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!