Are you stressed?  Many people are feeling the pressures of our economic downturn-401Ks diminishing, home values falling, jobs in jeopardy, and the economy in trouble.  When we’re under a lot of stress, the tendency is to eat junk, especially, sweets.  On a psychological level, eating sweets can represent an attempt to bring sweetness into our lives.  But sweets don’t bring sweetness in the end.  Most people find that they have the reverse effect.  Sweets, junk food, and refined carbs, such as white flour baked goods that quickly turn to sugar when we eat them, often cause us to be irritable and out of sorts. That causes even more stress.  We find ourselves snapping at others more easily and getting irritated at little things. That’s because these foods cause wide swings in blood sugar.  When we’re stressed, we need better nutrition than when we’re not stressed out.  That’s where juicing fresh produce comes in.  When you start juicing a lot of vegetables with a little fruit to sweeten the blend, you’ll feel happier, more emotionally stable, and less irritable.  You’ll find that you make better decisions.  And you may start smiling more, even when you don’t have a particular reason for your good mood.  Start your day with a delicious glass of vegetable juice.  Eat healthy throughout the day, such as choosing veggies, salads, beans, whole grains, soups, and lean protein.  Drink a fresh juice cocktail  to unwind when you get home from work.  You’ll do more than unwind.  You’ll revive! You should feel more creative, too, because your brain will get the nutrients it needs.  With renewed energy, you can face the challenges of your life with more emotional stability and creativity.  

Making fresh juice is easy.  The only things you’ll need are fresh produce (organic is always best) and a good juicer.  Delicious recipes are also very helpful so that you don’t make something that tastes bad.  You can find dozens of great recipes  in The Juice Lady’s Guide to Juicing for Health (Avery).  If you don’t have a good juicer, look for one with a strong motor (1/2 hp), a wide spout so you can add a whole apple or lemon, stainless steel (it won’t stain then), and only a few parts to wash so it’s easy to clean.  I recommend the Juiceman Pro.  You can read more about it on my website www.juicebookinfo.com.

Here’s a couple of recipes to energize your day!

Happy Morning

1/2 green  apple

4-5 carrots, well scrubbed, green tops removed, ends trimmed

3 fennel stalks; include leaves and flowers

1/2 cucumber

Handful spinach

1-inch piece ginger root

Cut produce to fit your juicer’s feed tube.  Juice apple first and follow with other ingredients. Stir and pour into a glass; drink as soon as possible.

Serves 1

Note:  Fennel juice has been used as a traditional tonic to help the body release endorphins, the “feel good” peptides from the brain into the bloodstream.  Endorphins help to diminish anxiety and fear and generate a mood of euphoria.

 

Stress Buster

3-4 carrots, scrubbed well, tops removed, ends trimmed

1 cucumber, peeled

1/2 apple

1/2 beet, scrubbed well (may include stem and 1-2 leaves)

1/2 lemon, peeled

1-inch chunk ginger root, scrubbed, peeled if old

Cut produce to fit your juicer’s feed tube.  Juice all ingredients and stir.  Pour into a glass and drink as soon as possible.

Serves 1-2

You can get more recipes and information about juicing at www.juicebookinfo.com

 

  So start unwinding from a stressful day with a juice cocktail and see what happens. As you juice your way to more energy and better health, you’ll find that you can handle the stresses of your day with greater ease and emotional stability.  So, what are you waiting for?  Raise a glass that will really make you feel good!