It's a High Energy Day!

It's a high energy day today!  It's time to take that energy and run with it... make something fantastic happen today.  Call a friend and get outside.  Corral your little ones and grill out.

Today is a day to open your heart... open your spirit and soak up the light and love that this day has to offer. We are all in need of this, so take advantage and allow this energy to renew!

Focus on the things that bring happiness and joy and allow the other things to fall away.  If they need to come back for future attention... the will.

Happy Friday and happy weekend!
Shannon Rose and the JUL Juice Team

Juice for Those Dang Sinuses!

If you are located in the mid-west, you understand that spring is late this year!  I'm looking out my office window noting a foot of snow still in some areas of the parking lot...ugh!

With that said, my sinuses are not appreciating the prolonged cold weather.  The constant drops below 30 degrees F and then up again to 50+ degrees F in the daytime are causing pain, congestion and even a slight sore throat.

Not to get into the gory details, but a little background on Sinusitis - the inflammation of the paranasal sinuses  - there are three basic causes:

1. Infection
2. Allergies
3. Virus

Sinusitis can last up to 12+ weeks depending upon the stage/type!

1. Acute: 10 days - 4 weeks
2. Subacute - 4 - 12 weeks
3. Chronic - 12+weeks

Basic symptoms include congestion, headaches, sore throats, fatigue, stomach aches and more.  Sinusitis may not send you to bed for a week but it certainly hinders your quality of life and ability to function within that life.  As we speak my computer screen is turning fuzzy... Must keep typing...

You don't have to keep suffering for 4, 12 even 20 weeks!  It's time to speed your recovery until summer can return and burn away this crud.

What do I recommend?  My mother's magic solution!

1. Juice! (3-5 times per day while starting/showing symptoms)
• Spicy Ginger Juice
• 1 peeled orange
• 1/2 lemon
• 2 green apples
• 1 in ginger (or more if you can stand it!)
• 1 pinch of cayenne powder on top of the glass of juice (again... more if you can stand it!)
• 2 c spinach
2. Tinctures/Supplements (3 times per day while starting/showing symptoms plus 2-3 days after)
• Echinacea - immune booster
• Golden Seal - anti-viral/anti-bacterial
• Nettles - targets sinuses
• Quercetin - targets sinuses
• Vitamin C - immune booster
• Nose spray with grapefruit seed extract - targets sinuses/inflammation

My mom never steered me wrong... and so I pass along to you!

Sinusitis + Juice * Supplements = Feeling HEAPS better!

Juicing Momma, Juicing Poppa... Juicing Kiddo?

I recently was asked, "Juicing has changed my life!  Can I give the same juice to my kids?"

ABSOLUTELY!  (... keep reading)

Note this first, you are an adult... they are children... you have very different bodies, growing patterns, nutrient needs, digestive tracts, chemistry... and the list goes on.  So keep the tips below in mind while introducing a safe and effective juice plan for both you and your children.

For all of you juicing parents out there, I commend you!  It is not an easy feat to keep yourself fit and healthy while pulling double-shifts as a parent.  So often we tend to put our child's health above our own until we begin to disappear from our own "nutritional radar."

The truth of the matter is that it is so much more difficult to take care of your child when you are in physical distress or diminished health.  Being "out-of-shape," overweight (unhealthy), lethargic and full of toxins prevents you from not only being a fully effective parent but being a good example to your children.  I've even noticed that when I'm not at optimum health, I tend to be more of a passive parent, leaning on television, toys and inside activities to entertain my child.

Doing things together, Parent and Child, is why we had kids in the first place... right?!  Or at least it's why I love being a parent.  There is nothing as captivating as watching a child discover a new talent or a new element... it leaves me speechless every time.

So... getting back to the question at hand (sorry, I digress...), "Can I give the same juice to my kids?"

The answer is still, YES!  Below are some tips to take into consideration:

1. Make sure the portion in small enough to be utilized as a "supplement" to their diet and NOT a "replacement" for other foods.
2. Help expand their taste buds!  Little by little, introduce different flavors into the mix.  You will be surprised by how much children will LOVE all kinds of juice... even the "green-stuff!"
3. Morning and lunch is a great time for juice.  This helps ignite the brain and system for maximum activity and attention throughout the day.  
4. Nighttime tea is a great way to "wind down" at the end of the day.  You yourself should have a glass yourself.  Watch the both of you melt into a couch, sip your tea and read a chapter of Percy the Pig!  My daughter has become accustomed to tea with a few drops of Stevia in her bottle before bed.  This keeps her system clean and able to repair overnight vs. heavy drinks before bed.
5. Note allergies and sensitivities. 
6. Stay organic... those little bodies can only take so much of the concentrated toxins.  Keep it good, local and clean.  Your child's body will thank you for it!
7. Don't force it... let them enjoy and like it.  Good experiences early will ensure they like it moving forward.

Here are some combos to try with your kids... feel free to make a pitcher the night before and have these as a fun breakfast or "take to school/work" drink!

• Pineapple - Carrot
• Cucumber - Apple
• Broccoli - Pineapple
• Spinach - Apple

Happy Momma, Poppa, Kiddo juicing!

Ouch! The Dreaded Hangover!

So... you decided to have one more glass of wine?  Your buddies coerced you into that dreaded shot of Jägermeister.  Or maybe you decided to have a movie night gone "too many beers."  Either way, you've now woken up the next morning with a... HANGOVER!

It hurts my head just typing the word!

Hangovers can range in severity with a combination of any of the following symptoms:

• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
• High body temperatures
• Excessive sweating
• Headaches
• Muscle and body aches
• Fatigue
• Moodiness
• Dizziness
• Elevated heart-rate
• Dehydration
• And more...

What causes these horrific symptoms?  Impurities introduced during the fermentation process.

And what can you do about it? Juice it out!  That's right, get yourself out of bed and make yourself a gigantic glass of juice!

Ingredients that aid in recovery:

• Bitter gourd - Detox
• Watercress - Detox
• Grapefruit - Detox
• Carrot - Cleanse digestion
• Green apple - Cleanse digestion
• Green vegetables (spinach particularly) - Cleanse digestion
• Beets - Cleanse liver and blood

Next time you've had a little too much fun the night before... try a combo of the above and get drinking... Juice that is!

Feel Good Juice

2 carrots

1 beet

1 stalks celery

1 green apple

1 bunch watercress

Pinch of sea salt

*Follow with 2 HUGE glasses of water

Just Because It's Monday...

Just because it's Monday, doesn't mean you get a free pass!

Mondays are the most important day of the week when it comes to health regimens, especially juicing.  A long weekend of relaxing, having one-too-many glasses of wine and maybe a piece of pie are the exact reasons why you need to boomerang right back to the basics.  If you skip Mondays, you are more likely to digress throughout the week.

Try these tips to help make your Mondays stronger than ever!

1. Pack a fresh pair of workout clothes and put them in the front seat of your car.  No matter what time of day you workout, they will be there, ready... waiting... "staring" at you... begging you to put them on!
2. Juice for breakfast.  Nothing starts your day off right than a flat, un-bloated belly!  Stay away from simple carbs, sugar and salt.  Think "clean" and "fresh" which is why juice will make a simple solution!
3. Pack healthy snacks.  Make little baggies of cut up fresh veggies and fruit so that when you are craving a snack, you have something easy and yummy to grab for.  My favorites are roasted beets and/or sweet potatoes... dry... with a little sea salt.  A few of those tasty morsels and I'm satisfied!
4. Have a healthy evening meal.  Having a well-rounded, healthy and satisfying meal at the end of your Monday will ensure you don't "slip-up" and enter into the "binge" phase!  Think whole grains, lots of colorful veggies and a little olive oil and sea salt.  Even a lean protein like fish, eggs or chicken can make your day!

So... don't give your power to a "case of the Mondays" and skip out!  Make Mondays a strong day and show Monday who's boss!

The Pre-workout "Shot"

That's right... shots before your workout... Lucky you!

As I have been experimenting with increased frequency and intensity workouts, I am also looking for ways to improve my performance and endurance.  It is hard enough to get myself to drive to the gym, let alone put on the old sneakers and squeeze into those yoga pants (which are supposed to be slimming... but totally are NOT).  I am tired and unmotivated to start... just like anyone else.  It isn't until I am half-way through my workout that I finally am energized and ready to go!

With this in mind, I was trying to think of ways to boost my energy and motivation early on so that I wanted to get to the gym... so that I felt like I had the energy to follow-through.

What I discovered...

Beets and carrots, hands down were the best pre-workout ingredients.  Why?

1. Low calories, high in natural sugars (both) = An amazing initial energy boost
2. Essential vitamins and minerals (both) = Maintained nutrient levels through workout
3. Folic acid (beets) = Regeneration of new cells and speedy recovery/healing
4. Betaine(beets)/boron (both) = Anti-depressant and mood booster
5. Beta-carotene (both) = Anti-aging
6. Vitamin A (both) = Body cleanser

I loved the feeling of a thrilling boost of energy, increased motivation due to a better mood and the feeling of having sustained energy throughout my workout.  Why not try this recipe before your next gym excursion?

Power Workout Red!

4 carrots

1 beet

1 lemon

1 package of raspberries (or other seasonal berry of choice)

1/4 tsp of cayenne powder (optional and to your liking... be careful!)

Feel the burn!

Be Who You Be - PROUD!

What a great reminder to all of us who are inundated with society's stigmas of body image and beauty!

Radio CFF posted this picture/story on Facebook regarding Swedish manikins.  The premise is that a department store in Sweden displayed size 12 and 16 manikins to showcase their "normal sized" lingerie.  I'll tell you what... those sizes are normal!  For some women, like myself, a size 12 is a GREAT size to be at!  My goal is a 10, but come on... I've worked my buns off to get where I'm at, combining juice, healthy eating and activity.  If maintaining a 10/12 is where I'm supposed to be then dag-nabbit... I'm proud to be ME!

If you ask me, these are beautiful displays of healthy women... I'd kill for "abs" like that!

Four Days = Four Pounds!

Four full days of my clean diet and juice program... and I'm already four pounds down!

I'm a real woman, a real-life mom with a realistic body... so don't judge the mom-pudge... I'm working on it just like all of you!

Initial results?

1. Was the PERFECT way to get back on track.
2. I lost four pounds in four days.
3. I can SEE a difference. Look at my day 2, 3 and 4 pics to the right... note the upper stomach!
4. Have successfully detoxed from caffeine.
5. Have slept more soundly than I have in weeks.
6. I feel more optimistic and positive about my life.
7. I am more patient and less reactive.
8. My mood is more even keeled.

Four days and I am turned around!  I would say that the concept of eating cleanly and drinking fresh juice is a great way to break cycles, get back on track or start a path to a "new you!"

MAKE IT HAPPEN!

Can I Juice While Breastfeeding...?

YES... YES... and YES! 

Of course I have to say to check with your healthcare professional before veering from your normal routine... but the short answer is YES!

First off it is critical to remember that juicing for breastfeeding (or pregnancy for that matter) is NOT a replacement for meals.  Juicing is to enhance your health and to offer a way of easily absorbing and processing nutrients.  You should not be focused on weight-loss.  What you should be focused on is the health of your growing baby and your overall health and well-being.

Why is juicing good for a new momma?

Juicing offers up a way of basically "injecting" micro-nutrients and active enzymes straight into your system.  Juicing removes the need for your body to digest and process and therefore saves it's energy for you and your baby.  This "hit" of minerals and vitamins effect you at a molecular level, thus changing your body from the inside out.  

This will not only provide impeccable care to you and your baby, it will set you up for greater weight loss success once you are done breastfeeding!  

Some techniques to note while juicing while breastfeeding:

1. Incorporate teas into your regimen or mix with fresh juice
2. Add herbal tinctures into the mix
3. Use organic produce as toxins can negatively affect your growing baby
4. You should be drinking at least one large glass of water to every serving of juice on top of your normal hydration routine
5. Stay away from heavy stimulants like black tea and coffee (a little dark chocolate is OK!)

Here are some herbs to consider in either tea or tincture form:

• Lemon balm
• Nettle
• Red raspberry leaf
• Rose hips
• Ginger

Two great juices to reduce bloating is:

• 2 oranges (peeled)
• Handful of kale leaves
• 1/2 cup spinach
• 3 stalks celery
• Note: you can add lemon, ginger or apple to taste

OR...

• 3 carrots
• 3 stalks celery
• 30 cherries (pitted)
• 8 oz of red raspberry leaf or nettle tea
• Note: you can add lemon, ginger or apple to taste

Ingredients to help increase energy!

• GREENS!  Any green you can stomach, anything leafy!
• Lemon
• Ginger
• Apple

How much should you drink?

Drink as much as you want as long as juicing is not replacing meals.  Pay attention to your body... it will tell you when to speed-up or slow-down.  If juicing just doesn't feel right all together, quit and try again at a later stage.  There is no right or wrong way... but you do need to listen to your body as it will know best for you and your baby!

Be active - Be healthy - Juice!

The First Three Days - Think Clean!

I'm on day 3 of an intensive "clean diet" cleanse.  Brian, my brother, came up with the concept and catered the program to fit my lifestyle.  So... I'm trying it out as an option for our program!

Day 3

Last night I went to bed with a killer headache... the kind that pounds and reverberates throughout your whole head, neck and upper back.  I attribute it to the fact that I am cleansing, during extreme weather changes and have completely cut out caffeine and alcohol.  The combination all came together by the end of day two to force me to bed early with a visit to the chiropractor and an ice back on my neck.

I woke up today feeling like a million dollars!  My headache is gone and actually my head is clearer and more alert than it has been in weeks.  I have some before and after pictures that I'll post at the end of the two weeks to show the progress, but within the first three days my jeans are starting to hang off my waste and my stomach is already looking more flat.

So what am I doing?

I'm embracing a "clean diet."  This means that I have cut out most foods that cause inflammation, some key "no-no's" are:

• Dairy
• Animal proteins
• Corn
• Sand-alone oils
• Heavy cooking
• White grains/starches
• Sweets (white sugar, processed candy, baked goods...)
• Alcohol
• Caffeine

Than what am I eating? 

• Complex grains (brown or wild rice, quinoa and barley)
• Sweet Potatoes (roasted or steamed with a tiny pinch of sea salt)
• Fresh vegetables... any kind... as much as I want
• Fresh fruits... any kind... as much as I want
• Fresh juice, mainly greens and herbs with apple, lemon and ginger to taste
• Tea
• Coconut meat and water
• Small handfulls of raw nuts (try to stay away from peanuts)
• Water... lots and lots of WATER

I'm going to keep the updates coming... in the meantime, if you want more information about this cleanse, let me know.  What a great way to be able to show off that flat stomach for summer!

Sweet Potatoes - The Sweet Truth

The dichotomy of the sweet potato.  

On one hand, it was a root that plagued the plates of children growing up.  Mothers forcing the pile of orange mash down millions of children's throats.  Until finally these children grew into adults and found out that with a little salt and brown sugar, these delectable starches were actually... Yummy!  

In ancient times (dating well before the Incan pyramids) sweet potatoes were found to be an important dietary staple.  While the Elizabethan era took things to a whole new level, declaring sweet potatoes as a powerful aphrodisiac and fertility food... let's just say that plates were cleaned by the end of each meal!

When it comes to juicing, the sweet potato couldn't be higher on the list of orange foods for yummy health benefits.  One small sweet potato contains:

• More beta-carotene than carrots
• Over 350% of your daily vitamin A requirement
• High amounts of vitamin C
• Potassium
• Calcium
• Vitamin E
• Folate
• Iron 
• Copper
• And the list goes on...

This sweet treat also contains two very important phytochemicals, quercetin and chlorgenic acid.  Combined they have tremendous immune boosting qualities, anti-cancer properties and are incredible for improving the skin's complexion.

Plus... sweet potatoes produce a lot of juice.  It makes for a great base for your juicing regimen.  We highly recommend this root during seasonal transition times.  With all of these health benefits it will help with:

• Seasonal colds
• Sinus and head congestion
• Body aches
• Headaches
• Joint and muscle pain
• Fatigue
• Seasonal depression and lack of motivation
• Lack of sex drive (didn't see that one coming, did you?!)

To help get you started, try this recipe... Sweet Greens

• 1 large sweet potato
• 1/4 pineapple
• 1 bunch kale
• 1 handful spinach

So grab a sweet potato on your way through the produce isle and enjoy this sweet treat... guilt free!