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Spring Clean Up - Juicing Journeys

4/30/2015

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Happy Pre-Friday Juicers!
Please welcome today's guest blogger, Jolyn O'Dell. 


I am a 37 year old Wife, Mom, and full-time Business Analyst in Airdrie, Alberta, Canada. With my career being very technically driven, I enjoy spending my free time with my daughter and husband playing and creating fun family time together. I have always been passionate about learning and connecting with people and helping to motivate others to know they can have the life they want. I soak up motivational and inspirational authors from around the world and try to live by the wise words of leaders such as Susan Jeffers, Ph.D. and “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway”. While I’m not always perfect in execution, we are all works-in-progress for living our best lives and I feel honored when people share their journeys with me. The real fulfillment in my life comes from a growing understanding of what it means to be me and how I can contribute back to this beautiful world.


The Journey Begins…

    Over two years ago I watched the movie Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. Inspired by Joe Cross’s weight loss I went and bought myself a juicer, ready to embrace every color in the produce rainbow at the grocery store. I was juicing every day, not fully fasting, but I found before long with the prep time and cost of fresh vegetables that were ending up in the garbage (due to lack of real commitment), that my juicer found its way back into the cupboard, rarely if ever taken out since that first spurt of enthusiasm and inspiration.

    Fast forward to three months ago and my weight was at an all-time high of 222 pounds. I had spent the last two years working full time, going to school, Mom, wife, volunteering and giving everything of myself to feel full in life. My daughter who is now five, often wanted to play and while I was always game for Play-Doh and crafts, her more active requests were often passed off to my husband or 'Mommy could only attend the Dance Party at home for a couple of songs'. When I went to the doctor for my annual physical, I received some alarming news that I already knew but didn’t want to admit. My blood pressure was through the roof and given the chance to bring it down or go on meds, I knew something drastic had to happen.  My head often felt like a balloon, my skin was a mess and I knew I was consistently outgrowing my clothes. My body was rebelling and I couldn’t say I blamed it.

    With everything on the surface of my life seeming so right, why did I feel so wrong? I can honestly say that I felt like my outside didn’t match my insides. I would see pictures of myself and seriously be confused. Did I really look like that? But I feel confident, successful and beautiful with who I am inside! I’ve always been a positive person, someone who believes in hard work paying off and that good things happen to good people…who was that woman staring back at me?

    Over the past two years I had watched countless documentaries, read blogs, researched nutrition and read scientific articles on what was being discovered about the fuel we put in our bodies. It was time that I had to admit to myself, I was choosing to ignore it and the results were exactly what I could expect if I continued to do so. I was choosing to put everything else in my life ahead of my physical health and wellness and if done for much longer, I wouldn't be able to enjoy all of the other purposes I had given 
my life. Mother, wife, daughter, colleague…all titles and definitions would become pointless if I didn’t take care of my body.

    So I watched Fat Sick and Nearly Dead again and set out a plan. First and foremost, I talked with my husband who agreed that my success would partially be due to his level of support. So he committed to joining me for the first 14 days of the 40 days I was planning. As a stay at home dad, he would spend the time in his day to juice for us so that I could continue with all of my other responsibilities. We arranged for our daughter to be with Poppa and Grandma for 3 days while our bodies adjusted to the fast. I realize that this is not something that everyone can do, but the trend here is that we made a plan that would work for us. I think that many people want to make a change or have big dreams about embracing a healthier lifestyle that remain out of reach because of the lack of a plan. Being a habitual procrastinator myself, I knew that creating balance in my life would mean that I had to write an honest and realistic plan that would work. Will power can be fleeting, so knowing that I had a road map for my juicing journey took a lot of the guess work out of it.

    All inspired and ready to succeed, I started the fast not knowing what to really expect. All of the detox symptoms were as I expected and the weight loss was a great motivator, but what I didn’t expect was the emotional transformation that would take place over the next 40 days. Being in a position to recognize temptation is everywhere and finding an amazing support group on Facebook had me realizing that I wasn’t alone. The feelings of isolation can be overwhelming at times and to anyone wanting to do this I would say REACH OUT because you’ll be surprised at how someone on the other side of the globe can be a tremendous cheerleader for your success. I am an extrovert and my husband 
an introvert and I needed to talk myself through the juicing. Instead of overwhelming him or my friends with what I was feeling, I found people who wanted to be in that position of connecting, not feeling like I was trying to sell them on juice fasting on a continual basis.

    When you take away something that is so pervasive in our society, you feel exposed. Food is a way to celebrate, a way to comfort…we’ve all used it for reasons beyond that of fueling our bodies. The evidence was there though as my fast had carried on and people were commenting on my glowing skin, how I just looked lighter and more confident. My mental acuity and focus was razor sharp and so I can’t deny that I was reaping the rewards of juicing almost immediately. Family friends and coworkers all 
changed from “You’re crazy” on to “Wow, I could never do that” to “Can you tell me how to do that?” I was transforming before their eyes and clearly thriving. Of course I had many moments of doubt and fear but I chose to focus on the positive. I am a driven person and what better driver than changing my life to be my best life and perhaps helping those around me improve theirs?

    On my 40th day I burst into tears of joy for having completed what was perhaps the most difficult task I have ever undertaken in my life. I am still on the journey to health and wellness but the overwhelming gratitude I have for the experience still chokes me up a little. I will be a juicer for life. I have around 40 pounds to go until I reach my goal weight and I know juicing will take me there. Now back on “real food” (I always laugh when people call it that, like pure juice isn’t real), I am eating more produce than ever 
before and have embraced a partially vegetarian lifestyle. I plan to go all the way to Vegan one day, but for now I’m taking baby steps that work into my life. It was a drastic change to make to take away eating and only drink juice but it was a journey I will do again. 

    My blood pressure is in the perfect range and with 25 pounds lost I feel the drive inside of me even more than I had before. I want anyone who is reading this who might think they couldn’t do it to know that I used a lot of positive affirmations including Henry Ford’s quote to get me through on rough days; 

                   “Whether you say you can or you can’t, either way you are right.”


    Our brains are incredibly powerful and if you embrace the desire to change and literally insist that the doubting thoughts be passive and not something to focus on, you can do it. Juicing is a very mental, emotional, and spiritual journey with a lot of self-reflection and opportunities for real lasting change in your life. Fortunately, I’m stubborn enough that I knew when questions about why I was doing this came up I wouldn’t wallow, I would survive and eventually thrive. The only thing that had ever really gotten in my way was me and it is now time that I become my biggest supporter and create the life I have always wanted. Everything else is just noise, what we say to ourselves is what sticks. So change the script in your head and know that you are worth every ounce of that life you are squeezing out of your fruit and vegetables.

 My best wishes to you all on your journey to health and wellness.
Juice On!
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Happy Earth Day!

4/22/2015

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Happy Earth Day juicers! I have a little surprise for you today, and it only lasts through today so make sure you jump on this fast. I'm sure you've noticed that I love to juice, but I also love to cook!

One of my favorite stores is Penzey's Spices, which luckily has a store location right here in Dallas but you can also get their entire store collection online. Everything  you could ever want to spice up your cooking, or inspire a new recipe is here.  


Right now they are offering a Heal The World mug in honor of Earth Day, and you can get one free with this promo code.  At checkout, enter 94049C and you'll only need to pay shipping.  If you want free shipping, you only need to spend 30 dollars in their online store.  Not a bad deal!

Some of my favorites are the French Four Spice blend, Tuscan Sunset, Florida Seasoned Pepper, and Vanilla Sugar for baking. FYI, I have no affiliation with Penzey's.  I am just a huge fan and sharing their great offer with my readers.

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5 Simple Steps to Detox by Dr Sarah Brewer

4/16/2015

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Hello Juicers,
I'm so excited to announce today's guest blogger, Dr. Sarah Brewer 

 MSc (Nutr Med), MA (Cantab), MB, BChir, RNutr, MBANT.  
Dr Brewer qualified from Cambridge University with degrees in Natural Sciences, Medicine and Surgery. After working in general practice, she gained a Master's degree in nutritional medicine from the University of Surrey. As well as being a licensed doctor, Sarah is also a Registered Nutritionist, a Registered Nutritional Therapist and an award winning health writer. 
Sarah is the author of over 60 popular self-help books, and the editor of YourWellness magazine . Follow her nutritional Tweets at twitter.com/DrSarahB.

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5 Simple Steps to Detox by Dr Sarah Brewer

Detox is something most people feel the need for from time to time. Although viewed with suspicion by many western doctors and dietitians, it plays a role in many Eastern medical practices.

Detox essentially means adopting a healthy approach to diet and lifestyle that support your body’s natural elimination processes while minimising your exposure to toxins.

A toxin is any agent that is capable of causing harm. Some are widely accepted as noxious (eg cigarette smoke, drugs, exhaust fumes, carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide), but others are viewed as safe for use during the growing and manufacture of foods (eg agricultural chemicals, preservatives, artificial colourings and flavourings) as long as they are only consumed in tiny amounts. Some potential toxins may even offer health benefits at sensible intakes (eg caffeine and alcohol) but can become harmful in excess.

Whatever your views on ‘going organic’, drinking coffee or alcohol, you may benefit from following a Detox diet for a few days. There is nothing to lose by trying – except perhaps a little weight, and possibly those niggling symptoms that have crept up on you such as feeling lacking in energy and tired all the time.

The Detox Process
Forget fasting and colonic irrigation – Detox should be a pleasurable and gentle health routine, which usually involves eating and drinking nothing but organic (where possible):

  • Fresh and dried fruit
  • Raw or lightly steamed vegetables - broccoli, spring greens, pak choi, cauliflower, mangetout (snow peas), carrots 
  • Freshly prepared fruit and vegetables juices
  • Thin vegetable soups (preferably home-made)
  • Cooked pulses
  • Oatmeal
  • Brown rice
  • Cottage cheese
  • Unsweetened, natural Bio yoghurt
  • Fish
  • Chicken
  • Mineral or filtered water – ideally 2 to 3 litres per day.

You can eat as much or as little of these foods as you like, and do not necessarily have to lose weight. In practice, however, most people try to reduce their usual calorie intake to help boost the Detox process and to lose a few excess pounds.


During a detox, aim to avoid caffeine, table salt (sodium chloride), artificial sweeteners, food additives, alcohol and sugar. If you have previously had a relatively high caffeine intake (four or more caffeinated drinks per day) it is a good idea to gradually cut down on caffeine-containing drinks for a week or two before starting a Detox; otherwise, you may experience caffeine withdrawal symptoms such as headache, jitteriness and irritability. 


Most people follow a Detox diet for up to 10 days before starting to eat other foods they enjoy. After this time, maintain the benefits by keeping to a diet that is as organic and free from additives as possible. A healthy, balanced diet should ideally contain whole grains, fruit, vegetables, pulses, white meat and fish with very little sugar, salt, caffeine or alcohol. Sweetness can be obtained by eating more fresh and dried fruits or organic honey.  

Who should not Detox? 

Do not follow a detox programme if you are:
  • Pregnant or breast-feeding
  • Unwell or Convalescing
  • Receiving treatment for any medical condition (unless your doctor agrees that you are fit enough to follow a detox program)

Supplements
Although regimes vary, during a classic Detox, you Cleanse first and Fortify second, so only antioxidants and probiotic supplements are taken for the first five day cleansing period. You can then add in selected nutritional supplements. This is similar in rationale to servicing your car – you wouldn’t add new oil until the old, dirty oil (the toxins) has first been drained away. Cleansing supplements that can be taken during the initial 5 days of a Detox program include:


  • Antioxidants (eg selenium, vitamins A, C, E, pycnogenol, grapeseed extracts, alpha-lipoic acid, pine bark extracts)
  • Supplements to support liver cleansing (eg Milk Thistle, Globe Artichoke)
  • Supplements to support urinary cleansing (eg Dandelion, Cranberry)
  • Supplements to support intestinal cleansing (eg Prebiotics, Probiotics, Psyllium, Aloe vera, Peppermint oil)

You should continue with the cleansing supplements throughout the Detox process, but after cleansing is underway (usually five to seven days), you can start fortifying by adding in nutritional supplements such as:

  • a multivitamin and mineral  
  • essential fatty acids (eg evening primrose, flax-seed oil, omega-3 fish oils)
  • An adaptogen to help your body adapt to the Detox process (eg Korean or Siberian ginseng)      

What do cleansing supplements do?


Antioxidants help to mop up the excess free radicals that are liberated during normal metabolism, and during the detox process.

Milk Thistle extracts help protect liver cells from the poisonous effects of toxins by boosting levels of key liver antioxidants such as glutathione.

Globe Artichoke supports liver function, increases bile secretion and improves digestion of dietary fats. Like milk thistle, it protects liver cells from the ill effects of toxins, helps to counter digestive symptoms such as bloating, flatulence and nausea, and also has a mild diuretic action.

Cranberry contains substances known as anti-adhesins which help flush bacteria from the urinary system. It may also have a similar effect against a common stomach infection, Helicobacter pylori, which is linked with indigestion and peptic ulcers.


Probiotics are lactic acid producing bacteria that help to suppress the growth of gas-forming intestinal bacteria. They boost immunity in the gut and produce nutrients that nourish intestinal cells and have a beneficial effect on liver function. Prebiotics are fibre-sources that selectively promote the growth of probiotic bacteria within the bowel.  

Psyllium gently cleanses the bowel by providing fibre bulk to absorb intestinal toxins.   

Aloe vera helps to cleanse and soothe the bowel as it contains soapy saponins and soluble fibre, as well as having an anti-inflammatory action.

Peppermint oil is soothing and antiseptic. It improves digestion by stimulating secretion of digestive juices and bile, relaxes intestinal spasm and helps to relieve tension.

5 Simple Steps to Detox


Step 1
Cut back on caffeine, salt, sugar and alcohol before starting the detox to reduce cravings or withdrawal symptoms.

Step 2
Plan your eating regime for the next 10 Detox days, including your fluid intake.

Step 3
Select your Cleansing supplements you will take throughout the 10 day Detox.

Step 4
Select the fortifying, nutritional supplements you will add in from days 6 to 10 of your Detox.

Step 5
After Day 10, start slowly re-introducing favourite foods and drinks while continuing eating a super-healthy diet for long-term good health.

Visit my Nutritional Medicine Blog at DrSarahBrewer.com

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Juice Up Your Work Energy!

4/13/2015

7 Comments

 
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Hi Juicers,
I'm excited to announce our next guest blogger in the Juice Junkie - Spring Clean Up.

​ I recently reviewed Diane's latest book about finding career clarity, and your true direction in life.  Who wouldn't like a life coach to help with their spring cleaning? When you need your car fixed, you go to a mechanic.  If your pipes have busted, you call a plumber.  Why not call on the experts in your own life? I'm so glad to have found Diane BEFORE midlife! She's going to give us some insights into what takes up the majority of our time and energy. Work!


Diane Howell Topkis is the author of the recently published
“Love It or Leave It: Is it Time to Change Your Career?” which is the second book in her Career Clarity ebook series. Diane coaches midlife women to gain the clarity and confidence to reinvent or re-energize their career into meaningful work for their next chapter. Also, make sure you visit her website to receive a free workbook Find Your Career Passion.


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Spring cleaning. Time to detox your life of Energy Drains and juice up the Energy Sparks.

 Energy Sparks are what light you up when you have a special connection. Whether it’s with another human being, a thing of beauty like a sunset or music, or with something that enlarges your world, it changes the way you see or feel. It gives form to your deepest feelings and passions—to who you are and what you can become.

 It’s also the way you feel when your career is really on. When the sparks fly and you just love what you do. When your job is the right fit for you, it becomes a source of your energy. It’s the power that drives you.

 If that’s how your job is now, you are one of the lucky ones. Keep on keeping on.

 On the other side, there are Energy Drains. Your job can be one of the biggest. If you are miserable and worry about what to do about it, that’s even more of a drain.

 Like energy attracts like energy. If your focus stays on the negative, more negative will come to you. Unfortunately, we all have destructive, buried energy, long suppressed held inside, weighing us down. We need to get rid of the Drains to make emotional room for more Sparks.

Detox Energy Drains

Let’s start by looking inward. Free yourself from toxic relationships, unfound worries, and anything that drains your focus. Try these 2 exercises to release and get rid of your negative energy.

1. Secret Voices. Is your energy full of self-doubt and negativity? As you go through your day, keep a journal on your thoughts. Are they talking fear, saying you’re not good enough or smart enough, over worrying, jealous. Whatever it is, write it down for a few days. Look it over for common patterns. Give that voice a name (mine is Trudie). Next time that voice pops up, talk her down. Change her story.

2. Unfinished Business. Sometimes having a long list of to-do’s, unresolved issues, or negative relationships can drag you down. Make a list of everything that drains your energy. Next to it, write the impact that it has on you. Then start eliminating them. Start small if easier, work your way up to dropping negative relationships.

Eliminating the Drains will actually free up more energy for you than simply adding more Sparks. Make a conscious choice to move away from the Drains. You can do it. You just have to be motivated. Be strong.

Juice Up Energy Sparks

Now there’s room to generate positive energy. As we begin to nurture and consciously care for the energy in our life, we come alive and bring emotional depth and authenticity, spontaneity, and joy into our world. Here are 2 ways to uncover your sparks.

1. Find your passion. I wrote a free e-book that you can download from my website called “Find Your Passion.” It’s a workbook that takes you through a number of steps to truly understand what is underneath all the things that spark your energy – so you can bring more of it into your life.

2. Make a decision. Let’s go back to the idea of not knowing what to do about work you don’t like. That is one of the most common questions asked by my coaching clients. It’s why I wrote my latest Career Clarity ebooks – “Love It or Leave It: Is it time to change your career?” This book walks you through a process that answers that question. I guarantee your energy will shift once you've made a decision. Now your energy can be directed into what to do – re-energize your current job or reinvent your skills and strengths into a new direction.

What are you waiting for? Start your spring cleaning!


Diane, The Midlife Woman’s Career Coach

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SUPER JUICE ME!

4/11/2015

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Hi Juicers!  Quick alert to something awesome. And Free!
Jason Vale, the juice master, is showing his film for free on his website, and this is the last Sunday it's going to be available.  Great movie to watch if you haven't seen it, and a good refresher and motivator to watch again if you have.
What's your favorite part of this movie??

http://www.superjuiceme.com/


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