Eating Healthy Naturally

Oh sure, we’ve all heard the old adage of time being of the essence. But how about energy, shouldn’t that take top billing? So, when we are “running out of steam” how do we get some extra energy?

Juicing

Let’s take a look at juicing. Quite a hit these days, you’ll find trendy juice bars in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and all the major cities. But more than just a fun and “in” place to go, juicing has become a way of life for many. Just think, through the power of a juicer you can achieve not only more energy, but also experience good digestion, have restful sleep, and even achieve weight control. And stress? Well, juicing is like fixing a natural tranquilizer in a glass.

Not only that, in addition to all those great natural enzymes and phytochemicals that are purported to fight disease in our bodies, it tastes good!

What we eat or don’t eat can affect the way we feel -- it can affect a client’s mood swings and even a teen’s unruly behavior. And look at all the food allergies that we hear about today. Food is fuel, and one way to think of our bodies is as efficient machines.

With a juicer, anyone can have energy at their fingertips. All you need to do is assemble a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables at least once a day. After you’ve scrubbed the produce with a stiff vegetable brush, line the items up to go into the juicer. Some great fruit juice combinations are: blueberry and honeydew; celery, lemon, and watermelon; apple, carrot and cantaloupe; or lemon with pineapple and orange juice. Some super vegetable combinations (nothing should be peeled): carrots, apples, yellow squash, celery, and lemon (remember, don’t peel, just remove the lemon rind); celery, cucumber, green pepper, spinach, and a small apple (just core the apple and seed the pepper -- don’t peel); or perhaps carrot, celery, kale, and tomato. By adding a tablespoon or two of wheat germ or brewer’s yeast to the vegetable combinations, you’ll add protein.

Sprouting

Don’t forget, an assortment of sprouts is good, too! Yes, you can buy sprouts in the store, however, when it comes to “sprouting” at home, all you need is a few Mason or mayonnaise jars, several 4” x 4” squares from old pantyhose (the top part is best), and some rubber bands. Go to your local health or natural foods store for a safe source of seeds and dried beans, making sure they are organic and not treated with chemicals.

Why are sprouts so good for us? Freshly sprouted foods are loaded with enzymes, fiber and vitamins. Here are a few choices: adzuki beans, barley, buckwheat, clover, chive, chia, mung beans, lentil (must be whole to sprout, not halves), soybean, wheat, alfalfa, broccoli, kale, chickpeas (or garbanzos), cress, fenugreek, radish, triticale, and, well, beans of almost any kind.

Interested in growing your own sprouts? It’s easy to do. After you’ve purchased your selection of seeds and dried beans from the health food store, place a 1 to 2” layer of seed or bean in a Mason jar, cover the jar with the nylon square and secure the square over the mouth of the jar with a rubber band. Fill with water a few inches above your layer, soaking for 2 to 8 hours or even overnight. Remember, the larger beans need a lot longer soaking time than small seeds such as alfalfa or clover. After draining the jar, invert it at a 45 degree angle in your dish drainer. If you don’t have a dish drainer, invert it in a large plastic margarine tub in your kitchen sink. Rinse water, draining several times a day. Depending on the size of the bean or seed, they’ll start sprouting in the next few days. Rinse and drain, put a lid on the jar, and refrigerate. Be sure to use within 3 to 5 days.

So, now that you have these sprouts all ready to go what do you do with them? Lots of things! Put alfalfa sprouts into an omelet, meatloaf, burgers, or even homemade bread. Mung beans can be used in stir-fry recipes and egg foo yung. For a beverage that’s loaded with nutrients, add sprouts to your juicer with either your fruit or veggie blends. And, of course, the quickest and easiest way is to include them in a big green salad.

Raw food anyone?

Other than in a salad or munching on an apple, when was the last time you enjoyed anything raw? Since so much of our food these days is highly processed (think fast food and packaged frozen dinners), we Americans are just not getting enough fiber.

Researchers say that the best course is a combination of foods, both raw and cooked. There are even some who advocate a completely raw diet, including raw fish and meat. There are many Websites on raw food diets.

Fountain of Youth?

Hmmmm, a fountain of youth -- perhaps a juicer, some sprouts and a bit of raw food is the closest thing to achieving just that!

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