Day 22:

Juice: Apple Gone Loupey

Apple Gone Loupey:

3 Apples

2 Thick Slices of Melon

1 Small Bunch of Mint

I love this! Again, I am a huge fan of mint in my juice. It is fresh, fun and adds a zing! It also reminds me of summer, especially with the melon added in (my choice being Cantaloupe). I wanted to sip this juice on a porch somewhere.

*Note: I cut the melon in half and spooned the insides (seeds included) into the juicer first before cutting the melon into slices. I like to get as much food value as I can from my produce.

*Also, once the slices are cut, trim the skin off the melon.

Mint. A versatile and well loved herb used to season everything from meat to ice cream or floating in a glass of iced tea. Yum. Mint or Mentha is a part of the Lamiaceae (mint family), a genus of flowering plants that are know for medicinal properties and aromatics. 

Mint has over 25 species. So, it is 'native' all over the world. It shows up in all its forms in Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and North America. Natural hybridization has occurred throughout the centuries a well as purposeful cross-breeding. 

Which should you use for this juice?  I don't think it matters. I think you can take culinary liberty as to which mint species you choose.  Personally, I just grabbed what was in the store. Based on images and description of the leaves, I am guessing it is Water Mint. #1 on the chart below.

Along with its cousin peppermint or our other friendly juice ingredient Ginger, Mint it good for the tummy. It is known to have a soothing effect on the belly. It has been proven relieve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, including indigestion, dyspepsia, and colonic muscle spasms. (Source)

New research is suggesting that mint (particularly peppermint) may contain cancer fighting effects: 

"Perillyl alcohol is a phytonutrient called a monoterpene, and it is plentiful in peppermint oil. In animal studies, this phytonutrient has been shown to stop the growth of pancreatic, mammary, and liver tumors. It has also been shown to protect against cancer formation in the colon, skin, and lungs." (Source)

Mint, among being rich in vitamin A, B2 and C, fiber, potassium, iron and a whole mess of other phytonutrients, it is also a wonderful diuretic. So, it is very cleansing. Mint has also been shown to improve the skin, ease chronic asthma and respiratory disorders.
AND it really livens up a juice!

Right after juicing.

After it settled.

Day 21:

Juice: Apple Tang

Apple Tang:
3 Apples
1 Grapefruit
1 Lime

I needed to cut down on the fruit for this juice because my glasses aren't big enough sometimes to hold all of the juice. The recipes are big. I normally cut back and apple, which is what I did today, but then the whole lime was too much. It was all a bit too bitter and sour for me.

 *Note: Oranges and Grapefruit and other citrus should be peeled (I use a paring knife) of their skin, but leave as much of the white pith as possible. It is a big percentage of the food value.  They also make the juice nice and frothy!


Grapefruits. Normally thought of as the diet breakfast food. But, they are ideal for juicing. As a member of the citrus family, Grapefruits carry a lot of the same stuff as their relatives: oranges, tangerines, etc... Typically big, juicier, Grapefruits are rich with flavonoids (our friendly plant pigment: See Day 11 for more detail), Vitamin A, B5, B6, and of course C. So, consuming a good amount of Grapefruits has many health benefits.

According to the USDA, one half a Grapefruit supplies 80% of an adults daily required intake of Vitamin C. Nice, right? Vitamin C helps boost and support the immune system, so flu season is a great time to hit the fruit isle for some Grapefruit.

Pink and Red Grapefruit (not white) contain lycopene, a carotenoid phytonutrient. "Lycopene appears to have anti-tumor activity. Among the common dietary carotenoids, lycopene has the highest capacity to help fight oxygen free radicals, which are compounds that can damage cells.
Choosing to regularly eat lycopene-rich foods, such as pink grapefruit, and drink green tea may greatly reduce a man's risk of developing prostate cancer, suggests research published the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Jian L, Lee AH, et al." (Source)

High in antioxidants and soluble fiber, Grapefruits have been proved to lower cholesterol, prevent kidney stones, and may even help repair DNA. I don't know about you, but this ruby red fruit seems like a good person to have on your team in time of need.

Emotional Lifestyle:

The Walking Dead: A Female's Critique of a Sexist Show
 

DISCLAIMER: I apologize in advance if you are a die-hard Walking Dead fan. Also, please note I am not writing about the comics...I have never read the comic books, so I cannot critique them. This is a critique of the television show only. I am through season one and half of season two. 

The Walking Dead, an AMC original, is a show I have been trying desperately to like (much like Joss Whedon's Dollhouse, which aired on Fox [2009-2010]). Now, The Walking Dead is already infinitely better than The Dollhouse just by the casting:

Andrew Lincoln, caught my eye in Love Actually (2003) - yes, he was in Love Actually. Though his part was small and his storyline was stupid, I liked what he did with it. I researched him and discovered her was/is a fantastic actor. The BBC show Teachers (2001-2003) is hilarious and wonderful. There is also an array of other talented actors like Norman Reedus, known primarily for The Boondock Saints (1999), Jon Bernthal, who I noticed in the mini-series The Pacific (2010), and Jeffrey DeMunn, who I feel like I have watched my whole life. He's in everything! So, with a cast like this and a few bright new faces - most notably: Steven Yeun and Melissa McBride - how is this show sub-par?

As far as action, blood, guts, and gore The Walking Dead plays it well. I am a Zombie fan so, I generally enjoy the show. I am even willing to overlook the 'Walkers' (as the Zombies are called) many inconsistencies and contradictions (How are they rotting and outrunning our cast?). However, what I have a hard time watching is there horrible (would prefer to use a stronger, non-family friendly word there) female characters and character development. Why do all the women characters suck so hard?!?! I will reiterate, this is season one and half of season two I am referring to.

The guys, good and bad, are funny, fun, interesting and constantly kicking Walker ass, while the women are back in the camp - where they'll be safe, obviously, they left a few men behind to guard them. *Note the old man in the background. He gets to carry a gun.*

 

At the campsite, the ladies busy themselves with home-style chores - just 'cause the world's gone to hell, doesn't mean you can't have an orderly campsite.

Cooking the men dinner - because after a day of splitting Walker's heads and figuring out what's going on they'll be famished, of course.

Caring for the children - they're called maternal instincts not paternal instincts for a reason. 

 

 

And doing laundry:

Why do you think you have hands ladies? It sure ain't to carry a gun. That there is men's work. 

I don't think any of the women, with the exception of Andrea (the blonde one) even pick up a gun in season one. And I'm pretty sure Andrea only fires it once...to kill her own sister. She threatens to use it all the time, but it turns out she doesn't even know how to use it. Well, thank god the men are there when it really matters: 

 Shane beating up the abusive husband of one of the female characters.

The Guys got back just in time to save the women and children from the Walkers that wandered into camp. (Maybe if they'd left some guns with the girls they wouldn't have had to rush back)

**I love that in both pictures the women screaming and crying, helpless in the background.**

The women do nothing. Nothing! And they are the most annoying characters in the show. Not a brain in the bunch. They are always making hard situations worse and mucking everything up. The men constantly have to jump in and save them.

In Season two I think it actually gets worse. Spoilers Ahead.

Of course  the stupid little girl Sophia (daughter of the abused woman) gets herself lost in the woods when she can't follow the simple instructions given to her by the sheriff and leader of the pack Rick Grimes. I'd also love to not she is supposed to be the same age as Carl Grimes (son of the sheriff) and yet:

Do they look the same age to you? What eleven year old girl trots around with her Raggedy Ann Doll? If she had that, she'd probably have it safely hidden in her pillow case where no one would see it.

Shane (a police officer and best friend of the sheriff) starts to train these women to shoot, and yet they rarely do. Except Andrea, who clearly isn't ready to handle a gun when she almost kills a Daryl (a group member) when he is returning to camp. Thank god her aim sucked. The men then decided to take her gun away from her like a child (in a very weird scene with the older father-like figure), but the eleven year-old boy...he gets to have a gun. Well, that's just common sense.

But my favorite is when Lori Grimes (wife of Sheriff, who thought he was dead and couldn't stand being without the protection of a man even for a month, so she shacked up with his best friend - Shane) becomes pregnant and she's also not sure if she wants to have it. She keeps it a secret, but slowly news spreads around the camp. Practically every man gives her a little speech telling her she has to keep it for the future of mankind (dramatic much). However, when she decides to get rid of it and downs a handful of  morning after pills (as if it would abort it), but suddenly she has a change of heart (of course she does) and hucks them up. Her husband, The Sheriff, finds out he full on yells at her (and he never yells at her for anything...not even the affair she had with his best friend) for trying to loose it...apparently, an affair it's not as bad as a woman wanting/trying to have an abortion. The scene turns into a big cry-fest on her part and she pleads and sobs for forgiveness saying "I made a mistake." The scene feel like she was alcoholic who started drinking again, not a women who weigh the options (for the previous two episodes) and decided the best course of action for survival. Why is everyone telling this woman to have a kid in an apocalypse?! 

So, the show is sexist and pro-life apparently. 

Now, I am not asking for all of the females to be amazing gun slingers, just some equal representation. There wasn't a single women on the Atlanta police force with them who survived? Not a single women in the military made it anywhere? Can't we just have one character who can do something other than chores?

You know, maybe this should actually be a critique of AMC in general because now that I'm thinking about it...a lot of there shows have annoying/ stupid female characters.

• Mad Men is 'allowed' to be sexist under the guise of the 1960's. The 'strong' women are strong while glammed up in 1960's constricted clothing, make-up, hair dos and 'strong' by 1960's standards.
• Breaking Bad the wife sucks. She is one of the worst characters on the show. The other female character, her sister is neurotic, of course both have fantastic husbands with deep and rich character growth. The son is a wonderful character as well and well acted character. Pinkman, like Daryl in The Walking Dead (The Redneck Character), is portrayed as uneducated, immoral, and has questionable loyalties but written well - endearing himself to us as viewers.
• Hell On Wheels set in the 1860's so it is 'allowed' to be sexist, but there really aren't a lot of women characters. There is one main female character that I can think of. 

 Maybe AMC should consider hiring some new writers, because though the they are showing this:

A lot of women are seeing this:

For more about this topic consider reading:

1. ‘The Walking Dead’ and Gender: Why I’m Skeptical the Addition of BadassMichonne Will Change the TV Series’ Retro Sexism 
2.  What's Wrong With the Women of AMC?

Day 20: 

Juice: Bleeding Apples 

Bleeding Apples:
3 Apples
1/2 Beet (beetroot)

This would be a great juice for Halloween morning to get you in the spirit. Blood red and wonderfully sweet, it is a perfect Trick or Treat snack.

Beetroot or Beets. It is not the first time you have seen beets in a recipe on this blog and it will not be the last. Beets are a longtime juicing favorite.

Beets (beetroot) belong to the chenopod (or Chenopodiaceae) Family - including beets, chard, spinach and quinoa. This is a powerhouse of a family. I mean, have you ever heard anything but good things about those foods? So, its not surprising that this small, blood red vegetable is packed with phytonutrient goodness. Beets are especially known (and researched) for the betalain pigments contained within.

betalain [′bed·ə‚lān]
(biochemistry) 
The name for a group of 35 red or yellow compounds found only in plants of the family Caryophyllales, including red beets, red chard, and cactus fruits.
(thefreedictionary.com/betalain)

Betalains pigments are responsible for rich color of beets and have been shown to provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and detoxification support. Also, report was recently released showing the that nitrates (contained in betalains) in beets can 'boost stamina'. The study actually used beetroot juice. "Beetroot juice has previously been shown to reduce blood pressure. The researchers believe their findings could help people with cardiovascular, respiratory or metabolic diseases - and endurance athletes." (Source)

The two main reason to juice beets:

1. Betalain pigments are actually visible in other foods (like the stems of chard or rhubarb), but for beets the high concentration of betalains in the flesh and skin, making this vegetable a betalain powerhouse. So, consuming the beet with the skin on is a great idea. *Here's where a vegetable brush and wash would come in handy before popping them in the juicer. 
2. It has recently been proven that betalains are far less heat stable than most plant pigments. Meaning, you loose the nutrient content the longer you cook them. So, consuming them raw is ideal. *I'm not sure about you, but I am not a fan of just biting into a beet, so chucking them into my juicer is a perfect solution.
3. Beets are also sweet in flavor, so they are another way to sweeten up vegetable juice.

How can it get any better than that?

Day 19: 

Juice: Waldorf Salad

Waldorf Salad:
2 Apples
2 Stalks of Celery
1 Tablespoon of Cold-Pressed Hemp-Seed Oil

In honor of full disclosure...I did not make this juice. Ah. I know, I know...I made our dear old friend Apple/Celery juice, but I did not add any of the hemp-seed oil. I didn't have enough time to research it and see if I would actually use an entire bottle of the stuff.

 So, here is the research and you all can decide if you want to invest in hemp-seed oil.

Hemp-seed oil, as you may have guessed, comes from the hemp seed. It is actually pressed (juiced) from the seed.

Here is a link to a, very long and kind of boring video, that shows the process: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXMGpZj4Vdo
After the first few minutes you can shut it off. It's just kind of nice to get a taste.

Hemp seed is becoming much more common in grocery store in North America. It looks like it has grown in popularity along the growing awareness of essential fatty acids, which makes sense since hemp seed (and thus, hemp seed oil) provide a wonderful amount of fatty acids.

So, what are these essential fatty acids everyone keeps talking about?
Mainly the Omega's, like Omega-3 or Omega-6. They are reffered to as 'necessary' and 'essential' because "the body can' t make them -- you have to get them through food." (Source) These fatty acids are commonly found in fish oils (such as salmon, tuna, and halibut, other seafood including algae and krill) some plants, and nut oils. Hemp seed oil considered a nut oil.  

In 1999 U.S. National Institute of Health held a workshop to study theses essential oils and it "demonstrated the impressive benefits of a balanced omega-6/omega-3 ratio in our diet: reduced risk of athero-sclerosis, sudden cardiac death and certain types of cancers, decrease in the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, mood improvement in bipolar disorders and optimized development in infants." (Source). It also goes on to compare different nut seed oils, it says "hemp's main nutritional advantage over other seeds lies in the composition of its oil, i.e. its fatty acid profile, and in its protein which contains all of the essential amino acids in nutritionally significant amounts and in a desirable ratio."

So, not only could these fatty acids help with internal issues like cancer, heart disease, but they have shown to help with cognitive disorders like depression, bipolar disorder...did I also mention it is great for your hair. The essential oils stimulate hair growth and heath. It is often used as a hair treatment. Article: Why Hemp Seed Oil Is A Miraculous Hair Care Elixir

Hemp seed oil, much like Spirulina Powder, is probably a good thing to keep around the house and stir into different juices at your will. After all, if you are along for the ride, you'll be making a lot of juice over the next year or so.

Day 18: 

Juice: Double Apple

Double Apple:
2 Apples
1/3 Pineapple
1 Small Bunch of Mint


Oh, this is delicious!
Pineapple is my favorite fruit and I am big fan of mint in my juice, so.....this juice is bliss in a glass!
*Note: I wanted a little less juice, so I only used one apple.*

Pineapples are amazing and we'll have time to talk about them another day. But today I just want to go over how to cut one up. When I first started juicing, cutting up a pineapple seemed daunting. Having pretty much only eaten them out of a can or bought them pre-sliced from the store, I wasn't really sure what to do. Eventually, I sucked it up and bought one whole took it home and... googled 'How to cut up a pineapple'. Now, for all of you out there I have written up some instructions for you.

Step 1: 
Get a Pineapple, Cutting Board and a Big Ole Knife

Step 2: 
Cut off the top and the bottom of the pineapple.

Step 3:   
Shave the outside of the pineapple off with the knife. Since you are juicing it, don't worry about it being perfect. The juicer can handle a little bit of the rind. 

Note: 

If you are cutting the pineapple to eat, you will not want the core (the whitish part in the middle). So, you should cut the sides off around the core and cube it. However, for most juicers (even the cheap little ones) the core wont matter.

Step 4:

Slice it and cube it. Store it any way you'd like. 
Again don't worry about imperfections on the outside.

Day 17:

Juice: Pink Orchard Berry Buster

Pink Orchard Berry Buster:
3 Apples
2 Handfuls of Red Berries such as Raspberries or Strawberries

Closely related to Black Orchard Berry Buster (which we covered the other day - see 10/10/12 post), but they differ in color and taste, although both are equally yummy.

Raspberries, like blackberries (Post 10/7/12), are members of the rose family - Rubus. The Red Raspberry is the one being used for this juice, Rubus idaeus. 

In North American they are in season during the summer months, but luckily thanks to our advancements in shipping, you can usually get them year round. But we all know they taste best in the summer, usually in a pie or on ice cream.

Red raspberries, for such a small little fruit, carry an amazing amount and array or phytonutrients. They carry flavonoids (Post 10/4/12),  Vitamin B2 (which plays a key role in metabolic energy), Vitamin B3, C & A. As well as, Manganese, Magnesium, Potassium, and Iron. (List of Other Benefits)

These ruby red berries have been proven to support one's metabolism. New research suggests that raspberry phytonutrients may even be able to decrease risk of obesity as well as risk of fatty liver. Raspberries are also known  for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. So, consuming raspberries on a regular basis is highly recommended by the USDA...and me. 

Emotional Lifestyle: 

I think I'm addicted to the Food Network. Anyone else? I don't have television in my home and I cannot cook. If it has more than five ingredients and five steps, I'm out. I can't handle it. But, now being a nanny for a 10 month old - who naps twice a day - I have been turning on the TV and watching the Food Network...
...
...I love it. I sit there and act like I'm gonna cook the stuff - deep down I know that's not gonna happen - but I watch like I am 'thinking' about trying. Is it possible to get good at cooking purely by osmosis?

Day 16:

Juice: Black Orchard Berry Buster

Black Orchard Berry Buster:
3 Apples
2 Handfuls of dark berries (such as blackberries, blueberries, blackcurrants)

Say that three times fast. 
Black Orchard Berry Buster.
Black Orchard Berry Buster.
Black Orchard Berry Buster.
Nicely done.

Berry or Berries are defined as "a fleshy or pulpy indehiscent fruit with the seed embedded in the fleshy tissue of the pericarp." (Biology-online.org) What does that mean?

Well, indehiscent means "not opening at maturity" (Biology-online.org) like say, a flower.
Berries are in fact the plant's ovary, which has an edible pericarp.

Pericarp is "the wall of a fruit, developed from the ovary wall" (Biology-online.org) and it is composed of three layers:
Outer Layer - Exocarp

Central Layer - Mesocarp
Inner Layer - Endocarp

Botanically speaking, not only is a tomato a fruit, but it is also a berry. Most citrus fruits are also considered to be berries. So, the health benefits of berries is a lot of what we have covered and will cover in this blog.

Of course, this particular juice recipe specifies the type of berries to use, but just know - technically - there is leeway. Get creative with it. Personally, I blended Blackberries and Blueberries and added them to apple juice. I couldn't find blackcurrants, but they are not native to North American and thus less popular here.

Blackcurrants are "a temperate fruit crop native to central and northern Europe and northern Asia." (Source) The first time I ever had Blackcurrants or any currants for that matter, since I had Redcurrants too, was when I visited England for the first time when I was a teenager. They are delicious and used to flavor all sorts of deserts and juices in Europe. Black and Redcurrants are members of the Ribes family, which is where the juice Ribena (a popular juice in Europe) gets its name. So, if you can find them in your neighborhood. Give 'em a try.

Emotional Lifestyle:

I wish I were as clever as they. The video is a bit long, but it's worth it!

Ah....I wish I could watch that for the first time again.

Day 15:

Juice: Apple Blues

Apple Blues:
3 Apples
2 Handfuls of Blueberries

"Kaplink, Kaplank, Kaplunk"
- Blueberries For Sal by Robert McCloskey

Blueberries!

A summertime favorite for me. Nothing says July like Blueberry Pie. Nowadays, Blueberries they can be enjoyed all year long, not just in the summer months.

The blue bulbs are actually one of the few fruits native to North America. They are perennial flowering plant from the Vaccinium family. 

Well loved by Americans, Blueberries have been widely lauded for their "antioxidant capacities". Full of micronutrients like dietary minerals: manganese, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc and more, and  vitamin C, vitamin K as well as a healthy dose of dietary fiber, blueberries pack quite a nutritional punch. 

In recent studies, Agnes M. Rimando a Research Chemist at the Natural Products Utilization Research (with the USDA) states that some of the nutrient components in blueberries - mainly pterostilbene (pronounced "tare-o-STILL-bean") (Source) - may help fight heart disease, cancer and cholesterol. She theorizes that "constituents in blueberry skins that can activate a protein involved in the breakdown and import of fats." (Source).

So, not only a guilt free treat (blueberries are low glycemic), but also a great idea for you bodies daily function.

Emotional Lifestyle:

Okay, so the other night I watched the documentary Mansome (2012) by Morgan Spurlock - the documentarian who made Supersize Me. Yes, he has made other documentaries. Mansome is an attempt to look at the 'recent' identity crisis of men in the American culture through increasing popularity of 'manscaping'. Urban Dictionary defines Manscaping as "to groom a man. Shaving, waxing, cleaning up the superfluous fur." (Source) So, it is mainly about male hair.
Interested? It's on Instant Netflix.

Now, for those of you that have read my earlier posts or know me personally, you may have gleaned my position on this issue, but on the female side. However, I too have noticed the change. In the media and in the real world.

As a whole, the documentary is...okay. I just didn't think it did well "tying it all together". The attempt at transitions was a witty and sarcastic repartee between Jason Bateman & Will Arnett (who were actually executive producers for the film) while spending a day at the spa. Now, while this was hilarious and very Arrested Developmenty (LOVE the show), I think it detracted from what the documentary wanted us to look at. It put you in the mood to laugh at ridiculousness, so when we were supposed to be learning about why men of today's world would buy a product called "Fresh Balls" (which keeps the boys fresh day and night) or why a guy's beard is so important to him that he lives his life around it's maintenance and attends facial hair competitions, we were ready to laugh at it instead of actually look at it. I would have preferred to hear their actual thoughts and ideas on the issue.

But some of the individual segments are definitely interesting.
One of the women interview, Dr. Helen Fisher, a biological anthropologist. (http://www.helenfisher.com/) During an interview in the documentary says makes note that men throughout history and many cultures have always been into there appearance - no dispute here. She then goes on to say, but now men are "allowed" to care about their appearance - okay.

'Allowed'? Or a commercial market now being played by our capitalistic society to buy material products and make other men/women rich?


Another interviewer (and I can't remember his name) mentioned that men's magazines are now playing on the insecurities of men, the way women's mags have been working over women for a long time. So, are they really being 'allowed' to do something they always wanted to do or covertly coerced?

...Welcome to the emotional bombardment boys! Bring your A Game. You'll need it...

Day 14: 

Juice: Apple Pie

Apple Pie:
4 Apples
1/2 Teaspoon of Cinnamon

*Note: It is hard to stir in cinnamon after the fact because it tends to get all clumpy. So, I poured the juice into a jar and shook the cinnamon into the juice. "Shaken. Not Stirred" 

*Also, this morning I wanted less juice, so I reduced the amount of apples. You are always allowed to do that.






I was incredibly excited for this juice. Okay I confess, I tend to sneak peaks at what lies ahead...I can't help it. Natalie Savona's book is just so beautiful and enticing. I kinda spend hours flipping through it. Eh heh.

This juice however grabbed my attention because of the cinnamon. I j'adore cinnamon! I put it in everything practically. I love it in coffee during the winter. I love it in almost all deserts and chocolates. I even douse my mashed up winter squash (mainly butternut) and sweet potatoes with it. But, I have not - until this morning that is - tried it in my juice.

Excitement.

Cinnamon has been highly regarded in many civilizations throughout history. As a spice, as a scent or perfume and as a medicinal. Cinnamon is native to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Malabar Coast of India and Burma, but is now cultivated across the globe. 

The cinnamon tree is allowed to grow for two years before grower coppice the tree.  What is Coppicing? You may ask.

cop·pice
noun
- an area of woodland in which trees and shrubs are, or formally were, periodically cut back to ground level to stimulate growth and provide firewood or timber.

Branches of the Cinnamon tree are then harvested. The tough outer bark is beaten off  and discarded. Only the thin inner bark is used. It is cut into meter long strips which curl as they dry. (Source)

As Cinnamon is a favorite spice of many (not just me) it has been widely studied over the years. It contains many essential oils which contain many active ingredients like: "cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl acetate, and cinnamyl alcohol, plus a wide range of other volatile substances." (Source) These in ingredients help in many ways, helps with blood clotting, serves as an anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and new research is showing it helps to regulate blood sugar levels by enhancing insulin activities. I found a great article which researches cinnamon's many benefits for the purpose of helping those with Type 2 Diabetes. (From USDA)

So, not only is cinnamon amazing, but it is also comforting. It is known as a stomach warmer as well, much like ginger. I use cinnamon all year, but more so during this time of year - Fall and Winter. It just reminds me of Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Emotional Lifestyle:

Watch this. Don't try this.

If this is your first time ever seeing GloZell, I highly recommend you catch up. The Willow Smith Video is good and the one she does about Westley Snipes. She is hilarious pretty much all of the time.

Day 13:

Juice: Winter Crumble 

Winter Crumble:
2 Apples
2 Handfuls Blackberries

This is our first juice with the consistency of a smoothie. Some times when juicing particular fruits the juice comes out wonderfully smooth and frothy. Berries, peaches and pears tend to have that effect. If you like smoothies more than juices, this is a great juice for you. Also, you can juice your apple and blend your berries and mix. It will give you the smoothie texture with the crunch of the seeds and a little fiber.

Blackberries are a member of the Rosaceae Family (The Rose Family) and are an edible fruit produced by the Rubus fruticosus, a flowering plant. Blackberries are rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Omega-3 (in the seeds). Blackberries are widely known to quell stomach upsets and diarrhea. Throughout history the roots, leaves and berry have all been used to sooth skin irritations, inflammations, coughs and sore throats, especially Blackberry Tea. (Source) 

This is also a great juice to save the pulp. The pulp can be used for all sorts of things, but for this juice Blackberry-Apple Compote to drizzle over ice cream and Blackberry-Apple Jam.
These are good places to look:
- http://www.all-about-juicing.com/juicer-pulp-recipes.html
- http://www.plantoeat.com/blog/2012/06/ideas-for-using-juicer-pulp-or-what-do-i-do-with-this-stuff/

 Emotional Lifestyle:

Credibility. Let's define it.

cred·i·bil·i·ty 
noun 
- the quality of being believable or worthy of trust.
(Dictionary Source)


Okay. I guess most of you knew that. Let's talk about it.

As a tour guide, giving out not only historical tours, but also tours that are so close to people's family history (It is said about 1 in 5 American's can trace their heritage to the Lower East Side), my credibility is always in question. Are you Irish? Are you Jewish? Were your parents immigrants? Are you a history major? Are you a volunteer? Are a citizen? The answers of course to these questions will never define who I am, but that isn't what they want. The visitors are looking to define my credibility. Why does this girl work here? What make her an authority? Now if I was giving hour long lectures on milk and cheese, everyone would hear I was from Vermont and BAM...I might as well gotten a masters in Dairy History.

But, being 'credible' is like being a piece of art. It is in the eye of the beholder.

Strange and abstract things make me credible or not credible and it seems most of the time I have very little say in the matter. People decide what they like with or without me.

When I first started giving tours this enraged me. Because people are obsessed with it. I am always getting questions about 'my background' - genetically and intellectually. Over time learned I couldn't control how people saw me - be it good or bad - so I just decided to be honest and to keep reminding myself that it didn't matter. "I know what I know. That's all I can do." I have gotten good at shrugging it off.

But, what continually astounds me is what people feel they are entitled to ask/comment about.
The last two Saturday's have been ripe with annoying visitors, but especially on my walking tours. It is like they get us (the guides) away from the herd and with no accountability, feel they can pounch especially hard.

Last Saturday, the first in October, I had a older gentleman on my hour and a half walking tour. It was just him and me - these types of tours are either amazing or awkward - this one was the latter. He was a retired HR Representative for some corporation who had become a Lifestyle Coach. He proceeded to ask me about my life, my four jobs, my family, my educational background, and my goals for the future. At first it seemed like small talk, then he started suggesting things for me - including getting a lifestyle coach. He thought "perhaps I was lost in the flurry," and "though I showed initiative, clearly I did not have a lot of follow through."
Yeah. So, I just laughed and smiled. What was I going to do argue with the one person on my tour?

This Saturday, I had a walking tour of 20 people. A man, on the tour with his wife and teenage daughter, asked me where I went to school.
I told him: Emerson College.
The daughter and mother made sounds of recognition.
The mother said their daughter had been looking at Emerson.
I asked what the daughter wanted to do.
She didn't know.
I said Emerson was a good school.
The father then said, "Yeah if you want to be a tour guide"
Yeah. I just laughed and said it was a good school that taught me how to speak publicly.
The father then asked what I majored in.
I replied that I went for screenwriting.
The mother then told me a family friend was there for screenwriting as well.
The father then chimed in, "But she's very talented."
Thankfully, the conversation ended there because I had to continue the tour, but it amazed me. At the end of the tour, the father and mother pulled me aside and raved about how great the tour was, so clearly they didn't think the conversation was rude in anyway.

I do not understand why people do this and I try to not to think about it too much, but it happens a lot.

Day 12: 

Juice: Apple Cleanser

Apple Cleanser:
2 Apples
2 Kale Leaves
1 Stick of Celery
1/3 Long Cucumber
1/2 Beet


I love this juice. I have had it before, when I was on my eight day juice fast. It is refreshing, a little sweat and crammed with goodness.

A lot of new ingredients today, but I am not going to talk about any of them. My blog went public yesterday (aka on facebook and a couple of emails I sent out) and I've already got a lot of comments and suggestions. Thank you! But, I did see a theme in a lot of the comments/ questions. A lot of people wanted to know about my juicing equipment. I covered this a bit in first entry, but I thought I'd go over it again and get a little more into it.

Juicing is when the liquid (juice) is extracted from plant tissues (fruits and vegetables). In order to do this you need a juicer - not a Magic Bullet, Vitamix, or blender. If it doesn't separate juice from pulp than is not a juicer.

*Please note: I will get to smoothie recipes later in the book, but right now it is juice.*

Juicers range in price from thirty dollars to thousands of dollars. Be careful with the low end ones - not only can they be shotty - but they can be small and you'll have to dice all of you vegetables before putting them in. And who wants to do that?

I use a Hamilton "Big Mouth" Juicer. About $50.00 on Amazon.

I researched juicer models extensively before...well putting it on my Christmas list and letting my mother buy it for me...and I encourage you to do the same. I found the Hamilton "Big Mouth" Juicer to be the best on the market for a price I could afford. I have had it for almost a year and I have no complaints so far. As long as you are diligent at cleaning your juicer, it will last.

However, one day I am hoping to get my hands on a Breville Juicer (Breville Juicers On Amazon.com). Breville's are (according to many juice blogs and websites) the best on the market.

Most fruits and vegetables can be juiced with the skin on, but alas the skins are often waxed and carrying a lot of the pesticides used to farm them. So. buy organically whenever possible. If you cannot, which happens (I get it) then be sure to buy a vegetable scrubber  and produce wash before juicing. This is a brand I like: http://www.vermontsoap.com/vegwash.shtml.

               Produce Wash & Produce Scrubber



Now, most people recommend preparing, cutting, washing everything before storing it in your fridge or cupboards. Apparently, people are less likely to juice if everything isn't ready to go. However, I have not found this to be true, but if you suspect you might be one of these people try prepping it all right after you buy it.

I just pull out what I need and prep it right before it.

*Note: I peeled my cucumber since it was not organic and I am out of Produce Wash.

I then chuck it all into the juicer - usually greens and celery (the fibrous stuff) go in between  the apples and cucumber, so they don't clog up the juicer.

 *Note: The Key Foods bag is in the pulp catcher because I'm lazy and don't want to wash it. So, instead, I just tie it up and throw it all away.

Foam/ froth on the top of juice is normal. Separation (which you can't really see here) within juice is normal.








I usually just give it a little stir and voila! Yum.

Any other questions? Too many pictures? Comments?

Extras:
Good Books: The Juiceman's Power of Juicing (Known as the bible of juicing), Juicing for Life  and The Juicing Bible
Good Movies: Food Matters and Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead (Both are on instant Netflix)
Websites: All About Juicing (http://www.all-about-juicing.com/) and The Worlds Healthiest Foods (http://www.whfoods.com/)

Emotional Lifestyle: 

I know this has been making the rounds all over town, but I wanted to interject some thoughts.

Firstly, they keep calling The Guy who wrote the letter a bully...but I don't think he is. I think he is a normal judgmental human who has his priorities all messed up. He probably thought his letter was going to be news to her. He probably thought he was 'helping', so I don't think it can be called 'bullying'. At least in my mind, bullying is something hurtful one does just for the sake of being hurtful...I hope that makes sense.

Secondly, this doesn't surprise me in the least, especially that it came from a man. I wonder if this email would have been written to a male anchor, probably not. Working at the museum, giving tours, I show images of families - both fathers and mothers - and an interesting thing that I have seen is the willingness and the freedom people have when commenting on females bodies. Both Men and Women are guilty in this, but Older Men are the most frequent. I show pictures of the fathers and mothers, who were poor. Father is shown - nothing. Mother is shown - everyone is twittering and commenting: "Well, she doesn't look like she's starving"
Yeah, well, thank god for that. These women weren't allowed to work outside the home, they weren't allowed to vote, they watched their children die of diseases, they died themselves in childbirth and yet....the only thing people can conjure up is THAT.

It used to infuriate me to no end, especially being a woman standing there in front of their judgmental eyes, until a colleague (who is the best) told me to fire back asking: "Interesting. Does that make them less sympathetic to you know that you see she wasn't 'starving'?" BAM! I know.
Except what I realized, sadly, as I asked people this is...they didn't even realizing they were making a huge judgement based on physical appearance until I said something. It was habitual.
So, to me this says, this is so rooted in our culture that people haven't really thought about it in a while.

It is so rooted, that a clearly, well-spoken, intelligent woman, who is a successful television anchor (which is no small potatoes for anyone, let alone being outside the Hollywood body type) somehow in the realm of our culture could be considered a 'bad influence' because she is 'fat'.  Somehow all of the skills, which she so clearly possesses, are void because of her external appearance. 

Thirdly, I read this fantastic article in the New York Times the other day.
Title: In ‘Obesity Paradox,’ Thinner May Mean Sicker