Green Juice

Lean, Mean, Green Machine!

Juicing isn’t just another passing fad. There’s a reason that the benefits have been talked about since Jack Lalane was a young man. By drinking your fruits and veggies, you’re absorbing your vitamins and phytonutrients quickly and efficiently without fiber restricting the volume. 

Now don’t get me wrong, I love fiber. It helps you feel full and satisfied, prevents your blood sugar from spiking and plummeting and helps lead to a healthy lipid profile. But when I drink my broccoli, I can easily consume 2 or 3 times the amount, get 2 or 3 times the nutritional benefits, without getting too full. Today’s fruits and veggies have been measured have about half the nutritional benefits of those farmed in the 1950’s due to the depleted soil composition and modern farming practices. When we consider the depleted nutritional profile of modern day fruits and veggies, increasing serving size of your veggies and fruits could be a vital key to good health. 

Green juice can be drank by itself, or used as a base for shakes. I don’t recommend adding too much to your juice since fat, protein and fiber will slow down the absorption of nutrients. That being said, I do usually add chia seeds to my juice. I like the consistency (it is similar to pulp in OJ) and the added Omega 3 fat and fiber helps me feel more satisfied and lowers the glycemic load of the sugars in the juice (so my blood sugar doesn’t spike then drop dramatically.) 

To make a green juice, you’ll need a good juicer able to juice fruits and veggies well or a high power blender like the Vitamix.  Here’s what I’ve been drinking the past couple of mornings:

Servings 2

Prep Time: 15 min

•     1-2 apples
•     1-2 cucumbers
•     1 cup kale
•     1 cup broccoli
•     1 cup collard greens
•     Several stalks parsley (stem and leaves)
•     1 lemon (peal removed)
•     ¼- ½ inch of knob sliced ginger
•     2-3 large beets
•     1 tablespoon Chia seeds per serving

Juice all ingredients except the chia seeds. Pour out each serving of juice into a shaker cup and add 1 tablespoon of chia seed. Shake well and allow the seeds to plump up for about 10 minutes. The seeds will develop a gelatinous coating. To avoid the seeds clumping, shake vigorously every couple of minutes. Drink immediately for highest nutritional value.

* If you plan on refrigerating the unused portion, you can keep it for about 24-72 hours IF the juicer you are using is a low speed juicer designed to preserve the enzymes in the juice.

Use this as a guide- don't get hung up on the exact ingredients and amounts. Use what you have, and omit what you don't. Experiment with different combinations. The most important thing... Drink up! 

ENJOY!

Who Can You Lean On?

I finished a 10-day detox last week. As difficult as it was to give up cheese, the real challenge was explaining to friends why I wasn’t eating any animal meats, caffeine, bread or pasta and why I had to stick to only fruits and veggies. A few friends, used to the buzz word, nodded politely and understood when I said I was doing “a cleanse”. However, there are always one or two people who will proceed to question. Perhaps it’s their way of gaining a better understanding, or playing devil’s advocate, but it puts me in a position where I feel like I need to defend my decision.

It never fails. Every time I try to make a change in my life, there’s someone who’s negative reactions strike a nerve more powerful than my determination. When I plan to do a detox, or change my diet in some way, I dread the reactions of my friends and co-workers more than the foods that I’ll miss out on that I could be enjoying.

Case in point: It’s day 6 of my detox, and I’m trying to enjoy a dessert of sliced pear. But all I can think of is cheese (don’t ask, it’s my weakness!) My friend tells me that- it’s my own fault for deciding to put myself on this “crazy diet.” Ouch… I realize it was my decision, but can’t a girl dream of dairy without being judged?

Now I couldn’t tell you what would have made me feel better, now that I felt deprived and a little hurt. It may have been as simple as if she’d called it what it was- a cleanse, rather than a “crazy diet.” I’m not looking for sympathy here, but I would appreciate the effort to understand the reasons behind my dietary restrictions.

So for anyone about to make a major change in their life (diet related or not,) I offer you these two points to ponder:

1. Even if your change is for the better, there will be those who will find fault with it. There will endless people who don't understand those choices and don't want to acknowledge them.
2. It is incredibly important to have a strong support system and people surrounding you that are accepting of your choices. Negative comments and feedback can be a huge setback for you, especially when you are just starting out on a new path.

I bring it up mostly to demonstrate that point (well, and a little to vent.) When all I wanted was a little brie to go with my pear on detox day 6 (I admit I was feeling a bit vulnerable,) I guess her comment really struck a nerve and got me to thinking. As independent and free thinking as you may be, we are pack animals. We naturally seek the approval and support of those we care about. If we are surrounded by people who question our commitment, who can we fall back to when the road gets rough? Who’s going to motivate you and stop you from quitting?

Do you feel like you have a supportive environment? Do you have instances where you've had to defend your choices when it came to lifestyle and diet? Email me to find out how having a coach can help you get the support and extra push you need to make lasting, healthy changes.