The Business Travel Approach

Being a working mom who travels quite a bit, I am constantly plagued with opportunities to veer from my juicing path.

When I was newer to the regimen, I would find myself running to my airport gate, grabbing anything with bread, meat and cheese and then eating it ravenously at 35,000 feet.  What I realized was that the affects of travel alone have adverse affects on the body.  When combined with poor eating and stress, I was doomed to gain weight, feel bloated and feel drained.

So... what changed?

I found a way to maintain while I traveled!  I realized that I was not going to be able to make much progress while traveling, especially on those trips longer than two days.  What I was willing to face, and eventually accept, was that maintaining weight and health is sometimes just as effective when trying times emerge.

Once I was able to wrap my head around the concept of maintenance, I could then let go of the guilt and stress that I felt and really focus on the trip I needed to take.

My true secret though is putting in a little research ahead of time.  I found that if I mapped out an organic health food store... ahead of time... I could then find fresh juice and produce that fit into my juicing regimen.

Try this approach next time you have business travel!

1. Pack your food for the trip out.  You won't be able to pack juice, so pack fresh fruits, vegetables and raw nuts.  This will prevent the last minute junk-food buys.  
2. Buy or refill a LARGE container of water and drink it constantly.  Yes it may cause you to have to get up a couple times on the plane, but it is well worth the hydration and satisfied feeling that comes with it.
3. Do your research and find an organic health food store that is either near or on-the-way to your hotel/residence.  Stock up on fresh fruits, vegetables and raw nuts.  Also, if available, find fresh juice that you can buy in bulk.  Note: some hotels offer complimentary refrigerators... just ask, or build this into your travel budget.
4. Stick to the basics if you have to go out and eat.  Remember to keep things fresh and simple.  The less cooking means the less sauce, the less heavy food and the closer you are to key nutrients.  Example: Choose the seared ahi tuna and quinoa instead of the breaded chicken sandwich or the steak and garlic mashed potatoes.  Note: another trick I like is to order your food in smaller orders, example I have the server bring me a small salad, then soup and then a side order of their vegetables .. by the end of it I am stuffed!
5. Sleep and Move... get your butt to bed and get up 30 minutes earlier the next morning to take a walk or simply stretch before your meetings.
6. Do a 1-3 day juice cleanse when you get home.

I feel like I'm an avid "traveling juicer" now and it feels amazing to be able to embrace a lifestyle that fosters health.

Happy travels!  

Skin - Clear, Smooth & Bright!

I live in the land of 10,000 lakes... A.K.A. Minnesota.  What that means is that from November through April, my skin is severely neglected.

When I would travel to California for business, I stuck out like a sore-thumb.  My pale,white skin looked ashen and my eyes dull.  It was obvious that my poor skin hadn't seen the sun for months.

To help give my skin a healthy "glow" I tried everything from exfoliating, natural oils, tanning lotions and bronzing powders.  These would give me a temporary boost, but that would wear off within 24 hours.  Doing more isn't always better and I felt like my skin was rubbed raw and then caked full of glittery powders and oils.

So what changed?

I started juicing.  I began to let the micronutrients and live enzymes of fresh juice work through my clogged-up organs.  The juice was literally cleansing me from the inside out.  After only one week of juicing, I started to get comments from friends, and even strangers, on how bright blue my eyes looked and how vibrant my face was.  I was "glowing."  The more I heard these compliments, the more I was motivated to keep going.

After months of experimenting, I have found some key ingredient combinations that will help boost, clear and smooth the skin.  When you heal the body at the molecular level, your peripheral organs and tissues will follow suit.  It is the natural progression of targeting health within our vital organs... including our skin!

Skin boosting:

• One cup of each
• Strawberries
• Raspberries
• Blueberries
• Blackberries
• One cucumber

Skin clearing:

• 2 cucumbers
• 1 granny smith apple
• 1 large handful of spinach
• 1/4 lemon
• 1 pinch of fresh mint

Skin smoothing:

• 1 granny smith apple
• 3 carrots
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 cucumber

So, whether you live in the tundra or on the beaches of Australia, our skin can always use some extra attention.  Why not try to incorporate some of the above ingredients into your regular juicing.  Be proactive  with your juicing and start GLOWING!

Hydrate!

Everyone talks about staying hydrated.  The whole concept is "preached" and now water is thought of as boring...

Yet the proof is in the pudding... or juice in this matter.  When I am dehydrated, I do not feel my best.  I'm not just talking about a little fatigue.  I'm speaking to the mid-morning crashes, the creaking in my joints, the burning in my stomach and the dull headaches mid-afternoon.  To finally falling face-first on my bed too early in the evening to enjoy it.

Depending upon the studies you read, 75-80% of most individuals are chronically dehydrated.  This is mainly made up of the US population.  Studies show that a mere 2% drop in body water/fluids can result in some of (not limited to) the following symptoms:

1. Lack of focus/attention; "fuzzy head"
2. Fatigue
3. Constipation
4. Digestive troubles
5. Blood pressure irregularities and issues (both rise and fall)
6. Respiratory issues
7. Excess weight gain
8. Skin and hair dryness and/or irritations
9. Joint pain
10. Ulcers

Good thing there is juice!  A juicing regimen, heavy in vegetables, greatly reduces your chances of being chronically dehydrated.  In most cases, incorporating 2-3 glasses of juice into your day decreases or almost eliminates the above mentioned list of ailments.  How fantastic is that?!  

To add even more to the mix, I have found a few tips to fit more water into my day as well:  

1. After you brush your teeth (morning and night) slam a glass of water.  By "slam" I mean just drink it without thinking about it.  There's two extra glasses right there!
2. While juicing, make sure that you match your glasses of juice with an equal glass of water.  For me, that means 3 glasses at work.
3. Keep a BPA-free bottle of water in your bag or purse.  Every time you reach into your bag/purse, take a gulp of water.  This way you are never stranded and don't feel the urge to go through the drive-through or stop at the gas station for a soda, pop or other sugary drink.
4. Make a jug of lemon, cucumber, mint water at home.  It is so refreshing and takes no time at all.  I use a large glass jug with a seal-able top.  Then I peel and slice a whole cucumber, slice a whole lemon, squeeze another lemon and add a small bunch of crushed, fresh mint.  I fill it with distilled or filtered water and put in the fridge. The smell is invigorating and I actually look forward to having a glass when I get home. *If you like a little sweet with it, try 2 drops of Lemon Stevia in your glass.  Yum!

Moral of my post... make hydration something you actually want to do and not something you have to force yourself into.  Start juicing and feeling the full affects.  Hydration through juice adds a little taste into your day.  

The amazing part is that you will notice a change within the first day.  Grab a glass of juice and a glass of water and feel the affects today!

If I can do it... You can!

I'm not a small woman... 5ft 10in, larger frame, definitely "big-boned."

Keeping my weight in-check has been a challenge since my "high school metabolism" slowed down.

I was a fierce athlete in high school and on into my early years of college. Always training, always exercising and always eating whatever I wanted! So when I packed my car and drove out West, I left my athletic obligations behind.

As you can imagine I slowly started to pack on the pounds. I was finally on my own, becoming financially independent and in the mind-set of indulgence!

Rich coffee drinks and flaky pastries... Burgers and fries... Chicken burritos with all the fixings... And of course beer!

Add that up and take into account my lack of activity and you have a pudgy, large boned woman pushing 200lbs.

Thank goodness for my body-conscious roommate at the time. She was able to rein me in, teaching me about good cooking habits and regular activity. Yet even with the added help, keeping my weight down was a challenge. At a minimum it took 2+ hours per day of running, lifting weights, swimming and/or yoga.

Once out of college, there was no way to maintain that lifestyle without sacrificing sleep... Of which I can not do without.

I yo-yo dieted, had my ups and downs of incorporating 45 min power workouts and cardio into my days. What I found was that my weight would maybe go down a bit but it never fully broke the plateau. I always bottomed out right around 190.

After having a child, it was especially hard to drop the pounds. I felt defeated and at a loss.

Until... My brother, Brian, introduced me to juicing. Now I am down 32 lbs from my post baby weight... I am weighing in at 178! I feel and look amazing (I feel confident enough that I can say that now)!

I'm turning heads again... And it feels damn good! So... If a woman like me can do it... SO CAN YOU!

Morning Juice - Wake up!

You are rolling out of bed, it's cold outside and all you want to do is pretend the baby isn't crying and that the dog could open the back door by herself.

Well... if your life is anything like mine, my alarm promptly reminds me that I am both a parent, a dog owner and a corporate woman.  That means that there is no sleeping in and there is no pressing snooze.  Time to wake up!

One of my favorite ingredients in my morning juice is grapefruit.  I thoroughly enjoy the bright smells and the not-too-sweet citrus flavor.  I can remember being a child and picking fresh grapefruits from my Gramma's backyard.  I would take the warm fruit and bring it right to my nose, taking in that aroma.  I would peel and eat it like an orange... juice running down my face and hands.

This fruit is a perfect wake-me-up ingredient and it's natural health benefits give you a boost right away in the morning.  Some include...

• High dose of vitamin C which helps to not only reduce inflammation but strengthen the immune system.
• Skin health through high levels of vitamin A.
• Weight loss through fat burning enzymes, apatite suppressants and metabolism boosters.

Tomorrow, why not try this simple morning juice recipe... and make sure to let me know how you feel.

Wake-up!

1 grapefruit (peeled)

1 granny smith apple

3 carrots

Handfull of spinnach

1 in cube of ginger

1/2 lemon

*Juice and drink!

Hope you have a fantastic morning!

Ginger - The World Traveler

Ginger... the smell, the taste and the feeling of ginger as it awakens those senses!

This amazing root is well known across cultures, weaving it's zingy flavor through centuries of food and herbal remedies.  From the mountains of China to the beaches of Greece, across the oceans to the US and the Caribbean, this root has just about hit every continent.

It has been a well loved spice not only in my stove-top cooking but in my juicing regimen as well.  A cube of ginger adds immense flavor and even greater health benefits to my daily routine.  I have grown to almost crave it's bite and the invigorating affect it has on my system.

What are some of these benefits?  How can a simple root have such a profound affect?

First off, ginger is in one of the top antioxidant groups.  It's volatile oils (an essential oil having the odor and flavor of the plant from which it comes) are anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-parasitic which makes this a "gut's" best friend!

To name just a few digestive benefits related to this root, ginger:

• Reduces inflammation within the digestive system
• Reduces gas
• Increases nutrient absorption
• Soothes the digestive tract
• Induces mobility of the gut
• Helps digest fats by increasing bile production

Other benefits include:

• Fever reduction
• Reduced feelings of nausea, motion sickness and morning sickness
• Mood enhancing aroma therapy 
• Energizing aroma therapy

What more can I say... Ginger root detoxifies, rebuilds and stimulates all at the same time!  Hence my daily use.  

So why not give this zingy root a try in your next batch of juice?  Flavor and health all in one place... Go Ginger!

Finishing-up the Week

Day three through five were easier than the first two days.  I was finally in-the-groove.  It helped to have people starting to notice a change in me.  They would say things like, "Did you change your hair?"  Or, "Have you lost weight?"  I knew I was on the right path.

I did a preliminary weigh-in on day five just because I was curious!  I had lost 5 pounds in five days.  I had already felt my jeans getting bigger and my waist getting smaller.  My face was clear of blemishes.  My hair never looked better.  People actually started to comment on the color of my eyes, which told me that they were bright and clear.

By day five, I also felt the need for solid food.  Not because I was hungry, but because I was missing the act of actually eating.  I kept reminding myself that I was just fine and that my body had everything it needed.  That was the best mantra to help get me through... I am fine and I have everything I need.

I've continued to say this throughout my juicing journey.  The reality is that we are so trained to revolve our lives around food that we forget about what the actual purpose of that food is.

Think about it... we plan our days, we plan our evenings, we plan our vacations around When and Where we will eat.  Now, don't get me wrong... I LOVE FOOD.  I love to experience life through food.  I am inclined to even reward myself through food.  These were the hard-coded ways of thinking that I needed to change.

Instead of looking at food as a focus point of my day, I began to open my mind to the things that I was actually 'doing' that day.  Doing vs. eating.  I was drinking juice all day long, so I no longer was waiting for lunch or for my afternoon snack time.  If I wanted juice, I drank it while repeating my mantra.  If I started to think about eating, I did something... anything!

Changing this way of thinking has changed my life forever.  These types of small changes in they way we think can have such a profound impact on they way we live.

Day Two

I rolled out of bed on day two to find that I was not as hungry as I was when I went to bed.  Oddly enough, I felt great and I was craving water more than anything else.

I marched into the kitchen to face the juicer once more... ready for the yummy goodness it has in store for me.

That day's regimen was to try and fit in six glasses of juice.  All of which consisted of dark green vegetables, lemon and ginger.  The act of throwing the produce into the juicer and hearing it 'wiz' through the process was becoming therapeutic and I quickly learned that the smells emitted were cutting down on my 'wake-up' time.  I'm energized and excited to juice today.

I honestly thought that I would have a more sullen view on this and that I might even have given up by day two.  So I was pleasantly surprised to find that I continued to be motivated and actually enjoyed this experience.

The morning and mid-morning juices were easy to chug.  This combined with a busy morning at work helped me get to my mid-day tea outing in no time!

My sister and I decided to check out some mountain bike paths down in River Falls, WI.  They were amazing... the sun just peaking through the trees, the late summer air smelled fantastic and for the first time in what seemed like forever, my mind was open, clear and not focused on food.

That night, I felt like I was breaking through brick walls of past eating habits and I began to feel a little emotional.  I realized I had held so much emotion within the pounds that I had gained and held onto.

It was time to let go and release this weight.  It no longer served me or my life.

My First Day

For the first three days of my initial fast, I felt as if I was having an out of body experience.  As if I was on the outside looking in, watching this 'juicing thing' happen to me.

Day #1:

I felt anxious and scared, actually.  The idea of not eating anything solid created an unrealistic sense of scarcity within me.  I remember periodically reaching for my 'snack drawer' at work, not even comprehending what I was doing... as if it was a normal as breathing.  I would have the wrapper off of a granola bar before I realized my actions.  Quickly I threw it in the garbage before I had time to smell it's chocolaty goodness.

Noon rolled around and I felt as though my stomach was going to literally implode.  I had drank four glasses of water and 3 glasses of juice.  Logically speaking, I had enough calories built up in body for at least a week, plus I had consumed enough calories to support myself for days with the juice I had just drank.  There was no grounded fear for what I was feeling.  I kept reminding myself that the mind is powerful and that I am literally breaking a habit... my food routine.

Mid-afternoon snack time, or as others might call it, 3:00 pm, rolled around and there was nothing I wanted more than one, salty corn chip.  Even a small nibble of one of the corners would do.  I tried all the techniques, drinking more water, drinking more juice and going for a walk.  Nothing could take my mind off of salt.

I noted that my body was going through the flavors.  First sugar cravings, then salt cravings... the next was fat.  I wanted meat... bacon actually.  I felt nauseous and my head felt fuzzy.  I almost felt as though I had drank a huge glass of wine without the fun part of actually drinking it!

What got me through?  It was actually going back to my sports days when I would train my body for athletic performance.  I learned early on that you can work through difficult physical exercises with the goal that 'it will get easier.'  

I kept that in mind and began to think of ways for me to cheat without actually cheating.  Time to trick the mind!  So, I decided that during my lunch hour every day, I would go into town and 'buy lunch.'  This included the trip to one of my favorite cafés, waiting in line, and physically purchasing and selecting a really yummy cup of tea.  I would go through the process of steeping the tea and then my sister and I would explore walking paths in the area.  We would seek out a new one every day.

This technique worked!  I had something to look forward to and a 'yummy surprise' that helped get me through the latter half of my day.

By the end of Day #1, I was completely exhausted.  How was I going to make it through six days?

Why do I Juice?

So, now that we're getting things started, I thought I'd let you all know the why behind Juice Up Life.

A year ago, my brother recommended a documentary to me, Fat Sick and Nearly Dead.  He claimed that this documentary changed the way he thought about his body and his life.  Though I am a health nut at heart, I was still skeptical of the thought that juice alone can heal, maintain and nourish a body.  In a society where meat, milk and grains are the stable of our existence... not to mention white foods (sugar, flour and other processed foods), I had a hard time buying the concept.

Needless to say, I gave in and watched the documentary.  It was an impressive video and being a knowledge hound, I soaked up the statistics and references like a sponge.  I took the information, processed and researched until late hours of the night.  If you were looking for me the weekend I watched this, you could find me on my iPhone, curled up in a blanket, holding the screen to my face and reading... reading... reading.

My brother asked that each of us family members go with him on a 6 day juice cleanse to reboot the system.  I figured, anyone can do this for 6 days.  What is the worst that will happen...nothing?

He invested in a juicer for my household and that Monday, I went to work with four jars of homemade juice.  I still remember the looks I got when I unscrewed the first jar and chugged it right before going into a presentation I had with my team.  My team knows my views on health, but even this was out there for me.

Little did I know that morning would change my life forever.  My journey is to be continued...

I have come to the conclusion that juicing has come into my life for a distinct purpose.  The past six months have had such a profound impact that I can't help but share this experience.  Through my story, I can only hope that you will come to know the health, joy and vitality that has flourished in my life.

Bringing Juice to the Mid-West!

It's time to get started!

Juicing... a word that is flying around faster than you can down a shot of wheat-grass.  It's a concept that became popular early in the 20th century.  Small, local pockets of juicers started to reap the benefits of squeezing the micro-nutrient rich liquid from produce.  Nutrition, refrigeration and juicing 'tools' were the driving forces of this small-scale movement.

Fast forward to the early 21st century... Juicing has a very different vibe.  It's a buzzword, an avenue for meal replacement, a way to cleanse the body, lose weight, increase vitality and energy.  Juicing isn't just for the local hippies anymore, it is bottled up in easy-to-buy, easy-to-drink trendy packages that you can seamlessly integrate into the most urban-chic of lifestyles.

This is taking off on both coasts, spreading like wildfire through New York City and California.  The celebs are talking, the streets are buying and the local markets are reaping the benefits.

It is time to bring this to the Mid-West!  Why should the coasts have all the fun?  That is why my brother, Brian, and myself, Shannon Rose, are starting the ball rolling.  It's time to bring simple, clean and tasty juicing programs to those near and dear.

It starts here!