JUICING IS KEY TO A HEALTHIER YOU

Getting into the juicing habit is one of the best things you can do for your overall health says the “Godfather of Fitness, Jack LaLanne.

Now 92 years young, LaLanne says that nutritious fresh foods are the key to longevity and vitality, stating simply “cooking kills.” He is credited with premiering the first modern health spa in America in 1936 and brought the fitness movement to television in 1951 with a daily exercise program. “No wonder people today are fat and sick when you read the labels and all the artificial additives in the processed foods they are eating. I just bought a new Corvette, but do you think it would run without the right fuel? Putting the right fuel into your body works just the same. And raw fruits and vegetables that are juiced for 30 seconds will help your body feel great.”

LaLanne and wife Elaine created their own Power Juicer machine (www.jacklalanne.com) and special juicing cookbook, “Secrets of Power Juicing”. Their juice cocktails including such fresh ingredients as carrots, beets, watercress, pineapple, grapefruit, apples, strawberries and passionfruit. LaLanne recommends including the peels and seeds when juicing “because that’s where a lot of the nutrients are.” He also suggests saving the expelled pulp to add nutrition to other recipes including meatloaf, vegan cookies, soups and sauces.

Juicing can also be helpful in weight loss and LaLanne recommends “juicing three times a day if you’re trying to lose weight or using freshly squeeze juice as a complete meal substitute for at least one meal daily.”

Among the fitness guru’s own favorite power foods are eggs whites (he calls them “a great source of protein”), carrots (“very high in anti-oxidants”) and apples (“good for fiber”).

“Women especially spend so much money on hairdos and facials, nips and tucks, when what they really need is to realize that the food you eat today is walking and talking tomorrow.”

Some of his favorite juicing creations include a zesty “South of the Border” beverage featuring red bell peppers, celery, lime, cilantro and apples; an “Energy Boost” of carrots, celery, beets, parsley, lettuce, watercress, spinach and tomato; a “Raspberry Rush” blending raspberries, oranges and lime; “The Rainbow Surprise” made with celery, carrots, cucumbers, squash, zucchini and apples; and the ever-popular “Love Potion” that combined peaches, grapes, strawberries and apples.

“The great thing about getting in to the juicing habit,” says LaLanne, “is that it benefits the most important person in the world – YOU!”

Without fat in our diets, we will die. Without the right fats in our diets, we will live poorly. Fat has been blamed for everything from heart disease to obesity. But lumping all fats together and labeling them as bad is a mistake. Fats are absolutely essential to good health.

Consider for a moment the role fats play in body function and make-up. That miracle of complex circuitry enabling you to read and understand this article, the brain, is 60% fat. The heart burns fat for the majority of its energy. The lungs, eyes and nerves all have components built of fats, without which they could not function. We owe our soft skin and shiny hair to fats.

And the digestive process relies heavily on fats. Fats slow the movement of food through the digestive tract, allowing nutrients to be more fully absorbed. Some vitamins, like A and D, can only be absorbed if fat is present. Unlike carbohydrates, especially sugars, fat will not cause a spike, but provides an even level of energy to the body. Besides, fat makes food taste better and helps you feel fuller longer.

All of the three types of fat, saturated, mono-unsaturated and poly-unsaturated are necessary components of a healthy diet. The best sources for healthy fats are natural, unprocessed foods. Also, it is recommended that no more than 30% of your total calories come from fats, with a maximum of 5% coming from poly-unsaturated fats, which are the Omega 6 and Omega 3 fatty acids.

The modern diet of developed countries provides an excess of Omega 6 fatty acids, which are found in high concentrations in processed foods. To bring the ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 fatty acids in the diet down to the optimal 2:1, from the average 20:1 in the American diet, one must avoid processed foods and consume foods rich in Omega 3 fatty acids. Grass-fed beef, wild caught salmon, organic eggs, and walnuts are good choices. Restoring the ideal balance is important because the excess Omega 6 fatty acids cause inflammation in the body, and this inflammation can lead to disease.

Another reason to avoid processed foods is that they often contain trans fats. These are fat molecules that have been rearranged through a process called hydrogenation. Trans fats have been linked to health problems such as cancer and heart disease, and should be avoided entirely. If the ingredient list says hydrogenated anywhere, do not buy it. Because if a manufacturer can manipulate the trans fat content in a serving to .5 grams or below, they can list it as zero!

Besides hydrogenation, heat and chemicals used in processing can damage fats, causing them to become harmful when consumed. Poly-unsaturated fats, like flaxseed oil, which is an excellent source of Omega 3 fatty acids, are the most easily damaged. For this reason they should never be used for cooking. Olive oil, a mono-unsaturated fat, and coconut oil, a saturated fat, are better to cook with because they resist damage that can create toxins. Look for “extra virgin” or “cold pressed” oils when shopping.

Finally, you can up your intake of “good” fats by consuming avocados, olives and raw nuts and seeds. Making these natural food choices, and avoiding processed foods, will ensure you are consuming enough of the right kind of fats.

Sources:

Healty fats: Choosing the right fats for your diet, helpguide.org

Power for healthy living, Al Sears, MD