Day 37:

Juice: Grapefruit Blues

Grapefruit Blues:
2 Grapefruits
1 Large Handful of Blueberries

Okay. So, a lot of the fruits featured in these juices currently are out of season right now. I know people will claim that nothing is out of season anymore, but that's just not true. Even though the berries you get from the store may look like blueberries - we all know they don't taste like summer fresh blueberries. They also don't have the same nutritional content as those berries in the summer.
[I covered blueberries and berries in general in Entry 15 & Entry 16]

Eating seasonally is important for many reasons, but especially if you want good nutritional value. Now, summer is a cake walk. All the good stuff is around in the summer, right? Fall is pretty good too, but suddenly we get to winter and all there really is are root vegetables. I'm sorry, what?! And Spring isn't much better, maybe even worse with the fresh fruits and vegetables we all know and love. How can you do this? Well, I started by doing some research.

When people (nutritionist, ecologists and Cosmo magazine - yeah, I read an article once) tell you to eat seasonally, they are doing this because not only is good for the environment it is good for you.  The most sited evidence for this is a study done in London in 1997 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The study found significant differences in the nutrient content of pasteurized milk in summer versus winter. "The Ministry discovered that these differences in milk composition were primarily due to differences in the diets of the cows." (Source) It was also found by researchers in Japan that the differences in the vitamin C content of spinach harvested in summer versus winter was three-fold.

Think about it.

Seasonally was the only way to eat for most of the human existence. Raw and unfettered fruits and vegetables. Now, sure the average lifespan was much shorter, but they didn't have the same amount of chronic disease or autoimmune disease (it was around, just not as prolific). Now we have modern technology - which I love. Don't get me wrong here, modern medicine can do a lot and I am truly thankful for that! But, wouldn't it be wonderful if we (our society) didn't have to ever use it.
Just because we can doesn't mean we should, right? This is great advice for HBO. So, eating with the seasons demands you diversify your food and your nutritional intake, which has been proven everywhere, to improve your health. Variety is the spice of life.

World's Healthiest Foods (one of my favorite websites) provides a seasonal guide:

• Spring: 
• Focus on tender, leafy vegetables that represent the fresh new growth of this season. The greening that occurs in springtime should be represented by greens on your plate, including Swiss chard, spinach, Romaine lettuce, fresh parsley, and basil.
• Summer:
•  Stick with light, cooling foods in the tradition of traditional Chinese medicine. These foods include fruits like strawberries, apple, pear, and plum; vegetables like summer squash, broccoli, cauliflower, and corn; and spices and seasonings like peppermint and cilantro.
• Fall: 
• Turn toward the more warming, autumn harvest foods, including carrot, sweet potato, onions, and garlic. Also emphasize the more warming spices and seasonings including ginger, peppercorns, and mustard seeds.
• Winter: 
• Turn even more exclusively toward warming foods. Remember the principle that foods taking longer to grow are generally more warming than foods that grow quickly. All of the animal foods fall into the warming category including fish, chicken, beef, lamb, and venison. So do most of the root vegetables, including carrot, potato, onions and garlic. Eggs also fit in here, as do corn and nuts. 

 

Emotional Lifestyle: 

It is on. I am gonna do a juice fast and I think it's gonna be a long one (21-30 days). I know! So, I am researching, getting prepared, but it is happening in March. Get ready, because all of you will be privy to real time updates on this blog...stay tuned. 

Day 34:

Juice: Grapefruit Basic

Grapefruit Basic:
1 Grapefruit
1 Apple
2 Carrots
1 Stick of Celery

This was good. I got up early this morning and made this juice. It totally picked my morning up.

While researching for this blog last week, I stumbled upon a very interesting article online: Limonin: Health Benefits in Citrus Fruits. It mentions a compound found in citrus fruits call Limonin. 

Limonin:

(lî`mō´nĭn)

n.

1.

(Chem.) A bitter, white, crystalline substance found in orange and lemon seeds.

Limonin enters the body as a sugar molecule and is absorbed into the blood stream. From there, Limonin works as an active antioxidant fighting the breakdown of cell DNA. According to a scientific team working with the USDA, has been shown to "fight cancers of the mouth, skin, lung, breast, stomach, and colon." (Source) 

How does it do that? You might ask. 

Well, researchers have found Limonin can remain the the blood stream for up to 24 hours - an impressive amount of time - and this "longevity" is probably why limonoids' have such an ability to fight cancer cells. The USDA also states that though most people think about vitamin C when they think about citrus research has shown "limonin glucoside is present in citrus and citrus juices in about the same amount as vitamin C." (Source)

 

What does this mean?

Keep juicing is what it means and while you're at it include some citrus with seed and peels! 

Happy Monday!

Day 33:

Juice: Grapefruit Sweet

Grapefruit Sweet:
2 Grapefruits
2 Tangerines

Delicious! I used Honey Tangerines which are very sweet and it was great! It was a nice morning treat.









Now, we have been doing a lot of citrus fruits lately, I thought I'd reiterate how to use them with a juicer.

For oranges, tangerines, clementines - citrus with loose or thin peels - I peel the fruit by hand then chuck it into the juicer. The rinds don't have a lot of nutrition value in these fruits, but they do have a lot of bitter flavor, which I don't really want in my juice. You can see this in my picture of the juice ingredients. The tangerine is peeled by hand.

For thicker citrus rinds, mainly the grapefruit, it can be easier to cut away the rind. This is also shown in the picture above. However, when I do this I try to keep most of the pith - the white stuff in between the peel and the rind - because it has a lot of food value. It also makes your juice creamier, more like a smoothy or as my sister puts it "a natural creamsicle".

As for Lemons and Limes - when washed and organic - I put rind and fruit in the juicer. The rinds of both have intense flavor - there is a reason they are always being 'zested' in recipes - so, I like to utilize that.

Note: All of these rinds can be juiced. It just changes the bitterness of the juice. This is only how I like to do it. Also, be sure to buy organic if you plan to juice the rinds. Nobody needs to ingest any unnecessary more chemicals.

Emotional Lifestyle: 

Motivation.
(noun)  
- the act or an instance of motivating, or providing with a reason to act in a certain way.

As of late, I have been lacking this. I have been busy. Scheduled within an inch of my life. I have deep purple bags chiseled permanently beneath my eyes.  And though all of it is good, all of it is stuff I've want/ need to do. It has been feeling a little blah. "Post-holiday's depression" is what I read on a new article and I suppose that's it, but I am sick of it. 

So, yesterday - while getting ready for work - I made myself a new Pandora station (Abbie's Wake Up) and I added old school artists and songs. Things to bring up other times/ fun memories, so that I could think about something else besides what I had to do that day. Wow! It worked. It may me nostalgic and now I am on a kick of childhood songs and artist. 

Am I old? Is this a sign that you're getting old? Well, if so, it's kinda fun!

Yesterday was Bryan Adams -thanks to Pandora - I was seven again. Lounging across my parents tattered, well worn and well loved couch, watching Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and loving every minute. The little, natural born movie geek in me noticing that the guy who plays The Artful Dodger in the 1968 Oliver! plays one of Robin Hood's merry men. (No imdb.com then so, I have to watch Oliver! after, just to be sure). 

Today has mainly been Mary Chapin Carpenter. It came on this morning and suddenly there I was: Nine or ten crammed into my dad's pick-up (with three other kids, mind) riding home after skiing all day with our school. We always stopped at this little bakery (which is still there) at the bottom of Okemo Mountain called Sweet Surrender. It was our desert before dinner day. I would get a coffee roll and a carton of Tropicana. My parents never bought juice (I think it was too expensive with five kids) so it was as much a treat as the coffee roll. 

I feel ready to take on the day:

 

Day 32:

Juice: Grapefruit Sharp

Grapefruit Sharp:
2 Grapefruits
1 Lemon
1 Lime

Okay, this juice was actually a bit too tart for me. I couldn't make it through the entire glass, but don't be discourage if you're not into tartness. As I said in my last post, and will probably say in many others, if you are afraid it will be too tart reduce the amount of grapefruit you are using and throw in an apple or maybe just half. It'll sweeten the whole thing right up!

Limes or Lime Tree. Citrus aurantifolia. A small tree found typically is tropical and subtropical areas which bears edible acid fruits. Typically found throughout the year, but the Lime season is May  through October.

Now, most all of us know that limes, being citrus, are a good source of Vitamin C.  Nearly 50% of you daily required Vitamin C intake can be found in one lime. I talked about Vitamin C in detail in Entry 9.  Most of us also know that citrus, especially limes, help prevent scurvy. - a disease resulting from a deficiency of Vitamin C. British sailors used limes in the 19th century to ward off scurvy and ended up with the nickname "Limeys". But recent studies in West Africa have shown that the inclusion of lime juice in a main meal of the day helps prevent against the contraction of cholera - an infection of the small intestine contracted by eating or drinking contaminated food or water.

New research has also shown that lemons and limes have incredible healing properties. Lime juice, specifically,  has been proven to have a positive impact on cell cycles - the series of events that take place in a cell leading to its division and duplication (replication). So, it is helping the cell decided whether it should divide (called mitosis) or die (called apoptosis). It also has show to improve the activities of immune cells called monocytes. White blood cells used in the immune system, monocytes "are made in the bone marrow, and they spread through the body in one to three days. They can develop into either dendritic cells or macrophages." (Source)

A human lymphocyte (pink) scans the surface of a dendritic cell (blue).

Dendritic cells "act as a communication vehicle between multiple key cells...and trigger immune response." (Source)

A macrophage (pale brown) interacts with Borrelia cells (blue), the spirochete bacteria that cause Lyme disease.

Macrophages "eat foreign material in the body. These cells are involved in the primary or innate immune response to a number of immune invaders..." (Source).






So let's recap:
Not only does lime juice, help your body's healthy cells reproduce or the old, tired or unhealthy cells die; it helps your body identify a problem and, essentially, notify the national guard to deal with the problem.

Hello Lime Juice! Get to know me!

Emotional Lifestyle: 

The Oscar Nominations are out and it is all anyone in the media field can talk about, which I find weird because we all know Lincoln is going to sweep. I bet it is going to get best picture and best actor for sure. Zero Dark Thirty is really it's only contender, but Kathryn Bigelow won recently and for anyone who has ever followed The Oscars knows that they are all about dues and Bigelow got 'hers'  too recently. Silver Linings Playbook and Les Misérables might get a few things. Best animated feature is probably going to go to Wreck-It Ralph or Brave. Everyone liked Wreck-It Ralph better, but everyone also agrees that Brave is beautifully made. I haven't seen any of the nominated foreign films, but I am pretty surprised The Intouchables isn't on there. Big time snubbing. It was great.
But the Austrian film Amour is nominated for everything, so maybe that will win. Best Score might go to Skyfall or Lincoln. Original Song is probably going to Skyfall.
As for the rest of the categories, I'm not really sure...I guess I'll have to watch and see. 

Day 29: 

Juice: Prime Cooler

Prime Cooler:
3 Apples
1/2 Cucumber
1 Inch Ginger Root
1 Small Bunch of Fresh Mint

Sorry for the lack of posting friends...I have been continuing on the 400 Days without you. The busy holiday season has stolen all of my weeks away. But, now I'm on vacation and now...I have some time.

 
Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) a gourd from the Cucurbitaceae family and the fourth most cultivated vegetable after tomatoes, cabbage and onions. Cucumbers are the in the same botanical club as melons and squashes.

Though not well publicized, cucumbers are rich in phytonutrients, especially in cucurbitacins, lignans, and flavonoid.  Lignans: "any of a class of propyl phenolic dimers including many found in plants and noted for having antioxidant and estrogenic activity". www.merriam-webster.com Basically, Lignans can have some compounds that act like natural estrogen in the body and in doing so can help the reduce or prevent cancers - especially hormone related cancers - lower cholesterol and atherosclerosis. They have also been shown to help reduce symptoms of menopause.

*Remember estrogen is present in both men and women, so this is beneficial for all.*

Cucumbers are known to have a good amount of polyphenols (a branch on the lignans tree). Polyphenols: "a polyhydroxy phenol; especially : an antioxidant phytochemical (as chlorogenic acid) that tends to prevent or neutralize the damaging effects of free radicals." www.merriam-webster.com Antioxidants, especially polyphenols, have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and some cancers, including breast, uterine, ovarian, and prostate cancers. According to World's Healthiest Foods:

"...fresh extracts from cucumber have been shown to provide specific antioxidant benefits, including increased scavenging of free radicals and increased overall antioxidant capacity. Fresh cucumber extracts have also been shown to reduce unwanted inflammation..." (www.whfoods.com)

So, juicing them is a fantastic idea! It is good for the heart, cells, metabolism and your taste buds!

Being a part of the melon family it may not surprise you to learn that cucumbers are incredibly hydrating - 95% water. So, a juice drink of cucumber and celery is like a homemade sports drink.
See Entry 7 of this blog for more about the hydrating components of Celery.

A bulk of the nutrition in cucumbers actually resides in the skin and seeds, so when possible consume both. However, something to be cautious of is that most commercially grown cucumbers, both organic and non-organic, are waxed to protect them from bruising during transit. Organically grown cucumbers - in order to get the label 'organic' - have to used non-synthetic waxes, which are free of all chemical contaminants. Non-organic, however, may be waxed with synthetic waxes that contain unwanted chemical contaminants.

So, it is suggested that you buy only organic cucumbers, but I am realistic and I have a budget, so if you purchase non-organics just peel before juicing. No need to ingest harmful chemicals and carcinogens along with the nutrients to cleanse the body of such things.

Emotional Lifestyle: 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS ALL!!!
 

Day 25: 

Juice: Grape Ape

Grape Ape:
3 Apples
1 Bunch of Grapes
1 Nectarine

This is my first time juicing grape. Grape Juice is an iconic grade school juice like Apple, but I had never tried making grape juice before. (Obviously, I make apple juice all the time, since it is the base for most juice recipes.)
It was delicious and a beautiful color (though you can't really tell from my picture).

When I was a kid I had a love hate relationship with grapes. Mainly because I had to mow our fourteen acre farm and concord grapes - the native grape species - grew their way all over our property. I would battle them and their woody vines all summer long with an ancient lawn mower and a rusty pair of bush shears.

Inside, I would enjoy their sweet tartness by the handfuls, but outside it was grape guts everywhere. No mercy. Give them an inch and next summer they'd take a mile. A amicable resolution has not yet been reached...it is a war that is still being fought. (Some may wish to refer to it a 'police action'- to each his own).

Needless to say, Grapes are worthy opponents, but even better allies (ain't that always the way). Grapes, though small, are crammed full of nutritional benefits (good things come in small packages). Worlds Healthiest Foods has provided a list of Grapes phytonutrient content:

"While a single grape variety is unlikely to contain all of the phytonutrients listed below, grapes as a group have been shown to provide us with the following health-supportive nutrients:

• Stilbenes
  • resveratrol
  • piceatannol
  • pterostilbene
• Flavanols
  • catechins
  • epicatechins
  • procyanidins
  • proanthocyanidins
  • viniferones
• Flavonols
  • quercetin
  • kaempferol
  • myricetin
  • isorhamnetin
• Phenolic Acids
  • caffeic acid
  • coumaric acid
  • ferulic acid
  • gallic acid
• Carotenoids
  • beta-carotene
  • lutein
  • zeaxanthin

In addition to the above-listed nutrients, grapes have also been shown to contain the hormone and antioxidant melatonin as well as unique oligopeptides (small protein-like molecules) that have anti-bacterial and other properties." (Source)

Woah, right! Now, I know that is a list of a lot of words you may not know the meaning of, but the key thing to take away from this is...to mix it up. Look for other varieties at the store and mix 'em all up. 

But also, this astounding list of nutrients means grapes can benefit "cardiovascular system, respiratory system, immune system, inflammatory system, blood sugar regulating system, and nervous system. Another area of special benefit is cancer prevention, with risk of breast, prostate, and colon cancer emerging as the most likely areas of grape anti-cancer benefits." (Source)

So, It turns out this grade school favorite made the list for good reason, so just 'cause you aren't in school anymore doesn't mean you can't enjoy a little blast from the past!

Emotional Lifestyle:

Sometimes as a nanny/babysitter I have a hard time believing I, essentially, get paid to play.

 

This is how I spent my Thursday. I build a block castle. 11 month old baby is the wrecking ball. I build another. Repeat.

It is civilization in fast forward...............................or a really bad habit for preschool.

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 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 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 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.