How My New Addiction Is Improving My (And My Daughter’s) Skin

Over the course of this year I’ve slowly become a health nut. Not because I need to lose weight or because anyone told me to do it but simply because I FEEL better when I’m supplying myself with proper nutrition. I’m more alert and energetic, I heal better, my skin looks better and I just feel good in a way I can’t quite explain.

On my journey to nuttiness I started taking Juice Plus (sold to me by my sweet friend Mandy Thorne) and while on it, I did feel better and then one day I ran out of my veggie tablets and suddenly, I was having these overwhelming cravings for veggies. So much so that I started drinking Organic V8 juice daily to satiate my desire for them. But then, I started thinking, maybe I could MAKE homemade V8 juice that might be even better for me. So off to do homework on juicing…trying variable batches of cooked tomatoes and more. I never quite mastered the recipe but it all started me on the path to juicing.

After a hefty round of research (and watching the movie “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead“) I settled on testing this new health theory and indulged my addiction. My sweet In-Laws gave me an amazing Breville Juicer for Christmas and I’ve been off to the races! I’m averaging 2 juices per day for nutrition and health now.

So….what happened? Well first of all, I have completely eliminated my desire for sugar. I mean GONE. I literally don’t want dessert (crazy I know!) and it even tastes funny in my mouth. Secondly, my skin has been glowing like crazy. It’s also less itchy and dry and even slightly less wrinkled which makes me sooooo happy! I’m less fatigued and sleeping better and many more effects. Just from 2 little batches of juice a day!

So then my kids started to juice too. Morning juice to start their day and keep their energy flowing. Next we looked up recipes to work on different ailments in the family, acne, heartburn, you name it and started to play around with it. My daughter’s acne has lessened from this too!

How does this work? Juicing brings a flood of micronutrients rapidly into your system which helps with all kinds of ailments. For example, my favorite vegetable juice combination is like eating a giant salad with all the health benefits without having to find room to fit it all in my stomach. Plus, I’m drinking it nearly every day!

So, I can’t recommend my addiction to you enough. Even if you can’t juice yourself, check out some of the local Juice Bars that are popping up and give it a whirl.

Here are a few of our favorite family recipes using our Breville juicer:

Jennifer’s Favorite V8 KnockOff:

2 Large Tomatoes, 1 Large Carrot, 1/2 Lemon, Small Slice of Beet (mostly for color), 2 Celery Stalks, 1 Kale Leaf, Large Handful of Parsley all through the juicer. Once juiced I add a dash of Turmeric and a dash of garlic powder plus my favorite Black Hawaiian Salt. 3 drops of your favorite hot sauce if you like it spicy, my personal favorite is Jamaican Hot Pepper Sauce. IT’S DELICIOUS…I want to have some NOW…

Grace’s Acne Juice:

1-2 Carrots to taste, 1 Small Sweet Orange, 1/2 Medium Sweet Potato, 1 Apple, 1/2 Lemon

This recipe is sweet and delicious and very easy to eat. All the orange fruits and veggies are loaded with BetaCarotene which is amazing to help with acne. This juice also works great with a little ginger in it to ward off illness and boost your immunity!

Tasty Green Juice:

1 Apple, 1 Ripe Pear, 1-2 Large Kale leaves to taste and a large bunch of green grapes

Kale is suprisingly mild in juicing. I didn’t love Kale before juicing but I can hardly taste it in my concoctions and it’s full of benefits.

Heartburn Preventative:

2 Carrots, 1/4 Head of Cabbage, 2 Celery Ribs, 1 Lemon, 1/4 Slice of Ginger

This combo both quells heartburn and prevents it if you drink it regularly.

I have a few favorite recipes books for more information. Check out Juicing For Life and The Big Book of Juices for more great ideas!

-Jennifer Warmann-Bloss

Jennifer is a blogger, an esthetician, a mom and the owner of Elemental Esthetics

Sources:

http://projecthealthychildren.org/why-food-fortification/importance-of-micronutrients/

http://www.rebootwithjoe.com/watch-fat-sick-and-nearly-dead/

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