Thursday, January 31, 2013

What are your cravings telling you?

Trying to lose weight without addressing your cravings & hormones could be futile. One of the fastest ways to completely trash your health and sabotage fat-loss is to let your blood sugar run wild.

You might be thinking, "Shouldn't only diabetics be the one concerned with blood sugar level?" But this is further from the truth. Your blood sugar level has a big impact on your cravings and hormones.

If you find yourself constantly craving for foods, then your blood sugar is most likely the culprit that is making you hungry.When you control your blood sugar level, you won't get much cravings anymore.

Let's go through 2 foods that you should take note of to reduce cravings.

Breads and Pasta  
If you find yourself craving for foods high in simple carbohydrates, it is because of blood sugar imbalances. Craving carbs means you need more complex carbohydrates to regulate your blood sugar  level. Your body also need more proteins from leafy vegetables to balance out the blood sugar level too.

Cakes and Donuts
Cakes and donuts have excessive sugar that will cause your blood sugar level to spike. These foods are usually full of saturated and trans fats which are harmful to your body too. If you really want to go for such foods, control your portion.

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Blending vs Juicing


Blending (in Vitamix) vs Juicing - Juicing has its advantages....one glass of juice equals to about a pound of carrots, which few of us could get. Unfortunately most of the valuable anti-cancer nutrients in the vegetables gets tossed in the trashed when the pulp is discarded. Using a Vitamix blender will keep ALL the valuable nutrients in while allowing you to consume more vegetables in liquid form.

In the whole fruit and vegetables lies a universe of nutrients that we will never fully understand but are there for our maximum benefits. Extracting juice from the fruits and vegetables makes as much sense as eating white flour.

When we decided to remove the fiber from the whole fruits, vegetables and grains, we began a history's greatest epidemic outbreak of obesity, heart disease, cancer and more.

There are 10 times more health giving photochemical agents in blended whole fruits and vegetables than in juice extracted from vegetable pulp.

Kale!!!!


My Favorite!!! Kale a rich source of anticancer chemicals. Kale has more beta carotene than spinach and twice as much lutein, the most of any vegetable tested. Kale is also a member of the crucifereous family, endowing it with anti cancer insoles that help regulate estrogen and fight off colon cancer.

What is the white stuff on the outside of the orange, lemon, lime and other citrus fruits....Pith - the white matter under the peel, contains the highest amount of valuable bioflavonoids and other anti-cancer agents.

Spinach is great choice!


Spinach, tops the lists along with many other green leafy vegetables, as a food most eaten by people who don't get cancer. It's a super source of antioxidants and cancer antagonists, containing about four times more beta carotene and three times more lutein than broccoli, for example. Rich in fiber that helps lower blood cholesterol. Some of its antioxidants are destroyed by cooking.

Eating raw, lightly cooked or blended are best.

Why I use Pineapples in my recipes:


Pineapple suppresses inflammation. A main constituent, an antibacterial enzyme called bromelain, an anti-inflammatory. Pineapple has others benefits such as, aids digestion, helps dissolve blood clots and is good for preventing osteoporosis and bone fractures because of its very high manganese content.

Is also antibacterial and mildly estrogenic.

Collard Greens


Collard Greens are full of anticancer, antioxidants compounds, including lute in, vitamin C and beta carotene.

Why I use Dates:

Dates are high in natural aspirin. They also have a laxative effect. Dried fruits including dates are lower rates of cancers, especially pancreatic cancer. 

I use cabbage in a lot of my recipes


I use cabbage in a lot of my recipes. Cabbage (including Bok Choy), referenced in Ancient Rome as a cancer cure, contains numerous anti cancer and antioxidant compound. Speeds up estrogen metabolism, is thought to help block breast cancer and suppress growth of polyps, a prelude to colon cancer.

Eating cabbage more than once a week cut men's colon cancer odds by 60%.

As little as 2 tablespoons a day of cooked cabbage protects against stomach cancer. Contains anti-ulcer compounds; cabbage juice help heals ulcers. I also has antibacterial and anti-vitals powers.

However, some of these powerful compounds are destroy by cooking. Raw cabbage, as in cold slaw, appears to have stronger overalls health value.


Why I choose the ingredients I use:


Celery is a traditional Vietnamese remedy for a high blood pressure. Celery compounds reduces high blood pressure in animals however comparable human dosage: two to four stalks a day. It also had a mild diuretic effect. Celery contains eight different families of cancer compounds, such as phthalides and polyacetylenes, that detoxify carcinogens, especially cigarette smoke.

Eating celery before and after vigorous exercise can induce mild to serious allergice reactions in some people.


Green-Aide 3



1 Large Lemon, peel (in shaving the peeling, save as much of the white part)
2 Apples
1 cup kale (power greens)
1/2 Celery
3 tbsp Blue Agave
1 Ice
Blend for 30 seconds. Enjoy!

Green Pineapple Drink


1 large Banana
1 medium slice of pineapple
1 pear
2 handfuls of spinach
2 cups Almond + Plus 5x protein milk So Delicious Dairy Free (or your choice of milk)
1 cup Ice

Blend for 30 seconds. Enjoy!!!!

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Tips for Adding Protein and its benefits


 Add all your product (except protein powder) inside your Vitamix blender. Turn machine on, turn dial to speed 10, flip to High. Allow to blend for 30 seconds. After 30 seconds turn machine to speed 1, flip from High to variable. Take plug out of machine top, now pour protein down center funnel while machine is blending. Immediately after last bit of protein has been poured, immediately turn off machine. You will have 10 seconds to finish.
Your don't want to blend you protein longer than 15 seconds.

Benefits of protein....
Protein is required by the body for the growth, maintenance and repair of all cells.

Protein is a major component of all muscles, tissues and organs and is vital for practically every process that occurs within the body such as metabolism, digestion and the transportation of nutrients and oxygen in the blood.

It is also necessary for the production of antibodies, which fight against infection and illness, and is the main nutrient that keeps our hair shiny and healthy, our nails strong, our skin fresh and glowing and our bones strong and healthy.

Tips for making great Ice Cream


Only blend for exactly 45 seconds. Make sure your monitoring Vitamix machine to insure that all your reduction is being pulled down to bottom. Also look for the 4 mounds or pillars that will form in the corners.

Remember if you allow the machine to blend 45-60 seconds (an additional 15 seconds), then remember you will have a thick smoothie, however if you continue to allow blender to process, you will now have a soupy smoothie/drink. The longer you blend the product it will change the outcome. Anytime you allow the machine to blend longer than 2 1/2 minutes the machine will begin heating.

Earthbound Goodness Orange-Green Drink


1 cups Earthbound Farm Super Power Greens (Red and Green Chard, Kale, Spinach..etc..)
2-4 dates (taste to your desire)
1 medium slice of pineapple
1 apple, cut into quarters (no need to decore)
1 pear, cut in quarters
1/3 cup organic orange juice concentrate
1 1/2 cup water

Blend in Vitamix for 30-45 second.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

The Skinny on Blending Fruit and Vegetables in a Smoothie or Green Drink


The Skinny on Blending Fruit and Vegetables in a Smoothie or Green Drink

Without fail, every time I post a green smoothie recipe that includes a carrot or a stalk of celery or piece of cucumber with an apple, orange or a berry of some sort, I’ll get comments from concerned people who’ve heard that one should never mix fruits and vegetables. It’s “bad food combining”, they say.

Over and over again, my response is through my research, that the food combining hypothesis was thoroughly debunked almost 80 years ago, there is absolutely zero scientific evidence to support it, and no credible scientists or doctors support food combining today. I have consulted credible Nutritionist on their opinions on the subject at hand.

Through My Research:

What Is Food Combining?
Food combining is a central tenet of the Natural Hygiene philosophy, which was founded by Sylvester Graham in the 1830s and was brought into the 20th century by Herbert M. Shelton. Elements of Natural Hygiene is particularly popular in the modern raw food movement, and “proper food combining” is often discussed on raw food message boards and websites.

The food combining hypothesis states that certain food combinations should never be consumed since such combinations will disrupt the body’s balance, cause digestion problems, and lead to poor health and “toxic buildup”. That can also be suggested about the number of meats, carbs and dairy combinations I've seen combines. The idea is that certain foods digest using different enzymes, and improper food combining confuses the body, thereby producing health-damaging side effects from digestion.

Food combining “no-no’s” include mixing protein with fat, or protein with carbohydrate. Fruit should always be eaten separately, and certain types of fruit should not be mixed, for example, “acid fruits” like oranges with “sweet fruits” like bananas. Melons are suggested to always be eaten on their own.

However many of my green smoothie recipes are at odds with food combining since I routinely blend pineapple with banana (gasp!) and I also commit the unforgivable sin of blending melons with just about every fruit and vegetable you can think of......even berries. Just check out my Watermelon Lemonade Recipe.

Do I care that I break just about every single food combining rule every day? Probably not that much! Because there is absolutely no reason why I should. The food combining hypothesis is not grounded in science, and it is not supported by personal experience or observation. When blending I get very creative. I get all my nutrients and I am in great health.

Why Is The Food Combining Hypothesis Unscientific?
The food combining hypothesis is not scientific, because, it does not hold up to the rigors of the scientific process. The tidal wave of modern science punching holes in the idea. Food combining is not supported by credible scientists and doctors (it is not even supported by many natural health experts). And when I say “credible”, "I’m referring to scientists and doctors who’ve studied at accredited schools, and who abide by the scientific process, and who utilize the peer-review process to separate truth from wishful thinking and incorrect assumptions spun as “common sense” on the Internet."

Many of you may know, for the sake of those who don't, what we know of human digestion has advanced greatly in the 170 years since food combining and Natural Hygiene came onto the scene.

In summary, there is no credible scientific evidence that eating a meal with protein and carbohydrates together will cause any problems with digestions, enzyme imbalance, or produce toxic aftereffects. There is no evidence that fruits and vegetables cannot be digested together, or require different enzymes, and that mixing the two will cause health problems.  The mixing of fruits with vegetables, or protein with carbohydrate, has not been scientifically established as a cause or contributing factor in vitamin and mineral malabsorption.

An often cited criticism of food combining is that foods themselves have differing amounts of macronutrients that supposedly should not be combined. For example, beans contain a combination of carbohydrates and protein. Meat and eggs contain a combination of protein and fat. All fruits and vegetables contain varying ratios of carbohydrate, protein and fat.

Personal Experience With Food Combining
From personal experience, I have never once experienced any side effects of blending oranges, plums or pineapples (acid fruits) with bananas, grapes or papayas (sweet fruits). I’ve never once experienced side effects from blending greens with fruits, or fruits with vegetables such as zucchini, cucumber, carrot, broccoli, celery, bell pepper, beet and tomato. I've actually been very satisfied with the results of my energy and my skin.

I have never personally seen a single instance where any of the above combinations caused any physical or digestive problems in a person with a healthy, normally-functioning digestive system.

My personal experience combined with what we know from modern science, has led me to take a dim view of food combining, and I simply do not adhere to it, or advocate it, because of this.

But Why Do I Not Feel Right After Combining Certain Fruits and Vegetables?
Despite the fact that there is absolutely no science that supports food combining, and a significant lack of credible health professionals who support the hypothesis, there are adherents who claim that they had trouble with digestion and chronic illness until they finally got on the food combining bandwagon. They cite their experiences as proof that food combining works.

So does this mean that food combining works for some and not others? Does it mean that there isn't anything at all to the 170-year old notion of food combining?
Well, not really. There can be a lot of factors that could cause digestion issues, or chronic feelings of poor health, that might be otherwise blamed on improper food combining.

The most common would include:
1.) Allergies and intolerance to certain fruits (but not combinations of different fruits). Some people have bad reactions to certain fruits, but it’s not necessarily because those fruits were mixed with the wrong types.
2.) Lack of thorough chewing, particularly in the case of a green salad topped with fresh fruit. In this instance, the issue is the larger pieces of food being more difficult to digest (plant cellulose in leafy greens) rather than, greens and fruit are being mixed.
3.) Underlying health problems that affect digestion and/or nutrient absorption that have nothing at all to do with combinations of certain foods, but that might be exacerbated by certain combinations in certain individuals.
4.) Digestive “issues” like gas and bloating that occur when people make a sudden dietary change by eating more fruits and vegetables. This has more to do with a sudden increase (or decrease) of fiber and the body adjusting to different foods, yet has nothing at all to do with food combining, and it goes away in a few days.

The above issues should be ruled out (or credible medical attention should be sought) before a 170-year old, thoroughly debunked dietary philosophy is given credence, despite its lack of scientific support.

If It Feels Good, Drink It!
I don’t like to be all nitpicky about what I eat, but my health is a valuable commodity that i can not afford to lose. The rigid rules of food combining makes eating complicated, isn’t necessary and doesn’t serve me. My approach to diet, green smoothies and a healthy lifestyle is that if it feels (and tastes) good, I’ll keep drinking it!

That includes my melon-banana smoothies, and my berry-papaya creations, and blending every fruit I can get my hands on with every vegetable I’m brave enough to toss into my blender pitcher.

Ignore the rules and enjoy your green smoothies instead!

Simply Lose Weight And Feel Great With Green Smoothies!

Almost four years ago, I did something small that radically changed my life.... I made my first green smoothie! Then almost three years ago I made another decision and that was to eliminate the desire to eat breads, muffins, quesadillas, cakes and pies, so I did a "fast" for 40 days, the dramatically changed my life! It also gave me clarity on other things in my life. I gained a tremendous amount of self control in many much needed aspects in other areas. I made a to eliminate most meats from my diet on a regular basis...(no I'm not wearing a label of being Vega, Vegetarian, Raw Foodist or Diabetic) I just eat healthy. I also do what best for me and thus far it works.

Fast-forward to today and I am enjoying the best health I’ve ever experienced. I am 25 pounds lighter, my body fat is 22% lower, my cholesterol is 10 points lower, and my skin radiates. My body is toned and I have so much energy that I’m running in Half-Marathons more frequently than I ever thought possible. I thought I would only do it for a year, but I've learned that I crave it more and more.

Angel's Tortilla Soup (Vegetarian with a Non-Vegetarian Style Twist)


Phase 1
1 cube bullion (chicken or vegetable or no-chicken)
3 cilantro stems
1/2 Roma tomato
6 small carrots
1 small piece of onion
1 small slice of jalapeña
3 small sleeves of cabbage
1 thinly slice of red, yellow and orange bell peppers
1/3 slice of red, orange and yellow sweet peppers
1/2 celery stalk
1 tbsp of Blend I Up! Spice Blend Seasoning
3 cups of hot water (You don't have to use hot water, you can allow machine to run beyond 3 1/2 minutes, it will heat up on its on. This only saves time.)

Add
1 thinly slice of red, yellow and orange bell peppers
1/3 slice of red, orange and yellow sweet peppers
3 cilantro stems
1/4 slice of Roma tomato
1 cup Chicken (optional.....must be already cooked)
1/4 Avocado
1cup Chips
1/4 Cheese

Place all ingredients in 5200 or 6300 Vitamix machine in the order listed. On the 6300 you will use the manual side of the machine for this soup. After all ingredients are inside, turn machine on, immediately turn to 10 speed and immediately click from variable to high. Add  water, if you added hot water then allow machine to run for 3 minutes, if added cold or room temperature water, then allow machine to run for 5 minutes.

At this point the machine has run it course ( whether 3 or 5 minutes) you will now slow the machine down to 1 and and click from high to variable, this is the lowest level for food processing.

We are now ready to add any additional ingredients we choose for texturizing.  This whole process will only take 20 seconds. This will make it chunky. I do add the additional cilantro and tomato first, then turn machine up to 4 and allow to process for 10 seconds. (I don't want to cook, I'm only processing to chop up a bit. Now turn machine back down to 1 and leave here until complete.

Now lets add sweet peppers and bell peppers, black beans, corn, avocado, (cheese and chicken if desired).

At the very end you can add a hand full of chips or approximately 2 cups.
Make sure you monitored time and speed for soups to come out perfect every time.

Enjoy!!

Please feel free to email me amjones@livinglifegolden.com




Zesty Lemon-Lime detox Smooth


Lemons, limes and other citrus fruits rank highly for their detoxing properties. They are among the most water rich fruits which help flush toxins out of your body. The fiber in lemon, lime, orange and grapefruit “scrubs and scrapes” your intestine walls and helps moves toxins out.

This smoothie combines the sour flavor of lemon-lime with the sweetness of banana and orange for a delicious blend. Added to the mix are dandelion greens, which is believed to be one of the top cleansing greens you can eat.

If you don’t have access to dandelion greens, simply use a different leafy green such as kale, chard, collards or even spinach.

Since this is a detox smoothie recipe, I recommend that you use only organic ingredients since conventional produce may have pesticide residues.


1/2 medium lemon, peeled
1/2 medium lime, peeled
2 medium bananas, peeled
1 large orange1-2 cups chopped dandelion greens, kale or spinach (optional)*
1 cup cold water
1 cup ice (optional)


Start by adding the liquid to your blender using the Vitamix machine, followed by the soft fruit. Add the greens to your blender now. You can add ice at this point, if you choose. Blend on 10 speed and click from variable to high for 30 - 45 seconds or until the smoothie is creamy. At this point, you will now slow the machine down to 1 and and click from variable to high, this is the lowest level for food processing. Now turn off the machine.

We are now ready to add any additional ingredients we choose for texturizing.  This whole process will only take 20 seconds. This will make it chunky. I do add the additional cilantro and tomato first, then turn machine up to 4 and allow to process for 10 seconds. (I don't want to cook, I'm only processing to chop up a bit. Now turn machine back down to 1 and leave here until complete.

 Enjoy!!
Please feel free to email me amjones@livinglifegolden.com if you have any questions or comments.