The "Thirst" Is Real!

Let us all take this moment and be honest with ourselves... how many glasses of water do you really consume? Are you meeting your daily intake? 

If you answered "no" to the above questions, don't be ashamed because you are not alone. Although water is healthiest drink in the world, we can all agree that it is not a very popular drink of choice to quench a person's thirst. Unfortunately, we would rather gulp down our calories with sodas, concentrated juices, teas, and energy drinks. It is time to WAKE UP!!!! and be more cautious of the things that we allow to go inside our bodies. You are responsible for taking care of your temple and it is never to late to start now. All it takes is mental discipline, dedication and prayer. Also researching information for yourself, instead believing myths such as "You need to drink 8 glasses of water a day." According to Active's article on Hydration 101, it mentioned The Institutes of Medicine 
Of The National Academies statement on how women should consume at least 91 oz. of water a day (11 cups) and men need 125 oz. (15 cups). 

More: Dietary Reference Intakes: Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride and Sulfate

Water is so important to the body because it helps eliminates under-dehydration and dehydration. Under-dehydration is when your body is in need of more fluids, therefore your body sends signals to the brain while giving you the feeling of being "thirsty."  Dehydration refers to the excessive loss of body water causing the fluids inside the body to be imbalanced. 

To check your hydration levels CLICK HERE

There are so many ways to hydrate your body with the right amount H2O, without worrying about wasting water bottles or forcing yourself to literally drink 91 oz. a day. You can get majority of your water intake from fruits and veggies alone. Hydration 101 talked about how 45-50 % of our water intake comes from drinking fluids, 35% from eating food and the rest from our metabolism. No longer does your water intake have to be so bland and boring! Add some color in your water by juicing your favorite fruits and veggies. If you don't know where to start... I have the perfect recipe for you below:

Ingredients:

• 1 green apple ( contains 85% of water lessen your risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and whitens teeth)
• 1/2  cucumber (contains 96% of water, flushes out toxins, healthy hair, skin and nails)
• 1 stalk of celery (contains 95% of water, reduces inflammation and good stress reliever)
• 1 cup of pineapples (contains 87% of water, regulates the thyroid gland, helps with digestion) 

Instructions:

1. Rinse and cut fruit/veggies according to juice chute.
2. Add fruit/veggies in this order: cucumber, celery, pineapples, green apple.
3. Pour juice in a mason jar, attach lid, and shake well!

So far, this was one of my most enjoyable juices. The flavors were vibrant just like the bright green color it produced. The green apple and pineapple gave it some sweetness to compliment the mild taste of the cucumber and celery. This was a great alternative to help increase my water intake for the day! What a relief to know that I can consume water through a variety of options and not be blind to the many health and nutrition myths. "Like the legendary Malcolm X said, "A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything."   

Now let's juice to that!

✌ ❤☺- DemeJay 

What's In Your Cup?

Early morning and late nights calls for some sort of boost energy throughout the day and relying on several doses of caffeine from coffee, soda and energy drinks can cause negative side effects to the body. So my question to you is... "What's in your cup?"

Recently, I made a juice with a tropical citrusy-twist that immediately woke up my taste buds, while providing me the perfect amount energy to conquer the day. Not only did it taste AMAZING, but it was also was appealing to the eye with bright and bold colors. As I juiced each veggie/fruit, the natural juices created an unique tie-dyed fuchsia and green color effect. Although spinach gave it a loud green appearance, juicing it was a challenge.  Therefore, I decided to puree it in a blender with a little almond milk and added it separately to the juice mixture with a quick stir.  Check out the recipe below to my healthy version of an energy drink! Carefully follow the directions to mimc the similar "tie-dyed" effect.


Ingredients:

• 1 celery stock
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1/2  Pear
• 3/4 cup of pineapple chunks
• 1 pomegranate
• 1 cup of spinach 
• 1/4 cup of almond milk 

Instructions:

1. Rinse and cut fruit/veggies according to juice chute
2. Take the cup of spinach and almond milk and blend until smooth 
3. Juice fruit/veggies in this order: cucumber, celery, (add spinach puree) pear, pineapple, and pomegranate
4. Stir

Below are only a "few" super health benefits listed from each fruit/veggie according to  http://www.care2.com/greenliving/:

Celery

• Reduces inflamation ( joint pain, asthma, acene and lung infections) 
• Great stress-reliever
• Lowers blood pressure
• Amp up your sex life
• Fight against certain cancers 

Cucumbers

• Keeps you hydrated (contains 96% of water)
• Makes your hair and nails stronger
• Contains a hormone needed to produces insulin for diabetics 
• Reduces cholesterol
• Flushes out toxins

Pears

• Prevents coughs and colds
• Great source of vitamin C
• Reduces lung disease, Type 2-Diabetes, and heart disease

Pineapples

• Regulates the gland (found in cases associated with the enlargement of the thyroid) 
• Prevents the inflammation of Bronchitis
• Fights against Dyspepsia (chronic digestive disturbance) 
• Helps with nausea like morning and motion sickness 

Pomegranate

• Immune booster with vitamin C
• Kidney protection 
• Anti-aging effects
• Liver protection and regeneration 

Spinach

• Strengthen bones
• Alkalizes the body 
• Fights against aggressive Prostate Cancer 
• Protects against eye disease 

I encourage you to continue to research on additional benefits based on your specific health concerns, trust me you'll be amazed on how easy it is to heal your body.

Now let's juice to that!

✌ ❤☺- DemeJay 

#JuiceLife

My introduction to fresh fruit and vegetable juicing came at a very young age. My mother had recently been diagnosed with cancer when she read about the health benefits of carrot juicing. So instead of buying her juice from the local market she decided to invest in a Jack LaLanne Juicer. The following days consisted of my mother concocting a myriad of fruit and veggie mixtures that tasted about as horrible as they looked. However, as time passed, the juices began tasting better and better and gradually my mother’s health began to improve. Fast forward to the year 2014 her cancer has been in remission for about seventeen years. I don’t primarily credit juicing as the cure for her cancer but I do know that it contributed positively to her overall wellness.

It’s unfortunate how it often takes an illness to prod a person to embrace a total lifestyle change. You’d think most of us would take advantage of the health we initially possess and do our best to sustain it. Or at least maintain the adopted regimens that helped to achieve total health.  Sadly that often isn’t the case and it wasn’t the case concerning my mother’s daily juicing and exercise.  She fell off the wagon and consequently my brother and I did the same. It wasn’t until my friend and fellow blogger Demeshia Jackson had the desire to begin juicing that I felt the need to pick up where my mother left off.  So, after visiting my local grocer I decided to dust off the old juicer and here is first delicious drink I made! 

Ingredients:

• 1 Large Granny Smith or Golden Delicious apple
• 1 Whole beet (stem and all)
• 3 Strawberries
• Handful of cherries
• 1 Carrot
• 2 Stalks of Celery

Instructions:

1. Rinse/cut fruit and veggies according to juicer
2. Begin juicing! 

Fruits/Veggies and their benefits:

APPLES: Stabilizes blood sugar, reduces blood pressure, & decreases the chances of colon cancer.

BEETS: Purifies the blood and liver. Due to the high amounts of boron they’re scientifically credited as natures own Viagra ;)

CARROTS: Prevents cancer and heart disease, slows down the aging of cells.

STRAWBERRIES: An excellent source of vitamin C fights bad cholesterol, and Promotes pre-natal health.

CHERRIES: Significantly reduces muscle soreness after a hard workout and also helps you sleep.

CELERY: Aids in digestion, combats cancer and is also

Scientifically proven to boost arousal levels.

@J_RAEY

- Brian Johns

Contributing Blogger 

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Snacking Successfully Saved My Life

 Healthy snacking is very important throughout day because it gives your body the right amount of energy and it helps control your appetite, so that you don't have to indulge in large meals. According to RealSimple.com a person should consume at least 2 or 3 healthy snacks each day, for example one-midmorning, between lunch and dinner, and maybe a small after-dinner snack. Prepping your snacks in advance will help you stay focus and keep you accountable of what you allow in your body. Having  pre-prepared snacks not only prevents you from devouring junk food all day, but it also helps you save money. My second semester senior year of college was when I decided to make a weight-loss change. I use to conveniently buy unhealthy food at the university's cafe and bookstore in between classes, because I had a long 9AM - 5PM schedule and plus I lived off campus.

 Finally, I became tired of the rapid weight-gain and the "I don't have time" excuses. Therefore I made a commitment to actually do something about it and began packing lunch and bringing snacks with me to class. I literally toted a lunch bag with me everyday that included: a water bottle (to re-fill at the on campus filtering stations) a Jimmy Dean egg-white breakfast sandwich, smoothie, an orange, ziplock bag filled with trail mix, and soup. Having these prepared meals was a life and money saver. I did't have to worry about wasting gas to go find lunch off-campus or scrapping my little pocket change to buy a high-calorie snack from the vending machine. Snacking successfully definitely paid off by rewarding me with awesome weight-loss results. I would have to say that my my most memorable healthy snacks were my smoothies, because they were so quick and easy to make. I preferred to make my smoothies at night so that they could stay frozen and cold for at least an hour, just in time for my mid-morning snack.

What are some of your favorite healthy treats? As you ponder and make a list... I challenge you today to start organizing your eating habits by prepping your snacks for the week. Remember to pack at least  3 snacks a day. If you are having difficulties trying to figure out what to snack on, my sweet and simple Berry Banana Green Leaf smoothie is a great way to satisfy your hunger. Just simply follow the instructions below:

Ingredients:

• 1 whole banana
• 1/2 red apple
• 3/4 cup of frozen berries
• 1/4 cup of orange juice
• 1 cup of the Green Salad Mix that includes: spinach, kale, arugula and shredded carrots.  
• 1 single serve Dannon Light & Fit Non-Fat Strawberry Cheesecake Yogurt (6-oz Cup)

Instructions:

1. Add ingredients in this order: Frozen Berries, Greens, Banana, Yogurt, and Orange Juice
2. Blend well

FYI: I used a Ninja versus a standard blender to make my smoothie. Although they're both fine, I enjoy the unique blade on the Ninja which keeps the smooth consistency in taste without any frozen junks. 

Now that you are well prepared for the adventures of snacking, I hope that you are just as excited to make a change. 

Now let's juice to that!

✌ ❤☺- DemeJay 

A Tall Glass of Orange Juice... "No pun intended"

There's nothing like a tall glass of refreshing orange juice in the morning, but instead of oranges... I drank sweet potatoes.

I never thought potatoes could produce juice and actually tasty pretty darn delicious. With so many sweet potatoes stored at the bottom of my refrigerator, why not research a few sweet potato juice recipes on Pinterest? There were so many unique ones to choose from, which definitely helped me gain a better understanding of the different fruits and veggies that could compliment a sweet potato.  For this particular juice, I decided to use sweet potatoes, carrots, apples, and strawberries. Juicing sweet potatoes created a vibrant orange color that made the drink very appealing to the eye. The taste was also smooth and similar to the of a texture a smoothie, just not as thick. The apple and strawberries just enhanced it with a bit of sweetness.

The carrots and sweet potatoes combined made a great antioxidant because they're both rich in Vitamin A and C, which can prevent harmful bacteria and toxins. Also juicing sweet potatoes and carrots is a great daily source of potassium intake that could help lower high blood pressure. There are so many great health benefits from sweet potatoes that I could write an entire book on it! No longer will I damage the nutritional value of a sweet potato by slabbing butter and brown sugar on it, than have the audacity to  rename it a candy yam. That's so unnecessary when you can just enjoy them raw!

Again, I juiced with a 400 Watt Black and Decker Juicer, which is very simple to clean and use. Eventually I would like to invest in a bigger and more efficient juicer, so that I can juice my fruits and veggies whole with a wider feed chute. Having a wide feed chute juicer would decrease the amount of "ejected" pulp the juicer produces in the pulp collection bin. This is very important because you want to maintain all the fiber from your fruits and veggies into your juice.

Below is my recipe to the Savory Sweet Potato Juice:

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 1/2 red apple
• 2 medium carrots
• 4 strawberries

Instructions

1. Rinse fruit and veggies
2. Cut fruits and veggies according to the size of your feed chute.
3. Add fruits and veggies in this order: sweet potato, carrot, apple, and strawberries. 
4. Stir and chill the juice mixture in the fridge (optional)

I hope you all enjoy the sweet and healthy benefits of a raw sweet potato by incorporating it in your daily juices. Trust me you will love it and probably become addicted. 

Now let's juice to that!

✌ ❤☺- DemeJay

The Juicing Journey Begins...

Being a recent unemployed college graduate, allowed me to really think about how I can be productive throughout the midst career of my career search. I knew I wanted to write a blog, but I wanted to make sure that it was something genuine, informative, and exciting. That's when randomly one day I thought about starting my own juicing business in Dallas, TX. This amazing vision popped in my head with clear details on ways to uniquely start my juicing business plan.


From that moment, I had to rededicate my eating habits and lifestyle to a healthier one. So on January 1, 2014, I decided to restore my God-given temple and live and breath the world of juicing. I wanted to take advantage of the natural health benefits from juicing frutits and veggies. Therefore my quest to researching the history of juicing and it's importance has started now with this personal blog. My goal is to share my testimony about how juicing impacts my life, family, and friends. In the Bible, Romans 12:2 speaks about "Not confirming to the patterns of this world, but being transformed by the renewing of your mind." I understand this new juicing lifestyle will take a lot of hard work and mental discipline, but I'm willing to sacrifice for a healthier "new-me."

So I decided to begin my juicing journey with a celery and carrot based juice. My goal was to incorporate both veggies (that I wouldn't normally eat raw) and fruit together. I choose celery because it is one of the most highly nutritious and hydrating food, according to NaturalNews.Com. Celery juice has so many benefits and just to name of few, here are some listed:

• Helps with weight loss
• Fights cancer
• Helps with digestions 
• Decreases blood pressure 
• Great anti-infalmmatory 

Carrots have always been that one vegetable that I had a difficult time incorporating in my daily food intake. But I decided to give it another try by juicing them and surprisingly it was delicious. Also juicing carrots makes for a great internal and external detox. I wanted to add more green in my juice, that's when I decided to throw in some cucumber. I was somewhat familiar with the beauty benefits of  cucumbers, since many health and beauty companies sell cucumber scented products. For example cucumbers are great for skin, hair, and nails. They're also combinable with just about any other fruit and veggie because it contains mainly water, which gives a light taste. The apple and strawberries enhance the juice with the perfect amount of sweetness. For beginner juicers, I would recommend adding at least 1 fruit to the juice if your looking for a sweet flavor.

 I juiced with a 400 watt Back and Decker Juicer (available at any Walmart, which was pretty easy to assemble and use. After I cleaned and cut my fruits and veggies, I was ready and set to go on my juicing craze.  I made sure to rinse the strainer when necessary before I added any additional ingredient, so that I wouldn't clog the juicer with the skin and core.

 After 5 minutes of juicing, I was able to make a delicious 14 ounce glass of fresh celery, carrot, cucumber, apple and strawberry juice. The taste was so refreshing and each ingredient balanced in nutritional harmony. I would definitely recommend this juice and give it 3 stars.  I'm proud to say that my first juicing experience was awesome and I will definitely mark this recipe in my book as a keeper! Below is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 whole celery stalk
• 1 carrot
• 1 apple (added sweetness) 
• 1/2 cucumber
• 3 strawberries 

Instructions 

1. Rinse fruit and veggies
2. Cut carrot (in half), apple, cucumber and strawberries according to the size of your juicer. Depending on how big your juicer is you may not need to cut your fruits or veggies.
3. Add fruits and veggies to the juicer in this order: carrot, celery, cucumber, strawberry, apple
4. Stir and chill the juice mixture in the fridge (optional) 

Looks like this juicing journey is going to be worthwhile and I look forward to inspire others with many more juices to come.

Now let's juice to that!

✌ ❤☺- DemeJay