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Health & Fitness

Why I Juice

Why I Juice. I've been getting a lot questions about juicing and why it's good for you. Here are 6 great reasons you should be juicing and your kids should too!

Hi Westchasers! I'm glad to finally be starting this blog to share health & lifestyle information with you.  I thought I would start with why I juice, since some of you may have seen the video report that Nicole, our amazing editor, did on my local juicing & smoothie classes.  Since I have started these classes here in Westchase, I'm getting a lot of "Why should I juice?" and "What will juicing do for me?"  So, here are 6 great reasons why you should be juicing and your kids should too.

1.Feed Your Body.  People mostly eat processed food.  You start with cereal, then it's a burger & fries, maybe a soda or two, an afternoon snack from the local convenience mart or office vending machine, then a pizza, Hamburger Helper or a frozen somethin' somethin' for dinner and why not finish the day off with a cookie or bowl of ice cream or maybe a bag of chips if salt is your thing. Here's the question, what's fresh? Where is the real food with real nutrition?

Juicing provides a quick and easy way to start adding whole nutrient rich food into your diet, and it's all raw too!  You get a massive hit of nutrition that your body is craving.  Do you realize that when you give your body real nutrient dense food that your body starts to heal and repair itself?   Bonus...your cravings start to go away as well because you actually fed your body!

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2. Alkalize.  Because of all the processed food, sugar, and alcohol we consume, among other not so great things, we can become very acidic.  Ideal health happens when the body is neutral to slightly alkaline.  The more acidic you are the more inflammation you have, the more risk you have for cardiovascular disease, arthritis, cancer and other chronic conditions associated with inflammation.  I say whoa nelly...pass the juice!

3. Weight Loss.  First, when you alkalize and decrease inflammation it makes it easier to lose weight.  Second, when you actually feed your body what it needs, the crazy cravings start to subside.  No more binging on chips & ice cream...sweet!  Also, when it comes to weight loss, I recommend blending rather than actual juicing.  To clarify, that means emulsifying all the fruits and vegetables with the fiber.  This is especially beneficial in weight loss because it is oh so filling, I'm talking hours.   It helps with bowel function as well as aiding liver function which is important during weight loss.

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4. Energy.  When you feed your body a boat load of nutrients, you actually get a major energy boost! So, this translates to a happier mood and more energy to prepare healthy meals instead of being so fatigued you default to fast food junk or the microwave. It also means you have more energy to exercise.  Win-Win!

5. Detox.  Especially when you are blending/juicing greens including the fiber, it really helps your body to naturally detox the chemicals consumed in processed food, non-organic food and the environment.

6. It's Quick & Easy.  This is especially true if you VitaMix or use another high powered blender.  Clean up is a snap. Juices and smoothies are portable as well which makes it easier for people on the go.  They make a great breakfast if you're a "I don't do breakfast" kinda person.  It tastes great...I promise.  In fact, this is perfect for kids.  You can feed them really healthy nutrient rich food they love and they can carry it around with them or drink it on the way to school.

Cheers to making a green mustache in the morning!  Good Luck and let me know how you do. If you need recipes go to the blog on my website, www.acupunctureinwestchase.com.   Also, the East West Acupuncture & Wellness Facebook page is a great place to go for not only recipes but health info, breaking news and motivation & inspiration. (https://www.facebook.com/#!/eastwestacupunctureandwellness).

You can always contact me through the website or the Facebook Page.

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