to eat healthy when traveling.

Mode of transportation will dictate some of your options.  When traveling by car, we usually take a cooler and a snack/picnic basket.  We start off with fresh produce, raw nuts and seeds, and some snacks like hummus, dehydrated crackers, and survival bars.  Sometimes I will even make a dehydrated granola.  We usually take enough freshly made juice to drink during the first couple of days.  We also make a quart of smoothie for each of us the night before we travel and put them in the freezer in quart canning jars.  The next morning we take them from the freezer and put them in insulated sleeves that you can get at camping/hiking/outdoor/sports stores.  We have our smoothie for lunch on the first day of our travels.  

We also pack some non-caffeinated herbal teas.  I like a blend of mint and rooibus and Jim likes a special herbal blend that tastes a little more like a traditional tea.  Rooibus tea is loaded with antioxidants, and yet it has no caffeine!  We carry all of these in our store at Abundant Living.  Jim takes some agave to put in his tea that we usually make every morning and I take some whole-leaf green stevia.  We use the quart jar from the smoothies that we eat on the first day to make a quart of tea for us to drink throughout the morning each day.  I pack some Barley Max and Spiralina and take these in the morning along with my herb tea (and usually take barley and spiralina again once or twice later in the day as well).  Once we have gone through all of our fresh juices, whenever hunger strikes in the morning I will usually have an orange or two.   Jim likes something a little more substantial, so he will often eat a bowl of oatmeal or a piece of fruit and some raw nuts at some point in the morning.    

At lunch, we will snack on what we have brought along with us in our picnic basket.  We replenish our snack bag along the way at health food stores, fruit stands and grocery stores.  I buy organic whenever available and pick the best options when we can’t get organic (which is often the case when traveling).  There are some foods that I just won’t buy unless they are organic, like strawberries and grapes due to high concentration of pesticides used on these foods.   I like to look for health food stores whenever I can find them, but don’t usually go too far out of the way when we are just passing through a town, so it is often several days between finding such options.   We have been known to buy a watermelon for lunch and stop by a road side park to eat it.  This is a great option to nourish and hydrate on a hot summer day when traveling. 

At dinner, we will find a restaurant that offers a nice dark green salad.  Occasionally, in some really small towns, this is not an option but most of the time it is not hard to locate an eatery that offers a good salad.   Most restaurants have a number of veggie options available on the menu to go with our salad, even when they don’t have a “vegetarian” section on the menu.  I sometimes will simply go to a grocery store or health food store and get salad fixings and take back to the hotel to make a nice salad when I am not thrilled over the food options that we have access to at local restaurants. We love Mexican style food, so some nights we will go for Mexican.  When we do this, I usually can’t get a salad (most Mexican restaurants don’t have dark green salads) so I either get salad fixings at a grocery store to eat prior to going out to eat, or just eat a few raw veggies before heading out.  When we eat Mexican, I get a veggie fajita and Jim gets a bean burrito.  We ask them to leave off the cheese and it makes for a nice veggie meal.  When we eat at an Italian style restaurant, we typically can get a really nice salad.  I don’t “do” wheat and stick with being mostly gluten-free, so I don’t eat the pasta, but can usually find steamed veggies to go with my marinara sauce.  Some restaurants will do“eggplant parmesan” without the cheese (so really, it’s eggplant with marinara sauce).  I love eggplant so this is a real treat for me!

This is pretty much our traveling routine.  We eat fresh foods throughout the day (that we have brought with us or we have gotten along the way) and we eat out at a restaurant where we can get some good, healthy options in the evening.  When we travel by motorcycle we do the same thing, but obviously have to take a bit less of our snacks and treats because we are more limited on space. 
It is always good to have a few things handy to snack on for times when you are not finding the best food options, regardless of how you are traveling.  When traveling by plane, we are the most limited in space for packing food, but I still find room to take some “survival” foods like nuts, seeds, flax crackers, dehydrated treats and/or survival bars.  I also will look online for health food stores to shop at and restaurants that offer vegetarian options, once we make it to our destination.   

Regardless of how we are traveling, I always keep an eye out for places to get freshly made juice.  Sometimes we find fresh juices available at health food stores, restaurants or juice bars.    Occasionally we will stop by 'Star Bucks' and have a non-caffeinated herbal tea with steamed soy milk and honey.  I like a combo of red bush (rooibus) and mint and Jim drinks mint by itself.  

Because we have traveled a good bit over the last couple of years, I can truly say that sticking close to your diet/lifestyle/health goals when traveling is not hard to do at all.  Of course there are also LOTS of options to do otherwise if that is what you choose.  Just know that it is a choice . . . don’t feel forced to eat foods that you know aren’t the best for you when you are traveling.  

One area that I have personally struggled with as far as traveling and health goes, is staying on an exercise program while traveling.  Some travels offer lots of opportunities for getting physical activity, but some of our travels do not.   I’ve recently begun traveling with my “Fit10” unit which is small enough to even take on my motorcycle, but is very efficient and effective at keeping me involved in at least a minimal amount of exercise while traveling (it takes 10 minutes or less to get a good overall workout).  This helps while away, but also makes it easier to get back to my regular routine when I return home.  It is also an amazing stretching tool so it is nice to have it with me for that puprose as well.  A little bit of thinking and planning ahead will keep you moving forward along your health journey . . . . even as you travel away from home! 

Blessings & Good Health To You,
Ginny

the journey continues " ~ I Peter 1:18

Today I sent out newsletter #4 on the Fasting, Cleansing & Detox list.  So far we have talked about cleansing diets (or modified fasting), juice fasting & water fasting.  Today we answered the question - Why fast?  Tomorrow we will discuss symptoms and the healing process . . . and after that will look at the elimination channels and how to support them during a cleanse.   Would you like to join in?   If so, simply look on the top menu bar on our web site (above),  click on "buzz" and then "newsletters" . . . sign up for any one of our three newsletters . . . be sure to sign up for the Fasting, Cleansing & Detox Newsletter . . . if you have problems signing up online, send me an email to abundantliving@aol.com.

Today starts my 30 days of fasting.  Would you like to join me?  I just sent out our first Fasting, Cleansing & Detox Email Newsletter discussing different cleansing diets.  If you are interested in learning more about the subject of Fasting, Cleansing & Detox you can sign up for this unique newsletter on our web site.  From the top menu bar on our web site (above) click on "buzz" and then click on "newsletters".  From there you will see a side menu option where you can sign up for any of our three newsletters. 

The Abundant Living Updates & News  will provide information about the upcoming events and happenings of Abundant Living Lifestyle Center & Health Foods.

The Abundant Living ~Ezine is a periodic newsletter from Abundant Living containing educational articles and information.

and The Fasting, Cleansing & Detox list will be sent from January 3 to February 1, 2011 and will  offer educational articles and information on the subjects of Fasting, Cleansing and detoxifying the body.

If you have any problems trying to sign up from our web site, simply send me an email to questionforginny@aol.com.

In our Fasting, Cleansing & Detox email list we will discuss different types of fasts/cleanses.  While we will look at water fasting and juice fasting we will also examine cleansing diets such as The Genesis 1:29 diet, The Daniel Fast, The Hallelujah Diet, a Raw Food Cleanse & a "Mono-diet".  We will look at the process that the body goes through as it cleanses and heals along with how to support the body while in detox mode (and so much more).  Get Ready . . . we start Monday!  - If you are interested in getting our educational emails on the subject of Fasting, Cleansing and Detox . . . send your request to questionforginny@aol.com!

Just wanted to take a minute to mention a few basic tips on preparing for a fast/cleanse.   For an extended fast, it is good to reduce your food intake for a few days before you begin.  Also I like taking an herbal colon cleanser, like Fiber Cleanse for a week or so prior to getting started.  For juice fasting, you will want to get a juicer so that you can prepare your juices fresh each day.  Fresh juices will provide the nutrients that will help the body in the cleansing/healing/rebuilding process.   If you don't own a juicer, you might try to borrow one from someone, especially if you don't plan to continue to make fresh juices after the cleanse.  I HIGHLY recommend "JUICING" as a consistent part of any health building program, but I don't like to think of people buying something that they won't use regularly.  If you want to incorporate juicing as a regular lifestyle habit, please research juicers before making a purchase.  The type of juicer makes a big difference in the nutrient levels that make it into your body.   If you have questions, feel free to email me on the subject.  We currently have Green Star and Champion juicers in stock at Abundant Living. 

Of course if you ARE planning to drink fresh juices during the cleanse, you will need to obtain some good, fresh produce (organically grown if possible).  There are a number of places around our area where you can get good organic produce, but my favorite is a little place in Calera called Abundant Living.  :o) It is also good to have a few different naturally, non-caffeinated herbal teas available.  I like steeping my herbal teas with whole-leaf, green stevia instead of other sweetener choices.  I will be taking Barley Max & Spiralina during my fast, so I will make sure to have those on hand as well.  

If you are planning a "modified fast" (a cleansing diet), you will want to start gathering some recipes and ideas for what you will be eating during the cleanse so that you keep your focus where you want it to be.    In the next day or so, I plan to provide a list of the different methods of cleansing that will be discussed in the 30 Days of Cleansing - Fasting, Cleansing & Detox Email List . . . so keep an eye out  for that. 

If you are interested in receiving the informational emails, send your request to questionforginny@aol.com.  I will be sending out our first email in the next couple of days with even more details about preparing for a fast/cleanse . . . so, if you are interested . . . sign up soon, so you won't miss a single email!