Juicing - Healthy or Hype

We had heard such good things about juicing. Dr Oz, The Doctors, numerous other experts and yes even my personal physician have all touted the great affects of juicing. Even though I still was not sold, my husband was all in.

Because Orlando was so excited about juicing, we decided to gift ourselves a Ninja Extractor for Christmas. We had done some research and decided this was the machine we wanted to try. We had friends who owned one and they loved it.

I will admit the juicer sat in the box and then on the counter for almost three weeks before I even read the instructions. Although I agreed with my husband to invest in the machine, I really wasn’t feeling too confident that I would enjoy the flavor of raw vegetables and fruits blended together. To be perfectly honest, that did not sound appetizing to me.

Finally after about 3.5 weeks into ownership, Orlando convinced me to give it a try. We pulled out the book of recipes and began making our grocery list. To begin our journey with juicing, we purchased fresh spinach, kale, bananas, strawberries and blueberries and of course a good protein powder.

We made our first drink and I had to admit that although it wasn’t something I thought I would ever crave, like ice cream or chips, it really was not half bad.

After trying my first couple of juice drinks I decided I could drink at least one a day. Therefore I dug a little deeper to determine the true affects of long term juicing. After reading some very positive effects of juicing, the flavor was even better than before.

According to The Juice Wellness Experts, renowned physician and expert Dr Woodsen Merrell, MD, author of The Detox Prescription, describes, in depth, several very good reasons for juicing.

• An increase in energy discovered within 72 hours
• Reduce inflammation of the body
• Less stress on the digestive system
• Enliven taste buds
• Real and healthy weight loss
• Re-hydration
• Reduce chronic ailments
• Improve skin tone

After reading this article, I started experimenting with our drinks. Adding a little ginger, which is good for digestion, a little honey which tastes good and is good for a multitude of ailments, cinnamon, which is like the honey, adds flavor and is now dubbed as a super spice. We have even begun to add some exotic fruits such as papaya, kiwi, and mango. I have even added walnuts and almonds as well to some of our drinks as well. The nuts really add a great texture and flavor and are considered good fats.

I am finding all sorts of new vegetables and fruits that I have never tried before and using the Ninja Extractor affords me the opportunity to reap the benefits of adding new vegetables and fruits to our diets.

From a personal standpoint, I can attest that since having a juice for breakfast most days, my energy level has increased; I have noticed a decrease in belly fat as well as a noticeable difference in my skin tone. I fell off the wagon and had a sub sandwich last week but other than that slip up, I have eaten pretty clean since we began this process. Only seafood and chicken, brown rice and wheat pastas and of course my morning pep drink. This could be a lifestyle change for Orlando and me. By the way Orlando has dropped a few pounds and says he’s feeling more energetic as well.

Stay tuned