Helpful info to add to the Juicing and GMO posts:

I found some charts that will aid you with your juicing and your quest to avoid GMO foods!  I hope this helps.  (I personally would avoid the Agave Nectar; I will explain why on a future post.)

Hot News Of The Day BVO and Some Healthy Alternatives

About BVO (Brominated Vegetable Oil)

It's been found that Pepsico, Inc. has been using a flame retardant (BVO) in their Gatorade and other beverages.  BVO is patented as a flame retardant. 

 This was brought to light when a 15 year girl started a petition for Pepsico to remove the BVO  from Gatorade.  The company said that it will remove it from the Gatorade but not their other beverages like Fanta orange, Squirt, Sunkist Peach and Pineapple, and Fresca.

Studies show that when BVO is used in drinks it prevents the oil form separating from the ingredients in the drink.  The side effects are numerous.  They range from acute irritability, memory loss, depression, to the loss of peripheral vision and many more health issues when consumed over time.   BVO is banned in Japan and the European Union but the US uses it  in 10% of our drinks.

So, I would like to share some healthy alternatives if you are interested in avoiding these drinks.  Water of course is the best for you and it should be what you consume the most through the day.  But if you want a little flavor from time to time try making your own ice tea.  You can put it in a bottle if you're on the go or don't want to buy that soda at work.  There are so many herbal teas to choose from.  You can also make some freshly squeezed orange juice or make apple juice if you have a juicer.  About three to four apples is enough for one glass.  

I love to blend some berries (strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and even a little raspberries)  with pineapple or apple juice with a little ice for a fruit smoothie.  You can also add yogurt to it to make a traditional smoothie.  Here is a recipe you can try.

Multi Fruit Smoothie

2 cups of Greek vanilla yogurt 

1 cup of berries of your choice

1 cup frozen peach slices

1 can unsweetened pineapple chunks, drained and frozen

1/2 cup of pineapple juice

Place all ingredients into your blender and blend until smooth, scraping down sides as needed.  ENJOY

Please feel free to share your drink recipes!

A Bit Of GMO Knowledge

GMOs

Genetically modified organism (GMO) is the genetic material of an organism that has been altered by genetic engineering techniques.  Micro-organisms are the organisms that has been modified such as bacteria/yeast, insects, plants, fish, and mammals.  This involves the insertion or deletion of genes.  When the technique of insertion is used, a different species in being placed into another.  For example, in 2011 Chinese scientists genetically engineered some dairy cows with genes for human beings.  This was done so that the cows would produce milk that would be the same as human milk.  These cow even looked like the regular dairy cows.

Well, it is becoming well know now that this is happening to a lot of our food.  This includes selective plant and animal breeding.  The transgenic plant products are soybean, corn, canola, and cotton seed oil.  There is currently a debate on weather or not all GM foods should be labeled.  What are your thoughts about the labeling?

There are a lot of foods that have been modified over the years and I know it would be very hard to avoid them all.  But I believe that the point is to at least be educated and aware of what is going on.  Here is a link to which lists actual products that are GM.  shiftfrequency.com/comprehensive-list-of-gmo-products/

This message is so powerful.  I had to share it with you.  I am so excited that so many people are becoming more aware and are making better food and living choices.  My hopes are that this will be the way of life for the next generation.

The Benefits of Juicing

The Benefits of Juicing

I have owned a juicer for awhile. It use to belong to my dad. I am now deciding to put it to great use. Yea me!!  Let me start by giving you some information that I have learned about juicing.  

Apparently, there are so many fantastic benefits to juicing.  I will list them below:

1. Helps one think more clearly and be in a cheerful, positive mental state
2. Aids in weight loss
3. Leaves you full of energy 
4.  You wake  up sharp and clear
5. Your body will be full of nutrients
6. Heighten sense of taste and smell
7. Glowing skin and promotes hair and nail growth
8. Your immune system functions at it's peak
9. It's a good way to consume the fruits and vegetables that you may not typically eat

There are some things to keep in mind.  The juice is not pasteurized so be sure to wash your hands and all produce before juicing.  If you're not going to drink it right away please drink it within a five day period.  But it's best to drink it the day of.  Don't forget to wash your juicer after every use with hot soapy water.  

If you are going to juice solely to loose weight, and you're going to only consume juice for a certain amount of days please keep in mind that you may slow down your metabolism.  This is because you're cutting calories.  So when you start eating solid foods again you may pick up some weight in the form of fat cells.  

Also, if you're on medication you may want to consult your nutritionist, holistic doctor, or physician.  This is to prevent drug and nutrient interactions.  Apparently, dark leafy greens contain a high quantity of vitamin A which could interfere with certain blood thinners.

This being said, I'm choosing to incorporate my juicing with healthy meals and I have also talked to my doctor about juicing.  I am currently on hypertension meds and my goal is to let my food be my medicine.  So, I have found a juice recipe that I have made that is great for lowering blood pressure.  (I added an apple for a taste)