Whether it be fruits, grasses or vegetables, the quickest and best way to getting all the nutrients your body need from these foods is through juicing. This is based from a known fact that juice is absorbed by the body in just 20 minutes.

Unlocking all the nutrients there is in food like minerals, enzymes, vitamins, chlorophyll, co-factors, phytonutrients, anti-oxidants and many others, is best achieved through juicing technique. This is also the best way to cleanse, alkalize and energize one’s body naturally.

There is no better way to achieve optimum health balance than drinking fresh, green and raw vegetable juice.

Now to start your juicing technique, the following are simple steps to get you started.

Simple steps to Juicing

1. Wash and clean your fruits and vegetables thoroughly.
2. You may cut fruits and vegetables into cubes depending on the kind of juicer that you use.
3. For best juicing of green grasses and vegetables, the best juicer is the Breville Juicer.
4. To juice carrots or other harder vegetables as well as soft vegetables like cucumber, you may use the centrifugal juicer. Or you may also opt to use the masticating juicer however it may take a while to juice it and clean the juicer as well.
5. Sort soft fruits and vegetables because this will be the ones that will be juiced first, then the harder types of fruits and veggies like carrots. This technique will help push the softer ones out from the machine.

Juicing Benefits

• Juicing technique helps break down the cell walls of certain foods like carrots and tomatoes making them easier to absorb once it enters the body, this is also true for other fruits and vegetables.
• A known fact is that juice is easily absorbed by the body in just 20 minutes. Your body needs not spend so much energy in digesting food. Juice is also one way to quickly energize the body.
• Juicing is also the best and most efficient way to consume high amounts of green veggies in just minutes. This is also an alternative solution to eating green vegetables if one is not used to eating them.
• Green vegetables contain the highest amount of alkalizing nutrients, minerals and are one of the healthiest foods around, however they’re not always palatable. Through juicing technique, one can enhance the taste of the green veggies by mixing other fruits like apples, oranges, or even carrots.
• Juicing is very easy and quicker to do than cooking or even blending.
• There is no need to wash a mountain of pans because juicers are easy to clean.
• Juicers are also quieter than blenders like Vitamix blender or Blendtec blender. One recommended juicer is the Breville Juicer. There is no worry in waking up your neighbor late at night if you feel like drinking juiced fruits and vegetables.
• There are many recipes that one can make through juicing and it is also easy to use.

Tips To Your Juicing

The Breville Juicer may come expensive but if one realizes the benefits that it can give to the whole family as well as the convenience of having it at home the benefits are really more than what it costs. Keep in mind that when you decide to buy a juicer, think of the health benefits it can offer your whole family and its cost doesn’t really matter at all. When you compare cheap juicers to expensive ones, their quality greatly differs because cheap juicers don’t extract much juice out of fruits and vegetables and it is not economical to have not to mention they are not that effective at juicing hard fruits and vegetables.

Juicing vegetables removes the fiber, in effect this makes the food easier to prepare as well as less economic as compared to blending.

Author’s bio:

Isabelle Ngin is a renowned author and editor for AlkalineFoods.net sharing useful natural and holistic health information about alkalizing your body. You can also get 6 free alkaline health reports and watch the “6 foods never to eat” video from their website too.

Note: When buying lavender to cook with, make sure that you are using a culinary variety. While using the wrong type will not hurt you, it could give your dish an unpleasant taste. After talking with many growers, I have discovered that the best variety to use in cooking is English lavender, also known as lavandula angustifolia.

Lavender-Vanilla Cake

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 Tablespoon lavender
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter and flour one 8″ or 9″ cake pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, lavender and salt.

In the bowl of a mixer (or using a hand-held mixer), mix the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, until they are incorporated.

Add your vanilla to the milk.

Slowly mix in a third of the dry mixture into the batter, followed by half of the milk. Continue in the same manner until the last of the flour is mixed in.

Spread the mixture into your prepared pan and bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan to finish cooling.

* Cake can be frosted or served with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream.

Sound familiar?

You’re not alone; for many of us the allure of the ‘fake fix’ is hard to ignore. Unfortunately succumbing to it poses two problems. Firstly it only dulls reality until the credits roll, and secondly, as soon as they do you’ll invariably feel worse than you did to begin with.

Wouldn’t you rather be excited by the prospect of summer instead of filled with dread at the mere mention of it? This notion isn’t as far-fetched as you might think either. All you need is the desire to change and the willingness to do what it takes.

Start with what you know.

Let’s say you’re 20 pounds overweight and haven’t exercised since you landed that high-flying job in advertising a year ago. You’re obviously no dummy; you know that in order to shed those extra kilos and start feeling good about yourself again all you have to do is take back control of your life.

Easier said than done right? When the simple act of getting up in the morning requires all the effort you can muster, how on earth are you going to summon the energy to exercise?

Here’s the rub, that energy you’re so desperate for will only show up once you start exercising. It’s one of those Catch 22 situations unfortunately. A study at the University of Georgia found overwhelming evidence pointing to regular exercise playing a significant role in increasing energy levels and reducing fatigue.

“A lot of times when people are fatigued the last thing they want to do is exercise,” said professor Patrick O’Connor, co-director of the UGA exercise psychology laboratory. “But if you’re physically inactive and fatigued, being just a bit more active will help.”

Pull on those trainers, we’re going running.

You probably have a million reasons why you can’t go running and I’m happy to listen to every one of them, but only after you’ve given this 12-week program a shot.

Running boasts two really attractive advantages. The first is the runner’s high, that feeling of euphoria brought about by strenuous exercise and the second is that running burns calories like no other sport.

If you’re feeling a little skeptical right now, join the club. I wasn’t convinced either when I first heard about it, but by using this 12-week program as a starting point I went from being a non-runner to half-marathoner in under a year.
photo credit lululemon athletica

The Program

The Shape 10km Challenge will have you running what now seems like an incomprehensibly long distance in just 12 short weeks. Designed by sports scientist Kathy McQuaide of the Sports Science Institute of South Africa (SSISA), this unique and easy to stick to program is aimed at beginners who are currently at a zero fitness level.

Three days a week is all that’s required to get you from zero to 10km hero, and after that it’s a mere hop, skip and a jump to the 21km mark. But I’m getting ahead of myself here, so let’s just focus getting you to that start line shall we.

Some Things to Keep in Mind

Committing is the hardest part. Once you decide you’re going to do this make a promise to yourself that you won’t quit. Tell everyone you know what your goal is; you’d be surprised what an ally your ego can be in these situations.

Don’t be put off by the enormity of the task at hand. Kathy has structured the program in such a way that the first few weeks are more than doable.

That said, you might get to Week 7 or 8 and find that you’ve hit a wall. Push through, that’s just your lizard brain trying to keep you in your comfort zone. I mentioned earlier that running burns calories like no other sport, don’t use that as an excuse to go crazy. Maintaining a healthy body weight is 30% exercise and 70% diet.

Aim to eat 5-6 small meals a day and allow yourself one cheat day a week. But if that’s too much to ask right now, what about sticking to the rules from Monday to Friday and splurging on the weekends?

And finally, having your partner or a friend join you on this mission will obviously help, but don’t let the thought of going solo be the reason you don’t commit.

See you at the start line.

Angela Horn is a Cape Town based freelance writer. She’s an avid runner, semi-militant health nut and keen road-tripper. The majority of her missives are published on Balance & Life. You can follow Angela on Twitter or email her directly.

Cold, creamy fruit smoothies are a favorite morning meal and afternoon treat around our house. The standard recipe we learned always uses some form of dairy such as milk or yogurt as the base.  The other main ingredient in most smoothies is banana.  Banana sweetens up the other ingredients and thickens the smoothie.  But so often after drinking a smoothie I seem to get a mucus build up and sometimes a bloated feeling. Making matters worse, some of the people in my family have an intolerance to both dairy and bananas.

I needed to come up with a recipe that would not include those ingredients, but still be sweet enough without adding sugar.  This recipe satisfies both those criteria.  The magic ingredient here is frozen peaches which are sweet and creamy.  You won’t even miss the dairy or bananas!  Try it for yourself.

Dairy Free Raspberry Smoothie

1 cup frozen peaches
2 peeled oranges
1/2 cup raspberries

Mix all ingredients in a blender until smooth and creamy. Pour into a glass and enjoy. NOTE: If you desire less orange pulp and raspberry seeds in your smoothie follow this tip.  Juice the oranges and raspberry first in a juicer then add to the peaches in the blender. Makes approximately 2 cups.

Both green tea and chocolate can beneficial in skin care.  You may be thinking that chocolate causes acne, but actually pure cocoa powder and dark chocolate contain many properties that can help with the heart, brain and skin.  They contain epicatechins (bioflavanoid antioxidants) similar to those found in green tea.  One cup of green tea contains 10-40mg of flavanoids, while 10% of cocoa powder (by weight) are flavanoids.  These are rapidly absorbed by the body and help reduce the inflammation that causes many skin problems.

You can use both green tea and chocolate at home in your skin care routine.  Here’s an easy and delicious natural facial mask for you to try.

Green Tea Chocolate Facial Mask

Ingredients:

• 1T of green tea
• 2 T cocoa powder or raw cacao powder
• 1 T honey
• 1 teaspoon of oatmeal flour

This mask will not dry out the skin and is good for all skin types.  The honey is anti-bacterial and acts as a humectant, drawing moisture to the skin.  The green tea and chocolate supply antioxidants and astringent properties.  The oatmeal adds a touch of exfoliation and is soothing to sensitive skin.

This recipe makes enough for one application.  It also tastes delicious, so while you’re waiting for the mask to dry you can eat the remaining chocolate mixture and drink the green tea.  Have fun with this natural skin treatment!

I must admit that I don’t have a sweet tooth but on occasion when I crave something sweet I can’t find anything in my kitchen. That’s when I have to bake something and quick. These raisin bran muffins are easy to make and help my sugar craving but the best thing about it is that when making them fresh, I can control the amount of sugar that goes in them. These are delicious and healthy. Try them!

Vegan Raisin Bran Muffins

Ingredients:
• 2 tablespoons of ground flax with 6 tablespoons of water, mixed until gelatinous (serves as egg replacement)
• 1 cup of plain soy yogurt
• 1/2 cup of vegan butter
• 1/4 cup of agave (or any sweetener)
• 1/2 cup of unprocessed wheat bran
• 1 cup of bran cereal
• 1 cup of all purpose baking flour
• 1/2 cup of raisins
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder

Instructions:
1. Begin by pre-heating the over to 400 °F
2. Combine liquids (flax mix, yogurt, melted butter, agave) and whisk together
3. Add unprocessed wheat bran and bran cereal to mix and stir
4. In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, raisins)
5. Combine wet and dry ingredients together and pour on buttered muffin pan or cupcake cups

Tips: you can enjoy them with vegan cream cheese or your favorite jam
Makes 4-6 large muffins
ENJOY!

Chia seeds contain the largest amount of nutrients in the smallest amount of calories.  They contain generous amounts of calcium, protein, fiber, antioxidants, and omega 3 fatty acids.  They help reduce inflammation in the body and they “bulk up” the foods in the colon to help cleanse and keep you regular.

Their are many claims for the powers of chia seeds.  They are said to boost strength, energy, and endurance as well as stabilize blood sugar levels.   For these reasons chia seeds have been recommended as beneficial for arthritis, diabetes, weight loss and athletes.

Chia Facts

• Chia is the richest plant source of omega-3 fatty acids
• Chia has no cholesterol
• Chia is gluten free
• Chia contains all nine of the essential amino acids (making it a complete protein)
• Chia can be stored for years
• Chia is a sustainable and environmentally friendly product

Chia is quickly being touted as a superfood because in comparison to other foods sources it holds some very impressive properties.

Nutritional Comparisons

• two times the protein of other seeds and grains
• five times the calcium of milk, plus boron, which is a trace mineral that helps transfer calcium into your bones
• two times the amount of potassium as bananas
• three times more antioxidant activity than blueberries
• three times more iron than spinach

Chia History

Chia seeds were essentially re-discovered in 1991 by Dr Wayne Coates when he was looking for a profitable crop to cultivate in Argentina.  It had been suppressed by the Conquistadors for around 500 years because the Aztecs often used chia in their tribal religious ceremonies.  There is evidence that the seeds were used as food as early as 3500 B.C. Chia was eaten alone, grounded as a flour or mixed into drinks.  The Mayans and Incans are also reported to have used chia.

Uses for Chia Seeds

Chia seeds have very little taste and can easily be incorporated into food you already eat.  You may sprinkle them on salads, bake them in muffins, mix them into smoothies, or simply stir them into water with some lime and sugar (agua fresca de chia).  Because chia seed absorb liquids so well it will create a gel when added to water.

The basic recipe for this is 1/3 cup chia seeds to 2 cups water.  Set in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to create a nice gel.  You can mix any healthy ingredients into the gel such as bananas, strawberries for a healthy snack.  The chia gel itself will keep for up to three weeks this way, but I’m sure you’ll love the taste so much that you will use it much more quickly than that.

I’ve been eating chia seeds for breakfast with some bananas and vanilla.  It’s so delicious I can hardly believe I’m eating healthy.  And another great bonus is that my kids will eat it too.

Chia seeds can be purchased online or at your local health food store.  Give them a try and let us know how you like to eat them in the comments below.

Information Sources:
Dr. Wayne Coates
Huffington Post

Oil pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic healing technique that has been passed down from generation to generation.  The process simply involves swishing a vegetable oil around in your mouth for several minutes each day.  It may sound silly, but the practice continues today because of consistent and ongoing claims of improved health and healing.  Testimonials include whiter teeth and removal of plaque to cures of chronic diseases and even cancer.

It All Starts in the Mouth

Did you know that about 75-80% of Americans have gum disease and in many cases there are no noticeable symptoms.  Gum disease poses serious health risk and is linked to the following conditions:

• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Respiratory illness
• Diabetes
• Alzheimer’s
• Heart Disease

Bacterial infections in the mouth can easily spread throughout the body through swallowing and even from being absorbed through the cell walls in the mouth.  The bacteria can enter the digestive tract and/or bloodstream and create inflammation throughout the body as well as lower the body’s immune function.

How is it possible that oil pulling (or swishing) in the mouth can help diseases in other parts of the body?  Since most oils have antibacterial properties the oil pulling process works to kill the bacteria in the mouth.

In a survey conducted in 1996 by the Indian newspaper, Andhra Jyoti, 89% reported that the practice cured one or more diseases.  Some of the common diseases reported to be cured were misc pains, allergies, digestive problems, arthritis, heart disease, and diabetes.  Only 11% reported no cure.

Even the US government has published several studies on its website on the benefits of oil pulling.  Oil pulling showed significant reduction of  Streptococcus in the plaque and saliva of study participants.  It studies concluded that oil pulling can be used as a preventative tool  in maintaining and improving oral health.

Works for Me

I’ve been oil pulling for a couple of months now (almost every day).  After just the first day I noticed my teeth were whiter and continue to be so.  Note:  Don’t expect your teeth to be bleach white bright, but rather a natural and healthy looking white.   A couple of weeks into this routine I visited the dentist and she commented on how nice my gums looked!

The Process

Find a good quality, preferably organic oil.  References suggest using coconut, sesame, or olive oil.

First thing in the morning (on an empty stomach) put one tablespoon of oil into the mouth and slowly swish it around in your mouth.  Continue moving the oil through your teeth and around your entire mouth for 20 minutes.  Do not gargle. Afterward, spit the mixture out into the garbage.  Rinse your mouth with water a few times.  You may then brush your teeth if you like.

Information Sources

http://drsarahlarsen.com/organic-health/oil-pulling/
http://www.jonbarron.org/detox/nl110404/oil-pulling-strong-immunity
government study references http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19336860  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18408265  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21525674

image source VeganBaking.net via flickr

Body scrubs help the skin to regenerate by increasing circulation and exfoliating the dead skin cells from the epidermis (top layer) of the skin.  You can have this done in a day spa, purchase a pre-made scrub at your local drugstore or you can make your own body scrub at home.  The advantage of making your own scrub is that it usually costs less and you can use fresh, natural ingredients.

The main ingredient responsible for the exfoliation in this recipe is sea salt.   Unrefined sea salt is preferred for its rich content of minerals.  Natural plant oils moisturize and protect the skin for a soft, smooth glow.  Try this citrus sea salt scrub and pamper yourself today.

Citrus Sea Salt Scrub

Ingredients

1/2 cup fine sea salt
3 Tablespoons coarse sea salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1/3 cup apricot oil (or any light carrier oil such as almond, grapeseed, jojoba)
6-8 drops bergamot essential oil (optional)
6-8 drops grapefruit essential oil (optional)

1 half-pint jar

Directions

Use a citrus zester to grate the outer peeling from the citrus fruits.  Set aside.  Measure salts into a bowl.  Add zest and mix together.  Pour half of the carrier oil into the salt mixture and stir.  Keep adding the rest of the oil until you reach a desired consistency.   Optional:  add essential oils.  Check to make sure your essential oil bottles have plastic tips

To Use

This body scrub works well in the bath or the shower.  Hydrate the skin. With clean fingers or a spoon, scoop about a tablespoon of salt scrub out of the jar.  Close lid to keep water from entering the jar.  Apply the scrub to the skin, rubbing gently in a circular motion.  Use on the body, especially elbows, knees, and heels.  Do not use on the face as the scrub is too harsh.  Rinse the body and pat dry with a clean towel.

I used glass jars for this body scrub because they look pleasing and are re-usable.   However there is always a chance of breaking the glass.  If you don’t want to worry about glass jars in your shower, look for wide mouth plastic jars at your local natural health store or perhaps even a discount store.

Enjoy your at-home natural spa treatment.

First find a plot of land in a sunny location.   You may have to mark out the area and check it throughout the day to determine if there is enough sun.  About six hours of sunlight is recommended.  A smaller garden may be ideal for the first time gardener, but it may be a good idea to have enough room to have access from more than one side or perhaps have extra space in case you decide to one day expand.

Herbs require adequate drainage.  To check the drainage of your proposed location, dig a hole approximately one foot wide by two feet deep.  Fill it with water.  Most of the water should be gone after one hour.  If the area is not draining well you can create a raised bed to help solve the problem.

Next you’ll need to check the condition of your soil.  Proper soil is nearly neutral pH and has a consistency between clay and sand.   To adjust the consistency you’ll need to add humus such as compost or peat moss.  I’ll explain the process a bit later.  As for pH, if you don’t already know what type of soil you have you can collect a sample and take it to your local nursery to be analyzed.

On the next step you’ll begin to see your garden take shape, literally.  Start by placing some visual markers  around the intended garden area.   This will help you visualize the space and ensure that you are digging in the correct spot.  Remove the surface grass with a shovel and discard as you normally discard grass.  Then dig down about 6 -10 inches into the top soil removing the dirt as you go.  Set the top soil aside on a tarp because you will be putting it back into the garden later.  Dig down another 6-10 inches and set that dirt on a separate tarp.  If your soil needs adjustments,  you can add humus or pH balancers and mix into the removed earth.  Return the top soil to the garden bed and then the sub soil.  You may find that the soil is now raised above the ground level so you might need to add edging to the perimeter of your herb garden.

Some herbs are easily grown from seed while others will survive better from transplanting of small seedling plants.  For this article I will be describing how to transplant seedlings.  When buying herb plants look for healthy specimens, around 3-5 inches tall, that are compact and not too top heavy.    Prepare a hole that is large enough to fit the transplant.  Slide the herb out of its pot and try not to disturb the roots.  Set the herb into the hole and fill back in with soil, pressing to firm the soil.  Leave a depression in soil and water immediately.  Generally, herbs will only require watering when the soil surface feels dry.  Be careful not to overwater.

Home herb gardens will require some aftercare and maintenance including weeding and pest control as well as watering and harvesting, but the rewards are well worth the effort.