Day 10:

Juice: Apple Tropics

Apple Tropics:

3 Apples
1/2 Pineapple
1/2 Lime
1/2 Passion Fruit

Sweett, tangy and delicious! Yum. This is a new one for me and I think I'm in love. If only I could be in Aruba instead of in rainy New York. This is the first time I have used a passion fruit in a juice, so I was very excited. Don't be put off by the gelatinous seed filled insides, 'cause it's worth it. 

Passion fruits (or Passiflora edulis) are native to Southern Brazil through Paraguay to Northern Argentina. However, now they have migrated all over the world. It is in season in June, July and early August. So I had to hunt, but I managed to find some.

Passion fruits are known for their amazing aroma and flavor. But they also pack a nice nutritional punch. It is a good source for vitamin A & C and potassium. The seeds are also a good source for fiber. Passion fruit also provides an array of minerals: Iron, copper, magnesium and phosphorus.
(More On Passion Fruit)

This juice is filled with photo-nutrients, vitamins and minerals, but most importantly it is Oh So Good!

Happy Juicing!

Emotional Lifestyle:

What is it about rainy days that makes people sleepy or cranky?
I was working today, giving tours, and man oh man were there some cranky, sleepy people on my tours. Most of my co-workers were one or the other or both. I was tired to and it was a short and easy day!
Is it the loss of the sun?
I know we get Vitamin D from the sun and Vitamin D helps regulate moods and makes us happy, but I can't imagine that less than 48 hours of exposure to Vitamin D creates such a deficiency that one will proceed to frown through and hour long tour. (And I'm funny...my jokes have been time tested).
I swear, I had a the sour faced old crown who invented the frown - truly. I have never seen anyone's lips head for the ground like this lady's. I know you can't ever be sure how they feel (blah, blah, blah) because even at the end of the tour she came up to me, pursed her lips (still frowning) and said: "very informative." Yeah, well maybe if you'd smiled or laughed it might have been enjoyable or dare I say fun.
But it is ultimately something to do with the weather, because I know it irked me more than usual today. Is is the grey color? Or the wetness? It was also humid today - really humid - like shoot me in the face humid - maybe that was part of it. Is it just people are cranky when they are uncomfortable?

Well, whatever it is, its annoying.

Day 9: 

Juice: Sweet C Too

Sweet C Too:

2 Apples
2 Oranges

Deja vu...well not quite. It is a vitamin C bomb - yes - but made with a different combination. This is a great alternative to the apple and guava juice I made yesterday, especially if guavas are out of season.

Oranges are a citrus fruit cultivated in topical and subtropical climates. It is believed to have originated in Southeast Asia, found their way to Europe through Persian traders and eventually to the US. (History of the Orange). Oranges are already well known for their Vitamin C. "Lot's of water and lot's of vitamin C" was always the advice from my school nurse in high during flu season.

So, why Vitamin C?
Vitamin C is both effective and nutritious, but mainly, it is the primary water-soluble antioxidant in the body. What does that mean? Well...Water-Soluble: a substance capable of being dissolved in some solvent (usually water).  Antioxidants": "substances that may protect your cells against the effects of free radicals. Free radicals are molecules produced when your body breaks down food, or by environmental exposures like tobacco smoke and radiation. Free radicals can damage cells, and may play a role in heart disease, cancer and other diseases." (Source)  Basically, it protects your body from damage, both inside and out and we all need a little protection from damage, right? 
(More on Oranges)

Emotional Lifestyle:

I hate being late. I know that no one probably 'likes' to be late, but if I am late every minute over hurts my soul. If I agree to do something or be somewhere - I will do it or be there. However, I fear with all of this technology lateness will only increase.

People are always going on about how useful cell phone are. Don't get me wrong I love mine, but I think with the advantages come a lot of disadvantages. Lateness and bailing out on plans are big ones.
Yes, it's great that you can call people and let them know you will be late or change plans last minute, but this doesn't mean it should be a regular occurrence.

Recently, I have been waiting for everyone: friends, co-workers, and even a guy who planned an interview with me (I waited for an hour outside his office in the rain). In all instances, I tried to contact them via phone and text and no one got back to me in under an hour. This is what a cell phone is for. Also, I hate the whole "I'll text you when I'm done" when arranging plans. Make a date, plan a time (even if it could change) and do you darnedest to get there on time.

Day 8: 

Juice: Sweet C

Sweet C:

3 Apples
2 Guavas

Alright boys and girls. Here it is. Today's juice. However, I couldn't find any guavas since they are out of season. So, I am going to give you the recipe, so when you and I find guavas we can make the juice.

Here's why guavas, not only have a cool sounding name, but are also great to incorporate into juices. The guava is a tropical fruit, believed to have originated from southern Mexico and Central America. Besides being low in calories and rich in fiber and dietary minerals, guavas are teaming with vitamin C. One guava actually has four times the amount of vitamin C than an orange.

So, the next time you feel a cold coming on, maybe you should try a tall glass of guava for you troubles instead of OJ.

Emotional Lifestyle:

I think spending time outside - in nature - should be a daily requirement. I feel like it keeps one sane especially here in the concrete jungle of New York....

....

....

....although, the homeless population might be evidence to the contrary.

Whatever. It is beautiful out. Get outside!

Day 7: 

Juice: Sweet 'n' Savoury

Sweet 'n' Savoury:

3 Apples
2 Sticks of Celery

Sweet and Salty, a famous combination. Celery is another food, like ginger, I cannot stand, mainly because of the strings. Yuck. But celery juice is one of the most refreshing juices you can make. It alone is wonderful, but I prefer it mixed with other wonderful things.

It has been hard for historians to ascertain when celery became a cultivated plant. Celery leaves were discovered in Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun's tomb (died 1323 BC), but it cannot be told weather it was cultivated or wild. Wild celery has been reference throughout history, mainly as a grass for grazing animals. But somewhere in there it started to be cultivated, not only for the stalks but also for the root of the plant - Celery Root. The big, knobby lookin' thing. The entire plant is and can be used for food, seasoning and medicinal purposes, but most people typically only use the stalks.

For celery juice, one should used the entire stalk, leave and all. The root can be a bit hard on the juicer (at least the cheaper one I have), so I say stick with the stalk. You wont regret it, because celery juice, even without the root, is incredibly nutritious. It is chock full of vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin K, also known as the "clotting vitamin" because without it blood wouldn't clot. It has also been proven to help maintain strong and healthy bones, especially in older adults. (More on Vitamin K).

Celery is also rich in organic sodium, which is soluble, unlike any kind of processed salt. This helps your body absorb other nutrients and help you stay hydrated. (Source Material) This makes celery juice a great re-hydration drink, a healthier alternative to Gatorade. Celery Juice also helps fight cancer, lowers cholesterol, aids in digestion, is an anti-inflammatory, lowers blood pressure, prevent stones and many other ailments. Celery Juice is a powerful health tool to have in your back pocket.
(Great Article About Celery Juice).   

Day 6:  

Juice: Apple Blush

Apple Blush:

3 Apples
1 Nectarine
8 Strawberries

This is the first time I have made this juice and...wow. It was amazing. I made it first thing this morning before for I had to run and it was a wonderful pick me up! Fruity and smooth (due to the nectarine). Yum-zo!

Two new ingredients! What's a nerdy, nutrition obsessed girl to do! I choose Nectarine.

I never knew the difference between a Peach and a Nectarine until I researched for this blog post.
It is the fuzz and the coloring. Other than that they are pretty much the same. It is theorized that the Peach is formed from dominant genes, while the Nectarine is formed from recessive. (Document on Peach & Nectarine Genetics). It may not surprise you to learn that this fruit originated in China and were brought to America by European colonists. Imagine that.

Besides being the delicious cousins (I think more like sisters actually) of Peaches, Nectarines are rich in Beta-carotene (Definition), Vitamin C, and a bunch of other minerals. The consumption of Beta-carotene has been shown to decrease the risk of "asthma symptoms caused by exercise; to prevent certain cancers, heart disease, cataracts, and age related macular degeneration (AMD); and to treat AIDS, alcoholism, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, epilepsy, headache, heartburn, high blood pressure, infertility, Parkinson’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, schizophrenia, and skin disorders including psoriasis and vitiligo." (Source). I like that list.

So, adding beta-carotene rich fruits (Nectarine and Strawberries) to our photo-nurient full apple juice bumps the health benefits up, while providing a sweet morning treat.

Emotional Lifestyle:

So, I've never really been to a wedding. I went to my kindergarden teacher's wedding and one of my father's employees wedding. That has been it...in 25 years. People always complain about how much work it is and all that, but me I've just been waiting to go.

Today was my lucky day because one of my very favorite  people here in New York asked me to be one of her bridesmaids! I am excited!

I am mainly excited to see how real wedding work. I only know about weddings from movies and if they are true depictions than something disastrous is going to happen, the mother-in-laws will get into a fist fight, someone will interrupt the service confessing their undying love for either bride or groom, drunken friends will confess sleeping with either bride or groom, bride or groom with run off (probably to the airport to chase down their real true love) and rice will be thrown (though I know it is illegal in some states or counties).  I hope NONE of that happens.

So, I am looking forward to a long boring day of hairspray, happiness and celebration.
I'll let you know if it lives up to the hype.

Day 5:

Juice: Orchard Blend

Orchard Blend:

3 Apples
1 Pear

I love whenever pears are in a juice. It is just extra delicious! Not only in taste, but also in texture. When juiced, pears are frothy and creamy.

Pears are natives of China which have now migrated around the world. Like apples (and many other foods), Pears where brought to America by European colonist. These fruits come in all shapes and sizes and are full of phytonutrients (also called phytochemicals), especially vitamin C. A medium sized pear contains 10% of your daily need for vitamin C. They are also rich in fiber, which helps you feel full longer, so they are a good snack for a long day.

Pears skins have been proven to carry as much as "three to four times as many phenolic phytonutrients as the flesh". So don't peel them, because that skin carries antioxidants, anti-inflammatory flavonoids (more on flavonoids). Studies have shown that pears can help decreased risk of several common chronic diseases that begin with chronic inflammation and excessive oxidative stress. These diseases include heart disease and type 2 diabetes. (More on the health benefits of Pears).

This juice is frothy, sweet and works at all times of the day.

Emotional Lifestyle:

I love British Television. Always have. My parents too, so maybe it is genetic. But this clips is from one of my favorite sketch shows: The Mitchell and Webb Look.

Day 4:

Juice: Basic With A Boost

Basic With A Boost:

3 Apples
2 Carrots
1/2 inch (1 cm) of Ginger Root
1 teaspoon of Spirulina

Combined all of the juices that have been done so far and a chunk-o-ginger and voila - Basic with a Boost! If you want to know about the health benefits of including Apples, Carrots, and Spirulina to you juices - please see previous posts.

Ginger, however, is our new friend on the block - an extremely versatile friend. Native to China, where it has been used as a cooking spice for at least 4,400 (but whose counting), Ginger is now cultivated and used throughout the world. Medicinally, ginger is used for all sort of ailments, from the common cold, stomach cramps and nausea to some types of cancer. Rich in volatile oils and phenolic compounds (aromatic compounds found in some essential oils; possess strong antiseptic and antibacterial properties and also act as nerve stimulants and immuno-stimulants) as well as, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds, carminative (a substance which promotes the elimination of intestinal gas) and intestinal spasmolytic (a substance which relaxes and soothes the intestinal tract).

Now, I cannot stand ginger normally. I don't really like food spiced with ginger and I definitely do not like it dried or raw...however, in juices I usually can handle it. Now sometimes I'll put in less than is called for, but there's no crime in that.

For this juice, it is a peppy addition to the drink. It gives it some kick, heightens the flavor, but also has a soothing effect. So, peppy, but not too peppy.

Emotional Lifestyle:

I bought a new dress last week. Well, three new dresses actually. In a half an hour I dropped $90 on three new dresses, but it was needed. Now normally, I'm not a huge dress person. Every now and again - sure. Everyday at work all summer long - I'm not a fan. But here's the annoying part...ready for it...I give tours in a building built in the 1860's, therefore no air conditioning. You're thinking "Okay right, that makes sense," but the corporation I work for forbids women from wearing shorts (I am referring to suit shorts or some nice Bermudas, not soffe shorts or gym shorts). Nope. Men get to wear shorts. Women do not. But...I digress...
I bought these dress and I was into them. They were great fits for my body type. Then, since I stand all day and have Plantar Fasciitis, I went and bought some ComfortPlus black pumps from Payless. I had to buy the pumps over the mary-janes. For some reason I abhor mary-jane style shoes. I don't know why, but I think it happened somewhere in my youth. So, I bought these cute black pumps with a small heel. Great right?
Go to work. Lots of my co-workers are complementing me on my dress. Yay.
Give four tours. Lots of old ladies are complementing me on my shoes. Shit.

Day 3: 

Juice: Ocean Deep

Ocean Deep:

4 Apples
1 Teaspoon of Spirulina Powder

Oceans Deep is good ole Apple Juice with a boost of Spirulina, one of the worlds super-foods.

Spirulina has actually been reclassified as Arthrospira, but the colloquial term of Spirulina has remained. Regardless, Spirulina is a free-floating blue-green algae found in tropical and subtropical lakes with a high PH. It is believed that the Aztecs were using this wonderful little plant some 400 years ago. Why? Because it is chock full of vitamins, minerals, carotenoids (More About Carotenoids), antioxidants and a healthy dose protein. Nowadays, Spirulina is farmed is controled environments so we, the people, can enjoy the benefits all year long. *But PLEASE make sure you research the brands before you buy it.* Being an algae it is subject to the water it is grown in, so it can absorb heavy metals and toxins, which is no good. The opposite of what we want to do.

Being an algae, it has a deep greenish blue coloring which instantaneously make everything you add it to green as well, but don't be put off by the color because in a teaspoon you are getting: "B complex vitamins, beta-carotene, vitamin E, manganese, zinc, copper, iron, selenium, and gamma linolenic acid (an essential fatty acid)". (More about the Health Benefits of Spirulina). Whoa, right? Basically it is an immune boosting cocktail.

So it should come as no surprise that mixing a spoonful of this little algae blended with the sweet (maybe tart, depending on the apples you use) can have immense nutritional benefits, helps you body detox the bad, great for your skin and...it's delicious. Especially on a dreary morning when you don't want to get outta bed. It'll give you the kick in the pants you need to take on the day.

Totally gung-ho about Spirulina? Check out this great paper I found about the Nutritional and
Therapeutic benefits: (It is a PDF).

Emotional Lifestyle:

Okay, so I have a crazy busy day today. You know, like leave the house at 8am and get back at 11+pm, depending on the trains of course. So, I am writing this all day at home this morning, at work, at a coffee shop and on a late night train...yay... 
But I find these days that hardest to eat healthy and fuel my body for the day. I have been trying to ween myself from 3+ cups of coffee to one and occasionally a second, so now it's even worse. However, this morning I am determined to be an adult about this and plan. I packed a lunch and every thing I could need throughout this day.

Thus my purse becomes my turtle shell. The house I carry on one shoulder.
 I had:
Work shoes: heels to wear for giving tours and sneakers for commuting (a true working girl).
Food: snack, lunch, snack dinner.
Phone: not an iphone - I have an LG Cosmos, so basically a 16 year-old's phone. The kind that slides into a keyboard. Yeah. That's right. It was free from Verizon. 
Drawstring bag: Deodorant, Lotion, roll-perfume (for those afternoon applications) and emergency vitamins, you know, essentials for anywhere you go.
Make-up bag: - Make-up (but to be honest I don't really used it), hair ties (used them for sure) and chapstick (I am addicted to Bert's Bees Chapstick!).
iPod & iPod Touch: Got an iPod Touch for my birthday, but it doesn't hold all my music, so I like to bring both just in case. Also, I was afraid the batter might fail on the iPod Touch.
Wallet: which it totally falling apart. In the metropolis that is NYC somehow I have not come across another wallet I like.
Sunglasses & case: because, obviously, my $5 dollar sunglasses from target could get crushed without a case.
Reading Glasses & Distance Glasses: Yep, I'm an old woman. Just call me Ethel.
Keys: For my house, obvi.
Gum: For my breath, obvi.

It was ridiculous...and heavy...and I saw about eight or nine other girls on my subway car with purses like mind, bursting at the seams with junk. And it struck me...1.) Planning sucks 2.) Did I actually need all of that? Did they need all of that? 
No.
I didn't need it, though, as you just read, I had a lovely excuse or reason for each item. So, this morning and most mornings I feel like I do. But maybe part of a "healthy lifestyle" - or at least a sane one without massive shoulder pain - is being able to let stuff go. I'm not trying to go all "leave the material world behind you" on you, but I think people may plan to much. I know it isn't nice to smell, but do I really need deodorant and perfume? Or heaven forbid my hands get dry and cracked...however will I survive a day with dry hands? A whole make-up kit, when chapstick is all I use from it.

I think tomorrow I'm gonna try and lighten the load.

Day 2: 

Juice: Apple Basic 

Apple Basic

3 Apples
2 Carrots

An classic. It is also known as Crapple Juice.
In New York City most corner stores that have "fresh juice" advertised in the window serve this. It is a great one to get on the go. Carrot and Apples a re cheap and easily accessible. This is a wonderful intro juice to the juicing world. It was, in fact, my very first juice.

Carrots are wonderful. You will usually find them as the base ingredient in most vegetable juices and in vegi-fruit crossovers.
Why?
Because they are a great texture for juicing and packed with vitamin fun! If you eat seasonally carrots are available locally in the summer and fall, but for the most part can be found all year round. Thought carrots come in a variety of colors, we usually think of them at orange. Carrots are rich with phyto-nutrients and antioxidants, mainly in the form of beta-carotene which helps your body protect cells from damage. Eating fruits and vegetables has been shown to lower one's risk of getting "some cancers and heart disease". It is also great for your skin, but if you eat too much your skin could actually turn a yellowish orange. It's harmless, but looks like you got a spray tan. For More on Beta-Carotene: http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/lifestyle-guide-11/beta-carotene 

So mixing this amazingly versicle and nutritious vegetable with the a powerhouse fruit, like an apple (feel free to check out yesterdays post about apples), would create a juice that would be great for your skin, detoxing out junk and perking you up. So, I guess the real question is: Why wouldn't you make it.
 For More on Carrots Health Benefits in general:http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=21

Emotional Lifestyle

I cleaned my apartment today. Phew.
I know everyone talks about the cathartic "Spring Cleaning" after the long winter, but I highly recommend a fall cleaning. Today was the first day cool enough without the horrid humidity we've been having all summer (humidity is the bane of my existence) and it was wonderful, magical even. I had forgotten what it was like to step outside and not become instantly clammy feeling my hair curling and frizzing upwards.
It was so great to fling open all the windows and let the fresh air. I feel like fresh air and sunlight keep one grounded and sane. Even if I had an awful day, if it's nice out I can think better. I mean I know chemically the Sun gives us Vitamin D which helps with moods, so I suppose that's true for most people.
Fall is my favorite season. The weather is nice. Not too hot, not too cold. The colors are wonderful. Not just the leaves, but also the sunlight as the days start to get shorter. But, honestly...it's the time for zip-ups. I LOVE zip-up coats. The thinner fall jackets, hoodies, sweaters, whatever...if it has a zipper on the front hood or no hood, I'll love it. (Though in a perfect world it has a hood with drawstrings). Zip-ups are amazing, because you can control the temperature, right?
Too hot - unzip
Too cold - zip up
Not sure - middle zip (looks stylish too)
Really cold - zip up, hood on cinch it tight.
Really hot - take it off (and if you're into the 1990's/ Tourist look tie that puppy round your waist).

Ah. Fall.

 

Day 1:

Juice: Eve's Downfall

Eve's Downfall:

4 Apples

Eve's Downfall is simply fresh apple juice processed through a juicer. Not squeezed, not blended. I use a Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Pro Juicer purchased off Amazon.com for about $40.00. It works great, though one must be diligent in cleaning it. 
For More About Juicers: http://www.all-about-juicing.com/review-juicers.html

You can use any Apples you like, but please try to use organic produce and please, please, please wash it. I used Granny Smith from Washington, but they were a tart for my liking in straight up Apple Juice. I think next time I'll try it with some ripe ole Red McIntosh. Yum.

Fall 'tis the season for Apples, especially where I grew up - Vermont.
Apples are, in fact, immigrants to North America brought by European colonist. Clearly an essential both then and now, because it is apparently packed with healthy goodness. We've even got an old adage about how awesome apples are: An apple a day...blah, blah, blah.
Apples are inexpensive, come with their own wrapper (so they're good on the go), low in calories, and jam-packed with phtyto-nutrients and anti-oxidants that freshen the breath, aid in digestion and more. See University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for more: urbanext.illinois.edu/apples/default.cfm
They are also delicious.
AND they come in hundreds of varieties, so even if this juice looks boring an uncomplicated - chin up - because you can try every kind of apple or even mix and match to play with flavor. Heaven.

Emotional Lifestyle: 

I just turned 25 on Aug. 1st 2012 and I know by adult standards I'm still a baby. Fresh faced and just outta college, I should be enjoying the endless opportunities and promise, but honestly I have been feeling a lot of post college anxiety (like most of my graduating class).
We are the recession babies. 
Born into the eighties, raised on hope and the "you can be anything you want to be" mantra. Our primary school years were all about "grunge", which elegantly provided a safe space for body image because the whole point was to look "grungy". Preteens through Y2K, when nothing ended, but the internet began to explode. Teenagers through the early 2000's with 9/11, George W. Bush, the war in Iraq and the ipod. College students through a time of skyrocketing tuition costs graduating in the fallout of the 2008 crash. Jobless, in debt, an arts degree in hand (in my case) and the crumbling economy....yaaaay....

 But you just have to get on with it, right?

So, here I am - now 25 - working three part-time jobs (not including writing, which is my craft), no benefits, living in New York City, not a lot of money and trying to budget a healthy lifestyle, meaning - Good food, good activity and good fun. Does this sound familiar? Probably a huge percentage of New Yorkers are trying to do this too, so don't judge them when they're grumpy, most likely they're tired from all the juggling. 

I decided to do this pretty much on a whim, because "you never know if you don't try", right? I also had a few bad months, basically March, April and May sucked for me and it crumbled into June, July and by the time it got to my birthday I was ready to start reassembling. 

Why did those months suck? Does it matter? No. 

But mainly, I had been in New York a year and a half and I thought things were going to happen with this guy (hate to be this cliche) - it really looked that way - and they didn't happen.

I also hurt myself training for a race (which I ran hurt - not recommended). I thought it was a pulled muscle and I stopped training, but it didn't go away. I bought new sneakers, bought new work shoes - I work at a museum giving tours, so I stand 75% of the day - and it still hurt. I went to my long time chiropractor and she told me it was Plantar fasciitis. 

http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/plantar-fasciitis-topic-overview

And I don't know how to fit everything I want to do into my life, especially writing.

With these next 400 Days I am going to try to give myself a healthy dose of something I love everyday. Fresh Juice and Writing. 

Stick around.

My Plan 

Why 400 Days of Juice?

I need a rebirth.
I think most people somewhere along the line need one. A time to discard old vestiges of oneself and rise, like a phoenix, from the ashes a little newer and fresher.
So, here's mine...

...I recently purchased Natalie Savona's The Big Book of Juices: More than 400 natural blends for health and vitality every day. I mean with a byline like that who wouldn't want it. It is an amazing and beautiful book with "more than 400"  recipes separated into three categories: Juices, Smoothies and Quenchers. The pictures alone are worth buying the book, but the content is what I wanted.

I bought this book for the purpose of incorporating fresh juices into a healthy lifestyle, but there were so many recipes I was overwhelmed and it sat on my shelf, unused. Later that month a friend of mine suggested I start a blog about my life as wanna-be film industry professional working as a tour guide, nanny and after school teacher in NYC (something I have toyed with, but was never sure I had enough material to pull it off). So, on the subway home - somewhere between Manhattan and Brooklyn - I thought to combine my pursuit for a healthier lifestyle and my general angst in becoming a full-fledged, responsible adult in American society...

So, my goal is to try one of Ms. Savona's juice recipes a day and blog a little bit.
I'll keep the recipes and juicing information at the top and all the emotional stuff at the bottom. This way if you're only interested in the lifestyle stuff, skim the bit off the top, if you're only interested in my cathartic release and tales of NYC scroll to the bottom and enjoy. If you are like me and always want it all - enjoy the full monty, 'cause let's face it a true "healthy lifestyle" includes all of the above.