T’is the season of indulgence, with many of us finding our social calendar being stacked with a growing number of post-holiday parties, and it also happens to be the season where our livers feel the pressure the most. The liver is tasked with filtering out all the happy indulgences we put in!

So how can we tip the balance back in our favor during the holiday season? One word – lemons!

Lemon juice, plentiful in vitamin C and antioxidants, helps our livers carry out the task of neutralizing free radicals, which are produced when the liver filters out toxins in our bloodstream. Just like we feed lemons through a kitchen garburator to kill odor and bacterial growth, feeding lemon juice through our livers cleanses the liver and removes harmful bacteria.

Why it’s important to clean out your liver

Everything we ingest affects our liver – from meat and dairy to alcohol and medications – it all passes through the pearly gates of our livers. Depending on what we choose to feed ourselves, we can reduce the efficiency of the liver’s processes with heavy and indulgent meals. Lemon juice is a liver loving libation, as the liver is the largest benefactor of the health benefit associated with consuming lemon juice.

Lemons are antiseptic and they help prevent infection and putrefaction; lemon juice is also integral to the production of glutathione, needed to neutralize toxins and effectively detoxify the liver. Drinking straight lemon juice is a bitter sipper to swallow, but by mixing it with water we are able to kill two birds with one stone.

The one-two punch of lemon juice and water

Water promotes liver health, and by not drinking enough we increase our blood thickness which makes it harder for the liver to do it’s filtering. By mixing water and lemon juice, we create an easy-to-drink health sipper that weaves seamlessly into daily life – even for the pickiest palates among us.

Drinking lemon juice is a small change that can have wonderful effect on our bodies, and that’s especially true for our livers. When we boost this little organ’s efficiency with lemon, we enable it to create more enzymes that contribute to better skin, more efficient metabolism of the food we eat and an overall improved sense of wellbeing.

Smoothies typify summer days as an icy fruity blend to help us keep cool and a fun way to get our daily vitamins and minerals. My smoothie intake tends to slow as the weather turns cold (the chill comes early here at 7,000 feet above sea level), and it’s a challenge for me to drink cold drinks when there is frost on the windows and snow on the ground.

But then I find myself missing the fresh fruity goodness. So I wondered, how can I have my smoothie without the chill?

The answer is the Un-Frosty Smoothie that offers all the smoothie goodness without all the smoothie ice, while featuring some of the best of the best in nutrition—as it’s power-packed with vitamins and minerals.

The best part about this smoothie, is that it brings together some of my favorite fruits accented with almond milk and turmeric. The concoction offers both tart and sweet tastes mirroring the layering of the smoothie itself.

The Un-Frosty Smoothie

• 2 cups cranberries
• 1 apple, organic fuji or pink lady, chopped
• 1 frozen banana, peeled
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 tsp of turmeric, divided in half
• ¼ – ½ cup of almond milk
• Honey, stevia, or agave nectar to taste

Blend the cranberries, apple, banana, and lemon with ½ tsp turmeric. Pour into two glasses.  Mix in sweetener to taste. Mix together almond milk and ½ tsp turmeric and gently layer on top of the fruit mixture. Drizzle top with sweetener.

Nutritional Benefits

The ingredients in this smoothie are some of my favorites; I love how they come together to create this mid-winter treat and keep it real nutritionally. From apples to lemons, click the appropriate link below to find out more about the nutritional benefits each.

Cranberries are a good system cleanser from your digestive to your urinary tract. It is a powerful ally to your cardiovascular system. Cranberries are a fall/winter treat that keeps on giving vital nutrients such as Vitamin C and K. Click here to learn more about the captivating cranberry.

Apples are part of what I call ‘the crunchy food group’.  There is nothing quite as satisfying as a noisy bit of crunching as you munch on an apple. Click here to find out why the benefits of eating an apple a day is more than just an old wise tale.

Turmeric is a spice of the gods. It assists in healthy blood flow and reducing inflammation (great for arthritis sufferers, especially in the winter). Turmeric is a daily staple in my diet and I invite you to add it to yours. Click here for more about tumeric and a yummy warm drink recipe.

Lemons are a flavor enhancer for almost anything, plus they help alkalize any combination of foods. Lemons also assist in enhancing digestion. Click here for more on lemons.

Almond milk is just another delightful way to get your daily almond fix. Almonds are a powerhouse of energy for the body and mind. Click here to learn how to make your own almond milk and reap the benefits of the awesome blend.

As I wandered through the ingredients aisle for this recipe, I realized that I do actually eat these foods daily (excepting the seasonal cranberries). And the effect they have had on my life is substantial!  The power of these fresh, organic fruits and nuts (and spices!) empowers me and energizes me – they keep me fit and healthy.

My holiday wish for you all is that you engage the same kind of energy and nutrition – to power up for 2012!

It’s the middle of December, and although this is the season of cakes, cookies, turkey, stuffing and the like, when January dawns, so does the New Year’s Resolutions.

I’ve spent the better part of 2011 regaling my love of smoothies and fresh juices, so with the New Year upon us I thought a round-up of some of my favorite posts was in order.

If you’re looking to use the new year to get into juicing, healthier living and eating, no matter who you are, there’s bound to be a post here that can help you get started!

Tart Cherry Juice for Exercise Recovery

The most common New Year’s resolution is to lose weight. The tried and true methods for weight loss is a diet rich in whole foods and, of course, exercise. Being sore comes with the territory in relation to exercise – at least in the beginning. But tart cherry juice is full of antioxidant and phytonutrients that have been proven to reduce recovery time.

Juice Cleanses

Juice cleanses are all the rage these days, with claims of effortless weight loss and health. And proof is the many brick and mortar juice bars opening in droves. But before you give up solid food for the greener pastures of an all-liquid diet, read my post about juice cleanses to decide whether they’re right for you.

Butt Out With Fresh Juices

Giving up smoking is the second most common New Year’s resolutions among Americans. Giving cigarettes up cold turkey is hard, and quite frankly, the effort usually ends in failure. But by fortifying our bodies with the nutrients brimming in fresh fruit and vegetable juices, you can give yourself a tremendous leg-up when attempting to kick the habit.

Hydration for Wellness

All the indulgences of the holiday season definitely puts our bodies at risk for illness (not to mention the New Years eve celebrations often result in a mean hangover!) So having things like cucumber juice at the ready will surely come in handy over the next few weeks.

It’s no secret that fresh juices and smoothies are amazing for our health and well-being, and with the New Year right around the corner, why not harness the power of the foods we put into our bodies to help us find success in 2012?

Start your morning with a “one a day” juice concoction sure to get your cells a-humming. Filled with uber-nutritious greens, both of these juices offer a yummy way to feel clean and think clear all day.

The power in both of these juices is the no-holds barred essence of nutrition in the ingredients, like organic spinach, celery, carrots, cucumbers, and parsley.

Spinach offers an exceptionally well-rounded approach to vitamins and minerals to get your daily values. Click here to learn more about the nutritional benefits of spinach.

Celery is the King of Vitamin K with over 44% of your daily value. Vitamin K is a powerful bone-builder, supports the cardiovascular system, and smooths the way for a healthy nervous system. Celery, unassuming as it is, does more than you think. Click here to find out more.

Carrots, of course, are a staple in any juicer’s pantry. Carrots offer the power of orange, a.k.a beta-carotene. Click here to read what else the carrot offers.

Cucumbers add support to the health and luminosity of your skin. Adding celery to your juices soothes skin irritation and reduces swelling. Click here to learn more about cucumbers.

The inclusion of parsley in both of these recipes adds a gentle detoxifying effect. In addition to supporting the liver, this vibrant herb does a whole bunch of other good things to your body. Read more about parsley here!

Vibrant Veggies

This juice gives a wake-up call to your digestive system, getting it “on-line” for the day, gently. Because of its dense nutrients, dilute the juice concentrate with water. A 50/50 split of juice and filtered water does the trick. Choose organic veggies for the best taste and absorption.

• 1 medium cucumber
• 4 stalks of celery
• 2-3 handfuls of spinach
• 8 green or red leafy lettuce leaves
• 1 handful of flat-leaf or curly parsley
• ½ – 1 lemon
• Options: add arugula, kale, alfalfa sprouts, or micro-greens.

Juice all the greens together and add lemon to your taste.  Lemon will enhance the alkalinity of the juice. Remember to mix the juice with filtered water at a 1 to 1 ratio.

Detox Your Day

This juice is sweeter and not as green-tasting, but is still chock full of nutrition. This is a light and delightfully gentle daily detox.

• 3-5 carrots
• 1-2 handfuls of spinach
• 1 handful of flat-leaf or curly parsley
• 3 stalks of celery

Juice the ingredients in order. Dilute with water as desired or drink straight up.

Berry Better Bling

• 2 organic sweet apple such as Fuji, Pink Lady, or other sweet variety
• 1 cup cranberries

The fresh tartness of ruby red cranberries is balanced by the sweet purity of the apples. Juice them together and enjoy this juice as a fantastic pick-me-up and for health. And with only 23 calories per ½ cup, this recipe is a great addition for dieters.

Nutritional and Health Benefits of Apples

The benefits of the apple are well-documented. Click here to get in depth information on why an apple a day is indeed good medicine.

Vitamin C, Manganese and Vitamin K are the key players in Cranberry health bennies. But more important are its array of phytonutrients that ‘bring it’ nutritionally.

Cranberries offer 5 major types of phytonutrients:

• Phenolic Acids
• Proanthocyanidins
• Anthocyanins
• Flavonoids
• Triterpenoids

These phytonutrients are known for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. In fact, it is the special combination of phytonutrients in the cranberry that make this small red fruit such a nutritional powerhouse.

Urinary Tract Health: Cranberries have a well-earned reputation for the prevention and treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs). This particular superpower of the cranberry is its content of the phytonutrient combination of proanthocyanidins. This phytonutrient simply stops the adhesion of bacteria to the urinary tract lining and thereby stops or inhibits the infection.

Anti-Inflammatory: Cranberries help reduce inflammation in both the cardiovascular system and in parts of the digestive tract. It is in the role of anti-inflammatory that the cranberry truly embraces all of its phytonutrient content.

• Digestive Tract: One of the digestive tract benefits is anti-inflammation to our gums. The consumption of cranberries reduces the incidents of gum disease. Also, the intake of cranberries reduces inflammation of the stomach and colon. And perhaps reducing the risk of stomach ulcer and cancer in these sensitive areas.

• Cardiovascular Health: The special combination of phytonutrients strikes again in promoting cardiovascular health. Cranberries help reduce the inflammation in our blood vessels, reducing the incidence of plaque formation and wall thickening. With this reduction of oxidative stress, cranberries assist in lowering high blood pressure.

Cranberry Lore

The cranberries that we know and love today are native to the Americas. Native peoples enjoyed this fruit cooked and sweetened with maple syrup or honey. Cranberry sauce is indeed a traditional recipe.

Native peoples also used the cranberry as a source for red dye and for decoration. This fruit was also used in healing as a poultice for wounds. The cranberry was known to be astringent, help contain bleeding, and also have antibiotic properties.

The fruit was so popular that these deep red berries began to be exported to England by the 18^th century.  Even though there are other forms of cranberries in Europe and Asia, the American version is the most cultivated worldwide.

Cranberries are cultivated throughout the U.S., Scandanavia, and in Great Britain. The most interesting cultivation took root (literally) in Holland, when a shipwreck with a cargo of cranberries washed ashore the island of Terschelling.

Selection and Storage of Cranberries

Cranberries have a short season, with a harvest time between September 1 and October 31. Available only from October through December, choosing a quality cranberry is an absolute necessity. Choose fruit that is deep red in color and that are firm to the touch. They should appear plump and full of juice. The darker the red of the cranberry, the more anthrocyanin compounds the fruit contains.

Organic berries may be available in the traditional 12 oz plastic bags or in smaller pint containers. If you’re lucky enough to find bulk berries, choose the firmest, plumpest, and reddest.

Store fresh cranberries in the refrigerator for up to 20 days. Before placing the bag in the fridge, open it and remove any discolored, soft, or shriveled berries. Like most fruits, the decaying fruit can hasten the decay in the remaining fruit.

Cranberries can be frozen for several years. To preserve them properly, place the berries on a cookie sheet and let them freeze through. Then place them in plastic bags and return to the freezer.  Use thawed berries immediately.

Sources:

http://www.whole-food-supplements-guide.com/health-benefits-of-cranberries.html

http://www.cranberryinstitute.org/healthresearch.htm

The Winter Melon is also known as the ash gourd, white gourd, white pumpkin, wax gourd, petha, safed kaddu, boodida gummadikaya, and pooshnikaij. Whew. The various names seem to indicate that the Winter Melon is a vegetable (and it is often thought to be one, because it is usually prepared as one), but it is actually a fruit.

It’s been revered and cultivated since ancient times throughout China, India, Malaysia, and Papua New Guinea. It is also used as a versatile Ayurvedic cure.

This gourd is sacred in India where it is offered to the gods in various religious rites. The winter melon also carries with it the heavy burden of being able to ward off evil spirits and the evil eye. It is often hung outside of newly constructed homes and buildings.

Nutritional Benefits of the Winter Melon

Weight Loss: The winter melon is approximately 96% water. This fruit is a dieter’s dream food; it’s high in taste, and low on daily caloric intake. The winter melon improves metabolism while clearing the body of toxins by reducing water retention and promoting urination.

This fruit juice offers essential nutrients such as calcium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, copper, Vitamins C and B6, riboflavin, and thiamine.

Ayurvedic Treatments: Ayurveda is a wholistic system of medicine derived from India. The winter melon is used as a general restorative tonic. More specifically, it’s used to treat nervousness and mental illness.

Stomach Soother: The winter melon is an alkaline food. It’s cooling on the stomach and digestive tract. It serves as a neutralizer for dyspepsia, peptic ulcers, and hyperacidity. This fruits seeds are used to expel intestinal worms.

Urinary Tract Health: Due to its water and potassium content and its alkaline nature, the winter melon is great at keeping the urinary tract flowing smoothly.

Hair Health: Winter melon juice can reduce dandruff and also reduce hair loss. Apply it directly to your scalp. Winter melon juice moisturizes and adds a healthy shine to your hair.

Respiratory Health: With a Vitamin C content of 40% your daily value and a solid presence of zinc, the winter melon is a great cure for the common cold. It also assists in the ease of asthma, influenza, bronchitis, and sinusitis.

Selection and Storage of the Winter Mellon

The winter melon is available in the United States, but more predominant in Indian and Asian specialty markets.

This fruit naturally has a long shelf-life due to the chalky wax that covers its skin. The wax prevents micro-organism attack and can effectively preserve the melon for almost a year, as long as the melon remains uncut.

Choose a mature fruit (full size is 1-2 meters or 3-5 feet!), with a solid feel and a blemish free rind. In some markets, the melon is precut.  Choose those with firm flesh. Store pre-cut and cut pieces in the refrigerator. A cut melon will keep fresh for about 3-4 days.

Winter Melon and Apple Juice

• 1 to 1.5 cups winter melon, peeled and chopped
• 1 medium to large apple (any variety) - Click here for the health benefits of apples.
• 1-2 teaspoons raw honey, stevia, or agave nectar

Juice the fruits together and then add sweetener to taste.

Sources:

• http://www.eherbalremedies.com/ash-gourd-or-winter-melon-health-benefits/
• http://www.vegrecipes4u.com/health-benefits-of-ash-gourd-winter-melon.html
• http://stay-healthy-and-energetic.blogspot.com/2011/01/winter-melon.htm
• http://www.slurrpy.com/knowyourfood/ingredients-facts-and-benefits/benefits-of-ash-gourd-winter-melon/

I recently came down with something…it wasn’t a cold, and it wasn’t a flu, though. It was some sort of hybrid. It gave me chills, a fever, aches, stuffy nose, cloudiness, a cough, and all around grossness.

I continue to be baffled by how at one moment I was sweating buckets and the next I was freezing. Many people weighed in my illness, some saying to starve it, others telling me to feed this bugger until it receded.

Ahh – well meaning friends and family, although kind with their donations of advice, so often polarized in their thinking. So instead of trying to wade through the many suggestions (my brain was far too cloudy for such an undertaking), I decided to prescribe myself rest and hydration.

Seeing as I could only stand for two minutes at a time before feeling dizzy and weak, I chose to juice an amazing amount of cucumber and keep the juice at hand. Cucumber is nature’s hydrator, comprised of almost 95% water and containing many nutrients key to vitality and recovery.

The cucumber contains alkaline-forming minerals and is an excellent source of vitamin C and A (anti-oxidants), folate, manganese, molybdenum, potassium, silica, sulfur, and lesser amounts of vitamin B complex, sodium, calcium, phosphorus and chlorine – whew – rendering cucumber a more nutritious hydration method than water alone.

And, as I was easily able to sweat through any garment I was wearing during the height of my illness, I found solace in the temperature regulating properties found in cucumber juice, which topped it off as a highly suitable drink when feeling feverish.

Here’s a few tips to keep in mind when searching for the best cucumber to hydrate you back to wellness!

• Choose cucumbers that are dark green in color and firm to the touch.
• Avoid those that are yellowish or are wrinkled at either ends.
• Thinner cucumbers have fewer seeds than those that are thicker.
• Store cucumbers in the fridge to retain its freshness.
• Cut cucumbers should be kept wrapped up or in an air-tight container and stored in the fridge.
• Consume your cut cucumbers within a day or two.

And as a caution to those worried about pesticides, where possible, buy organic as cucumbers may be waxed or washed with pesticides.  If you’ve opted for the non-organic option, wash cucumber under cold running water and scrub gently with a vegetable brush.  It might help also to soak it for 5-10 minutes with 1-2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, too.

What kinds of fruit or veggies have you juiced while feeling ill?

Juice cleanses are really hitting their stride – experts and health gurus are popping up everywhere claiming that they are the secret to lifelong health and vitality. But along with people evangelizing juice and juice cleanses, these liquid cure-alls have come under fire as well, as the sea of health and wellness is always two sided.

What a juice cleanse is and isn’t

For those unfamiliar with the basics of a juice cleanse, they are a strict, all-liquid diet plan, which typically contains a mix of raw vegetables, fruit and water. The idea is that it’s the most effective diet to remove toxins from the body. There haven’t been many official or controlled studies on the effects of a juice cleanse, so how well they work depends on whom you ask.

Cleanses are believed to remove impurities, and are built around the idea that your system isn’t operating correctly. But juicing can actually rid your body of fiber, which you need in order to properly digest.

Fiber acts as a scrub for your insides and it also slows down the absorption of sugar. By taking the fiber out, the natural sugar found in the fruit and vegetable juice rushes into the system, spiking the blood glucose level. When it happens, it often causes people to feel hungry and eat more.

On the other hand, there are people who swear by juice cleanse. They claim that the diet tremendously detoxifies the liver and aids the body in re-booting its natural processes.

Commercialization of juice cleanses

The problem with most juice cleanses is that they are promoted by companies who sell pre-packaged juices, a conflicting practice since the idea behind juicing is the freshness. We all know that the fresher you drink is, the more active the nutrients will be.

And with the Master Cleanse, what I think is the dumbest of all cleanses because it only consists of maple syrup, cayenne pepper and lemon juice, people are finding themselves fooled into thinking that they are helping their bodies with pre-packaged propaganda.

So how does one undertake a juice cleanse the natural and healthy way?

Now, although I am no doctor*, I believe that fresh juice paired with healthy FOOD (there’s nothing wrong with it, people!) can have the power to transform and cleanse. Having two fresh juice combinations everyday along with a diet rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and healthy proteins is the true secret to lifelong health and vitality.

My gripe with cleanses is that they promote small bursts of health for profits, when really, the key is committed, healthy lifestyle changes. To truly friend your body, one needs to make daily changes in order to see results.

Fresh juices are the answer, while commercialized juice cleanses, in my opinion, are just another food fad.

*Editor’s note: While Bianca is by no means a licensed, clinical, or practicing doctor or physician, she is, for all intensive purposes, the doctor of love, juicing for health, and if my memory serves me correctly, curing hangovers.

With each new season, enjoying a colon cleanse is a great way to maintain good health.

Cleansing the colon is a fantastic way to purge toxins from the body.  The cleansing also provides us with increased energy, a boosted immune system, and keeps us going strong as the weather changes.

The big three of colon cleansing fruits and veggies are carrots, apples, and cucumbers.  Add a lemon for a liver tonic and you’re in cleansing and health business.

All Season Colon Cleanser

• 1 red apple
• 1 medium size carrot
• ½ medium size cucumber
• 1 stalk of celery
• 1 8oz glass of cold purified water
• 1 tbs of honey or agave or 1 tbs apple cider vinegar
• Juice from one lemon

Juice the apple, carrot, celery, cucumber and lemon in the juicer. Slurry them together with the cold water.  Add honey or agave to taste.  Drink immediately, and preferably, do it first thing in the morning.  Or alternatively, dice the veggies and fruits and mix this all up in your blender.

Veggie and Fruit Cleansing Benefits

Apple: The apple’s skin contains pectin which assists in the removal of toxin.  Pectin also prohibits the protein matter in your G.I. tract from putrefying.  Apples also help regulate blood sugar levels.

Carrot: Ease inflammation of the colon. Carrots contain beta-carotene, a great nutrient for the eyes.

Cucumber: Contains an enzyme called erepsin which digests protein. Cucumbers have a high water content which soothes and eases the digestive tract and colon.

Celery: Flushes the kidneys, liver, pancreas, and gallbladder.

Lemon: A natural antiseptic, the acidity of lemon juice destroys harmful bacteria

Apple Cider Vinegar: Prevents the formation of kidney and gall bladder stones.

Honey: Anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial. Boosts the immune system and provides increased energy.

How Much to Drink

The beauty about this colon cleanse is how simple and direct it is.  This juice recipe can be taken daily if you want a deep cleanse or once a week to maintain good health.  Add this cocktail of health to your daily regime and feel the benefits:

• Clearer skin and a natural, healthy glow
• Bright eyes with stronger eyesight
• Easier and smoother digestion
• Regular and productive bowel movements
• Increased energy levels
• Eases frequency of headaches for headache sufferers
• Reduction in allergy attacks

Groovin’ on the Wheatgrass Super Food Channel is a great way to increase your energy and vitality.  As with anything labeled ‘super’, it’s important to know what the benefits and considerations are.  You can click here to find out the super-duper benefits of wheatgrass.

Wheatgrass Considerations

The  considerations are simply ways you can better use wheatgrass to get the most benefit for your body.

Drink First. Wheatgrass juice should be taken alone or with other juices only.  Combining wheatgrass juice with other solid foods may cause nausea.  Always take the juice/juice combo on an empty stomach.  First thing in the morning is best.  Don’t eat solid foods for about an hour after consuming the juice.

Detoxification. It’s what wheatgrass does best as a super food.  Because it removes bad fats, heavy metals, carcinogens, and metabolic waste from the human body, there can be uncomfortable side effects.  Expect that you might have a headache, a bit of nausea or G.I. upset.  Once the toxins are removed, the side-effects should no longer occur, while energy and vitality levels will increase.

Wheatgrass and Mold. There are a few varieties of mold that can grow on wheat grass.  The most common is what looks like ‘blue fuzz’ which is a non-pathogenic mold.  It isn’t harmful to the body and does not penetrate the plant.  Simply cut this blue fuzz off and rinse the grass off before juicing.

Care should be taken if the wheatgrass has a white or brown coloring to it.  Both of these are types of mold are harmful to both the plant and the body.  These molds effectively spoil wheatgrass, just like any other food.

Enjoy a one-shot of wheatgrass in any of your smoothie or juice recipes.  Take care to notice how it is affecting you and go with the flow until you feel as if you are on top of the world!

Wheatgrass Juice Recipes

Hula Grass

• 2 cups fresh pineapple (peeled)
• 1 orange  (peeled)
• 1 papaya  (peeled and seeded)
• 2-3 inch round of wheatgrass or 1 oz shot

Citrus-Berry Wheatgrass

• 2 oranges
• 1 banana
• ½ cup fresh blueberries
• 2-inch round wheatgrass
• 1-2 cups ice cubes

Juice the orange and the wheatgrass and then place the juice and other ingredients in a blend till smoothie-like

Click here for additional wheatgrass recipes

Don’t see the one recipe you love? Share your wehatgrass recipes with us in the comments below!