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Health & Fitness

The Health Benefits of Juicing: Join Me Tonight for a Discussion!

Fruits and vegetables are critical to promoting good health. To get the amount that's recommended, most people need to increase the amount of fruits and vegetables they currently eat every day.

Fruits and veggies are sources of many vitamins, minerals and other natural substances that may help protect you from chronic diseases. And, get this, you can also lose weight by eating fruits and veggies instead of processed foods!

I’m not talking about lettuce and tomato on your burger either. While it depends on your age, sex and activity level – a good rule of thumb is to eat at least two cups (or two pieces) of fruit and two and a half cups of veggies per day (12 baby carrots is one cup, half a large sweet potato is one cup, etc.).

An easy way to pack all of these in is to juice them. Here are some other benefits of juicing:

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  • Juicing for health provides vital nutrients, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals for our bodies to repair themselves, strengthen the immune system and for cell regeneration and growth.
  • Juice is an excellent snack or meal replacement that is very filling. Many dieters claim that juices assist them to lose pounds with no hunger.
  •  The antioxidant effects of juices will help detoxify your body and help you eliminate the toxins, fats, preservatives and chemicals that a diet of processed foods leave behind in your body.
  •  Increased energy and mood uplift are also benefits of juicing. As your body becomes detoxified and “cleaned out” it will be more able to access and utilize more sustainable nutrients. This will make you feel much better in general.

Come join me at 6:30 p.m. tonight at Plainfield’s new juice bar, Juice 2 Live, at 14210 S. U.S. 30 (at 143rd Street), behind Family Video. I’ll be discussing more health benefits of juicing and you can taste some of Juice 2 Live’s delicious fresh juices.

For more information, call Juice 2 Live at 815-230-2500 or me at 630-470-7634. Hope to see you there!

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Sample Recipes

For a Blender: Powerful Detox Green Smoothie; a powerful blend of detoxifying greens.

Combine and mix in a high-speed blender: 4 kale leaves, 6 romaine leaves, 1 cup chopped mango,1 cup chopped pineapple, 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger (peeled), 1/2 cup chopped parsley, 2 cups water, and a handful of ice. (You can add an apple or 1-2 Tbsp raw honey if you prefer a sweeter taste). This recipe makes an entire pitcher.

For a Juicer: Sweet Green Juice

1 apple, 1 beet, 5-6 carrots, ½ inch piece of fresh ginger (peeled and chopped), 4 large kale leaves (stems removed).This recipe makes one 16-ounce glass.

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