Juicing: It's Trendy For A Reason

The health and wellness industry is a really funny world to work in. We put billions of dollars, literally, into helping people get healthy, and giving everybody the tools they need to reach their goals. One of the best ways to get healthy is to understand that it is not complicated. Eating well can be SO simple. Joshua Rosenthal, the owner and founder of Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where I am attending school, says that it doesn't matter where you go, everybody on this planet knows that they should eat healthier. You hear this alot, "I know I should eat more vegetables." But are you eating more vegetables and fruit? That's where the line is.... everybody knows, but few are doing it. Finding the reason why you are not listening to what you know, is key. My diet is so simple. I make smoothies every morning, I juice mid-day, I eat good nutritious sources of protein, I enjoy food, and above all, I hydrate constantly. Most people on this planet are either sleep deprived or dehydrated. And there are SO many things you can do to fix that, and one of those things is juicing. 

Like many nutrition fads, juicing has spread to all corners of the world. And for a good reason. And let me set the record straight.... I do not think juicing is better than making smoothies. I get asked this ALL the time. I think they are equally important. It's very true, juicing takes most of the fiber out of the drink, but as long as you are conscious of getting fiber in other foods and meals, juicing will still hold its value. There are so many health benefits to juicing, and they vary from the ingredients you put in the machine. I highly recommend looking into the benefits of each ingredient you use for your drinks, because then you can determine what you really need. For example, making a beet-blend juice will give you nutrients that you wouldn't get from any other vegetable.... read the following, and you will eat beets every day. 

Beets are high in vitamins and minerals (potassium, magnesium, phosphorous), they serve as a blood purifier, and they have high amounts of sugar (healthy sugar) that are released slowly into the body give you lots of energy. I have also read that beets help with depression because of the betaine content.... not too bad. 

Invest in a juicer, I just bought one recently, and although it was costly, it has been amazing. And it's REALLY simple and takes only a few minutes. One of the best benefits of juicing is that it cuts cravings. When I juice in the morning my desire for coffee and caffiene decreases almost completely. Juicing diminishes your desire for carbs, breads, and sugary crap. I'm sure the side effects are different for everybody, but the common understanding is that you can more easily give up your guilty pleasures. Speaking of which, another result is that I feel more productive. It's just true.... when you are treating yourself with high care and putting your well-being at the top of the list, you get more things accomplished. Taking care of your health does not need to be time consuming and stressful; find easy and simple ways to get your vitamins and nutrients and you will see changes so quickly. 

Try out this beet juice recipe and you will fall in love, I promise...

1 whole beet

4 large carrots

1 whole cucumber

1 whole apple

Fresh ginger (cator to your taste buds, I don't like it too heavy on the ginger)