Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Juicing For Life!!


Ummm no, I am not doing only juice for every day for every meal.  I am not ready to make that kind of life change and don’t see the need for it currently in my life.  However, I am a fan of juicing and will be a fan, for life.  And, I think it’s vital to eat live food like fruits and veggies as they GIVE life to our body (a double entendre for “juicing for life).  I’ve had plenty of conversations with people about juicing, read a lot of articles about the pros and cons, and I am asked a lot of questions about it by my patients, friends, and people that follow my wellness information on Facebook, Twitter or the blog.  So because of that I am dedicating this article to the topic of juicing, and maybe next post too, depending on how much info I come up with to share!

Why juice?   Have you gotten your 8-10 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet today?  No?  When is the last time you did?  Never?  If you’re like most people, probably never is the correct answer.  While juicing isn’t a replacement for eating your fruits and veggies daily, it helps to get you closer to the optimum levels.  Let me reiterate that NOTHING takes the place of eating the real deal, however with some forms of juicing (or types of juicers) you still are getting the real deal.  Let me explain.

One type of juicer extracts juice.  The result is you are left with the pulp or fiber NOT in the juice.  The other type of juicer pulverizes the veggie or fruit so that you get the entire food in the mixture.  I’d prefer people do it that way, but certainly the extractors (which are cheaper) aren’t totally bad for you.  The challenge with the extractors is that by removing the pulp or fiber, you remove a “control rod” if you will, that slows down the rise in blood sugar that occurs naturally by eating even complex carbhohydrates like a fruit or vegetable.  So there is a MAJOR caution here for those with blood sugar issues or full blown diabetes.  Consult your dietician or doctor if you have those conditions and use caution when juicing.

So how do you get started with juicing?  First one needs to figure out what they’d like to juice.  Then there’s the little matter of having a juicer!  Let’s tend to the latter first.  You can get entry level juicers for about 100.00.  Some of these have good reputations for reliability like the Jack Lalanne juicer.  It is an extractor type and you can pick it up in many different stores or online.  The price range goes up from there to the 500.00 range approximately for the strongest of the “pulverizing” juicers.  It depends on what you want to do, and what you are willing to pay for it.

Getting started picking your items to juice can be interesting.  I’d recommend a simple start if you’re not sure about it by trying a combination of apples and carrots, and if you’re a little adventurous, some ginger (a very small piece, it’s strong in flavor).  If you like that, don’t stop there, as that is not the healthiest of juices around as it is very high in sugar content, but a good way to break yourself in.  As soon as possible start adding in greens such as celery, kale, mustard greens, spinach etc.  Now you’re getting to the good stuff that makes it much healthier:  GREENS!  Experiment with a little at first then more as you go along.  There are unlimited recipes and Facebook pages to find new recipes and new ideas on how to juice.  Check out the documentary “Fat Sick And Nearly Dead” online, you can view it for free on www.hulu.com.  Also, find my clinic name “Chiropractic Massage & Wellness Center” on facebook or follow me on twitter with @docbruce65.  You’ll get plenty of good wellness information from me on those sites I promise, you won’t regret it!

That’s about all I have space for now, tune in next time for more info on juicing and several recipes for your juicing adventures!

Until next time…Be Well!!
Dr. Bruce 

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

10 EASY Tips for Health and Wellness!

Brief Succinct Tips


1. Have a big glass of water before each meal.

2. Eat slowly.


3. Have fun in what you do.


4. Leave the table feeling you can eat more.


5. Park your car in the furthest spot at the shopping centre and use the stairs.


6. Tend to your relationships.


7. Do slow deep breathing each day.


8. Eliminate soft drinks and fruit juices from your diet and replace them with water.


9. Get adequate sleep.


10. Minimize foods, which come from a manufacturing “plant” and maximize food, which come from plants that grow in the ground.