Juicing or Green smoothies… What’s the difference and which one is better?

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There is some confusion about the difference between juices and smoothies and which is better.  They are both very nutritionally beneficial.  Here’s what you need to know.

JUICE

  • You make fresh juice by pushing fruits and vegetables through a juicer.  Some popular brands are Breville and Jack Lalane.
  • The pulp and fiber are separated and you are left with the liquid portion of the fruits and veggies.
  • The vitamins and minerals from the foods are very concentrated (great thing!) so is the sugar (not so great thing)
  • I recommend 1 serving fruit to 2-3 servings of vegetables to lessen the sugar and spikes in your blood sugar.  For example: one cucumber, three stalks celery and one large apple is a good combo.
  • Something I like to do is add water to my juice in the ratio juice to water 2:1.  If this dilutes it too much, I’ll add a few drops of stevia to get some sweetness back.
  • Juice should ideally be consumed within minutes of making it.  If it sits for too long, the exposure to oxygen cause it lose its enzymes and nutrients.  It also develops a flat taste.

VEGETABLE & FRUIT SMOOTHIES

  • Smoothies are made in a blender such as a Vitamix, Ninja or Nutribullet.
  • The pulp and fiber remain in what you consume and as a result they are more filling than juice and are more like a mini meal.
  • Green smoothies are a great way to get a few servings of vegetables without having to eat a salad.
  • Raw greens are best in vegetable and fruit smoothies because they can be broken down well by a powerful blender.
  • When first starting out, select greens that have a milder flavor,  such as spinach, romaine, spring mix and even arugula.  Once your taste buds get more acclimated you can try kale!  I personally do not recommend chard or broccoli.
  • Bananas, lemon and ginger root are great ingredients to add to just about any green smoothie because they overpower the ‘grassy’ taste’ of the leafy greens.  Apples, pineapple, mangos, pears and berries are all good options depending on what you like.
  • Again, try to have more greens than fruits.
  • You will need to have a base of water or coconut water for your smoothies.  the more liquid you add, the runnier they will be.
  • Smoothies are more stable than juice because the fiber is still in them.  They do not oxidize as quickly.  They are still good after 2-3 days tightly sealed in the fridge. (Mason jar!!) You can freeze them if you want to store them longer.

I hope this helps clear up some misconceptions.  Visit my website for my signature green smoothie recipe at http://www.healthywholehappy.net

 

What in the world is TEMPEH and why you should try it.

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What in the world is TEMPEH and why you should try it.

Here are five reasons why I’m a huge advocate of tempeh and why I feel compelled to share this information.

Tempeh is fermented cooked whole soy beans. The fermentation process produces natural antibiotic agents that can increase the body’s resistance to infections. Yogurt isn’t the only source of probiotics.
Tempeh contains phytochemicals such as isoflavones and saponins. These may help ease the symptoms of menopause and may help reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.
Each serving of the original type (shown) contains 140 calories 16 grams of protein, 7 grams of fiber, 3 net grams of carbs and 4.5 grams of fat. Even though we only need 0.8-1g of protein per kilogram of body weight, its a great source of protein for anyone, especially those on a plant based diet. Sometimes we need something other than beans and nuts!
It’s super cheap. One 2-serving package of organic tempeh is less than $3.
It’s easy to cook. You can cut it into cubes or strips and bake or sauté it. Recently I’ve been grating it and using it in rice pilafs and chili. Grating it is also an easy way to hide it if you want your loved ones to try it without knowing. It has a very mild flavor so it will taste like whatever you season it with.

Are you really too BUSY to get it all done!

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I decided to post about this because I want to share how very possible it is to be busy and still find the time to have a healthy lifestyle (if that’s what you desire.)  I know everyone has different sorts of commitments and challenges but I’m very busy (by choice) and I know some of these tips can help you.  When people become aware of all the activities and commitments I have in my daily life, they’re shocked and often ask how I find time to do all these things, still have a social life and not be stressed.  Before I get into the details, let me say, I don’t have kids (yet) and I don’t watch anywhere near to the amount of TV the typical person watches.  I am past the age of clubbing and going to bars and such on a regular basis.  I also really enjoy everything I do and I like being busy so stressed out, I rarely am.

In a given week:

  • I work about 40 hours at my full time job as a Training and Development specialist.  My usual commute is between one hour and one hour, 15 minutes each way.  About 30% of the time I have a 30 minute commute each way.  I love these days!
  •  I teach five one-hour spin classes per week.
  • I am a part-time health/nutrition coach
  • I attend 90 minute Bikram yoga classes 5-7 days/week.
  •  I will also resume running twice/week to prepare for an upcoming race.
  • I get 6-8 hours of sleep each night (still working on this)
  • I spend time with family and friends whenever something is planned.

Here are my top 5 tips:

  1. PRIORITIZE:  You must figure out what is most important and what you will commit to making time for.  Obviously my full time job is vitally important.  We all have to work, be on time and be productive.  The bonus is I really like my job.  Outside of that, I LOVE teaching spin classes and practicing Bikram yoga.  Two of the five spin classes I teach are at 5:30am.  So they really don’t cut into my daytime hours.  I just have to get to bed a bit earlier two nights/week.  Luckily my job does not require me to take work home, apart form sending and responding to emails.  Bikram yoga takes up a lot time because each class is 90 minutes long, not including the time to drive there, and get ready.  The studio at which I practice is less than 10 minutes away.  This may seem like a small thing but, I shower at the studio after class so that when I get home, its one less thing I have to do.  Eating healthy is another major priority.  I’ll talk more about that in Tip#2.   Watching TV is NOT one of my priorities.   With the invention of DVR it is easier to be able to watch shows when it’s most convenient.  My fiancé enjoys watching TV, so we watch a few recorded shows.  This also serves as some of our quality time together.
  2. GET ORGANIZED by having a consistent schedule and do things at the same time each week.  Some  say eating healthy is time consuming.  It can be if you don’t plan ahead and if you aren’t organized.  I make two-day supplies of green smoothies twice per week.  It really doesn’t take that long.  I use the pre-washed veggies from Trader Joe’s.  That’s a lot of minutes saved each week.   I cook and bake on the weekends and it is usually enough to last me for a few days.  Even though many of the foods I eat do not have a long shelf life, they can last anywhere from one-two weeks.  I visit the grocery store once/week either on my way home or during my lunch break at work.   I use the outlook calendar on my iPhone to keep track of very single appointment.  I have all my monthly bills automatically deducted from my account.  I still look at the bill to make sure it’s correct but sending checks and manually paying on line are very time consuming ways to pay your bills.
  3. MULTITASK AND CONSOLIDATE.  I have a one-hour commute most mornings.  I listen to music during my lengthy commutes and sometimes plan the rides in my head then write them down when I get home.  I also use these commutes to clear my head, listen to the news and talk to my Mother and friends (on blue tooth of corse.  Safety first.)  If I have to run errands or have medical appointments I try to get them all done in one trip or on the same day if I am off from work.
  4. COMMUNICATE with your loved ones.  My fiancé understands how much I enjoy my activities and he is very supportive.  He does his best to plan events on days and times that work best with my schedule.
  5. BE REALISTIC AND FLEXIBLE.  There are just some weeks where I know my routine schedule just ain’t going to work.  I sometimes have to find a sub for spin class because I’ll be out of town or because I have a business meeting or event that is earlier than usual.  There are some weeks when I don’t get to yoga s much as I’d like.  Sometimes I’ll even skip class because I know that I haven’t spent enough time with my fiancé or I have social engagement that I really want to or should attend.  I also don’t schedule every single hour of every day and I leave some room for error when possible.  I don’t enjoying shopping as much as I used to but I still like acquiring ‘stuff.’  I do most of my non-food shopping online.  This saves so much time.  I schedule my clients two weeks in advance on the weekend when I have the most free hours.

I will admit, I’m not very spontaneous and if plans are sprung on me at the last minute, I don’t like it and I probably won’t be able to make it happen because how I spend my time is so planned out.  Sometimes you just have to say NO.  I hope this will help you to make some changes in the way you use your time for the better.

What to eat before, during and after a long workout

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Sometimes we like to take our workouts to the next level.  One way to do this is by extending them.  For example I sometimes do 75-90 minute rides with my spin classes.  Avid runners often do long runs lasting upwards of one hour.  If you are not adequately fueled you will not be able to maintain the level of intensity until the end of the workout.  I know you are thinking, “If I eat more to get throught the workout, the extra calories I burn will be cancelled.”  Not so!!  You simply have to choose your calories wisely.

Pre-workout: Eat a meal with complex carbs the evening before the workout.  If you are doing to workout in the morning, the timing will be perfect.  The complex carbs such as brown rice, quinoa or sweet potataoes will be stored as glycogen in your muscles.  This glycogen will give you energy.

During the workout: You will need easily digestible carbs about 45 minutes in and then every 20-30 minutes after that, depending on how long the workout lasts.  Liquids with electrolytes are best.  I do not recommned gatorade because it contains high fructose corn syrup and other artifical ingredients.  In order of preference my reccomendations are: coconut water, diluted orange juice (1 part juice to 1 part water.  You can add a packet or two of stevia to get the sweetness back) or Vitamin water.  For a 90 minute workout, 100-120 calories of liquid carbs in additon to water will get you through.

Post workout:  Be careful not to overhydrate with plain water.  You could dilute your bodily fluids.  Hydrate but also take in another 100 calories from one of the beverages mentioned above or fruit such as a banana,  1 cup pineapple or grapes.  Have a protein shake within 45 minutes.  Of course I recommend a raw vegan protein powder with almond milk and what ever else you want to throw in.

 

“The government has no right to tell us what to eat!” Isn’t that already the case?

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I find it interesting that some people are upset about what they perceive as the goverment’s attempts to regulate what we eat and certain actions they have taken such as taxing junk food and sugary drinks.  Those that are upset are saying, “the goverment has no right to tell us what to eat.”  What these folks fail to realize is that the government has been controlling what we eat for several decades.  The difference now is that they are taking a more direct approach because the obesity epidemic and related diseases is so grave in the U.S.  Government entities decide what information about our food supply is released to the public and what ingredients can be omitted from food labels to name a few.  They also decide what foods are subsidized so that they appear to be cheaper to the individual consumer.  Foods such as corn, dairy and meat are way more expensive to produce than plant based foods.  Without government subsidies many people would not be able to afford what their true cost is once they got to the supermarket.  Efforts to tax junk food and sugary drinks in New York and Philadelphia were met with resistance and outrage.  I was happy the hear that, according to CNN, “San Francisco is on its way to becoming the first in the nation to pass a law requiring health warnings on all advertisements for sugary drinks, putting soda in the same category as alcohol and tobacco.”
It’s about time that a powerful and authoritative institution (the government) does more to halt the vicious cycle of poor health in the U.S.  Maybe some regulations and taxes will save some people from themselves.  Some claim that junk food is as addictive as an illegal drug.  There are studies that have shown that certain additives to processed foods create overwhelming cravings and increase appetite.
This is a powerful country where people are free to make a great number of choices about how they live their lives.  With power comes responsibility.  What message is being sent about the ‘benefits’ of this freedom to choose?  This is what I’m hearing:  “We will eat whatever we want even if it leads to to chronic disease and early death because we have the right to choose!”

If you think it’s too expensive to eat healthy, read this.

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Sure there are pricey speciality health foods and supplements on the market such as spirulina and protein powders. One does not need to purchase these fancy products to eat a cleaner diet.  Here’s my take on the cost of a healthy diet.

  1. There are several healthy foods that are very cheap.  Organic kale can be purchased for less than $3/bunch especially if you go to a local farmer’s market.  Even at Whole Foods it’s reasonably priced.  A carton organic chickpeas costs $1.49 at whole foods.  I have found bags of 12 organic apples for $6.Image
  2. The healthier options of some foods cost just a few dollars more than their processed and toxic versions.  Is your long-term health not worth an extra $10-$20/month on your grocery bill?  Think of it as an investment that will lessen your chances of spending big bucks on doctors’ bills and medications in the future.Image
  3. For the ladies:  We are willing to pay hundreds of dollars for the latest designer handbag but not an extra couple of dollars on organic or whole foods?  Think about what’s really important.

Do you have to chose between your plant based diet and being sociable?

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It’s not impossible or even that difficult to stick with your lifestyle/diet or choice and socialize with your family and friends.  Here are some tips to help you not have to choose between the two.

  1. When going out to eat with family and friends, select the restaurant if possible.  You know which restaurants have menus that cater to your needs and also offer the standard popular choices that most people like.  National chains such as California Pizza Kitchen, Grand Lux Cafe and Seasons 52 have very diverse menus that have something for EVERYONE.
  2. Research menus online ahead of time or call and ask if special requests can be made.  Did  you know that many restaurants have vegetarian and gluten free menus available upon request.  It’s their best kept secret.
  3. Tell your family and friends about your food choices and help them understand that this is lifestyle and not a temporary fad for you.  The more you ‘bend’ the less seriously they will take your claims to be on a lifestyle modification programs.  Consistency is convincing.  Before long THEY will be the ones selecting restaurants that they know can accommodate YOU and they will respect your resolve and dedication.
  4. Bring a dish to BBQs, parties and other functions.  Try to make it something that not only you will eat but that will also appeal to others.  Baked tortilla chips and guacamole or a healthy dessert (disguised as the regular version) will go over a lot better than raw zucchini and beets wrapped in seaweed.  Know your boundaries.  Don’t push it.
  5. When you will have little control over the environment, eat a snack before going so that you won’t be ravenous in the event there are not many options for you.  Don’t be a sour puss either.  It’s not always all about you.