Day 11: 

Juice: Citrus Apples 

Citrus Apples:

3 Apples
2 Tangerines
1/2 Lime

Yum-zo
Tangerines - let's talk turkey. So, Tangerines are apart of the citrus family, closely related to oranges, but smaller and generally sweeter. The peak time for tangerines is now - October to April. Get 'em while they're hot folks.

Tangerines carry a huge amount of Vitamin C, much like their relatives Oranges (Check Out Day 9 For More About Oranges). But, I didn't cover it all it seems. Apparently, biomedical researchers interest in citrus fruits has been growing since the mid-2000's due to citrus flavonoids.

What the heck is a  flavonoid?
Well, I talked about them briefly in one of my other entries, but they've been getting a lot of press lately, so I'll give them a little more too. Flavonoids are compounds found in fruits and vegetable and actually some beverages (certain hops carry a surprising amount of flavonoids). Flavonoids have a variety of beneficial biochemical and antioxidant effects. They are also referred to collectively as Vitamin P. (For More On Classifications Of Flavonoids).

Now, when you look up these biochemical or phytochemical compounds you'll either find a very, very vague description or a very, very, scientific description.

Vague: 

"Flavonoids are plant-based compounds with powerful antioxidant properties, which means they reduce inflammation, promote healthy arteries, and help fight aging by preventing -- and repairing -- cellular damage"(Source)
*Quick, easy, and gets the job done, without explaining why.

Scientific:

"Flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds that are ubiquitous in nature and are categorized, according to chemical structure, into flavonols, flavones, flavanones, isoflavones, catechins, anthocyanidins and chalcones. Over 4,000 flavonoids have been identified, many of which occur in fruits, vegetables and beverages (tea, coffee, beer, wine and fruit drinks). The flavonoids have aroused considerable interest recently because of their potential beneficial effects on human health-they have been reported to have antiviral, anti-allergic, antiplatelet, anti-inflammatory, antitumor and antioxidant activities. Antioxidants are compounds that protect cells against the damaging effects of reactive oxygen species, such as singlet oxygen, superoxide, peroxyl radicals, hydroxyl radicals and peroxynitrite. An imbalance between antioxidants and reactive oxygen species results in oxidative stress, leading to cellular damage." (Source) 
*WTF, mate?

SO, from what I can gather based on these two sources and these to papers released by the USDA on flavonoids (USDA Data on Flavonoids; USDA Data on Citrus Flavonoids) is that flavonoids are used by your body to help fight protect cells against damage and decay from external toxins and the radical components floating around internally. This is excellent, especially when you live in a city like New York and are exposed lots of junk everyday. 

Emotional Lifestyle:

I don't understand how people can watch commercials for over the counter or prescription drugs and take them seriously. Maybe it's just because I was raised without television and with a healthy distrusts in pharmaceutical wonder drugs...I don't know....but drug, vitamin, and over the counter med. commercials all get the same judgmental skepticism I use while watching shampoo commercials. I mean at the end of the day they're all going to do something, whether it is the desired result of luscious, luminous curls or a horrible adverse reaction leading to sever itchiness all over your body - something will probably happen. So, when a commercial is on, I like to listen - really listen - to what they are saying and figure out the gaps. 

One of my favorites is the 5-Hour Energy Commercial that was on around the Olympics (mainly I saw it on Comedy Central shows online, since I don't have TV). It is ridiculous. 

I love it. 

73% of the 'over 3,000' doctors said they would recommend "a low calorie energy supplement to their healthy patients, who use energy supplements." Then a little grey box with tiny white writing appears at the bottom of the screen: "56% would specifically recommend 5-Hour Energy for their healthy patients, who use energy supplements." 

Okay, so not 73% said 5-Hour Energy specifically...whatever 56% is a strong amount. They could have gone with "over half" instead of 73%, but obviously the higher number is a corporate preference. 
It also repeats 73% like it is an astounding figure. Guess what 5-Hour Energy, in school 73% is a C and sometimes even a C-, so I wouldn't keep repeating that. 
But the commercial goodness goes on...

It then says: "5-Hour Energy has 4 Calories and is used over 9 million times a week..."

9 million times a week! Wow! Clearly everybody's doing it guys, so why aren't you. Some nice school yard peer pressure for ya'll, but I also love that it says that figure as if all of the people already using 5-Hour energy (9 million times a day) are the same "healthy patients" that doctors would recommend it to...sure, we'll go with that. 

I saw a new one on TV the other day, while babysitting. 
I couldn't find the video online, but...it was for Woman's 1-A-Day multi-vitamins. Firstly, she was ballroom dancing in the commercial, obviously, because what else does the average woman do. Secondly, it says Woman's 1-A-Day's promotes "cell heath" - the woman twirls into the arms of her male dance partner - then the commercial says "research has shown that cell health is important to daily life".............................................................................................................................
....Wait really? You mean to tell me researchers have discovered that cells - the fundamental building blocks of our bodies - should be healthy to help us with the daily function of our bodies! Go figure!

Seriously, everyone should be more discerning when it comes to commercials, especially when dealing with your health. If everyone researched food, medication and doctors like they researched a car before buying it...maybe everyone would be a little healthier. 

Just food for thought.