Resolution No. 12

resolution no.12

Resolution No. 12

Stop Smoking and Drinking Alcohol

In continuation of our Twelve resolutions today we will share Resolution No. 12. I will stop smoking, alcohol, and also control the intake of Tea as well as coffee”.

It has been discovered that both chronic smoking and drinking together cause linked and unlinked injuries to the brain. These are both functional and neurobiological injuries. This is bad news for alcoholics, as they usually not only drink in excess; they often smoke in excess as well.

It has been proven beyond a doubt that drinking and smoking respectively damage the body’s organs, systems, and the brain. It has also been demonstrated that quitting one or the other will help the body to heal itself, although the extent of the healing has not been fully discovered yet. When one drinks in excess and smokes cigarettes as well, the effects on the brain and the body are exponentially increased.

Heavy drinkers and smokers are much more aware of the effects as mentioned earlier than ever before. They, also, have been known to request help with both of these problems, and many in recovery express dismay at still having addictions even though they have quit drinking.

In fact, many people who have successfully quit smoking find themselves picking up the habit again the minute they pick up a drink. Luckily, you don’t have to fight a losing battle. There is a myriad of ways to tackle the issue of drinking while you are trying to quit smoking.

For some people who are trying to quit smoking, alcohol (like coffee or stress) can be a trigger to smoke. Drinking can also lower one’s inhibitions, making it harder to stick to your quit plan. This is why many experts advise limiting the use of alcohol during your quit journey.

Because smoking and drinking are so often done at the same time, researchers have tried to understand how alcohol can impact quit attempts. In a 2013 study of young adult smokers, 80 percent of those that tried to quit reported that drinking alcohol made it harder. In another survey of ex-smokers, 47 percent said that drinking alcohol led them to a slip- up.

With some education about what to expect when we quit and a few tools to help us along, all can find the freedom dreamt so much of, a life that no longer includes thoughts of drinking/smoking or the smallest twinge of desire.

Misconceptions about the nature of addiction and the process of quitting can set you who are trying to quit up for failure. Build a strong quit program by educating yourself about what to expect when you stop drinking / smoking.

Learning about common pitfalls puts you in the best position to avoid them and finally become smoke-free.

Click here for The Truth about what Alcohol does to your body –

When someone starts out drinking, he or she feels relaxed, confident, happy, sociable… The pleasurable effects of alcohol are undeniable. It makes it easy to forget about the negative effects: slowed reflexes, reduced coordination, warped thinking, poor judgment, impaired memory, impaired motor functions, and plenty more impairments.

Over time, the body becomes damaged from drinking… more damaged than you probably know. In fact, alcohol can cause several types of cancer. Aside from bodily harm, alcohol use has been linked to depression, anxiety, societal withdrawal, violent behavior, an increase in unprotected sex, and increased risk of motor vehicle accidents, suicide, injury, domestic violence, and even drowning.

Let’s discover the truth about what alcohol does to the human body.

  1. From the first Sip – When alcohol is consumed, around 33% of it gets absorbed immediately into the blood, through the stomach lining. The remaining alcohol is absorbed more slowly into the blood, through the small intestine. Once in the bloodstream, alcohol diffuses into almost every biological tissue in the body, because cell membranes are highly permeable. Right from the first sip, alcohol affects the body. Starting with the brain, what follows is an explanation of the effects alcohol has on various parts of the body.
  2. Brain – The amount of damage alcohol causes to the brain is incomprehensible. Those little moments you don’t remember from the crazy night before – that’s temporary amnesia. Keep it up and you can develop Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome (WKS), a memory-impairing, vision-and-speech-affecting, seizure-causing disorder. You won’t be able to form new memories. You’ll mumble involuntarily. Your eyes will twitch constantly.
  3. Liver – Your liver is where alcohol gets metabolized if and when you drink more than one drink per hour, on average. The liver turns alcohol into something called acetaldehyde, which is toxic and can cause cancer. Excessive drinking, especially with alcoholic hepatitis, can also lead to cirrhosis. Cirrhosis of the liver happens when liver cells become so damaged that they cannot regenerate. Once cirrhosis has occurred, if a person does not stop drinking, they will experience liver failure which is extremely fatal. Liver cancer is a common outcome of drinking with cirrhosis.
  4. Stomach – Alcohol does two bad things to your stomach. One is that it makes the stomach produce more acid than usual, which can cause gastritis, and two is that alcohol creates irritation and inflammation in the stomach lining, which can lead to ulcers and bleeding of the stomach. If and when the stomach lining becomes torn, it can lead to anemia.
  5. Breast – Alcohol consumption raises the risk of breast cancer. Research suggests that even so much as one drink a day may increase of person’s risk for breast cancer. Estrogen levels are raised when alcohol is consumed, and an increased estrogen level is a risk factor for developing breast cancer.
  6. Pancreas – Excessive alcohol use is a common cause of pancreatitis or inflammation of the pancreas, and it is a major risk factor for pancreatic cancer. Heavy drinking also impairs the pancreas’ ability to produce insulin, which can lead to diabetes.
  7. Heart – When alcohol is consumed, it raises blood pressure and blood lipids. This increases the risk of heart attack, hypertension, raised cholesterol, and stroke. Heavy drinking can be very hard on the heart. It causes cardiomyopathy, which is the stretching and drooping of the heart muscle. It causes myocarditis, which is inflammation of the heart muscle, and it also causes arrhythmia, which is an irregular heartbeat.
  8. Bones – Excessive drinking can accelerate the rate of bone deterioration and increase the risk of bone fracture and osteoporosis. Calcium is necessary from strong, dense bones and when alcohol is consumed it acts as a diuretic and flushes calcium from the bones making them weaker and more susceptible to fracture.
  9. Central Nervous System – Alcohol affects the central nervous system, causing many short-term effects like slurred speech, blurred vision, weakened muscles, decreased reaction time, and impaired memory. When alcohol is consumed excessively, it can cause cell damage in the central nervous system, creating a condition known as neuropathy. Neuropathy causes alternating feelings of weakness, burning, pain, and numbness in the feet and hands.
  10. Colon – Alcohol is not friendly to the body. While your mind may find its effects fun, your body does not. Hangovers are still not completely understood by science, which cannot be good. Blackouts are extremely common and are actually bouts of amnesia. Alcohol poisoning is rampant, and more than ten types of cancer can be caused by excessive drinking.

 

            “ALCOHOL Temporary Fun with Permanent consequences”

Impatience

It is a natural tendency to quit smoking and expect to be over it within a month. That would be nice (very nice!), but it doesn’t work that way.

Smoking cessation is a process, not an event.

When we quit smoking, we’re letting go of a habit that most have carried for many years, if not all of the adult lives. It’s only fair to expect that breaking down the old associations that tied to smoking and replacing them with new, healthier habits will take some time.

Sit back, relax, and think of time as one of your best quit buddies. The more time you put between you and that last cigarette you smoked, the stronger you’ll become. Have patience with yourself, and with the process.

Click here for Alcohol as a Trigger for Smoking

Celebrations and social situations that involve alcohol are well known to trigger nicotine cravings, making these potentially risky times for people trying to quit.

Tips and Tricks for Alcohol Smoking Triggers

While alcohol-related situations can be difficult to manage, put together some tricks to help you minimize the risks to your quit smoking attempt.

  • Stop or decrease your alcohol intake. If possible, this is the best approach – even for a little while. At an event, you could switch to non-alcoholic drinks, or try alternating alcoholic with non-alcoholic ones.
    Imagine if you were trying to stay away from something else, like chocolate – you’d probably avoid having it in the house in the beginning, rather than keeping it in full view where you’re likely to be tempted by it. It’s the same principle with alcohol – so avoidance is best to start with.
  • Get your smoker friends to help. If you know one or more of your smoking friends will be at an upcoming social event, ask them to agree not to give you a cigarette – even if a craving results in you asking for one! The trick is to arrange this before the event.
  • Get your non-smoker friends to help. Prior to an event, If one of your non-smoking friends is attending too, ask them to keep an eye out for you to ensure you don’t give in to any cravings – you could even ask them to take a cigarette away from you if you succumb to temptation.
  • Create a smoke-free zone at home. If you live with a smoker, make sure cigarettes aren’t easily accessible to you in the home (you might need to make an agreement with them).
  • Use Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT). NRT products can help reduce your cravings. But remember that drinking while using an oral NRT product will reduce the absorption rate and therefore the effectiveness – a good excuse to skip drinks!
  • During the first few weeks of your quit journey, you may want to stay away from bars and social events that involve alcohol and smoking. Turn to your circle of supporters to help plan fun activities that don’t necessarily involve alcohol and smoking, such as a movie, a board game night, or a game of frisbee in the park.
  • Try out some non-alcoholic beverages, such as juice or cold drinks. If you’re watching your calories, unsweetened iced tea and seltzer with a slice of lemon are good alternatives.
  • If you’re at a party and others nearby are smoking, be prepared to excuse yourself to go to the bathroom, take a walk outside or find a private corner and reach out to a supporter on the Quitter’s Circle app.
  • Have sugarless gum, toothpicks, hard candy or a lollipop available to cope with cravings.
  • If you know you have an alcohol-related social event coming up, invite one of your supporters to join you and help you stick to your quit plan.

It’s important to be aware that these methods aren’t foolproof or realistic for everyone. However, they might give you some ideas for what might work for you when you’re trying to avoid smoking triggers.

 

Click here for How to stop Smoking and Drinking

Part I – Committing to Quit

  1. Write down how alcohol and tobacco affect you. Having a written record of the negative effects of alcohol and tobacco will serve as a constant reminder of why you have chosen to quit. Keep it in a place you can reference it easily.
  • Reflect on any decreased physical or mental health as a result of tobacco and alcohol. Have you gained weight or decreased fitness as a result of using? Do you become angry without alcohol, or anxious without tobacco?
  • Many people choose to quit addictions because they feel sick and tired of feeling sick and tired, and engaging the addiction is more draining than the positive effects of the substance.
  • Consider how tobacco and alcohol interfere with your relationships and social life.
  • Think of financial costs alcohol and tobacco cost you.
  1. Find your triggers. Use a notebook to record the times throughout the day you smoke or drink alcohol. Record what feelings or situations preceded using alcohol and tobacco. Avoid situations that may trigger you in the future.
  • A trigger could be getting into an argument with your family or something not going well at work.
  • Because alcohol and nicotine are highly correlated substances, one can trigger the other. For example, if you begin drinking, you may want to have a cigarette.

3. Set goals. Be clear on whether you want to stop altogether or slowly taper your use. While some     may want to quit for social or health reasons, others may want to quit due to medical reasons or because they have an addiction. Reflect on your reasons and then choose your goals. If you are an  alcoholic, it is best to cut alcohol out altogether and not taper it down.

  • People who smoke have a much harder time quitting alcohol and also tend to relapse more than people who do not smoke.
  • Set goals that include concurrently quitting both nicotine and alcohol together.
  • Write down a date for each goal to solidify the commitment.

Part II – Preparing for change –  

  1. Get rid of all addictive substances in the house. Throw away all the cigarettes and pour alcoholic drinks down the sink. Ask the other members of your household to support you in keeping your home free of alcohol and tobacco products, so that you can avoid temptation on a daily basis.
  2. Trash anything that reminds you of smoking or drinking. Don’t hold onto your favorite lighter, your flask, or your shot glasses. A big lifestyle change like this is best maintained if you avoid seeing constant reminders of your old habits.
  3. Avoid places where people smoke or drink. Being near places where smoking and drinking are encouraged can be dangerous when you are trying to quit. Avoid bars and other places where alcohol and tobacco are likely to be used. Sit in the nonsmoking sections of restaurants and choose non-smoking hotel rooms
  1. Take a break from people who regularly drink/smoke. Surrounding yourself with people that engage in behaviors you are trying to avoid can be tempting. Explain to them that you are removing the substances from your life and will no longer engage in activities that revolve around drinking or smoking. Create distance from people who will not support you in your desire to be free from alcohol and tobacco.
  1. Avoid high-risk situations. High-risk situations can include feeling lonely, tired, angry, and hungry. These situations can leave you feeling vulnerable and more prone to use alcohol or tobacco. Be aware of when you feel you may be approaching any of these situations and learn to prevent them from starting.
  • Make sure you get enough sleep, eat throughout the day, and don’t isolate yourself socially to avoid these high-risk situations. If you feel anger coming on, remind yourself to relax and let it pass without depending on alcohol and cigarettes.  

Part III –  Coping with Cravings :  

  1. Replace using alcohol and tobacco with more positive options. Remember that using alcohol and tobacco provides positive reinforcement because they help you cope with stress and tension. Try to pinpoint what positive aspects you experience as a result of using alcohol and tobacco, and brainstorm different outlets to obtain the same release. Coping can include relaxation and deep breathing, talking to a friend, or taking a walk.
  1. Join an exercise program. Exercise often helps reduce withdrawal symptoms, and it gives you something to do when you get a craving. Exercise also helps reduce daily stress. Consider going for a bike ride, doing yoga, walking the dog, or jumping rope.
  1. Enjoy a new hobby. Adding a new hobby can help you focus your energy positively and add a sense of meaning to your life.  Try something new that looks fun and interesting. New hobbies can include surfing, knitting, writing, or learning to play the guitar.
  1. Distract yourself. If you get a craving or experience minor withdrawal, use distraction until the urge passes. Distract your mind and your body. If you get a craving, chew on gum, talk a walk, open a window, or begin a new activity.
  1. Find ways to relax. Relaxation is key to recovery. Mounting tension can lead to relapse. If you don’t feel like you have time to relax, think about the time you spend engaging with alcohol and tobacco, and replace it with relaxation. Activities such as taking a walk, reading, and meditation can be effective ways to relax.
  1. Allow yourself some other treats. Everyone needs some vices in life – just make them healthier ones overall. Indulge in a little ice-cream every now and then, or buy some fizzy drinks with lots of carbonation. While staying healthy is important, give yourself a little leeway so that you don’t feel denied all the indulgences that you used to enjoy.
  1. Stay focused. The better you cope with cravings the lesser your chance of relapsing. People who quit smoking and drinking at the same time tend to experience less severe withdrawal and face lower relapse risk.

Part IV – Coping with Withdrawal :  

  1. Observe withdrawal symptoms. When ceasing alcohol or tobacco, the body may experience withdrawal without continued use. Withdrawal symptoms from tobacco and alcohol can include anxiety, depression, fatigue, headache, nausea, shaking, stomach cramps, and elevated heart rate.
  1. Monitor withdrawal. While tobacco withdrawal can be unpleasant on both body and emotions, alcohol withdrawal can be dangerous. The severity of alcohol withdrawal symptoms varies by how much you drink, for how long, and your condition of health. Some symptoms can start within hours after drinking, peak within days, and improve within the week.
  • Alcohol withdrawal can lead to symptoms that cause severe mental and neurological problems. This may include body tremors, agitation, restlessness, fear, hallucinations, and seizures. Seek medical attention if you experience these symptoms.
  • If you are a long-term and heavy drinker, consider a medically supervised detox.
  1. Seek medication intervention. While no prescription medication exists to concurrently treat alcohol and nicotine together, interventions exist to treat alcohol dependence and nicotine addiction.
  • Prescription medication can be used to treat alcohol dependence, including the use of naltrexone, acamprosate, and disulfiram. These medications can help with withdrawal symptoms and relapse.
  • Choose a method for nicotine withdrawal. While some people quit “cold turkey”, others choose to taper off nicotine exposure in order to reduce withdrawal symptoms. Many options are available for nicotine replacement such as gum, a patch, nasal sprays and prescription medications (such as bupropion) while your body adjusts to lower levels of nicotine.

Part V – Engaging in treatment : 

  1. Find a therapist. It’s hard to beat addiction on your own, and a therapist can be a consistent source of accountability and support. Working with a therapist can include discussing emotional triggers, finding coping strategies, preventing relapse, and digging deeper to understand the emotional causes of addiction
  • Staying consistent with therapy is important, especially for addressing relapse prevention.
  • Addiction can coexist or contribute to psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder. Together with therapy, prescription medications may treat concurrent psychiatric disorders that contribute to addiction.
  1. Obtain a medical evaluation.A medical evaluation can help pinpoint how cigarettes and alcohol have affected your body. Work with a medical professional to help improve your bodily health. They can also offer prescription medication to lower nicotine dependence.
  • Both alcohol and nicotine can seriously harm your body. Be honest with your medical doctor and request tests to assess the health of your liver, heart, kidneys, and lungs.
  1. Seek inpatient treatment.If you fear you cannot quit on your own, consider a recovery facility. An intensive treatment facility can help you address the physical and emotional challenges of addiction and quitting in a supervised and supportive setting. A program can help you decide how to detox and will monitor your physical and emotional state as you come down from alcohol and nicotine. Treatment programs include intense medical and psychological supervision.
  • Treatment often includes intense individual and group therapy that targets mental health conditions. Medication may be prescribed to treat and monitor psychiatric disorders while in treatment.

Part VI – Seeking Support : 

  1. Enlist the help of supportive friends and relatives.You’re more likely to stop drinking and smoking if you seek support from those around you. Ask them to support you by not drinking and smoking around you.
  1. Find accountability.If you have other friends who are looking to quit drinking and smoking too, make a pact for healthier choices. Check-in with each other daily and hold each other accountable for your choices.
  1. Find local support groups.Reach out to smoke-free groups, such as smoke-free Alcoholics Anonymous and other support groups, like Nicotine Anonymous. Talking about your efforts in a supportive environment with people who share similar experiences can make all the difference in your attempts to quit.
  1. Live in a sober living community. If you are concerned about living with people who may trigger your alcohol or nicotine use, consider finding a sober house that bans alcohol and nicotine. All individuals living in a sober house agree to live sober and create an accountable community for each other.

ON Quitting What Happens

This brings us to the matter of quitting drinking and smoking. Although results are still unclear at this point, it has been shown that the brain and body can improve at least a little when someone quits. The younger the person, the greater the chances are for healing. A major problem in the area of stopping drinking is that most former drinkers still smoke. It is one of the few things that they can still enjoy, many of them believe, and a cigarette can briefly calm anxiety and quiet cravings for alcohol.

Alcohol has long been deemed the bigger demon of the two habits, and for a long time, most were encouraged to put down the drink and not immediately to worry about putting down the cigarette. For many years, the dangers of cigarettes were kept secret. Then, as research became available that points to the many ills that they cause, patients were encouraged to quit. However, if the patient was a heavy drinker or an alcoholic, the stress of quitting cigarettes was believed not to be worth the stress that it would cause the patient who was quitting drinking. This is no longer the case. Heart damage is one of the chief causes of danger to the body from smoking, and other dangers are numerous cancers, arterial structure weakening, and higher blood pressure.

Many smokers now have no choice but to quit when they enter treatment for alcoholism, as most treatment and rehab centers have become non-smoking. It has been found that it may prove beneficial, including in the long run, for a drinker to cut off the sauce and stub out the cigarette at the same time. Heavy drinking has already damaged the drinker’s body, and continuing to smoke will only increase the damages done, in addition to creating new ones.

Click here for Advantages of quitting Smoking and Alcohol

  1. You will feel the benefits straight away –
  • Psychologically, removing those crutches may be hard to start with, but you won’t have to wait long to start feeling the health benefits of zero-tobacco and no (or much less) alcohol.
  • After just eight hours of having your last cigarette, your nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in your blood will reduce by more than half. You’ll breathe more easily, and have more oxygen circulating in your system, which will leave you feeling more healthy and energetic too.
  • And alcohol is a depressant, even if it gives you an artificial ‘high’ while you’re having a drink. So when you do cut down or go tee-total, you’ll get a sense of being on a more even keel. It’s also quite common to see that you’re sleeping better, or that you have lost a bit of weight too.  
  1. You can start enjoying your food more –
  • After two days of giving up smoke and alcohol, your body will be completely free of nicotine – and you’re unlikely to have that ‘hangover’ feeling, too.
  • What’s more, while you may not notice it while you’re a smoker, the chemicals and toxins in nicotine products have a habit of dulling your sense of taste and smell. Stop smoking and you can start enjoying your food again!

3. Your Lung capacity will improve –

  • If you manage to go without a cigarette for a couple of months, you’re bound to notice some more significant differences to your body. For a start, your lung capacity will improve – allowing you to take deeper breaths and making it easier to participate in exercise and strenuous activity.
  • And after you get past any withdrawal symptoms, you’ll usually find it’s easier to deal with symptoms of stress. Subtle cravings can put you on edge for a couple of days, but when you focus on something positive – your improved health – those anxiety levels should disappear.

 4. You will cut your chances of life-threatening conditions –

  • You’ll already know that smoking and drinking increases your chances of developing serious illnesses and conditions. Cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, pneumonia, and impotence – to name but six.
  • But what you may not know is how quickly you can reduce your chances of developing these conditions – simply by giving up.
  • If you completely give up smoking then your risk of heart disease is 50% lower just one year after quitting.
  • And if you give up drinking, the risk of developing cancer reduces quickly.

 5. You will look better too! –

  • Smokers tend to look much older than they are because of the effects toxins have on their complexion. So if you quit, your skin will thank you – as it will be able to absorb nutrients and oxygen much more effectively. Nicotine stains your fingers and teeth too, so your physical appearance should also benefit quite a lot when you pack in.
  • As for alcohol, you probably already know that drinking can give you a ‘beer belly’. But you might not have realized quite how fattening it can be.
  • If you’re a woman, two large glasses of wine equate to nearly a quarter of your recommended daily calorie intake (not to mention half of your recommended weekly limit for regular alcohol consumption).
  • And if you’re a man, having just a couple of pints amounts to the same as swallowing a full tub of single cream. If you drink five pints of lager a week, that adds up to 44,200 calories over a year – the same as eating 221 doughnuts.

      6. Stopping Smoking improves fertility – Non-smokers women find it easier to get pregnant. Quitting smoking improves the lining of the womb and can make men’s sperm more potent. Becoming a non-smoker increases the possibility of conceiving through IVF and reduces the likelihood of having a miscarriage. Most importantly, it improves the chances of giving birth to a healthy baby.

  1. A smoke-free home protects your loved ones – By stopping smoking, you’ll be protecting the health of your non-smoking friends and family, too. Breathing in secondhand smoke increases the risk of lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke. In children, it doubles the risk of getting chest illnesses, including pneumonia, ear infections, wheezing, and asthma. They also have three times the risk of getting lung cancer in later life compared with children who live with non-smokers.
  1. Stop smoking lets you breathe more easily –
  • People breathe more easily and cough less when they give up smoking because their lung capacity improves by up to 10% within nine months.
  • In your 20s and 30s, the effect of smoking on your lung capacity may not be noticeable until you go for a run, but lung capacity naturally diminishes with age.
  • In later years, having maximum lung capacity can mean the difference between having an active, healthy old age and wheezing when you go for a walk or climb the stairs.
  1. Stop smoking give you more energy –
  • Within 2 to 12 weeks of stopping smoking, your blood circulation improves. This makes all physical activity, including walking and running, much easier.
  • You will also give a boost to your immune system, making it easier to fight off colds and flu. The increase in oxygen in the body can also reduce tiredness and the likelihood of headaches.

 

Click here for Myths about Alcohol and Smoking -

Myth #1 – Drinking is a good way to relax and have fun at parties: Alcohol can make you say things you shouldn’t say and do things you wouldn’t normally do. Examples: get into fights, have unprotected sex, or risk your own or other lives with reckless, dangerous behavior.

Myth #2 –  Drinking makes me “cool”: Movies, TV, and music do not show the “uncool” part of drinking—puking, passing out, gaining weight, stumbling around, possible addiction, and damage to your own and others’ lives.

Myth #3 – Alcohol is less harmful than other drugs: Alcohol makes you more likely to get many deadly diseases and use other drugs. Many serious injuries, suicides, drowning, and murders involve alcohol. Drinking too much alcohol too quickly can cause alcohol poisoning, which can kill you.

Myth #4 –  A can of Beer will not have as much effect as a mixed drink or a shot of liquor: A can of beer, a glass of wine, a mixed drink, and a shot of liquor all have about the same amount of alcohol and will have about the same effect.Myth # A can of Beer will not have as much effect as a mixed drink or a shot of liquor : A can of beer, a glass of wine, a mixed drink, and a shot of liquor all have about the same amount of alcohol and will have about the same effect.

Myth #5  – Alcohol is not as dangerous as other drugs: Alcohol can be deadly. Drinking a quart of vodka in one sitting can kill you. Even one drink can affect your judgment and cause you to lose control. Auto crashes are the leading cause of death among teenagers.

Myth #6 – Drinking makes your problem disappear: You may feel you have escaped your problems by drinking, but when you get sober, the problems are still there.

Myth #7 – Drinking makes uncomfortable feeling go away ( anger, shyness, frustration and loneliness ) : Alcohol may cover up uncomfortable feelings for a while, but they come back when you are sober again. Drinking isn’t always a reprieve from uncomfortable feelings. The fact is that alcohol just as often has the opposite effect and intensifies feelings with sometimes catastrophic results: sadness (poor choices, crying jags, suicide) or anger (domestic violence, rage).

Myth #8 – Ignore the fact that alcohol  is a harmful and addictive chemical substance : The alcohol industry wants alcohol to be present wherever and whenever possible. So its essentially about making sure people (consumers) focus on the portrayed and constructed gains from using alcohol (the + Side) instead of thinking about the losses that come from alcohol consumption (the – side). Chemically alcohol is a hard drug for the human body causing physical and mental dependence.

Myth #9  – Smoking is a choice: The first time, yes. After a few cigarettes, not so much. Nicotine addiction happens quickly. Breaking that addiction can be very hard.

Myth #10  –  Trying smoking once is no big deal: Just one breath of tobacco smoke can damage your body.

Myth # 11 –  Filters make cigarettes safer: Filters do not protect you. They make smoke particles smaller. That makes nicotine easier to absorb, which increases addiction.

Myth #12  –  After so much time it’s too late to quit, the damage is done: Your health improves as soon as you quit—no matter your age. The longer you smoke, the more harm happens to your body.

Myth # 13  –  Second-hand smoke may bother people, but it isn’t dangerous : People who breathe second-hand smoke inhale the same harmful chemicals that smokers do. Second-hand smoke causes cancer and other diseases—even in people who never smoked.

Myth # 14  – Smoking calms you down : Many people believe this, but they really feel better only because they are addicted to nicotine. As with other addictive drugs, you begin to feel jittery if the level of nicotine in your body drops. If you are not addicted, cigarettes actually make you feel nervous.

Myth #15   – Smoking helps you think clearly :  It may seem like you are thinking more clearly, but smoking has no effect on the reasoning process. Nicotine is the substance in tobacco that is highly addictive. It is both a stimulant and a sedative to the central nervous system. The initial nicotine “kick,” which stimulates the central nervous system and causes a sudden release of glucose, is followed by depression and fatigue, leading the smoker to seek more nicotine.

Myth #16 – Smoking is cool and sexy : Smoking stains your teeth, causes facial wrinkles, depletes energy, burns holes in clothes, causes bad breath, and a general bad aroma. Men who smoke and have high blood pressure are more likely to become impotent than non-smokers.

Myth #17 – I ‘ve smoked for years, won’t help to stop now:  Smoking can cut about 14 years off of the life span of both men and women. If you quit smoking at age 35 you will live about five to ten years longer and decrease the risk of developing cancer and heart disease.

Myth #18 – Smoking only a few cigarettes a day is okay : Smoking is never a safe thing to do. Every cigarette contains 1 to 2 milligrams of nicotine and it reaches your brain in 8 to 10 seconds. There are many other damaging chemicals taken in with each inhale of a cigarette. Cigarette smoke contains 4,000 chemicals and poisons, 50 of which cause cancer. Each time you inhale you take in nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide, cyanide, arsenic, formaldehyde, ammonia and benzene, just to name a few.

                                                  Control intake of Tea and Coffee

Stop for a moment and think about how much caffeine you consume. Your morning cup of coffee is obvious, but also consider how many caffeinated sodas you drink. Then think about how many cups of tea you have, caffeinated snacks you eat, and whether your preferred painkiller has caffeine in it. It can add up pretty quickly, and if you’re not careful, caffeine can become a crutch instead of a tool.

Here are a lot of people addicted to non-alcoholic and what they see as non-drug based substances such as Coffee, tea and juice.  However, caffeine which is in coffee, tea, and many fizzy juices is a drug and can be addictive, more of a psychological addiction than a physical one.

Click here for Side Effects of Tea and Coffee –

  1. Coffee containing caffeine – can cause insomnia, nervousness, and restlessness, stomach upset, nausea and vomiting, increased heart and breathing rate, and other side effects. Consuming large amounts of coffee might also cause headaches, anxiety, agitation, ringing in the ears, and irregular heartbeats.
  2. Increased Heart Rate – Both tea and coffee can increase heart rate and blood pressure. As heart rate increases, the flow of blood to the heart increases and the flow of blood to the brain decreases. This means that you might feel foggy and tired as you come down from a caffeine “high,” which can happen minutes to hours after drinking
  3. Anxiety – Caffeine increases the production of adrenaline and cortisol, the stress hormones. This can result in heightened senses but will also put you on edge, elevate your stress levels and might cause anxiety.
  4. Elevated Blood Sugar – Caffeine can affect blood glucose. When you drink caffeine, your blood sugar spikes. As you come down from the “caffeine high,” your blood sugar plummets. These sudden changes in blood sugar can be dangerous for people with diabetes.
  5. Increased Risk of Osteoporosis – Caffeine can increase the loss of calcium. When you consume lots of caffeine, your body has trouble absorbing the calcium you get from your diet. Instead, much of it is immediately lost in the urine. This can lead to weak bones and osteoporosis later on in life.
  6. Frequent Urination and Urgency – Increased urination is a common side effect of high caffeine intake due to the compound’s stimulatory effects on the bladder. You may have noticed that you need to urinate frequently when you drink more coffee or tea than usual. 

To sum up, the side effects of caffeine in tea and coffee are alarming for human health. Particularly, it is very hard to get rid of the addiction to this substance, as the abrupt discontinuation of its intake causes several inconveniences in the body. However, if you have resolved to bear the hardships with patience, just after a few days, your health will be normalized.

Tea – In India, even slogans like Roz chai piyo, Bahut din jiyo were invented by the vested interests to mislead common people to believe that tea gives strength and vitality. There are many people who are habituated to drink tea as 4-5 cups a day. Those guys are very badly hunted and their metabolism gets slower day by day.

  1. Anti-thiamine action and thiamine inactivation. This means that tea blocks the action of Vitamin B1.
  2. It contains fluorine at substantial levels and also fluor-aluminum complexes.
  3. Inhibits absorption of iron, especially from cereals. High levels of Vitamin C minimize this action.
  4. It has a diuretic action, which, as a consequence, upsets Na/K balance in favor of sodium.
  5. There is some evidence of carcinogenic effects from tea tannins.
  6. Tea tannins affect the heart and can cause heart-muscle lesions in rats.
  7. Some statistical evidence links tea-drinking in expectant mothers with congenital abnormalities in their babies
  8. Disruption of Sleep and Insomnia
  9. Slows down the digestion process
  10. Responsible for various kidney disorders
  11. Unhealthy and dark skin texture
  12. Malnutrition body
  13. Tea also causes Premenstrual syndrome as people who usually drink 1- 4 cups of tea every day as likely to have Premenstrual syndrome than the non-tea drinkers.
  14. Caffeine present in it can make a person addicted to tea.
  15. Milk tea has more cholesterol and sugar than other varieties of tea like green tea or black tea.
  16. Studies shows than it can lead to the prostate cab

Coffee – Coffee is injurious to health. It is a more stimulating beverage than tea, as it contains a greater amount of the active alkaloid principle, caffeine. Research studies have shown that coffee drinking has potential health hazards. Some people even experience a post-stimulation letdown that can make them as tired and lethargic as they were alert and energetic immediately after drinking.

  1. Affects stomach secretions, including HCI – stomach acid.
  2. Affects acid/base equilibrium in the body.
  3. Upsets electrolyte balance, especially Na and K and upsets water balance – a definite diuretic.
  4. Like tea, it has anti-thiamine action.
  5. Increases atherosclerosis.
  6. Affects behavior.
  7. Gives rise to methyl nitrosourea that may be a cause of bladder tumors.
  8. Adversely affects blood fatty acids and blood sugar control.
  9. Some work suggests a link with teratomas, ie tumors of the unborn fetus.
  10. Has been linked with duodenal ulcers.
  11. It has a mutagenic action. ie causes abnormal germ cells – viz sperm and ova.
  12. Inhibits iron absorption.
  13. Produces nitrosamines, which are known, cancer-causing agents.
  14. Statistically, high coffee consumption is correlated to the incidence of carcinoma of the pancreas.
  15. De-mineralises the tissues.
  16. Anxiety symptoms
  17. Depleted calcium and iron levels among women
  18. It increases blood sugar levels, making it harder for those with type 2 diabetes to manage their insulin.
  19. Coffee is highly acidic and is irritating to the gastrointestinal tract.
  20. Coffee can bring dyspepsia.
  21. Coffee can stimulate the gall bladder to bring about gall bladder attacks.
  22. Coffee can be Toxic.
  23. Don’t drink more than one cup a day if you are pregnant.

 

Image result for images of addiction

Click here for Steps to breaking your Coffee Addiction

  1. Admit you’re addicted – This is obviously the most important step with any addiction.  If you don’t admit it and don’t recognize that you have an addiction then in your head you are not addicted.  It’s only when other people start to say things like ‘You drink a lot of coffee don’t you?’ or when your work colleagues start calling you ‘Mr coffee'( I wonder if that’s how ‘Mr. T’ got his name.) that you start thinking that you might be addicted.  When you recognize the addiction it’s time to start taking action.
  2. Recognize the pattern of your addiction – Most coffee addicts have a routine.  For example the first thing they do is have a cup of coffee when they get up in the morning, then again after they have had a shower and put their clothes on and then again before they leave for work.  That’s three cups of coffee within the space of an hour or so and the pattern continues at work and when they get back home from work and before they go to bed.
  3. Breaking the pattern – As I said before your aim is to control the habit rather than have the habit control you, so we are not going for giving up coffee we are looking to cut down and be in control. You can break the pattern by swapping coffee with water.  For example if you have 3 cups of coffee before leaving for work, replace your second cup of coffee with a glass of water.  This has two benefits; you are breaking the pattern of your coffee habit and you are re-hydrating your body (too much coffee can dehydrate you, this is why a lot of heavy coffee drinkers get headaches). 
  4. Resisting the craving – When we have a habit of any kind we get cravings to indulge in our habit.  When you have a craving to have a cup of coffee during the day, resist it and do something else for 20 minutes.  Cravings usually disappear when we have our minds focused on something else, so if you can manage to resist a craving for coffee and busy yourself with something else for 20 minutes your craving will go away.  It might return again and you may have to busy yourself a few times throughout the day but your cravings will weaken as you mentally get stronger and are able to control the cravings. 
  5. Tell those around you your intentions As with all habits that you are trying to break it’s good to let other people know about your intention to cut down.  This way other people can encourage you when you are feeling particularly weak.As I said at the beginning my aim was to help you with controlling your coffee addiction not to eradicate it. 
  6. Try coffee-like alternatives. Caffeine-free herbal tea is a smart bet. Switch things up with tasty flavors, like cinnamon, black cherry berry, pomegranate, or peach blossom. Another option: Dandelion root coffee, which contains no caffeine and is made of dried, chopped, and roasted dandelion roots. These beverages all have the richness of coffee, without the caffeine.
  7. Go for an espresso shot. These contain only about half the amount of caffeine as a cup of regular coffee. It will help you satisfy your craving, without overdoing it. And rather than grabbing a mocha Frappuccino at the coffee shop, indulge with a sugar-free hot chocolate, which has less caffeine.
  8. Make healthy swaps. Heading for the soda machine every afternoon for a caffeine boost? Grab a berry-flavored seltzer or caffeine-free option like Sprite instead.
  9. Drink lots of water. When you wake up in the morning, drink 8 ounces of water instead of coffee or a soda. It’s thought to counteract your desire for other, less healthy beverages.
  10. Know your ingredients. Study the ingredients on foods and drinks and watch out for caffeine. Caffeine is added to many sodas and energy drinks.
  11. Decrease caffeine consumption gradually. Plan your caffeine withdrawal in stages. “Caffeine is addictive. If you throw out one-third of your morning coffee today, wait three days and then throw out another bit so you are drinking half, you are off to a great start,” says Susan Roberts, Ph.D., professor of nutrition at Tufts University. This reduction will help lessen caffeine withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, irritability, jitteriness, and nausea.
  12. Water down drinks that contain caffeine. They will still have the taste you enjoy, but contain a lower amount of caffeine and carry less risk of caffeine withdrawal symptoms.
  13. Try something new. Consider changing from coffee in the morning to tea. “Herbal teas are fine, but green tea is really healthy,” says Roberts.
  14. Try decaf. Switch to decaf coffee, decaffeinated soda, or even better, water or fruit juices.
  15. Don’t add to a caffeine habit. Ask yourself if you really need that extra cup in the late morning. If the answer is no, then skip it.
  16. Try a tea shortcut. Brew tea for a shorter amount of time to reduce the amount of caffeine in it.
  17. Instead of a large cup of coffee, next time order a small. “Starbucks medium and large both contain two shots of espresso, while a small has only one,” says Dr. Brodner. “Another caution: Even those sugary milkshake drinks [like frappucinos] contain caffeine.” Ask to have yours made with decaf.
  18. Mix it up. Alternate one cup of coffee with one cup of herbal tea, or one can of soda with one can of caffeine-free soda or water. Check your pain reliever. Many over-the-counter medications, especially headache remedies and menstrual pain relievers, contain caffeine. If yours does, change to a different kind.

 

Image result for images of benefits

Click here for Benefits of Coffee if consume moderately during the day -

  • Coffee boosts your physical performance – Have a cup of black coffee about an hour before workout and your performance can improve by 11-12%. Caffeine increases adrenaline levels in your blood. Adrenaline is your body’s “fight or flight” hormone which helps you to prepare for physical exertion.
  • Coffee may help you lose weight – Coffee contains magnesium and potassium, which helps the human body use insulin, regulating blood sugar levels, and reducing your craving for sugary treats and snacks.
  • Coffee helps you burn fat – Caffeine helps fat cells break down body fat and use it as fuel for training.
  • Coffee helps you focus and stay alert – Moderate caffeine intake helps you focus, and improves your mental alertness.
  • Coffee lowers the risk of death – Studies have shown that coffee drinker’s overall risk of premature death is 25% lower than those who don’t drink coffee.
  • Coffee reduces the risk of cancers – One study has shown that coffee may decrease the risk of developing prostate cancer in men by 20 %, and endometrial cancer in women by 25 %. People in the test group drank four cups of coffee a day. Caffeine may also prevent developing of basal cell carcinoma, the most common type of skin cancer
  • Coffee reduces the risk of stroke – Reasonable consumption of coffee (2–4 cups a day) is associated with lower risk of stroke.
  • Coffee reduces the risk of Parkinson’s disease – Studies have shown that regular coffee drinking decreases the risk of Parkinson’s disease by 25 %. There’s evidence that coffee causes activity in the part of the brain affected by Parkinson’s.
  • Coffee protects your body – Coffee contains a lot of antioxidants, that work as little warriors fighting and protecting against free radicals within your body.
  • Coffee may lower the risk of Type II diabetes – Caffeine decreases your insulin sensitivity and impairs glucose tolerance, therefore reduces your risk of type 2 diabetes.
  • Coffee brightens your mood, helps fight depression, and lowers the risk of suicide – Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system and boosts the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline, which elevate your mood. Two cups of coffee a day prevents the risk of suicide by 50 %.

 

Bottom Line – 

Light-to-moderate caffeine intake seems to provide impressive health benefits to many people. On the other hand, very high dosages may lead to side effects that interfere with day-to-day living and might even cause serious health issues.

Although responses vary from person to person, the effects of high intake demonstrate that more isn’t necessarily better. To get the benefits of caffeine without undesirable effects, conduct an honest assessment of your sleep, energy levels and other factors that might be affected, and reduce your intake if needed.

Click here for Symptoms of Withdrawal and Benefits -

How to ease the symptoms of withdrawal of coffee – 

Here are some easy tips to help you quit your habit.

  • Most experts advise quitting caffeine gradually. Cut down from 3 cups a day, to 2 and then one
  • Substitute your coffee for green tea, which still contains caffeine, but much less than coffee
  • Cut out sodas, which are a source of caffeine, but are also filled with sugar
  • Beat the slump caused by ridding your diet of caffeine by eating healthy meals, which will provide you with a steady stream of energy throughout the day. Aim for a balance of good fats, complex carbs, and protein
  • Drink enough water to stay hydrated and avoid the headaches and constipation that are symptoms of withdrawal
  • Lemon water is a good replacement for a morning cup of coffee.

Health Benefits after the withdrawal of Coffee – 

The pain of cutting down on coffee may be worth it once you start to experience the benefits.

  • You ‘ll sleep better.
  • You may become less anxious.
  • You can say Goodbye to Headaches.
  • Your Heartburn will stop.
  • You ‘ll have pearly white teeth again.

How to ease the symptoms of withdrawal of Tea – 

Step 1: Reduce intake, day-by-day.

Step 2: Substitute your tea with other healthy and sugar-free drinks like green or black tea.

Step 3: Cut down on your daily sugar intake too. And rely upon eating fresh-cut fruits instead of processed ones or juices.

Step 4: Drink plenty of water. You are not supposed to dehydrate yourself. So in place of tea, you can drink warm water or mineral water, in your own, sip-by-sip style.

Step 5: Daily, in the morning, you need to drink lemon water. This will make you energetic and detoxification.

Health Benefits after the withdrawal of Tea – 

  • Weight Loss.
  • No Headaches.
  • Hormonal balance.
  • No more heartburn.
  • Better sleep and lack of Anxiety.
  • Shiny white teeth.

Myths about Tea and Coffee –

Myth #1 – A cup of coffee will sober you up: The amount of drinking myths rivals that of caffeine myths, but the short answer is: no. Caffeine can make an intoxicated person more alert, but a study concludes that coffee does not reverse the negative cognitive impact of alcohol. It’s actually even worse for you.

Myth #2 – Coffee helps you lose weight: Not exactly. The stimulating effects of caffeine can slightly—and I mean very slightly—increase your metabolism, but not enough to make a dent in your diet, especially in terms of long-term weight loss. Caffeine may reduce your desire to eat for a brief time, but there’s not enough evidence to show that long-term consumption aids weight loss.

Myth #3 – Coffee stunts your growth: This myth has been around forever. However, the belief that coffee does stunt your growth is—forgive the aged expression—nothing more than an old wives’ tale and there’s no scientific evidence supporting it.

Myth #4 – You should not take vitamins and tea together: Tea, especially black tea, blocks iron absorption from foods and supplements. Avoid tea when taking vitamins and while eating foods that are rich in iron. “This is especially important for pregnant women who take prenatal vitamins,”.

Myth #5 – Drink tea if you have a cold : Black, green, and oolong, have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may help alleviate symptoms.

Myth #6 – Coffee is the only drinkable to increase productivity: Most often the combination of coffee and sugar helps to increase your activity and productivity. But when their action stops, you get a strong decline in your performance. It has long been noted that such people often experience headaches in the morning without a divine sweet drink.

Myth #7 – Coffee eliminates hangover:  Coffee is not aimed to help with the hangover elimination, however, some people use it believing it really helps and gets some relief.  Coffee can only raise the tone a little. All the effects of alcohol are not neutralized by caffeine.

Resolution No. 11

In continuation of our Twelve resolutions today we will share Resolution No. 11.

   11. I will have vegetable soup in my regular diet.

The wealth of ingredients in a bowl of soup provides a good balance of carbohydrates, protein and fats as well as the vitamins and minerals required to create energy and keep us firing on all cylinders.

Vegetable soup is hearty, healthy and inexpensive to make. Loaded with veggies like carrots, onions, tomatoes, celery, green beans and zucchini, veggie soup is a great source of many essential vitamins and nutrients. Sipping a bowl of soup is an easy way to give yourself a healthful boost — as long as you keep an eye on the nutrition label.

Vegetable soup provides one way to boost your veggie intake. Some vegetable soups contain large amounts of sodium, which can pose a health risk, but lower-sodium soups make a healthful addition to your diet. Soup is a great nutritious meal option with certain types of soup even proven to help support weight loss. In particular, vegetable-based soups are a great option nutritionally as they combine a high nutrient density with a low energy density – this means that we get lots of key nutrients including vitamins and minerals for relatively few calories.

One study showed that when vegetable Soup was given to 20 volunteers’ in early 20’ for 7 days over and above regular meal the amount of Vitamin C in the volunteers’ blood increased by 27%. While vitamin C is a critical nutrient in a number of biological processes, the human body can’t produce it naturally and must acquire it from dietary sources.

Studies have repeatedly shown that when diners consume a low-calorie vegetable-based soup before their main meal, they consume up to 20% less calories at a meal. The reason is simple. Basically the bulk of the soup helps to fill us up so we eat less. Nutritionally this is also beneficial as the nutrients found in vegetables including many water soluble vitamins such as vitamin B, C, K as well as dietary fiber and a range of minerals, also helps to regulate the digestive tract and ensure that we get the number of key nutrients we need each and every day.

Researchers found that soup consumers also had better overall eating habits that included more protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, and fewer calories and fat. Many soups have a HIGH nutrient density. Nutrient density compares the amount of nutrients to the amount of calories in a food.

For those wanting a more intense regime, a vegetable soup can replace two meals a day for five to seven days without any negative side effects. Although much of the weight loss will be fluid, sometimes all we need to feel leaner and healthier is a flatter stomach and a kilo or two less on the scales.

Vegetable soup recipes can be personalized with different vegetables, mixtures and seasonings that change the overall nutrition facts, but most vegetable soups contain vitamins and minerals along with a balance of carbohydrates, fat and protein.

Click here for Some of the healthy soups are –
  1. Lentil, Sweet potato and Pancetta Soup
  2. Indian Spiced Cauliflower Soup
  3. Turmeric, lentil and Lemon Soup
  4. Vegetable and Dumpling short soup
  5. Chilled Tomato Soup
  6. Asian Chicken Soup
  7. Broccoli and Lemon Soup with Quinoa
  8. Bean soup with Kale and garlic Bread
  9. Carrot and ginger soup with Corn bread
  10. Roasted garlic and tomato Soup
  11. Spicy Sweet Potato Soup with Chili Coriander Cream
  12. Carrot and Orange Soup
  13. Vegetable and barley Soup
  14. Hot and Sour Noodle Soup
  15. Autumn Tomato and vegetable Soup
  16. Broccoli, Spinach and Potato Soup
  17. Asian Style Chicken Soup
  18. Mexican Bean and capsicum Soup
  19. Hot and Sour Chicken Soup
  20. Chunky Tomato, Celery and bean soup
  21. Beetroot and Carrot Soup
  22. Vegetarian Harira
  23. Lentil and Tomato Soup
  24. Bean and Vegetable Soup
  25. Chicken and Mushroom Soup
  26. Hot and Sour Prawn Soup

Bean 

This food is low in Saturated Fat and Sodium, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Vitamin B6, Pantothenic Acid, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Potassium, and a very good source of Protein, Vitamin C, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Folate, Copper and Manganese. There are 129 Calories in 1 cup of mixed bean soup, 1.48 g Fat, 21.63 g Carbs and 8.43 g proteins.

Broccoli

Broccoli  is a very good source of dietary fiber, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin E, manganese, phosphorus, choline, vitamin B1, vitamin A (in the form of carotenoids), potassium and copper. Broccoli is also a good source of vitamin B1, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, protein, zinc, calcium, iron, niacin and selenium. Broccoli is  known for beneficial health effects, and is sometimes referred to as the “super veggies.”

Lentils

Lentils are an excellent source of molybdenum and folate. They are a very good source of dietary fiber, copper, phosphorus and manganese. Additionally they are a good source of iron, protein, vitamin B1, pantothenic acid, zinc, potassium and vitamin B6. Lentils are high in fiber, and complex carbohydrates, while low in fat and calories. Their high protein content makes lentils a perfect option for those looking to boost their protein intake. They are naturally gluten-free, making them a delicious staple in a gluten-free kitchen.

Sweet Potato – Calorie King

They’re uber healthy! Packed with vitamin A, skin protecting beta carotene, and a potassium punch (more than bananas, believe it or not!), they supply 35% Daily Value for vitamin C. There are 218 Calories in 1 cup of sweet potato soup, 6.46 g fats, 35.5 g Carbs and 5.62 g Proteins. They are high in Vitamin B6, high in Vitamin C, D and Potassium as well as Magnesium. Sweet Potatoes contain Iron and support a healthy immune system.

Carrots

Carrots are a staple ingredient in most vegetable soups. The orange veggies are rich in beta-carotene, a nutrient converted into vitamin A by the liver. This vitamin is essential for eye health, and eating carrots regularly can prevent dry eyes, cataracts, blindness and mascular degeneration. The lutein in carrots is also good for the eyes. The high levels of antioxidants in carrots can reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. A recent study determined that eating carrots and other orange and yellow foods protects the heart more than eating white, green, purple or red foods. Researchers found that carrots provide the greatest protection from heart disease thanks to their antioxidant and phytonutrient levels. One cup of carrots contains just 50 calories but yields 420 milligrams of vitamin A.

Tomatoes

A key ingredient in vegetable soup, tomatoes are loaded with antioxidants like manganese and vitamin C and are also a great source of many phytonutrients. These compounds protect cells from damage and are linked to cancer prevention. Making tomatoes a part of your regular diet lowers the risk of breast, prostate and pancreatic cancer. Tomatoes are also a good source of lycopene, a nutrient that lowers cholesterol and fat levels in the blood. The lycopene in tomatoes also reduces the risk of heart disease because it has anti-platelet properties that stop platelets from clumping and hardening the arteries. One cup of tomatoes has just 30 calories but contains 40 milligrams of vitamin C and 30 milligrams of vitamin A.

Celery

Celery, another common ingredient in vegetable soup, has many health benefits. The vegetable’s nutrients and vitamins can reduce blood pressure and cholesterol, contribute to healthy joints, prevent cancer, boost the immune system, provide relief for migraines and regulate fluid balance in the body. One cup of celery has just 20 calories but contains 8 milligrams of vitamin A and 4 milligrams of vitamin C.

Onions

Onions are overall health boosters and make vegetable soup a super food. Eating onions improves oral health, prevents tooth decay, reduces the risk of developing colon cancer, boosts the immune system, improves cardiovascular health, helps control glucose levels and can provide relief for sinusitis and earaches. The vegetables are also a good source of antioxidants, potassium, calcium and magnesium, nutrients that are essential to good overall health. A 1/2-cup serving of onions contains 10 percent of the daily recommended value of vitamin C.

Additional Benefits

A vegetable soup made with 1 cup each of tomatoes, celery and carrots and 1/2 cup of onions yields 53 percent of the daily recommended amount of vitamin A and 60 percent of the daily recommended amount of vitamin C. Include 1 cup of chicken stock to add an additional 6 grams of protein and 1 cup of chopped potatoes to add a large dose of vitamin K.

 

Click here for Benefits of healthy soups –
 

  1. It can help you slim down – In one study, a group of volunteers reduced their total lunch calories by an average of 20 percent when they began the meal with low-calorie vegetable soup before eating pasta.
  2. It can help you sneak in extra nutrients –A whole grains such as barley, brown rice and quinoa will give your soup a boost of fiber. In place of salt, try adding aromatic seasonings including curry, garlic, ginger, sage and thyme.
  3. It feeds your soul – According to a study, students who viewed chicken soup as comfort food felt a greater sense of belonging after having eaten it than did those who didn’t eat soup,
  4. It’s not just for winter – Don’t overlook chilled soup. Gazpacho, for example, is full of tomatoes, garlic, onions, cucumbers and peppers, and it’s healthful and tasty.
  5. Vegetables are rich in nutrients and vitamins, so eating vegetable soups is considered to be a healthy diet.
  6. Vegetable soups are useful in losing weight and maintaining proper health.
  7. Vegetable soups make you feel full whole day because it stretches the stomach.
  8. Vegetable soups are given to the person who is sick because these are light and very easy to digest.
  9. These soups are full in iron, fiber and minerals.

Other Major Benefits are : –

  • Promotes good sleep
  • Smooth skin
  • Helps in repairing and growing bones
  • Helps digestion
  • Increases mineral consumption
  • Helps in liver detox
  • Reduces inflammation
  • Good for weight loss
  • Maintains healthy nervous system
  • Relief from anxiety and stress
  • Vegetable Soup is an excellent nutritious meal choice; soup is actually proven to assist weight reduction.
  • Vegetable Soup Fights with damage cells.
  • Some people don’t eat every vegetable so soup is the best way to have all proteins and minerals of vegetables.
  • Weight Loss Naturally.

 

Top reasons why you should eat soup –
 

 Soup is delicious – Soup can be a comfort food as it is delicious. It is easy to make. With only a few ingredients, one can make a bowl of hearty soup for a cold evening.

 Soup is good for the health – Perhaps the easiest way to add vegetables to your daily meals is to make and eat soup. You can make several bowls of soup filled with fruits and veggies each day and you’ll be filled. Eating vegetables is part of a healthy diet so veggie soups are highly recommended.

 Soup can help you lose weight – Soups are slimming. Of course, that is if you strictly follow a weight-loss plan and exercise more. A bowl of soup packs minimal calorie but is very nutritious.

 Soup makes you feel full – Soup fills you up because it stretches the stomach. You easily feel full so it’s ideal to eat soup at the beginning of every meal.

 Soup is affordable to make – Making soup won’t require a lot of money. Go the grocery or market; buy some vegetables and fruits, broth or water, and you can easily make a batch enough to feed the entire family. For a small cost, you can make a lot of people feel full and healthy.

 Soup can make you feel better – Ever wondered why chicken soup is always given to the sick? It is because soup is great for people who are sick. It is easily digested and is filled with health benefits.

“soup”er powers of your favorite hot meal –

1. It warms you up – A bowl of thick soup is certainly heartwarming. If you struggle to stay comfortable in cool weather, though, the trick to warm fingers and toes might lie in a bowl of soup. According to nutritionists, hot soup can increase your core body temperature to warm you from the inside out.

2. Cook it, and forget it – Unlike many entrées, a hearty soup is one of the few main courses that will allow you to toss its ingredients into an oven and walk away until dinnertime.

3. Satisfaction guaranteed – The high water content of soup means it can satisfy your appetite in a healthy and hydrating way. According to a study, people who are well hydrated with soups are more satisfied with their meals and less likely to consume unnecessary calories when they eat.

4. Soup improves veggie tolerance for youngsters – A study  found that toddlers who were given veggie- and herb-packed soups for seven weeks showed an improved tolerance for vegetables of all kinds when compared with toddlers who didn’t eat soup.

5. It reduces aches and pains – Chicken soup can’t exactly make an illness go away, but there’s a reason it’s known as a natural home remedy during cold and flu season.  Chicken soup works as an anti-inflammatory, and it can clear up mucus too. The result, of course, is the alleviation of nasty symptoms.

6. Vitamins and minerals don’t disappear – Unlike other methods for cooking, soups retain the vitamins and minerals of cooked vegetables because you don’t dispose of the water when you’re done. That vitamin-packed water just becomes part of the savory and delicious broth.

7. It’s hard to mess up – Do you struggle to pull off a palatable meal each evening? Soups are notoriously difficult meals to mess up. If you’re not pleased with your first attempt, just add more of something, and it’ll turn out fine.

8. Easily low fat and high fiber –  Unless you go for a cream-based soup, most soups are full of beans, lean meats and vegetables. All these ingredients are known for their low-fat and high-fiber composition, which makes soup a wonderfully healthy meal option.

9. Soup is a veggie vehicle – Since ratios and measurements aren’t a strict science for soup recipes, you can play around with adding vegetables to the meal. Purée squash and root vegetables into your soup for a creamier and heartier version without added fat or unnecessary calories.

10. Its aroma fills your home – Is there anything better than the aroma of savory herbs and veggies filling your home in ? Nope.

11. Simple to freeze and reheat –  As if you’re not yet convinced, soups transition well from the stove to the freezer and then to the microwave. Make a giant pot of soup one evening, and you can turn it into a tasty lunch for days to come.

 

Calories – The total calories in vegetable soup will vary based on the ingredients, but most vegetable soups will contain about 50 to 100 calories per 1-cup serving. One serving of the Weight Watchers Zero Point Vegetable Soup, for example, contains 63 calories, with 73 percent coming from carbohydrates, 10 percent from fat and 17 percent from protein.

Macronutrients – The carbohydrates found in vegetable soup come primarily from the vegetables. Additionally, vegetables also serve as a significant source of dietary fiber. Condensed vegetable soup, for example, contains about 15 g of total carbohydrates, as well as 3 g of dietary fiber and 5 g of sugars. Protein can be found in select vegetables Most vegetable soups contain low amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol.

Vitamins and Minerals – Due to the variety of vegetables included, vegetable soup can provide a significant amount of vitamins and minerals. The overall amount of vitamins and minerals is dependent on the selection, variety and amount of vegetables featured in the soup. The most common vitamins and minerals found in vegetables include vitamin E, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, potassium, copper, manganese and vitamin A.

Diet Soup and its Side effects -
 

They can be best summed up as vegetable soups. The twist with negative calorie diet soups is that they can act as meal replacements for people looking to lose weight fast. In other words, it is a meal plan. This diet presents a list of specific “negative calorie” vegetables that can be used to make the diet soup. It also includes fresh fruit that can be eaten as snacks throughout the day.

Although this diet has been modified by many, the general instructions are simple. For 7 days or more, you replace your usual meals with vegetable soup. You are not allowed to add meats and fish, but can season it with spices and herbs to improve taste.

Beware of the fact that this diet is based on vegetables that theoretically do well in helping individuals lose weight very fast.

According to most academics, dieticians and nutritionists, this diet pattern is quite wrong for anyone looking to lose weight in a healthy and lasting way because of the following reasons:

The first major flaw of the soup diet is its very essence. The cornerstone of proper nutrition is it having a variety of foods that provide a variety of beneficial nutrients that our body needs.

Another big deficiency is that of complex carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are important for maintaining blood glucose levels and to allow the proper functioning of various body organs.

The total absence of protein in at least 4 days out of 7 days of the diet induces the body to eliminate liquids and also ends up reducing your muscle mass which is undoubtedly a negative factor for weight loss.

Vitamin deficiency leads to serious bone problems. Vitamins are usually lost through cooking the soup.

All these deficiencies lead to the appearance of repeated and debilitating ailments such as headaches, recurrent urination and frequent bowel mobility, pain in the bones, joints and back.

Of all the weight loss diets, the soup diet is without a doubt one of the most unbalanced and to be avoided among the weight loss diets. However if someone will be able to have a strong will to use the soup diet for 15 days in a row in order to lose weight, then the person is definitely going to lose the extra weight they desired most but are going to face some nutritional deficiencies in the long run.

Top Myths about Vegetable Soup –

 Myth #1 – White Potatoes Make You Fat : One medium baked potato has only 161 calories, plus 4 g of filling fiber. If you keep portion sizes in check — no more than one medium potato in a given meal — and eat the fiber-rich skin, potatoes make a satisfying, low-cal, nutrient-rich side dish.

Potatoes are loaded with kukoa-mines, plant chemicals that help lower blood pressure. In addition, one medium baked potato (including the skin) provides 20 percent of your daily potassium, a known hyper-tension fighter.

Myth #2 – Carrots are loaded with Sugar : One cup of chopped raw carrots contains just 52 calories and a mere 12 g of carbohydrates. the sugar in carrots comes packaged with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, unlike the excessive empty calories you’d get from foods with added sugar, such as a candy bar or cookies.

Fiber and beta-carotene, which are both linked to improved blood sugar control, are abundant in carrots. Improve your eyes A half-cup has more than four times the amount of vision-boosting vitamin A that you need in one day.

Myth #3 – Celery is just water : the crunchy veggie has a unique combination of disease-preventing vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. Celery contains pthalides, rare compounds that lower your blood pressure by relaxing artery walls. This veggie packs a dose of apigenin, a potent phytochemical that protects against cancer by inhibiting gene mutations.

Myth #4 – Corn is unhealthy : No! Corn is a vegetable that contains nutrients, and an ear definitely counts as one of your daily servings of veggies.

Myth #5 – Corn isn’t a good source of any nutrient : Corn contains certain B vitamins and vitamin C, as well as magnesium and potassium. Yellow corn is also a good source of two antioxidants, zeaxanthin and lutein, which are good for eye health.

Myth #6 – Does the soup diet works : You can eat as much as you like (or can stomach) of a low-calories, vegie soup – alternating with specific food combinations – for a week. At the end of the week, you’re promised a loss of up to 6kg. dieters who ate soup as their first course in a meal consumed, on average, 400 fewer kilojoules in that meal, compared to those who didn’t start with soup. Follow a balanced, more sane diet, using soup as a hunger-buster before or between meals, and you can still lose weight. Just without the nasty side effects.

Myth #7 – Corn is nothing more than Carbs : Sure, corn has carbs. But they’re the best kind—high-quality complex carbs. Corn does double duty as both a veggie and a whole grain, so it’s loaded with fiber (one large ear has 15% of the fiber you need in a day).  Corn kernels have heart-healthy folate, a B-vitamin that keeps blood levels of potentially dangerous homocysteine in check—one ear has more than 10% of your needs for the day.

Myth #8 – Does Chicken Soup cure a cold ? :  One Study found that sipping on hot chicken soup helped clear stuffy noses, but the study found it was effective only for a few minutes and that it wasn’t any more effective than sipping on hot water. Chicken soup is a comfort food typically given to children when they’re sick. A warming bowl of the soup may provide emotional and psychological well-being to both adults and kids.

Myth #9 – All Fruits and vegetables are nutritionally equivalent : No one fruit or vegetable contains all of the beneficial substances identified in produce. Eating a wide variety and a large quantity of fruits and vegetables is essential for good health. Getting enough produce is easier than it seems. Start by aiming for a colorful plate! Top cereal, ice cream, yogurt, or pancakes with fruit. Other good ways to get more produce into your diet includes garnishing your plate with fresh vegetables, eating vegetable soup or pasta topped with tomato sauce, and snacking on fruit.

 

 

Resolution No. 10

In continuation of our Twelve resolutions today we will share Resolution No. 10.

10. I will have healthy breakfast and avoid fried as well as spicy food. 

 

I will have Healthy Breakfast

“EAT BREAKFAST LIKE A KING”

Breakfast provides the body and brain with fuel after an overnight fast – that’s where its name originates, breaking the fast! Without breakfast you are effectively running on empty, like trying to start the car with no petrol!

The next time you rush out the door in the morning without something to eat, consider this: Skipping breakfast can set you up for overeating later in the day. A healthy a.m. meal, on the other hand, can give you energy, satisfy your appetite, and set the stage for smart decisions all day long.

Additionally, eating an unhealthy breakfast can be far worse than not eating at all. A healthy breakfast includes fiber, protein and healthy fat that gives you energy and makes you feel full. In contrast, an unhealthy breakfast can make you feel sluggish, cause you to gain weight and increase your risk of chronic disease.

Eating almost anything for breakfast is better than skipping it, many people who try to bank morning calories to enjoy later often then overeat. If you miss out on healthy nutrients as milk, whole grains, and fruit in the morning, it can be challenging to consume enough of these essentials as the day goes on. If you’re one of the people who says you simply don’t feel hungry enough to eat when you wake, then  look at your overall eating habits. Eating too much at dinner or snacking heavily before bed may be one problem.

Eating in the morning is just a matter of habit. Taking 10 minutes to make and eat some healthy food in the morning can be simple. Fresh Fruits, Oatmeal, Whole grain breads with low-fat-cheese, hard boiled eggs are just some of the quick and healthy breakfast options which will not take much of your time, however can make a great difference in your health, mood and looks.

Click here for Breakfast provide many benefits to our health and well being

Nutritionists advise:

Breakfast should be eaten within two hours of waking

A healthy breakfast should provide calories in the range of 20-35% of your Guideline Daily Allowance (GDA).

Apart from providing us with energy, breakfast foods are good sources of important nutrients such as calcium, iron and B vitamins as well as protein and fiber. The body needs these essential nutrients and research shows that if these are missed at breakfast, they are less likely to be compensated for later in the day. Fruit and vegetables are good sources of vitamins and minerals so try to include a portion of your daily five at breakfast, whether that be a banana or glass of fruit juice.

Cognitive Function – Breakfast also restores glucose levels, an essential carbohydrate that is needed for the brain to function. Many studies have shown how eating breakfast can improve memory and concentration levels and it can also make us happier as it can improve mood and lower stress levels. In studies amongst children, breakfast can improve attainment, behavior and has been linked to improved grades. Just like any other organ in the body, the brain needs energy to work at it’s best!

Energy Needs – People’s energy needs vary depending on activity levels and life stage but typically men require more energy than women. Growing children require a lot of energy, as an example boys aged 7-10 yrs should consume approx. 1970 kcals per day, and girls aged 7-10 yrs should consume approx. 1740 kcals. For adults, men require approx. 2500 kcals and women approx. 2000 kcals per day.

Long Term Health – Breakfast is an excellent occasion to eat together as a family when possible. Establishing good breakfast habits in childhood and maintaining them throughout adolescence may be an important factor in reducing the prevalence of breakfast skipping and developing good eating habits that last a lifetime.

 

Eating breakfast has long term health benefits. It can reduce obesity, High blood pressure, Heart disease and Diabetes.

So, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day!

Click here for Light, Quick, Healthy and Best Breakfast are

 

  1. Moong dal Cheela – This is one of the healthy options for low fat, healthy and nutritious breakfast. Moong dal (split green gram) is considered one of the healthiest dal and also ideal breakfast or snack for Diabetics.
  2. Litti Chokha – Litti Chokha is one of the most nutritious breakfasts eaten and you can also make it very easily at home. Litti is the stuffed whole wheat ball and chokha is mashed vegetables.
  3. Daliya – Daliya is a light and healthy dish which makes it an excellent breakfast choice. Just make sure to make daliya with whole grains and not refined grains.
  4. Idli Sambhar- Idli are just steamed rice. But Idli alone won’t be nutritious but with sambhar it becomes a whole food since sambhar is made up of dal and lots of healthy vegetables. You can replace rice and make idli with oats or ragi for making it super healthy. If you do not have time to make the sambhar, just stock some gunpowder at home or some molaga podi and pair it with idli.
  5. Dhokla – Dhokla is made with gram flour which is nothing but chickpeas flour. It is rich in fiber, iron, potassium, manganese, copper, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, folate, vitamin B-6 and thiamine. I know list of nutrients is very long!!!
  6. Thepla – Methi Thepla not only contains whole wheat flour but also methi. Thepla is a staple gujrati snack. Just have it without ghee to make it low calorie breakfast meal.
  7. Mix Veg. Paratha – Just use leftover vegetables or dal to make parathas for your breakfast and you are done with most of the nutrition quota for your day.
  8. Upma – Just make sure to add lots of veggies upma to make it tastier and healthier! You can also replace rava with oats to make upma super healthy.
  9. Continental – when you are looking for a lighter meal to start off the day. A cup of cappuccino, along with a croissant or pain au chocolat. It’s on the sweet side but not too sweet.
  10. Dosa – It’s like a paper-thin sourdough pancake. There can be many types of fillings, but the most common type of dosa is masala dosa, which has curried potatoes inside. The surface of the dosa is very crisp, yet malleable enough to scoop up the potato filling.
  11. Nut Butter, Banana and Chia seed toast – Try this super food twist on classic PB and toast with 1/2 a banana (sliced) and a sprinkle ofchia, which is packed with vitamins and minerals (like six times more calcium than milk!).
  12. Berry and Yogurt smoothie – Here’s a simple and delicious smoothie for the morning rush. Blend frozen fruit (banana and berries work well) with Greek yogurt and a liquid of your choice (milk, juice,coconut water—whatever you like). Freeze overnight and thaw throughout the day to enjoy in the afternoon or blend up in the morning.
  13. Savory oatmeal with an egg – Take oatmeal to a whole new level by making it savory. Prepare as usual with milk or water, but add a pinch of salt and pepper instead of any cinnamon or sugar. Then top with an over-easy or poached egg and sprinkle on a little cheese for an extra tasty kick.
  14. Quinoa fruit salad – Spice up a plain old fruit cup with a scoop of quinoa. Toss the whole shebang around until the quinoa is evenly distributed. Add a dressing of honey, lime, and basil for a little extra body.
  15. Tomato toast with Macadamia Ricotta – Here’s a healthier take on a classic breakfast sandwich: Take 2 slices of a hearty whole-grain bread, spread each slice with 1 tablespoon of homemade macadamia ricotta cheese, and sprinkle with shiso or basil, kosher salt, and fresh cracked pepper to taste. Add 1-2 hearty slices of fresh heirloom tomatoes (blotted with paper towel to remove excess liquid) and enjoy.
  16. Warm fruit bowl – This gluten-free bowl should hit the spot. Simply bake a berry blend in the oven, sprinkle with dark chocolate shavings, and add a cup of milk.
  17. Zacchini Bread Oatmeal – Turn a classic baked loaf into oatmeal with this recipe. Adding shredded zucchini is a great way to fit in an extra serving of veggies. Throw on a handful of toasted walnuts for some added crunch.
  18. Open-Face Breakfast Sandwich – Simply toss arugula with olive oil and lemon juice before frying eggs with a dash of salt and pepper. Place on top of whole-wheat toast layered with ricotta and a sprinkle of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Wrap in foil and enjoy whenever the craving hits!
  19. Peanut Butter and Banana Smoothie – Smoothies are a perfection-the-go snack any time of day. Blend frozen bananas, peanut butter, soy milk, Greek yogurt, honey, and a few ice cubes. Add a scoop of your favorite chocolate or vanilla protein for an extra protein boost.
  20. Blueberry Almond and overnight Oats – This is the ultimate busy-bee breakfast. Combine oats, chia seeds, blueberries, vanilla, almond milk, and maple syrup in a sealed container the night before. In the morning, top with slivered almonds and half a sliced banana, and you’re ready for breakfast. If you’re in the mood for something warm, heat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
  21. Berry Breakfast Parfait – One of the easiest, healthiest, and tastiest breakfasts out there is a classic fruit and yogurt parfait. The best part? It can be made with any toppings you like. Try choosing fruits that are in season for the most flavorful options.
  22. Banana Peanut Butter Chia Pudding – Try adding this super food twist to the classic. All you need is chia seeds, a banana, some PB, and milk to combine all of the ingredients in overnight. With the sprinkle of chia, which is packed with vitamins and minerals (like six times more calcium than milk!), this is a perfectly balanced breakfast.
  23. Hakka Sevai – Instead of your regular noodles, take your sevai or vermicelli and make it the Hakka noodles way with less oil and more veggies. You can also add some urad dal and chana dal to the tadka to give it more of an Indian twist.
  24. Porridge – Indians have always had their porridge or as they call it the kheer. Replace it with honey or jaggery instead of sugar. Alternatively, if you are fasting, use sabudana instead of rice.
  25. Parathas – Have delicious stuffed parathas with curd and some chutney in the morning. Go easy on the butter or replace it with fresh, home-made white butter instead of the salted one.
  26. Misal Pav – Contrary to popular belief, misal pav is extremely healthy as it has pulses. Just don’t add the oil and spice mix or add it in moderation. Namely, eat Usal pav. Also, replace the pav with Indian bhakri and you’re sorted!
  27. Poha – You have many versions like the kande pohe or the aloo poha. Add peas and some roasted groundnuts to the mix and top it with grated coconut for a wholesome brunch!
  28. Appam – These lacy soft hoppers also known as palappam are a popular Kerala breakfast served along with vegetable stew or Kadala Curry.
  29. Pongal – Popular South Indian breakfast made with rice and yellow moong Lentils. There are many variations possible , at times grated coconut is also added. You could even add some chopped veggies to make a mix veg. pongal.
  30. Pesarattu – These Moong dal dosas are a healthy and nutritious dosa variety. Vegan as well as gluten free. It’s a popular recipe from Andhra Pradesh. Two more variations are Urad dal dosa and mixed dal dosa.
  31. Adai – Adai is a delicious protein rich pancake. Making Adai is very easy. Rice and Lentils are soaked and then ground to a slightly coarse batter. Also unlike Dosa you don’t need to ferment the batter.
  32. Set Dosa – These are very soft, Light and Spongy These soft dosa are called as set dosa as they are served in a set of three dosa per serving. Serve set dosa with coconut Chutney, Veg. sagu, Potato sagu, Veg.Korma or Sambar.
  33. Bread Poha – With almost no special ingredients, this quick recipe is a treat for those out of options. Pick up that boring loaf of bread and add some peanuts, chilli, peas and garnish with lemon for taste.
  34. Uttapam – What look like thick pancakes, are a tasty South Indian delicacy prepared made with the batter ofrice, dhuli urad dal and fenugreek seeds.

 

 

Click here for Reasons why you should not skip your breakfast –
  1. Starting your morning with breakfast will boost your metabolism.
  2. A morning meals helps keep your blood sugar level stable during the day.
  3. Healthy and nutritious breakfast reduces risk for starving as well as cravings and overeating later in the day
  4. Having breakfast helps feel fuller for longer and eat fewer calories throughout the day and that way control your weight.
  5. Studies have shown that people who eat breakfast consume more vitamins, minerals, and fiber throughout the day.
  6. Eating a healthy breakfast helps improve your concentration and productivity throughout the day.
  7. A morning meal helps energize your body, keeping you active and productive until lunch.
  8. Eating breakfast can keep you from packing on the Kilograms.
  9. Food is fuel for the body, so eating a nutritious breakfast means you will have energy to burn.
  10. Studies have now shown that irregular breakfast consumption is associated with a higher risk of type 2 Diabetes in women.
  11. Start the off right with a healthy breakfast, which has been associated with a lower incidence of heart disease in men aged 45 to 85.
  12. Do yourself ( and  your waistline ) a favor and make a little extra time for a quick and healthy morning meal.
  13. Eating breakfast means we start the day off on the right foot from a nutritional stand point. Eat one with a mix of healthy fats, proteins and complex carbohydrates.
  14. People living in the blue zone – global locations known for good health and along lifespan – all eat the most calories at breakfast, the second most at lunch and the least at dinner.
  15. Eating breakfast might help the body regulate blood glucose concentrations.
  16. You can use a nourishing breakfast to ward off your hangover. A healthy breakfast rich in iron, folate, and other minerals and vitamins will help your body to compensate for the lost nutrients.

 

Click here for Here are the worst foods you can eat in the morning :-
 

  1. Breakfast cereals – Many people think breakfast cereals are a nutritious choice for children and adults. Cereal packages often include health claims, such as “contains whole grains.” In reality, these cereals are highly processed and contain only a small amount of whole grains. Breakfast cereals contain mostly refined (not whole) grains and sugar. In fact, sugar is usually the first or second item in the ingredients list. The higher on the list, the greater the quantity. A high sugar intake may raise the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and other chronic health conditions.
  2. Toast with Margarine – Toast topped with margarine may seem like a good breakfast choice, since it doesn’t contain saturated fat or sugar. However, this is actually an unhealthy breakfast for two reasons.First, because the flour in most bread is refined, it provides you with few nutrients and little fiber.  Because it is high in refined carbs and low in fiber, it can spike your blood sugar levels very fast. Second, most margarines contain trans fats, which are the most unhealthy type of fat you can eat. There’s a massive amount of evidence that trans fats are highly inflammatory and increase your risk of disease. 
  3. Muffins – Despite a reputation for being healthy, most muffins are just small cakes in disguise. They’re made from refined flour,vegetable oils, eggs and sugar. The only healthy ingredient is the eggs. Sometimes muffins are topped with additional sugar, or filled with chocolate chips or dried fruit, further adding to their sugar and calorie content. All contents of muffins are unhealthy.
  4. Fruit Juice – Fruit juice is one of the worst choices you can make if you’re trying to avoid hunger, weight gain and chronic disease. Some fruit juices on the market actually contain very little juice and are sweetened with sugar or high-fructose corn syrup. High sugar levels increase your risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and other diseases.

    Drinking fruit juice causes your blood sugar to rise very quickly because there’s no fat or fiber to slow down absorption. The resulting spike in insulin and drop in blood sugar can make you feel tired, shaky and hungry.

  1. Toaster Pastries – Toaster pastries are an undeniably quick and easy breakfast option. However, their ingredients are anything but healthy. In addition to being high in sugar and refined flour, toaster pastries only have a couple of grams of protein.
  2. Scones with Jam and Cream – Scones topped with jam are truly more like dessert than a meal. They’re usually topped with cream and jam or jelly. The end result is a high-calorie, sugary breakfast with little fiber and protein. Easily digested carbs and a lack of fiber can drive hunger, leading to increased food intake and weight gain.
  3. Granola Bars – Granola bars may sound like great breakfast options, but they’re often no better than candy bars. Further driving up their sugar content, granola bars sometimes contain chocolate chips or dried fruit.In fact, some of the most popular brands contain a combination of sugar, corn syrup and honey. Large amounts of these sugars can raise blood sugar, insulin levels and inflammation. They also lack protein and fiber.
  4. Doughnut – With sugar, refined carbs, and deep-fried fat, doughnuts are another breakfast food to avoid. If you’re going to indulge, at least pair the doughnut with protein or fat, to help stabilize your blood sugar and avoid an energy crash. Try a handful of nuts, or a hard boiled egg.

 

Click here for If you skip breakfast :-
 

  1. People who skip breakfast have lower energy levels, as well as less strength and endurance to engage in physical activity.
  2. You may have worst moods during the day.
  3. Skipping breakfast influences you having poorer memory.
  4. People are much more likely to become overweight and face a higher risk of serious health problems.
  5. Researchers also claim that people who skip breakfast are more prone to infections – perhaps because white blood cells, which fight infection, need a morning boost.
  6. Skipping breakfast is associated with decreased physical activity.
  7. Skipping breakfast can make you overindulge in food during the day time. This in turn paves the way for increased prevalence of obesity, due to which It was found out that a person who is overweight or obese has an increased risk of developing cancer.
  8. Skipping meals trigger a massive dip in sugar levels, in turn, triggering the release of hormones that could compensate for the low glucose levels. This, on the other hand, increases the blood pressure levels, triggering migraines and headaches.
  9. One of the major side effects of skipping breakfast results in hair loss. Yes, a meal that contains dangerously low levels of protein could affect the levels of keratin, averting hair growth and triggering hair loss.
  10. Skipping breakfast could worsen the hangover by bringing down the sugar levels, inviting headaches and nausea.
  11. Skipping breakfast also results in the development of hypertension, leading to obstruction of arteries, as well as the development of increased risk of chronic cardiovascular conditions, including a stroke.
  12. Skipping breakfast resulted in increased menstrual irregularities. The irregularities further included excessive bleeding and painful menses. Additionally, it also resulted in suffering from constipation.Skipping your breakfast in these conditions negatively affects the growth of the body.
  13. Skipping breakfast can make you feel grumpy because you feel tired and lethargic.

                                                                                       Avoid Spicy Food

Many of the reactions we associate with spicy food can be traced back to chilli. Specifically, chilli peppers contain a compound called capsaicin, which causes burning or irritation when it touches any surface containing nerve endings, such as the tongue. Of course, not all chillies are the same. There are many different varieties and some are naturally hotter than others. According to Guinness World Records, the hottest pepper in the world is the ominously named Carolina Reaper, which is around 3,200 times hotter than your average jalapeno!

Given what they can do to your mouth, you’d expect hot peppers to have damaging effects on the rest of your digestive tract, if not elsewhere in the body. To be sure, patients with various gastrointestinal diseases, such as hiatal hernias, ulcers and bowel disorders, are commonly advised to avoid hot, spicy foods.

Click here for Reasons to Avoid Spicy Food –
 

Makes You Sweat – Turning up the heat on your plate often leaves you literally sweating. Capsaicin-containing spicy foods really do heat your body up, which is why you may find yourself getting a bit dewy as you down a meal at your favorite Indian place.

Worsens Your Heartburn – While spicy foods don’t actually cause heartburn or stomach ulcers, they can make both worse.  If you notice your reflux acting up, then cut back. If you’re prone to heartburn, temper the irritating effects with a side of yogurt or sour cream to take the edge off the spice.

Give You the Runs – One of the more inconvenient effects of spicy foods is the trouble it causes in your gut. Since spice acts as an irritant, it can get things moving as it hits your intestines. Capsaicin can act as a laxative for some people and cause a quick run to the bathroom.

Tones Down Your Taste Bud – Contrary to the flavor it adds in the short term, regularly eating spicy foods can dull your taste buds’ sensitivity over time. So beware of turning up the dial on spiciness just for the sake of pushing the envelope—if you plan on enjoying your favorite spicy dishes for years to come, less is more.

Irritates Your Skin – As anyone who’s ever accidentally touched their eye after popping a hot pepper into their mouth can tell you, those babies cause major burn. Since spice can be a serious skin irritant, apply some lip balm before eating to create a barrier for the delicate skin on your lips, and make sure to wash your hands immediately after handling the heat.

Turns You On – In addition to the rest of its health-boosting benefits, capsaicin has also been shown to act as an aphrodisiac for some. Things are about to get a whole lot spicier…

 

                                                                               Now about Fried Food –

Many people like the taste of fried foods. Yet these foods tend to be high in calories and trans fat, so eating a lot of them can have negative effects on your health.

Click here for Reasons to Avoid Fried Food –
 

Fried Foods are high in Calories – Compared to other cooking methods, deep frying adds a lot of calories. For starters, fried foods are typically coated in batter or flour prior to frying. Furthermore, when foods are fried in oil, they lose water and absorb fat, which further increases their calorie content.

Generally speaking, fried foods are significantly higher in fat and calories than their non-fried counterparts. Fried foods contain more calories than their non-fried counterparts. Eating a lot of them can significantly increase your calorie intake.

Fried foods are typically high in trans fat – Trans Fat are formed when unsaturated fats undergo a process called hydrogenation. Hydrogenation  occurs when oils are heated to very high temperatures during cooking. Since fried foods are cooked in oil at extremely high temperatures, they are likely to contain trans fats.

In fact, trans fats are associated with an increased risk of many diseases, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity

Eating Fried Foods may Increase Your Risk of Disease – Several studies in adults have found in association between eating fried foods and the risk of chronic disease. Generally speaking, eating more fried foods is associated with a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and obesity.

Fried Food May Contain Harmful Acrylamide – Acrylamide is a toxic substance that can form in foods during high-temperature cooking, such as frying, roasting or baking. It is formed by a chemical reaction between sugars and an amino acid called asparagine.

Starchy foods like fried potato products and baked goods typically have higher concentrations of acrylamide. Animal studies suggest that dietary intakes of acrylamide may increase the risk of several types of cancer, but more studies in humans are needed to say for sure.

Unhealthy Oils – Cooking oils that contain a high amount of polyunsaturated fats are far less stable and known to form acrylamide when exposed to high heat. These includes but are not limited to : Soyabean Oil, Corn Oil, Sesame Oil, Sunflower Oil, Rice Bran Oil.

These oils are processed, and up to 4% of their fatty acid content is trans fats prior to frying. Unfortunately, they are commonly used by restaurants, as they tend to be cheaper. Not only should you avoid these oils for deep frying, you should try to avoid them altogether.

The Bottom Line – Consuming foods fried in unstable or unhealthy oils can have several negative health effects. In fact, eating them regularly can put you at a higher risk of developing diseases like diabetes, heart disease and obesity.

Therefore, it’s probably best to avoid or severely limit your intake of commercially fried foods. Fortunately, there are several other cooking methods and healthier fats you can use instead.

 


Click here for Reasons to cut out fried foods :-
 

  • The vegetable oil used in fried foods are generally contaminated with pesticides. They are depleted of minerals and vitamins. Foods fried in this oil will simply attack your body’s ability to fight diseases, thereby weakening your immunity to diseases in the long run.
  • Most fried foods contain MSG (toxic salts) to enhance “dead food” flavor Oil, which is what fried foods are cooked in, is full of fat.  Fat is high in calories.  Eating a lot of calories tends to lead to being overweight- which leads to issues like diabetes and heart diseases.
  • A Spanish study found that people who ate the most calories in fried food had a positive correlation with obesity.
  • The nutritional value of fried food is poor. Proteins that are fried turn into acrolein a known carcinogen
  • Heating vegetable oil above 300 degrees Fahrenheit damages the oil,causing toxin formation in the foods.
  • Fried foods clog arteries and lead to strokes.
  • Studies have shown that eating fried foods can be a contributor to Alzheimer’s.
  • Fried foods lead to inflammation in the body which create problems with joints.
  • Modified, processed and fried foods don’t break down in body properly; remaining in kidneys, liver, intestines, prostate and colon for extended periods of time as toxins.
  • Fried food breading soaks up nearly every drop of the oil, so eating fried chicken and pan pizza is like drinking oil straight from the vat. This increases your low-density or “bad” cholesterol.
  • All fats and oils have what’s called a “smoke point” – a temperature at which the chemical structure deteriorates and forms toxic compounds. This is when oils turn rancid; and eating foods fried in rancid oil causes increased oxidative stress on your body, leading to things like glucose intolerance, protein malfunction, hypertension and high cholesterol.
  • The vegetable oil in which the fried food is cooked is obtained from genetically modified vegetables.
  • Fried foods are deep fried and are high in saturated fat- which will definitely increase the risk of heart diseases and can cause strokes. 
  • Most of the fried fast food contains calories.  They are usually processed and have chemical additives. To increase the shelf life of the food, they are injected with chemical additives and are uncovered of nutrients. So, fried food does no good to us and doesn’t increase our life span.
  • It is found that most of the fried meat in restaurants are polluted or infected with growth hormones. Growth hormones are very famous in this field and are frequently used to increase the growth tempo of livestock. The people who ate fried meat are more vulnerable to certain cancer and infertility. Many people have developed these diseases according to research.
  • When oil is reused over and over again as it often is in fast food chains, the oil continues to breakdown every time it is heated. It’s not only the oil that undergoes a harmful change. Other nutrients can be altered by the heating process. An example of this is carbohydrates, which, when heated to very high temperatures, can actually release a certain type of carcinogen. This is another reason to keep in mind that fast food chains are not the place to find nutrition.
  • Some fried foods are sterilized with radiation or artificial chemicals. They generally use cheap sterilization methods. Because these methods are cheap, they are often unsafe for consumer’s well being.

 

YOUR DIET IS A BANK ACCOUNT.

GOOD FOOD FOR CHOICES ARE GOOD INVESTMENTS.

Resolution No. 9

In continuation of our Twelve resolutions today we will share Resolution No. 9.

                                       

                                                        9. I will have fresh juice of seasonal green vegetables.

Fresh vegetable juice is a healthy option for meeting your daily vegetable requirement. When you juice raw vegetables, you gain almost all of their natural nutrients, including antioxidant phytochemicals. You can also control the ingredients, thus avoiding any extra sweeteners or additives found in commercial vegetable juices.

Having juice daily is a fun and tasty way to pack a ton of healthy nutrients into a drinkable treat that’ll make you feel great. Adding all-natural, unsweetened fruit and vegetable juice to help supplement your diet is a great idea. It’s not better than whole foods, it’s just different. And sometimes, that’s all we need to help us keep up with a healthy diet.

Every other person is on a juice fast or cleanse today. Juices are wonderful companions for detoxification and weight loss, but the key is to choose the right ones. Most of us love fruit juices, but vegetable juices are equally good – in terms of taste as well as benefits. Spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, cabbage, and broccoli – you can transform all these nutrient-packed vegetables into juices. Blend a single veggie or make a combo to suit your palate.

Drinking just one freshly pressed juice each day is a reliable way of infusing your body with a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that can protect your cells against premature aging and disease. Almost everyone who has studied nutrition can agree that freshly pressed vegetable juices are highly beneficial to human health. But few people make time to prepare and drink them regularly.

The key to making healthy vegetable juices is to make green vegetables the bulk of every serving. Green vegetables won’t spike your blood sugar and insulin levels like fruits and sweet vegetables such as carrots and red beets will.

Just a word of caution – Though these juices are nutritious, they lack in essential proteins, carbs, and fats. Hence, do not try to lose weight by drinking only juice for a prolonged period. Eat other healthy foods, workout regularly, and get proper rest to lose weight.

[wds id=”1″]

 

 Table of Vegetables and their Nutrition facts

Vegetable Beets Broccoli Cabbage Carrots Celery Cucumber Parsley Spinach Sweet Potato Tomato Water

cress

Quantity 136g 91g 89g 128g 101g 52g 60g 30g 130g 123g 34g
Calories 43 21 13 38 10 7 14 4 96 16 3
Total Fat (g) 0.23 0.34 0.09 0.31 0.17 0.06 0.47 0.12 0.06 0.25 0.03
Protein (g) 2.19 2.57 1.14 1.19 0.7 0.34 1.78 0.86 2.04 1.08 0.78
Carbohydrates (g) 13 6.04 5.16 12.26 3 1.89 3.8 1.09 26.16 4.78 0.44
Sugars (g) 9 1.55 2.85 6.07 1.85 0.87 0.51 0.13 5.43 3.23 0.07
Water (g) 119.1 81.26 82.04 113 96.4 49.52 52.63 27.42 100.5 116.3 32.3
Vitamin C (ug) 6.7 81.2 32.6 7.6 3.1 1.5 79.8 8.4 3.1 16.9 14.6
Vitamin A (ug) 45 567 87 21384 453 55 5054 2813 18443 1025 1085
Vitamin E (mg) 0.05 0.71 0.13 0.84 0.27 0.02 0.45 0.61 0.34 0.66 0.34
Vitamin K (ug) 0.3 92.5 67.6 16.9 29.6 8.5 984 144.9 2.3 9.7 85
Vitamin B6 (mg) 0.09 0.16 0.11 0.18 0.07 0.02 0.05 0.06 0.27 0.1 0.04
Folate (ug) 148 57 38 24 36 4 91 58 14 18 3
calcium (mg) 22 43 36 42 40 8 83 30 39 12 41
Iron (mg) 1.09 0.66 0.42 0.38 0.2 0.15 3.72 0.81 0.79 0.33 0.07
magnesium (mg) 31 19 11 15 11 7 30 24 32 14 7
Phosphorus (mg) 54 60 23 45 24 12 35 15 61 30 20
Potassium (mg) 442 288 151 410 263 76 332 167 438 292 112
Sodium (mg) 106 30 16 88 81 1 34 24 72 6 14
Zinc (mg) 0.48 0.37 0.16 0.31 0.13 0.1 0.64 0.16 0.39 0.21 0.04
Click here for Best and Healthy Vegetable Juices :
  1. Tomato Juice : The pulpy, tangy flavor and the red or orange-red hue make tomato a treat for palate as well as eyes. Loaded with lycopene, tomatoes are overflowing with antioxidative properties. The antioxidants are good for detoxification and cleansing. In addition, they keep you young and radiant; the antioxidants thwart cancer, especially testicular cancer in men, by scavenging the free radicals. Drink it on its own or blend it with other veggies for an enriched drink! However, do not overindulge, as excessive tomato intake is known to produce renal stones. When people drank a glass of vegetable juice daily, they got double the veggie servings of people who just tried eating more vegetables.
  1. Carrot Juice : The bright orange colored veggie makes its way to the top of healthy vegetable juices. Crammed with beta-carotene, this juice is an efficient way to reap vitamin A. Naturally sweet, you can blend this vegetable with spinach, broccoli, wheatgrass etc to mask their unpleasant taste. The rich presence of beta-carotene is not only great for skin and brain but also prevents cancer, protects the arteries, fights infections, and boosts the immune system. Certain studies have shown that carrots can help eliminate putrefactive colon bacteria and intestinal parasites. Blend with apples for a energy boosting, nutrient rich drink!

     3. Spinach Juice : This leafy green veggie is the storehouse of vitamin A, vitamin K, folate,  magnesium, manganese, calcium, iron, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B2, and vitamin B6. Plus, it also meets your protein requirements while bestowing you with the goodness of vitamin E, dietary fibers, copper, zinc, selenium, and omega-3 fatty acids. No wonder, it is named the ‘king of green veggies’. All the above-mentioned nutrients play assorted essential roles to keep us healthy and glowing. There are countless benefits spinach has for your health, hair, and skin. But, there is a small restriction; the oxalic acid present in this leafy green could hamper with calcium absorption. So,  restrict your intake to a maximum of three times a week to thwart unnecessary complications. 

      4. Cabbage Juice : Cabbage juice is probably one of the best vegetable for juicing, especially if you have stomach problems. Having a glass of cabbage juice daily can greatly help with ulcers. It is a great detoxifier and a cancer fighter. This vegetable contains indoles that aid in maintaining  estrogen balance and metabolism regulation. Cabbage juice does not taste great alone; so just blend it with yummier ingredients like tomatoes, oranges, or carrots for a pleasant taste and added health benefits.

       5. Broccoli Juice : Broccoli, another vegetable from the cruciferous family, is well known for the presence of antioxidants and vitamin C in admirable levels. Consumption of raw broccoli few times a week can prevent lung, colon, and breast cancers. However, it is extremely difficult to consume it raw so broccoli juice is a great alternative to reap these benefits. You can combine it with tomato juice for a better taste. The chlorophyll in this vegetable is good for your insulin and blood sugar levels.

  1. Sweet Potato Juice : Its exceptional richness in beta-carotene makes it an ideal juicing vegetable. Sweet potatoes are a great source of vitamins C and B6, manganese, potassium, copper, and iron. The anti-inflammatory properties of this tuber make it beneficial for people with arthritis and other inflammatory disorders. 
  1. Celery Juice : Celery juice is a great choice to flush out the excess uric acid from your body. Therefore, people with gout issues can incorporate this leafy green juice in their diet. Its high potassium content can lower blood pressure. Celery juice also helps in getting rid of the bloating, triggered by water retention. Its powerful diuretic properties along with the ease of flushing out toxins makes celery a must include in all detoxifying regimens. Do not forget to juice your celery as it tops to reap the benefits of potassium concentrates present there. This will also help in balancing the sodium in the stalks. This juice delivers apigenin, a compound that promotes the death of cancerous cells, according to research.
  1. Parsley Juice : The high content of chlorophyll makes this juice great for your blood. This is another great choices for healthy vegetable juices It boosts your energy levels and possesses anti-parasitic properties. It is particularly beneficial in treating kidney and gallstones. It cleanses your liver and supports your heart. It might also help with arthritis. The best part is that this juice can deodorize your body as well as ward off garlic and onion scents. Since it is tasteless, you can easily add it to other juices, probably green ones, to boost their nutrient content. This juice delivers apigenin, a compound that promotes the death of cancerous cells, according to research.

     9. Dandelion Juice ; Since these greens are rich sources of chlorophyll, dandelion greens are  effective liver, kidney, pancreas, and bowels cleansers. This juice is a mild diuretic and has proven to offer remedy from diabetes, anemia, and hypoglycemia. This juice can actually unclog the clogged pores in people with acne, as they are natural cleansers. Plus, you could garner the goodness of  calcium, potassium, iron, and manganese also.

     10. Beetroot Juice : This crimson juice is a powerhouse of nutrition. Beets are rich in minerals such as magnesium, calcium, potassium, sodium, and phosphorus. These veggies also contain iron, copper, zinc, selenium, and manganese in traces. Consuming a glass of beetroot juice daily helps in lowering blood pressure, improving blood flow to the brain, and thwarting age related memory disorders such as dementia. Packed with antioxidants, the juice helps in flushing out the free radicals and thus, prevents the onset of cancer and tumors. It detoxifies your liver and kidneys as well as eliminates bad cholesterol. The folic acid in this juice is beneficial during pregnancy as it provides protection against birth defects.

11. Bitter gourd Juice : Even though we know greens are good for us, bitter gourd juice is not something most people would like to consume. However, the antioxidants present in it completely detoxify your body, improve digestion, increase metabolism, promote weight loss, and prevent accumulation of excess fat cells in the body.

  12. Wheat grass Juice : Wheat grass juice is one of the best options available for detoxification. It helps in weight loss as it contains a large amount of potassium, which helps to burn calories effectively. The fiber content also helps in curbing hunger pangs.

  13. Aloe Vera Juice : Aloe vera juice might not taste the best, but it gives an instant kick to your metabolism. Consuming it regularly will not only contribute to weight loss but also make your hair and skin healthy.

14. Lemon Juice : If you intend to lose weight by consuming juices, make sure you have lemons in your refrigerator. Drinking lemon juice on an empty stomach in the morning helps your body to cleanse and detoxify, thus speeding up the weight loss process.

15. Cucumber Juice : This drink is amazing for your skin. All the ingredients are rich in various  micro nutrients that cleanse your system, help you lose weight, and strengthen your immune system.

 

The Art of Juicing : Juicing is, for the most part, quite easy to do. You make sure that your vegetables are small or crunch-able enough to fit through the feeding mechanism of your juicer, and you push them in one at a time.

It’s best to juice soft vegetables like leafy greens first, as they are a bit harder to push through the extraction mechanism than firmer vegetables like carrots and celery. Firmer vegetables like carrots and celery can actually help to push any bits of softer vegetables that are deep within the feeding tube of your juicer but not yet completely through the extraction mechanism.

With leafy greens, we find that it is best to roll them up into small balls before feeding them through the juicer. This helps prevent a single leaf from getting stuck between the feeding tube of your juicer and the plunger that you use to push the vegetables down.

Fruits, like firmer vegetables, can be added near the end, as you are unlikely to have a problem with
pushing them down and through the extraction mechanism with the plunger.

Click here for Vegetable-based Healthy Juice Recipes for you :

 

Juice #1

If you’re looking to start adding green juice to your diet, this is a great place to start. Cucumbers and celery are both packed with water, making them excellent candidates for juicing. And green apple adds tons of sweetness and fruity flavor to the juice. This juice is super refreshing and hydrating—perfect for summer!

Green Goddess  – Cucumber, Apple, Celery

  • 3 stalks of celery
  • 1/2 large cucumber, cut into quarters
  • 1 medium green apple, cut into eighths
  • 1 medium pear, cut into eighths
  • Drink immediately or Chill for an hour and then enjoy

Juice #2

Like the spicy kick of ginger? Well then this recipe is for you. The sweetness of carrots and apples are a great balance to the heat of ginger.

Ginger Zinger – Carrot, Lemon, Ginger

  • 2 medium apples, cut into eighths
  • 5 carrots (no need to peel)
  • 1/2 inch fresh ginger
  • 1/4 lemon (remove peel to avoid bitterness)

Juice #3

Get your nutrients from dark, leafy greens all while drinking juice that tastes like the tropics!

Tropi-Kale – Banana, Pineapple, Kale

  • 1/4 of a fresh pineapple, skin and core removed, and cut into 1″ strips
  • 4 kale leaves
  • 1 ripe banana, peeled

Juice #4

The earthiness of beets is balanced out by sweet and fruity berries in this brightly purple juice. If regular purple beets are a bit too strong of a flavor for your tastes, try golden beets, which are sweeter and more mild in flavor.

AntiOxidant Blast – Beet, Strawberry, Blueberry

  • 2 medium beets, cut into quarters and the greens
  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 1 cup halved, hulled strawberries

Juice #5

Enjoy a power boost to your immune system with the germ-fighting combo of lemon, orange, and ginger.

Immune Booster – Orange, Lemon, Ginger

  • 2 oranges, quartered (remove peel for less bitterness)
  • 1/4 lemon (remove peel for less bitterness)
  • 1 medium apple, cut into eighths
  • 1/2″ fresh ginger

Juice #6

This juice combines two different types of apples to create a fun and healthy twist on traditionally apple juice.

Not-so-Sour Apple – Tart apple, Kale

  • 2 tart apples, cut into eights
  • 5 kale leaves

Juice #7

Start your day off right with this fruity juice packed fruits and veggies!

Kale Kickstart – Kale, Orange, Banana, Strawberry

  • 1 orange, quartered (remove the peel for less bitterness)
  • 1 cup halved and hulled strawberries
  • 2 kale leaves
  • 3 carrots
  • 1 ripe banana

Juice #8

Bright and fruity, this juice shows off how awesome melons are in fruit and vegetable juices. For a fun, refreshing twist, add in a leaf or two of fresh mint.

Cucumber Cooler – Cucumber, cantaloupe, Celery

  • 1/4 ripe cantaloupe, seeds removed, cut into chunks (no need to peel)
  • 2 stalks celery
  • 1/2 cucumber, cut into slices
  • 1/4 lemon (remove peel to reduce bitterness)

Juice #9

Edgy Veggie 

This nutritious drink will help boost your body’s immunity, support the digestive system, lower bad cholesterol, and also fight cancer

  • 1 washed and unpeeled beetroot
  • 1 celery stalk
  • 1 medium sized carrot
  • 5 broccoli florets
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • A few mint leaves
  • A pinch of salt
Directions
  1. Roughly chop all the veggies and throw them in the blender.
  2. Add the finely chopped mint leaves and a pinch of salt.
  3. Finally, add the lime juice and stir well before drinking.

Juice #10

Twitter Bitter 

Needless to say, if you are diabetic, you should drink this elixir. Loaded with vitamins and minerals, this drink helps in healing wounds, burns, ulcers, and in preventing cancer, acne, liver disease, etc.

  • 1 bitter gourd
  • 1-inch aloe vera leaf
  • 1-inch cucumber
  • A pinch of salt
  • A pinch of cayenne pepper
Directions
  1. Wash the bitter gourd, cut it into two halves, and remove the seeds.
  2. Slit open the aloe vera leaf and remove the gel.
  3. Chop the bitter gourd and cucumber into small cubes.
  4. Blend the bitter gourd, cucumber, and aloe vera.
  5. Add a pinch of salt and cayenne pepper. Stir well and drink.

Tip: Do not add salt. Do not squeeze the bitter gourd after chopping it as you will lose 80% of the goodness of the bitter gourd. If it’s too bitter for you, try to drink it just once a week.

Juice #11

Celery Garlic Drop-A-Size Drink

Rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, this drink aids digestion and weight loss and protects you from cancer.

  • 1 celery stalk
  • 1 clove crushed garlic
  • 1/2 green bell pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
  • A pinch of salt
  • A pinch of freshly ground black pepper
Directions
  1. Chop the celery stalk and the bell pepper and throw them in the blender.
  2. Add the crushed garlic and fennel seeds and give it a spin.
  3. Finally, add a pinch each of salt and black pepper. Stir well and drink.

Juice #12

Tomato and Cucumber Juice

This juice is a popular fat burning formula that also increases fiber in your diet.

  • 1 cup chopped cucumber
  • 1/2 cup chopped tomato
  • 1/4 lemon juice
  • A pinch of salt
Directions
  1. Toss the chopped cucumber and tomato into the blender and give it a spin.
  2. Add lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Stir well.

Juice #13

Watercress and Carrot Juice

Watercress is rich in antioxidants and dietary fiber. Drinking it will fill you up and improve bowel movement. Drink this juice in the morning for best results.

  • 1/2 cup watercress
  • 2 cup chopped carrots
  • A pinch of salt
  • A pinch of freshly ground pepper
Directions
  1. Toss the watercress and chopped carrots into the blender. Give it a spin.
  2. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper. Stir well.

Juice #14

Celery and Beet juice –

Celery is another vegetable that is rich in dietary fiber, while beets offer many health benefits. This juice is rich in antioxidants and helps detoxify the body.

  • 2 celery stalks
  • 1/2 cup chopped beetroot
  • Coriander leaves for garnishing
  • A pinch of salt
Directions
  1. Chop the celery stalks and throw into the blender.
    2. Toss the chopped beetroot into the blender and give it a spin.
    3. Pour the juice into a glass and add a pinch of salt.
    4. Stir well and garnish with coriander leaves.

Juice #15

Honeydew melon and Cucumber Crush

Honeydew melon and cucumber are a good source of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and other phytonutrients that will flush our the toxins and keep you hydrated.

  • 1 cup honeydew melon
  • 1/2 cup cucumber
  • 1/4 cup ice water
  • A handful of mint leaves
  • A pinch of black salt
Directions
  1. Toss the honeydew melon, cucumber, ice water, and mint leaves into a blender and give it a spin.
  2. Pour the juice into a glass.
  3. Add a pinch of black salt and stir well.

Juice #16

Leek and Broccoli

Leek is a low-calorie vegetable that has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Broccoli has anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties and supports your digestive system

  • 1/2 cup chopped leek
  • 1 cup broccoli
  • A pinch of black pepper
  • A pinch of salt
  • A dash of lime juice
Directions
  1. Blend the leek and broccoli.
  2. Strain the juice into a glass.
  3. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.
  4. Add the lime juice and stir well.

Juice #17

La Tomatina

Rich in beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and dietary fiber, this drink is a toast to good health. The ingredients will boost your immunity, protect you from diseases such as cancer, indigestion, obesity, and heart disease, and also make your skin glow.

  • 2 chopped tomatoes
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 cup chopped watercress
  • A handful of coriander leaves
  • A pinch of salt
  • A pinch of pepper
Directions

1. Toss the tomatoes, watercress, and coriander leaves into a blender and give it a spin.
2. Add a dash of lime juice and a pinch each of salt and pepper.
3. Stir well before drinking.

Juice #18

Deep in Purple

Rich in minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, this drink is a one-stop solution for many health problems such as obesity, cancer, heart disease, bacterial infection, indigestion, and low blood pressure. It also helps in reducing stress.

  • 1 washed and peeled beetroot
  • 1/2 cucumber
  • 3-4 cranberries
  • 1/2 tomato
  • A handful of coriander leaves
  • A pinch of salt
  • A pinch of cayenne pepper
Directions
  1. Cut the cucumber, beetroot, and tomato into small cubes and throw them in the blender.
  2. Add the cranberries, a pinch of salt, and cayenne pepper. Spin it.
  3. Add roughly chopped coriander leaves before drinking.

Veggie juice is the easiest, tastiest route to alkalize your system and maintain the necessary pH balance that translates to optimal health.

Blend these juices today, and start your journey from fat to fit.

 

Expert tips to make Juice :- 

Juice plan is designed to be a starter kit with tips and recipes to help you get started or, if you’re already a home-juicing enthusiast, to give you new ideas for your juicer. Here are tips for making your own healthy, fresh juice at home.

  1. Wash all fruits, vegetables and herbs well—no need to dry them.
  2. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for juicing—every juicer machine is different.
  3. Add the most delicate ingredients first, such as leafy greens and herbs.
  4. Follow with soft vegetables and/or fruits (tomatoes, berries, etc.).
  5. Finish with hard vegetables and/or fruits (apples, celery, etc.).
  6. Make your juice healthier by adding ground flax seeds or ground ginger.
  7. Add some of the pulp back into the juice, or save it and add it to a soup or rice dish.
  8. Only juice what you want to consume immediately. Juice loses its nutritional value and can develop bacteria if it is left standing.
  9. Use a variety of fruits and vegetables for juicing. Avoid having the same juice every day.
  10. Drink fresh juice within  a day or freeze it.

No juicer? No problem. Try this low-tech version for how to make juice without a juicer.

  1. Coarsely chop all ingredients.
  2. First, place the soft and/or juice ingredients in the blender and process until liquefied. Then, add the remaining ingredients; blend until liquefied.
  3. Cut two 24-inch pieces of cheesecloth. Completely unfold each piece and stack the pieces on top of each other. Fold the double stack in half so you have a 4-layer stack of cloth.
  4. Line a large bowl with the cheesecloth and pour the contents of the blender into the center. Gather the edges of the cloth together with one hand and use the other hand to twist and squeeze to extract all the juice from the pulp. If you don’t want stained hands, wear rubber gloves.

Vegetables

Drinking fresh vegetable juice allows you to consume an optimal quantity of vegetables in a simple and time-efficient manner. Adding a sweet vegetable such as a carrot can help to make vegetable juice more palatable, especially if you have included vegetables with a bitter taste. An 8-oz. glass of vegetable juice prepared with carrot, celery and parsley contains 90 calories.

Click here for Why Vegetable Juice is Ideal for Health –

Juicing all types of fruits and vegetables turns them into super foods that are easily and optimally absorbed by the body. We recommend always including some type of green in your juice. You’ll be surprised at the flavor, and the health benefits are tremendous.

Vegetable juices are very easy to digest since the juicing process removes the fiber and cellulose, making things much easier on your digestive system.  vegetables are naturally low in sugar. You can drink numerous glasses of vegetable juice per day – getting all the various nutritional benefits they bestow – and not worry about overdoing it on sugar.

Nutrient-Rich Juice

Juice extracted from raw veggies retains the plant’s beneficial vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. In fact, 1 cup of carrot juice contains most of the same nutrients as you’ll get from eating 5 cups of chopped carrots, according to the Stanford Medicine Cancer Institute. Vegetable juices are naturally low in calories and fat, yet they’re important sources of nutrients such as potassium, folate and vitamins A and C. In addition to maintaining normal metabolism and energy, these nutrients help lower blood pressure and may reduce your risk of heart disease.

Lycopene

Vegetable juice serves as an excellent source of lycopene, a nutrient that helps give the juice its red hue. As an antioxidant, lycopene protects your tissues from oxidation — a process that would otherwise damage your lipids and proteins, as well as lead to genetic mutations. A diet rich in lycopene lowers your risk of some chronic diseases, including stroke and prostate cancer.

Sodium 

Despite its nutritional benefits, you should consume vegetable juice in moderation because it’s also high in sodium. A 1-cup serving of regular vegetable juice contains 479 milligrams of sodium, just shy of one-third of your daily limit, set by the Institute of Medicine. If you drink vegetable juice as part of a high-sodium diet, you increase your risk of heart attack, kidney damage and stroke. When you drink vegetable juice, look for lower-sodium options.

Vitamin A and C

Drinking vegetable juice also increases your vitamin intake and provides considerable amounts of vitamins A and C. Both vitamins promote healthy immune function and keep your skin healthy. Vitamin A also regulates gene activity, allows for healthy vision and promotes new cell growth, while vitamin C protects your tissues from oxidation and prevents cell damage.

Lack of Fiber

When you put vegetables through an extractor, the machine separates the juice from the pulp, allowing the juice to flow out through a strainer that removes the pulp, which means your juice doesn’t contain the vegetable’s natural fiber. Fiber is an essential part of your daily diet because it keeps your bowels regular, lowers cholesterol and stabilizes blood sugar. You can add ground flax or chia seeds to the juice for fiber. You could also recycle the extracted fiber, adding some back to the juice or using it in sauces, soups and meatloaf.

Safety Concerns

Fresh vegetables easily become contaminated with bacteria present in the soil or water. You can reduce the risk of contaminants making it into your homemade juice by choosing the freshest vegetables and refrigerating them as soon as you get home. Rinse vegetables under water, using a brush to remove dirt, and cut away the skin and bruised parts before juicing the vegetables. Homemade vegetable juice spoils quickly because it’s not pasteurized. If possible, juice only the amount you will consume right away or immediately store leftover juice in the refrigerator.

Juices Give Your Digestive System a Rest

The benefits derived from drinking natural juices depend, in part, on the type of equipment used to make the juice. Centrifugal-force juicers — the traditional kind sold in many stores — remove virtually all of the fiber from the raw foods. Fiber is an important nutrient for digestive health that many Americans already consume too little of. However, this type of juicing may have health benefits for people with impaired digestion. Drinking juices made with traditional juicers gives your GI system a timeout while still providing all the vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients of fresh produce, says Dr. Sears Wellness Institute.

Blended Juices Deliver Fiber

Fresh juice made using a high-speed blender retains most of the fiber of its raw-food ingredients. Because of the fiber content, blended juices provide a slow release of nutrients into your bloodstream and can help you feel full longer. This may assist with your weight-loss efforts, reducing the number of calories you eat overall. It can also help you manage your blood sugar levels, preventing spikes and crashes that can affect your mood and energy.

Juice Ups Produce Intake

Increasing your vegetable and fruit consumption can reduce your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer. Juicing helps you consume more vegetables and fruits in a convenient, drinkable form. This boosts your intake of micronutrients and phytonutrients, helping to strengthen your immune system and ward off chronic illness.

Considerations About Natural Juices

If you decide to add natural juices to your regimen, drink the fresh juices directly after they are made for the best health benefits. Natural juices are subject to both bacterial growth and rapid nutrient loss. In addition, fresh juices made primarily from fruit are high in sugar and calories and may defeat your health goals. Juicing too much of certain vegetables, like oxalate-rich leafy greens, can impair kidney health. Eat fresh raw and cooked produce in addition to juicing — your body absorbs some nutrients, like the beta carotene in carrots, better when the veggies are cooked and not raw.

 

Click here for Benefits of Vegetable Juices :

 

These assorted vegetables offer varied benefits when consumed together. But one of the most effective ways to let your body absorb the optimum goodness of veggies is by extracting the juice and drinking it on a regular basis. Well,  it is time for you to learn the top health benefits of vegetable juices.

  • Better nutrient absorption – Drinking vegetable juice ensures the body to absorb all the nutrients that it needs.  When you are eating the vegetables, the body takes time to separate the nutrients from the fiber and then absorb those nutrients to utilize it for various functions. Hence, drinking fresh vegetable juice will ensure that your body gets an easy access to all those nutrients.
  • Hydrate the body – The body remains hydrated because you have your dose of vegetables in the liquid form. Hence, be it a cup or cups of vegetable juice that you drink obviously features in the measure of water you must drink daily!
  • Improves Heart health – There is a notable amount of potassium in many different juices, which can help to lower your blood pressure and relieve strain on the cardiovascular system. Furthermore, there are high quantities of iron and vitamin C, which can stimulate proper circulation and improve the amount of collagen in the body, respectively, helping to lower your risk of damaged blood vessels or arteries.
  • Improves brain function – This can help to improve memory,concentration and basic function, as well as slow down or even stop neurodegenerative diseases.
  • Increases nutrient intake – Some of the minerals and antioxidants in vegetable juice can cleanse the colon and re-balance the bacteria in your gut. Other nutrients are able to increase the bio-availability of certain minerals and vitamins, which can then be absorbed by the body, making your mealtimes more efficient!
  • Skin Care – Drinking vegetable juice regularly can improve the appearance of wrinkles, blemishes, scars and age spots, while also providing relief from a number of inflammatory conditions or infections, such as psoriasis,eczema, and rosacea.
  • Lowers risk if chronic diseases – Regular consumption of vegetable juice can lower your risk of many other chronic diseases as well, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and even some autoimmune diseases.
  • Natural goodness – You can treat your body with natural vitamins? The vegetables you juice are brimming not only with vitamins, but also with minerals and most importantly, chlorophyll! A real health drink, isn’t it!
  • Raw vegetable juice is therapeutic – The body absorbs a nutrient-dense beverage instantly with very little effort. Vegetable juice also has a soothing and healing effect on the digestive system. A healthy digestive tract is crucial when it comes to the absorption of vital nutrients present in the vegetables.
  • The high levels of fiber in vegetable and fruit juices allow effective and efficient weight loss – Fiber controls your appetite and keeps you full for longer, thus preventing binge eating.
  • Vegetable and fruit juices supercharge the immune system with their concentration of phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. These nutrients protect the body from diseases and the effects of pollution.
  • Vegetable and fruit juices also increase the energy levels in the body. They balance the pH levels in the body and keep it energized.
  • Vegetable juice contains no saturated fats or sodium, making it very beneficial for controlling cholesterol. People who drink vegetable juice thrice a day are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease.
  • Additionally, people who drink fruit or vegetable juices are less likely to eat processed and junk food.
  • Beauty benefits of drinking vegetable juice – Juicing vegetables can be effective for your beauty needs as well. Here are the beauty benefits of drinking vegetable juice:
  • 1. Promotes hair growth.
  • 2. Combats hair loss
  • 3. Keeps acne and pimples at bay
  • 4. Skin starts glowing
  • 5. Treats and prevents wrinkles

Juicing allows you to try every kind of vegetable you might have previously shied away from. Even if you’re wary about trying out new tastes, you can easily integrate just a few, new exotic veggies with your tried-and-tested favorites to easily create new recipes you just might fall in love with.

To summarize, fruit and vegetable juices are a proven solution for weight loss. You can see visible results in just a week without hitting the gym. The flip side of it is that only juices will not support your body.

 

Do not go on a “juice diet” unless your doctor or nutritionist recommends you to do so.

Click here for Side Effect of Vegetable Juice -

You’ve all heard of the positive attributes of juicing, but what about the negatives?…

Effect #1 – Overall Weight Gain : Like most diets or fads it will be hard to keep any weight lost off after the diet when you make the transition of from drastically lowering your calories to consuming additional calories again.

When you start to consume more you will put weight back on and possibly more – living on such low calories is not sustainable. Even if you were to follow the plan for a long time this could result in metabolic damage as your body will become used to surviving on little calories and weight loss will stall.

Effect #2 – Weakened Immune System : Most juices contain no source of protein and very little fat, yet we need protein to sustain and create new muscle tissue and help keep our immune systems healthy. The body will eventually start to break down muscle tissue if we starve it of protein for too long.

A lack of fat in your diet could also result in poor condition of your skin and hair. If you do juice, try adding a handful of nuts and half – to a full avocado to your juices as a source of plant protein and healthy fats.

Effect #3 – Poor Digestive System : Juicing fruits and vegetables often removes the fiber, a big claim of many juice diets is that by doing this it helps the body because it gives the digestive system a break, this is false as fiber is extremely important in keeping our digestive systems healthy and working correctly.

If you don’t consume enough fiber you may experience stomach upset, bloating, gas and constipation. The fiber that is removed through juicing also helps you to feel satisfied after eating.

Effect #4 – Headache, Dizziness, Moods : Juice cleanses or diets often result in weight loss but this is because it drastically lowers your daily calories, with most diets being under 1000 calories. This could lead to dizziness, feeling nauseous, headaches, fatigue, moodiness and changes in bowel function.

Effect #5 – Affect Blood Sugar levels : Because of the lack of fiber in some juice’s, the body absorbs more fructose sugar readily – this can affect your blood sugar levels, something which diabetics should be wary of.  Symptoms of this include an increased thirst, tiredness and a dry mouth.

Juicing should not be a substitute for eating real food, eating frequently can stable your blood sugar levels. If you are anaemic it is especially important that you get enough iron in your diet, juices often lack this vitamin so you could worsen your condition, making you feel more lethargic and pale in color.

Effect #6 – Affect Your Long Term Eating Patterns : Living off juice alone can leave you with nutritional gaps, you are unable to get all of your vitamins and minerals from juice alone and lacking in essential nutrients can make you more vulnerable to infections and sickness.

Juice is also not as satisfying as a whole meal, you’re more likely to want to snack and this could lead to binge eating. These kind of diets can reinforce the notion that food is the enemy, we need to promote a healthy lifestyle that involves fruits and vegetables along with whole foods.

Effect #7 – Lack of Fiber : When you juice vegetables, you’ll mostly throw away the fiber from these drinks. This can cause constipation because of the lack of fiber in your diet. It might be best to try smoothies instead of juicing if lack of fiber in your diet is a concern.

Effect #8 – Less Calories Intake : The natural sugars in fruits will cause a sudden energy boost once they are consumed, but you will soon after experience a major crash in energy levels that may leave you wondering whether the juicing process is a positive one.​

While your body is being fed less and less calories, it will begin to draw from the proteins that are stored in your muscles.​ This causes a serious drop in muscle mass, which leads to physical weakness and fatigue.​

Effect #9 – Say NO to Only Juice : People who are also on restrictive-diets should NEVER go on a juicing diet without supervision from their health providers. A person who is on a low-potassium diet can suddenly have an increased potassium intake from consuming certain vegetables like the cruciferous vegetables which are rich in protein. ​

This warning is also for those who have thyroid hormone problems. Certain vegetables have to be avoided for people with hypothyroidism as it can affect the hormonal imbalance on their bodies.​

Effect #10 – Vary the vegetables : You will miss out on essential fatty acids, minerals and vitamins if you are on a long juice cleanse. Plus too many green juices using vegetables like kale can have an adverse affect on our body.

Effect #11 – Side effects of Carrot juice : Carrot juice should be avoided by people having Diabetes. It has a mild laxative effect, so it should not be consumed if you have diarrhea.

Effect #12 – Clean Your Juicer : It is wise to thoroughly clean your juicer every time you use it. The vegetable residue left behind after producing a glass of juice is even more vulnerable to bacteria than whole organic veggies. This is because the juice is prone to decomposition in it’s ravaged state.

Clean your juicer every single day without compromise. If you use it more than once, then clean it after every use. Do not allow the juicer to remain filthy for any length of time.

 

Ultimately your focus is on improving health so always stick to the basics.

a. buy a good juicer
b. buy organic vegetables whenever possible
c. make your own vegetable juice and be mindful of the possible vegetable juicing side effects should you ever decide to juice for more than five days.

Go for vegetable juice over fruit to minimise your ‘natural sugar’ intake.

Vegetable juicing and loads of water, plus clean food is a great way to live.

 

Click here for Myths about vegetable juice :-

 

Most of the negative hype surrounding juicing is purely false, while some juicing myths do contain some science, they often distort the important facts to make juicing sound evil and life ending.

Myth #1 – A juice cleanse helps in weight loss :  Weight loss occurs if you consume fewer calories than you burn. Hence, if you consume 1200-1400 calories of juice each day as part of a juice cleanse, and your recommended calorie intake is 1700 calories, you are likely to lose weight because of the calorie deficit. But a juice cleanse is akin to a crash diet and any weight loss it causes will be in the short term only. Once you resume your normal diet, you will probably put on any kilos you have lost.

Additionally, a juice diet will be nutritionally unbalanced, since you will not be getting the recommended quantities of fiber, protein and other nutrients. This is likely to cause a loss of muscle mass and food cravings, as well as other health problems such as high blood sugar. Hence, it’s best to consume the recommended one serving of juice as part of a balanced diet, and cut down your overall calorie intake to lose weight healthily.

Myth #2 – A juice cleanse can help detox your body : There isn’t any scientific evidence to support this claim. Your body organs such as the liver and kidneys are responsible for detoxifying and cleansing your body. These organs help remove toxins from the body in a natural process. During a juice cleanse, a person is likely to burn their glycogen stores for energy, which can cause the body to lose water. A cleanse can also lead to side effects such as a lack of energy, headaches, irritability, low blood sugar and constipation.

Myth #3 – It is easier for the body to absorb nutrients from fresh fruit and vegetable juice than from fiber-rich whole fruits and vegetables : There isn’t any scientific evidence to support this claim. Your digestive system is designed to extract nutrients from different foods, even those which are rich in fiber. In fact, fiber has an important function in the digestive and excretory systems, and is essential for digestive and gut health.

Myth #4 – Avoid spinach and kale in fresh juice since they can interfere with blood-thinning medication : Excess consumption of spinach and kale may affect anti-blood clotting medication. In moderate quantities, however, these vegetables are safe to consume for patients on blood-clotting medication.

Myth #5 – A juice contains no fiber : Describing juice as free of fiber is not the case. There are two types of fiber, Soluble and Insoluble. Juicing contains soluble. Juicing extracts most of the insoluble fiber out of the produce while soluble fiber remains. Soluble fiber absorbs water like a sponge and provides bulking matter that acts as a prebiotic to support good bacterial growth and digestive health.

Myth #6 – There is no proven health benefits of juicing : This is a classic criticism that we’ve been debunking for years!  Anyone concerned with their intake of protein while on just juice can add healthy ingredients like plant-based protein powder, chia or hemp seeds.  For most healthy adults, even drinking just juice for a few days won’t create a protein deficiency.

Myth #7 – Juicing is just a trendy fad diet : While in some cases this may seem true with over-inflated health claims, research focused on juice is ongoing and finding positive results.  For example, carrot juice was found to help reduce white blood cell DNA damage in smokers. Juicing is something many of us will be doing for the rest of our lives, and the generations that follow us will do the same until a better way to get highly bio-available nutrition surfaces.

Myth #8 – When you juice, you lose too many nutrients in the pulp that’s extracted : Yes, you will lose some nutrients in the pulp like fiber and magnesium to name a few, but you’ll reap countless benefits from the nutrients that remain in the juice.

Myth #9 – There’s a high risk of juices containing bacteria : You can get bacterial only in the manufactured form of juice and not in the juice made at home. First off, by making juice at home you are in control of the cleanliness of your machine.  Equipment in facilities that mass produce food or juice is often the culprit in contamination.  Secondly, peeling and even juicing has been shown to help remove pesticide residue.   So for extra care, always wash your hands and produce well, then peel items like citrus, beets, melon before juicing.

Myth #10 – Juicing causes you to loose your hair : This one can be partly true for some people.  Taking on juicing alone can be risky for some, particularly those with pre-existing health conditions.  This is why speaking with your doctor first is important.  For some, especially women with a thyroid or other condition, restricting the diet to just juice for “too long” may lead to less hair.  The definition of “too long” varies and getting an expert opinion is key.

Myth #11 – Juicing provides more vitamins : Fruit and vegetables contain loads of vitamin C and some B-vitamins which are easily destroyed by slicing, cooking and juicing.  Also, the nutrient-rich skin of the fruit or vegetable is often peeled before juicing and the fiber-rich pulp is left behind.

Myth #12 – Juices contain lot of sugar : Some juices contain fruit sugar. Many experts on juicing advice a ratio of 80% vegetable to 20% fruit, which allows you to add a bit of sweetness along with all the sugar free benefits found in vegetables.

Myth #13 – Juicing has no health benefits : Research studies have shown that drinking vegetable juices will provide you with many health benefits. For instance, beet juice helps manage hypertension.

Myth #14 – It’s better to eat fruits and vegetables than juicing them : This is only true if you are looking for a source of insoluble fiber. Otherwise you still get all the other nutrients even when you juice them. In fact, some vegetables are actually healthier for you in a juice when compared to roasting or cooking them.

Myth #15 – Organic is more nutritious : You can get bacterial only in the manufactured form of juice and not in the juice made at home.

In short, there are nothing but benefits that come from juicing with the right kinds of foods – as long as you remember to juice lots of leafy greens and avoid sugary/starchy varieties of either.