Better health.

Dandelion

Hello forum

I went vegetarian in August, it's early days but so far so good.. not missing meat at all. My dairy and carb intake is still too high though, and for my health I need to lower those. I don't have any health problems at the moment, and I'm keen to do my best to keep it that way. So, I am going to start introducing some raw juice drinks into my diet. A healthy oaty breakfast, then for lunch a juice drink, and dinner a smaller portion than I usually have of a vegetarian cooked meal. I am about 1.5 stone overweight and the tummy area is FAT. Its not good, folks! Since i hit my 30s ive been slowly packing on the pounds, especially round the middle. So a bit of a detox, with a view to a long term dietary change is in order. Can anyone recommend a great book or website on juices using raw veg, fruits, spices, herbs? There is SO MUCH info on the net; which juices have you tried that are really nice? I don't like raw tomatoes, rocket, they make me gag. It's got to taste good, you know! I'll update this thread with the good, yummy juice recipes I come across too. Let's get healthier!

Lee82

I've got a great juice book and really should use it more. Its called Totally... Juice: healthy drinks to boost or relax, by Judith Millidge.

It talks through different food types and food facts and the benefits to your body. Then has loads and loads of different juice drink mixes for high energy, stress busting, feel good, all round health, specific health issues, detox etc. Recommended.

edit: just got the book off the shelf and flicked through it, there are so many things I'd love o make right now if only I had the ingredients in the house! It has vegetable ones and fruit ones. Think a trip to the supermarket will be called for in the next few days.

federica

Fast for two days a week.
It's extremely good for you and I have lost nearly 2 stone since mid-June.
Look at this link.

http://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/

And it's 'fast' as in abstaining from food' not 'get thin quick'....

Don't take my word for it, research this for yourself.

I am the most dreadful cynic, and the worst critic of 'faddy diets which promise everything and deliver nothing'.

But this changed my view of food for good, and I have a new and better relationship with food and with myself.

And - get this: I eat what I want.
I never restrict myself or force myself to give up/abstain/sacrifice my tastes.

I just fast 2 days a week.
Whichever days I want.
Sometimes from 10.00am one day, to 10.00 the next....

I heartily recommend it.
Oh and yeah: I'm a veggie too.

Dandelion

Thanks @Lee82 I'm going to check that out.

Dandelion

@federica I watched a bbc documentary about fasting not that long ago, quite compelling. How do you deal with the raging hunger though? Or do you not get that anymore as your body has adapted? Will check out the link, thank you.

blu3ree

i blend because juicers can be pricey. i like to mix kale broccoli carrots walnuts/almonds with a splash or orange juice. if you like add cinnamon honey (after you have juiced) lime lemons banana strawberries blueberries watermelon really any fruit will help it taste good and they mix very well with any vegetable. (or at least in my biased opinion idc about the "taste" as long as its nutritional ill try it at least once).

as for fat burners ginger, flax, and dandelion. also powdered flax is great especially the kind that is created in a cold mill so as to not kill off the beneficial bacteria. maybe some milk thistle to help your liver.

cayenne pepper helps metabolize food but may not be very good in a juicer but for your other meals.

federica

Dandelion said:

@federica I watched a bbc documentary about fasting not that long ago, quite compelling. How do you deal with the raging hunger though? Or do you not get that anymore as your body has adapted? Will check out the link, thank you.

There IS no raging hunger - and there never was.
Don't worry - I was surprised too.
But providing you maintain a healthy intake of 500 calories on a fast day (basically protein and plants, no carbs.....) you'll be fine.
I usually have a couple of boiled eggs, with maybe some steamed carrot sticks and a little salt, for breakfast, and then for dinner, a piece of steamed fish, a little olive oil, and a green salad, or steamed beans...

I purchased the Diet book (UK version) and the recipe book too.
The book itself is highly educational, informative, educated and non-sensationalist. In other words, it's honest and grounded in fact....
The recipe book is yummy!!

federica

To add, I also use 'myfitnesspal' online. It's a way of keeping tabs on foods and calorie intake. It's a way of maintaining a diary and keeping a record of the food I consume. It has been useful in that I have become more conscious of the QUALITY and value of the foods I eat.
As I've said, I eat better, because i really want to.
Not because it's what I should do, or because it's part of a regime.

And as I said, I can splurge and have 'naughty' foods if I want to.
There are no constraints, prohibitions or no-no's here.
Everything you do, is because you know it feels right, it works and you feel better for it.

Dandelion

@federica it's the same man in the doc I watched. Really interesting site, will have a more thorough read through it all during the week.
@blu3ree thanks for the tips... all noted down!

Daiva

The best raw detox/juicing book i've come across and that i pretty much have lived by for the past seven years is by Nathalia Rose. Her first book makes sense, the ones that followed became a little "new agey". I am 47 yrs olds and run about 25 miles a week and climb mountains. I'd say i'm in the best shape i've ever been and this book is one of the reasons why.
This is all you need:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Raw-Food-Detox-Diet/dp/0060834374/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1379282807&sr=8-4&keywords=natalia+rose

karasti

I looked into juicing but opted for a high powered blender instead. In juicing, you lose most the fiber and some of the other good things in the fruits and veggies. Not to mention it takes a LOT of some things to make juice. I personally can't afford to go through a whole bag of carrots for every glass of juice.
I don't really follow recipes, I just make sure to add veggies to all my blended smoothies. A typical one will be, strawberries, peach or orange, with plain greek yogurt (for the protein), coconut milk, and a generous handful of greens-swiss chard, beet greens, spinach, kale, or whatever. I have at least one a day, sometimes 2. You can make more entirely green smoothies but I prefer to add fruit to cut the grassy taste, lol. Green apple is a good one to add if you are going to use a lot of greens. I use carrots, grapes, all sorts of berries, chia seeds, protein powder, peanut butter, nutella, all sorts of things. When fruit is in season and on sale, I freeze it (we have a vacuum sealer) for smoothies, I cut it up before hand, then freeze it to have for many months later. Works quite well.

But you do want to make sure that you eat cruciferous veggies cooked as well as raw. You miss out on things when you only eat them raw. I add tore up kale leaves to my oven potatoes, to my asparagus, and so on.

blu3ree

ooo also coconut oil is great to cook with it is high in saturated fats but they are healthy fats and the body can easily break down. little off topic but you can also add it to juices i suppose.

for more health tips id reccomend these sites onegreenplanet.org and http://www.doctoroz.com/

ysmael

check this one out
http://juicerecipes.com/ :thumbup:

blu3ree

here are some tea that will help, obviously a little off topic but more the marry right? http://www.doctoroz.com/slideshow/health-benefits-tea?gallery=true&page=6

Dandelion

Guys, thanks so much. Very helpful indeed. @federica I did a 500cal fast today. It was not too bad at all for a foodie! Also, ordered the relevant recipe book. It might be something I could do long term. I remember watching the doc ages ago, quite compelling evidence to health benefits. I certainly do not want to end up dead in my 50s like my parents, so the appetite for better long term health is priority.

@Daiva ... mountains and all those miles every week.... Wow! Good for you! Will check out the book recommendation, thank you.

@blu3ree I have a jar of coconut oil in the cupboard. Not much good collecting dust though, is it!
And tea... I love tea...

@karasti yes good point. Don't want to be loosing the goodness. Husband has a blender, so I will use that, rather than pay out money for a new fancy gadget. I'm sure juice drinks can easily be adapted for the blender too.

Fab website @ysmael I just noticed the section for health conditions.. might be suggesting a few of these out to ppl I know with various ailments.

If I feel I can stick to a 5:2 diet, then the juicing/blending might come in handy for fasting days. We shall see.

Lots to explore, and try

blu3ree

can also put coconut oil on your skin to use as sunscreen or to cleanse it on my jar it says how to use as a hair wash/body wash.

also something i just remembered is wheat grass especially with a juicer o goodness its amazing what wheat grass can do.