The Best Selection of Juicers!

Smoothies, juices and pretty much everything else that’s healthy is always made better with supplements and add-ons, and I have been known to jazz up regular old sippers with herbs and spices for years to flavor food. And with those add-ons comes the added nutritional punch that we all desire to have!

Culinary herbs have become so commonplace in everyday cuisine that it can be easy to forget they also bring very important health benefits. Most fresh herbs go incredible well with vegetable juices, and it’s safe to put them through your juicer with other vegetables, or simply steeped into your juice creation. But as with any juice, you want to consume it immediately to retain all the active ingredients.

Alternately, with smoothies, tossing in fresh herbs and blending it along with other ingredients is all that is required. I find that although some herbs should be used exclusively with vegetables, basil and mint finds themselves well placed in fruit and vegetable blends.

Other uses for culinary and fresh herbs

Culinary herbs also make for lovely garnish, and, although I do not discriminate, I find that in addition to mint and basil, lemon balm makes for a beautiful and delicious drink garnish.

As with culinary herbs, culinary spices are often overlooked because they are used in such small quantities while cooking. However, they do indeed add wonderful flavorings to many juices and blends, bringing with them extremely crucial therapeutic benefits as well.

Not all spices are suited to all types of juice and smoothie combinations – in fact, some should remain exclusively in the savory category such as garlic, horseradish and cumin. However, there are far more versatile spices that I find myself using on a regular basis, like ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

All are well placed in almost any smoothie or juice, as they temper sweetness in a fruity blend or sweeten a more savory sipper. And I don’t know about you, but I stock my fridge and pantry with versatile items, so that at any moment I can create something healthy and delicious.

This juice is a fantastic example of culinary herbs and spices playing well with one another. Ginger, pineapple, mint, and carrots, combine together to create a sweet, a slightly spicy libation that is complex is in its flavor profile – you won’t know why, but you’ll love it!

Ginger Juice

Makes 1

• 1/2 small pineapple
• 1 oz fresh ginger root
• 1 carrot
• 2 leaves of mint
• Ice cubes

Juice the first 4 ingredients together and pour over ice. Enjoy immediately!

Photo Attribute: nj.com.

You’re walking down the pristine aisles of your grocery store’s produce section. On your left, piles of glowing, vine-ripened tomatoes; and on your right, sunny pyramids of perfect lemons. In front of you, a floor-to-ceiling wall of dark, leafy greens, recently misted, staring at you in all their nutritious, antioxidant, phytonutrient-filled, almost-identical, totally-intimidating glory.

As you stare in horror, the wall begins to loom over you, growing into a frightening jungle of dark leafiness. You scream, then start to run—you wake up. Whew, it was all just a dream.

Or was it?

The vitamin-rich world of dark leafy greens can be intimidating, no joke. Where do you begin in picking out what to eat, or when? Or how about how to prepare it all?

Some greens taste best sauteed, some taste best in salads, some are related to quinoa. They all look pretty similar (ever noticed how rainbow chard looks a lot like rhubarb?), and what the heck are mustard greens?

Never fear, leafy neophyte. This guide will illuminate the produce section until you’re picking through chard varieties like a pro.

Kale

Today’s “It” green, if you will, kale is related to cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cabbage. The curly, slightly bitter leaf has been studied extensively in relation to cancer because of its antioxidants (specifically cartenoids and flavonoids), anti-inflammatory nutrients, and anti-cancer nutrient. It’s especially high in vitamin K, vitamin A, and vitamin C.

The key to enjoying raw kale in salads is to massage it. Yes: massage. Remove the tough central stem of each leaf, and cut the leafy section into bite-sized pieces. Then, massage with olive oil and lemon juice (or whatever dressing you like), using your clean hands to really work the dressing into the kale. You should feel it softening slightly as you squeeze. Let the salad sit for ten minutes before serving.

Not a salad fan? Kale practically disappears into green smoothies and green juices, and you’ll be shocked at how much kale you can consume when you’re sipping it from a cup. Blend with frozen bananas and almond milk, or juice with cucumber, celery, parsley, and lots of lemon.

Lightly steaming kale is the best way to eat it if you’re worried about your cholesterol—the fiber in steamed kale can more easily bind with bile acids in your digestive track, thus flushing them out of your system and lowering your cholesterol.

Arugula

If you like spicy food, you’ll love arugula. That’s because this leafy green, also known as rocket or roquette, has quite the bite. Like most leafy greens, it’s a powerhouse source of vitamin K, vitamin C, and vitamin A. Its peppery taste is a delicious addition to Italian foods like pasta and pizza—just make sure you add the arugula at the very end, so that it doesn’t wilt too much.

In salads, arugula pairs particularly well with lemony dressings. You can also make a Caprese-inspired salad by tossing arugula with basil, mozarella, and ripe tomatoes.

Butter lettuce

If you think a salad can’t be luxurious, you haven’t tried butter lettuce. As creamy and smooth as its name implies, butter lettuce (common varieties: Boston and Bib) comes in a loose head of tender leaves that are easily torn and pair well with delicious summer veggies like corn, tomatoes, and avocado. The flavor is sweeter than romaine lettuce, and it’s a good source of vitamin K, vitamin A, and folate.

Up next time: spinach, Swiss chard, and mustard greens.

Photo attribute: fatburningfurnace.com

This past weekend, in my neck of the woods, the weather was stunning – and with balmy weather comes patios and summer sippin’.

Summer sippin’ happens to be one of my favorite pastimes. I take great pleasure in having a few cocktails on a patio with my friends (as I suspect many of you feel the same!) But alcohol does quite a number on our bodies, and in particular, on our livers.

Now, the liver plays a key role in the metabolism of fats and proteins, and as a blood cleanser, it breaks down hormones, medications, alcohol and other toxic substances, rendering them harmless.

However, excessive use of the aforementioned toxins weakens our body’s ability to perform, with alcohol being one of the most abusing forces on these essential little organs.

But, I wouldn’t ask anybody, even myself, to give up drinking…especially during the summer! So with that alternative out of the way, I want to arm you with the knowledge to tip the scales back in your favor!

Milk Thistle

Milk Thistle is renowned for its ability to support healthy liver and kidney function, as it contains an active ingredient called Silymarin, boasting strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Silymarin comes from a group of flavonoids which research shows helps repair and protect liver cells from toxic substances. Milk Thistle is often prescribed by doctors and physicians to severe alcoholics suffering from cirrhosis of the liver to improve liver function and increase survival rates.

I take milk thistle every morning because I endeavor to keep my liver on the up and up.

And since our immune response is found within our gastrointestinal tract, the merits of milk thistle should be highly considered. And as an added bonus, for those nights when the wine is flowing, taking milk thistle and chugging a big glass of water helps to stave off the dreaded hangover!

If you want to know more, check out this article on mile thistle from LiverSupport.com!

In addition to supplementing with milk thistle, we can fortify the function of this crucial detoxification organ with certain foods.

Top Five Liver Boosting Foods

Garlic - Even in small doses, this pungent ivory bulb has the ability to activate key enzymes that enable the body to flush out toxins. However, I wouldn’t advise garlic on a first date, unless of course your date is a liver lover…which would make him or her a keeper, anyway

Grapefruit - High in vitamin C and antioxidants, grapefruit increases the effectiveness of the natural cleansing process of the liver. Grapefruit is the cousins of the lemon, a well-known friend of the liver. Get to know grapefruit and others in the citrus family and your liver will thank you!

Green Tea - It’s full of catechins, a powerful antioxidant which are known to assist in overall liver function. What can possibly be said about green tea that hasn’t already been? All you need to know is that green tea is AMAZING for our bodies – so pour yourself another cuppa.

Leafy Green Vegetables - When eaten raw, cooked or juiced, leafy greens are allies to our liver, boasting an enviable amount of chlorophyll. These greens literally suck up and eliminate toxins in our bodies. Organic leafy greens have the unique ability to neutralize heavy metals, chemicals and pesticides swirling through our environments, too.

It’s super important to consume organic leafy greens, as they find themselves on the Dirty Dozen List, and are often heavily sprayed with pesticides.

Cabbage - Eating cabbage helps stimulate the activation of two crucial liver detoxifying enzymes that help flush out toxins. If you don’t happen to like cabbage, try broccoli or cauliflower as they boast the same benefits!

With the exception of garlic, all of the aforementioned liver boosting foods find themselves well-placed in smoothies and juices. So this summer, sip responsibly and have your milk thistle ready!

Among the great social taboos of our age, overwhelming body odor is a faux pas few are willing to forgive. No other taboo is quite as effective at destroying budding relationships, job interviews, and peace talks between volatile, politically-divided conflicting nations.

But perspiration is a natural human function. Your slippery, post-gym underarms are flushing out small amounts of antibacterial salt from your body, cleaning out your pores in the process. (This is why facialists love to steam your skin – it opens up and purifies the pores.)

So how does antiperspirant block the sweat from leaving your body? Aluminum. This silvery metal, which can form up to 25% of your commercial deodorant, is neurotoxic in high doses.

Applying it every day to the extraordinarily thin and sensitive skin of your armpits, right next to your lymph nodes, may be giving you more than you’ve bargained for. Women who shave regularly are essentially exfoliating their underarms, making it even easier for ingredients like peg-8 distearate and t-butyl hydroquinone to penetrate the skin.

Forcing your underarms to stop sweating with aluminum zirconium trichlorohydrex gly is like the cosmetic version of Freudian repression: bad things could surface later on in life.

Still, nobody wants to smell too au natural. The solution? A ridiculously cheap, quick, and easy DIY deodorant that can be whipped up in your own kitchen and stuffed into an old deodorant container. For about $7-$20 (depending on which essential oils you use), you’ll have enough ingredients to make about 15 batches of deodorant.

You’ll need:

1. Coconut oil
2. Cornstarch
3. Baking soda
4. Essential oil(s). These are the only investment you’ll have to make. Buy them at a health food store or order them online (much cheaper). You’ll be using about 5 drops at a time, so they’ll last forever. Lavender, peppermint, and rose geranium will smell lovely in cosmetic products, or you can go a little muskier with sandalwood, cypress, bay, or pine.

Make it the deordorant

Melt about ½ cup of coconut oil in the microwave. Add equal parts cornstarch and baking soda until the mixture forms a thick, frosting-like paste. Toss in a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Strapped for cash? Use a dash of vanilla, peppermint, lemon, or almond extract.

Clean out that toxic tube of pore-suffocating carcinogens that’s been congealing in your bathroom cabinet for the past month, and fill the empty tube with your new deodorant. Place it in the fridge for a few minutes so that the coconut oil has a chance to re-harden.

Baking soda and cornstarch keep you dry and fresh by moping up sweat and fighting odorous bacteria. Coconut oil is the ultimate natural moisturizer, keeping your armpits hydrated and protecting your sensitive skin from irritation. Scoop out a bit with your finger and apply your new deodorant slowly—let the warmth of your body heat up the coconut oil.

photo attribute: howaboutorange.blogspot.com

If you know me, then you know I love red wine and chocolate. So when the acai berry (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) containing these very same flavor notes hit the scene I couldn’t have been more excited!

This purple berry, home to the Amazon rainforest, was originally found and eaten by jiu-jitsu fighters and surfers in Brazil. The minute it hit the US market, it seemed like it became the immediate buzz among athletes and health fanatics.

What can Acai do for you?

Many claim that the acai berry is a “superfood”, but it isn’t in the USDA nutritional database, so the verdict is still out on all the powers of this little fruit.

What we do know is it’s an antioxidant powerhouse. Its antioxidants are so grand that the levels found in oil form remain high even after a long shelf life, so it’s now being added to beauty products. If slowing down the aging process is a goal of yours, you might want to check the labels of your cosmetics for acai oil.

Not only does the acai berry contain antioxidants (which help clear up free radicals in your body), but it’s also a great source of Omega-3’s. We all know that Omega-3’s are a healthy fat that have stellar benefits and properties, so hopefully you’re being proactive about making sure your daily diet includes them.

The acai berry also contains amino acids, minerals, vitamins, fiber and protein!

Acai berries have been known to give a natural energy boost. And as an added bonus, acai berries are a low sugar fruit, so it works well for those on a low glycemic diet.

Mix it up with an Acai Berry Smoothie!

You can find acai berry purees in the frozen section of most grocery stores. The puree version of the berry (versus the dehydrated or powder form) contains the most nutrients next to the fresh fruit, which isn’t available in most areas.

Since this berry leaves you with a hint of chocolate, I pair it with items you’d normally mix with cocoa powder and enjoy it as dessert. If you’re feeling really saucy, add some cocoa powder to your smoothie. The combo of the cocoa powder (which increases your libido) and the acai (which boosts your energy) is the perfect way to end an evening (wink, wink!)

Acai Banana Berry Smoothie (pictured)

• ¾ cup non-fat milk, soymilk, or almond milk
• 6 oz non-fat vanilla yogurt
• 1 packet frozen acai puree
• 1 banana
• ½ cup blueberries or raspberries

Add all items to blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Rainforest Acai Smoothie

• 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
• 1 packet frozen acai puree
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• Stevia to taste
• ½ avocado (optional to make thicker and more filling)

Add all items to blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!