Problems With Juice You Might Not Know About

When people are at the store they sometimes don’t realize how bad the groceries they’re buying are for them. Juice is one of those items that can be assumed as healthy. Most fruit juices are actually very unhealthy. Here are some reasons why juice is actually bad for you.

Orange juice could be just as bad as soda. You might have been thinking that switching soda for juice might be healthier but in some ways it’s not. Most fruit juices (organic or not) fill your body with just as much sugar as soda.

As an example, the average 12 ounce soda contains roughly 35 and 45 grams of sugar. The same amount of orange juice is about 30 grams; apple juice has about 40 grams and pomegranate juice can be at most 45 grams. An acceptable amount of sugar intake is ideally no more than 10 grams a day.

In the process of juicing all of the nutrients get stripped away because of all of the processing. The fruit that was once healthy gets pasteurized, pulverized, filtered, pureed and stored in massive vats for months at a time. Therefore, nutrients, vitamins and fiber gets taken away.

The liquified fruit is then pumped full of sugar. The added sugar then spikes your blood sugar because there’s no fiber to slow its release into the blood stream. By eating the actual fruit instead there would be no hunger or cravings. Even if juice says with pulp or organic it is not nutritionally equivalent to the whole fruit.

Studies have indicated that juice is linked with increased insulin resistance and diabetes risk, whereas whole fruit consumption appears not to have the same effect. According to one Harvard study researchers reported that daily doses of sugary drinks boosted heart disease risk in men. Avoid these juices if you want to keep your heart, insulin levels, and waistline in check.

The acids in fruit juices can break down the enamel on your teeth, resulting in weak spots that can turn into cavities, which will eventually need fixing. If the damage is significant enough, tooth bonding or crowns could also happen.

Fun fact: did you know that it takes 12 oranges to make your orange juice?

In other words it takes a lot of raw fruit and resources to produce a bottle of juice. The resources used to fuel industrial farming operations, the pesticides, and the millions of gallons of water for irrigation is very bad for the earth.

Here are some juice replacements:

• Replace Welch’s 100% Grape Juice with Bolthouse farms Multi-V Goodness Orange
• Replace naked boosted probiotic machine tropical mango and tropicana probiotics pineapple mango with Bolthouse farms peach parfait breakfast smoothie
• Replace simply orange high pulp with Perrier L’Orange sparkling natural mineral water
• Replace naked pure fruit pomegranate blueberry with pomegranate seeds
• Replace Langers mango nectar with Nantucket nectars orange mango juice

Making small changes in your everyday life can make you a happier, healthier person!

information from eatthis.com and mindbodygreen.com

The Beginners Guide To Essential Oils

Essential oils have been known for many health benefits. Whether it’s for a cold or a bug bite essential oils are there to the rescue. For over 5,000 years, many different cultures have used these healing plant oils for a variety of health conditions.

First let’s talk about what essential oils are. They are basically organic compounds that are extracted from plants with many healing properties. Aromatherapy which is using essential oils for healing purposes. It’s a holistic treatment seeking to improve physical, mental and emotional health.

They are also often used for relaxation, beauty care, home cleaning and nature medicine. Some benefits of essential oils are that they can fight cold and flu symptoms, relax your body and soothe sore muscles, heal skin conditions, alleviate pain, balance hormones, improve digestion, reduce cellulite and wrinkles and clean your home.

They are extracted straight from the bark, flower, fruit, leaf, seed or root of a plant or tree. Just one drop can have many powerful health benefits. Typically they are created through the process of distillation, which separates the oil and water-based compounds of a plant by steaming.

Here is a list of some essential oils that are very beneficial for many reasons.

 

1.) Clove: antibacterial, anti-parasitic and antioxidant protection.

2.) Cypress: Improves circulation, reduces varicose veins, lifts confidence and can help heal broken bones.

3.) Eucalyptus: Improves respiratory issues for example, bronchitis, sinusitis and allergies.

4.) Frankincense: builds immunity, reduces inflammation, heals age spots, supports brain and may help fight cancer.

5.) Ginger: reduces inflammation, supports joints, improves digestion and relieves nausea.

6.) Grapefruit: Supports metabolism and cellulite reduction.

7.) Lavender: Helps with relaxation, improves mood and heals burns and cuts.

8.) Lemon: Great to use in homemade cleaning products, improves lymph drainage and cleanses the body.

9.) Myrrh: Natural antiseptic and can prevent or reduce infections; it also supports beautiful skin, reducing stretch marks and hormone balance.

10.) Peppermint: Supports digestion, improves focus, boosts energy, fever reducer, headache and muscle pain relief.

11.) Rose: Incredible for reducing skin inflammation and great for creating glowing skin.

12.) Tea tree oil: A natural anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, reduces bad odors and can help stimulate the immune system.

Different oils can be blended together to enhance each’s energy or can be blended with a base oil to be used for massage, shower gel or body lotions. Using essential oils are very beneficial in everyday life. It’s fun to use new oils and see what works best for you.

Information from draxe.com

10 Reasons Why You Should Be Stretching

Most people know that stretching is something that you should do at least once a day, but do you really do it? I’m guilty of this as well. Not remembering or being too lazy to stretch every day can be problematic for your body now and in the future. Here are 10 reasons why you should be stretching.

1.) Decreased Stress

Stress can cause unpleasant responses to the body which includes: increased feelings of anxiety, fatigue and tension. Stretching regularly has been shown to reduce mental tension.

2.) Reduced Pain and Stiffness

Excessive muscular tension can cause discomfort in the body. Studies have shown that stretching can help to decrease stiffness, reduce pain levels and may even reduce the frequency of muscle cramps.

3.) Improved Health

By stretching you can help to reduce blood pressure, heart rate and breathing rate, counteracting the body’s physiological responses to stress and muscular tension.

4.) Enhanced range of motion

This one is obvious but by stretching you are able to move more freely and you won’t feel as stiff. Using something like a foam roller can help to enhance unrestricted movement of the major joints of the body, including key areas that are designed to be mobile, such as the hops and shoulders.

5.) Improved Function

Most people have poor posture and as a result of this, repetitive movement patterns, improper body mechanics, and for sitting for long periods of time muscles in the body can become very tense, causing them to become less strong. Stretching helps to improve overall function by ensuring that the body can effectively respond to the stresses imposed by various types of movement.

6.) May Reduce Risk of Injury

Stretching is often considered an important part of injury preventions, as cold muscles and tendons in the body have a greater likelihood of rupture, strain or sprain.

7.) Enhanced Performance

When included in a fitness routine, regular flexibility training can help enhance agility, power, speed and muscular strength.

8.) Improved Blood Flow and Circulation

Stretching can help to improve blood flow and circulation, thereby allowing for the enhanced transportation of oxygen and nutrient-rich blood throughout the body.

9.) Minimized Wear and Tear on Joints

Muscles can become tight and tense and when this happens opposing muscles become weakened, producing unnecessary wear and tear on various joint and structures within the body. Stretching regularly helps to ensure the muscles on each side of a joint maintain an equal degree of pull so that the joint is able to move freely in all directions.

10.) Improved Quality of Life

By stretching regularly and performing range of motion exercises can improve flexibility at any age, helping to increase longevity and enhance overall quality of life.

I hope this was helpful for anyone who has been finding it hard to stretch every day. A good time to stretch is in the morning before you do anything else so you always remember. Information is from Ace Fitness. Please comment and share if this article helped!