Juicing or Smoothies?

So many people now are into juicing and others love to make a smoothie.  Some make a smoothie for breakfast as a fast, take it with you meal.  So which is healthier for you, smoothies or juicing?  Both have advantages.

Juicing

Pros

• 5 A Day -  for those who aren�t into many veggies and fruits, this is a way to help you get your �Five A Day�, five servings of fruits and veggies every day.
• Variety � eating a variety of fruits and veggies is a key to good health.  Juicing makes it easy to vary your fruits and vegetables. 

Cons

• Pulp and fiber � Depending on how you juice, you could be leaving behind the pulp, and along with it fiber and nutrients.
• Limit juicing to 8-12 ounces a day � about a cup or cup and a half.  Why?  To save space for fresh fruit and veggies and all the nutrients fresh produce and fruit provide

Smoothies

 Pros

• healthier than juicing as smoothies are usually blended which preserves the pulp, fiber and nutrients in the pulp.
• Dairy adds calcium and vitamin D � making smoothies with yogurt or milk adds needed calcium and vitamin D to your diet. 
• Protein � yogurt and milk offer a high quality protein and if you use low fat milk or yogurt you get high quality protein with less fat.
• More vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, phytochemicals if the whole fruit or veggie is blended into a smoothie, including the skins improves nutritional value.

 Cons

• High in calories if you use sugared yogurt, juices with added sugar, frozen yogurt, sorbet or ice cream. 
• Bottled smoothies � avoid if you can, as many contain added sugars and extra calories.

So choose smoothies if you like them.  A very healthy way to get in some fruits, veggies and dairy.   Choose juicing if you don�t like fresh fruit and veggies but want to add some to your diet.  But also enjoy fresh fruits and veggies every day.  

For healthy smoothie recipes go to:  Low-Calorie Smoothie Recipes.  For healthy juice recipes go to :  Healthy Juice Recipes for a Juicer or a Blender

Sources: Health benefits of juicing vs. smoothies,  Healthy Juice Recipes for a Juicer or a Blender, Image source:  Smoothie

Simple is Healthy

Simple is Healthy!

Simple is Healthy ~ Food, Part 1

YES�I have lots to say about keeping it simple and being such a chatter box, and trying not to jump too hard on the soap box, I knew this was going to become a series of SIMPLE.  I came across a quote that struck me �90% of people avoided obesity and diabetes long before anyone knew what a calorie was let alone counted them�let�s make �healthy� healthy again� and it ended with the word�SIMPLE.

WOW, I thought on that and realized just how dynamic and powerful this statement was to me and how true it is for my life.  As a child, my parents modeled living from the land in our back yard and boy do I ever remember how my weekends were spent�pulling weeds from the garden.  Talk about a bitter sweet chore as a child�dirty hands, dirty knees, blisters�and the smell of tomato leaves so strong it could choke you�anyone relate?  Fruit trees adorned our backyard, and my Dad was a master grafter trying to create the perfect blend of fabulous fruit flavors.  I could walk in the garden and pluck a vine ripe tomato or enjoy an apple from one of our many trees�Simple.  What I am trying to say by sharing a small glimpse into my childhood is that food should be simple, and for me�simple is healthy.  Part one of this Blog, I will be covering food and what simple means for my Stay Healthy Life and as it relates to what and how I eat. 

I enjoy food in its� true, SIMPLE form to this day and believe that the simpler the food, the healthier the food.  If it comes in a box, with a label full of words that I can�t understand, and the ingredient list takes up the entire side of the product, this is not a simple food�it is a bunch of mixed up crap in a box that sits on a shelf and has a shelf life longer than me.  That is what I am talking about, and am I going to put this in my body...A BIG NO on that.  Now, toss me an organic Fuji apple, and this is one happy girl ready to enjoy Simple Real Food, full of nutrients that my body needs.  Keeping food simple eliminates all stress of what I should be eating�how fabulous is that.  Once food becomes complicated, stress over the how much, what, and when  to eat enters the picture�ok�a small soap box�and thanks to agencies that will go un-named, media, marketing, blah blah blah�this world has gone crazy with complicated food and empty promises of pseudo health in a box that has greatly increased illness in this country.  Bringing food back to simple keeps me healthy and I am sure all of America would be healthier too. 

Simple means fresh, simple means I can pick the item up and smell it, and inspect it for the best pick of the produce.  Simple means one ingredient, I can usually eat the item at purchase, and if I am hungry for example, I will enjoy an organic piece of fruit during my drive.  When this concept is truly grasped, it eliminates all questions like�what did she/he eat to look like that? What did they do?  What diet was used�YUCK�diet is a dirty word in my book.  Keeping my food simple is how I maintain ME.  There is no secret this or that and I am hopeful that one day, everyone will wake up and realize this.  A few other foods that I include in my simple line up are organic boneless skinless chicken breasts, wild caught fish, grains, nuts, seeds, strained organic Greek yogurt, and cage free organic eggs�now, check this list in addition to what I shared earlier.  I am eating foods that are from the earth, as fresh as possible when I purchase organic, not processed in a factory and stuffed in a box. 

I enjoy the colors, aromas, textures, and flavors of simple foods and when I combine them into a salad�WOW�simple at its� very BEST!  Of course some of my food items come in bottles and containers such as my Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Vinegars, Honeys, Nut Butters, Quinoa, Brown Rice, Greek Yogurt, Almond Milk, etc�but I research to ensure that they are minimally and organically processed, minimal ingredients and simple stored form.  NOW�this is the thing about eating my simple food�if I do not eat it raw or blend for a green smoothie, I am in the kitchen slicing, dicing, and cooking up a SIMPLE and HEALTHY meal that surpasses any complicated junk- in- a- box non-food item that is being passed off as �good for your health� food. 

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

I enjoy a stress free simple eating life that allows me to enjoy lots of healthy foods throughout the day.  I do not keep a food journal, count calories, grams, ounces, etc�I SIMPLY eat to live.  My body tells me when to eat and that is usually every 2 � hours and I eat to satiety, not to feel uncomfortable.  It is amazing how much MORE food I can eat when it is simply healthy�my large salads for example�OH MY�they seem to get bigger instead of smaller with every bite.  One of my favorite simple veggies right now are brussel sprouts�.I roast these in the oven with EVOO and spices and OH MY�these nutrient packed baby cabbages are filling. 

So�.I will continue to keep my food SIMPLE�it is my LIFESTYLE�and I am happy to know that I am making �healthy� healthy again! Stay Healthy ~

 

 

 

 

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Stay Healthy~ Darla

 

 

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The Cost of Living

What is the first thing that comes to mind�money�right?  Well, that is part of the �Cost of Living�.  I see this phrase in a whole new way as in the choices I make with my life.  What I choose to think, feel, how I act, respond, do or not do all determines my �Cost of Living�. 

Happiness comes at a price and so does stress and struggle.  I know that when I feel at my best and happy about how things are going, the cost for me is a great day, feel on top of the world, confident, and just all together fabulous�right?  Just as allowing some injustice that has been thrown my direction to take over my whole persona, well the cost would be stress, anxiety, and just an overwhelming YUCK feeling in my life bank. 

Sometimes, it is difficult to always pay the right cost all the time in life to receive the right result.  Look at how the �Cost of Living� affects health and I will speak personally here�If I choose to sit around and do nothing active, then the cost would be that my body receives no benefit of exercise, no positive endorphins to flood my system�and boy do I love that feeling, and really puts a damper in my routine.  Let me hit up my nutrition using the same analogy.  If I choose to eat processed crap, overload my system with sugar, and do not pay attention to what I put in my face, the cost would be not feeling well, probably constipated (YUCK), low energy, and really not feeling mentally good about ME. In both regards, my health would suffer at the cost of my not taking care of ME.

The mental game comes with the biggest cost as it really determines how each day will unfold, and overall how life is lived.  If I walk around with an �I can�t� attitude, the cost for me would be �I won�t� which eventually leads to never will, and I would suffer not only emotionally but physically.  Can you imagine what kind of life that would be for me�bitter, depressed, judgmental, wanting it but not willing to work for it�feeling the victim in life�now that is a heavy cost of living.  Looking at the flip side of having an �I can� attitude, the cost would be �I will� and �I did�.  Putting forth some energy (cost) to reap the benefit of a happy healthy life sounds like the type of journey I would and will want to continue for a lifetime.

That is ultimately what I am trying to get across with the �Cost of Living��YES, it takes a conscious effort to want a healthy life and I do want this for ME.  It does cost me time, energy, some money, planning, and caring and I am not saying that it is always easy, but I can tell you that it has been worth it.  So I do put money in my health bank in the form of exercise, healthy food, water, quality ME time, time with God and many things that are invaluable�money can�t buy my health, but the things that I do for ME can and do provide me with a life that is full, healthy, and happy.  

IN YOUR FACE MOTIVATIONS 

 

Dedicated to My Mother ~ Happy Birthday

Thanks for stopping by my Blog, hope you enjoy the content, and if you have not become a follower yet, I would love to see your face on my friend's list.  If you are inspired, LIKE my entry, leave a comment and I look forward to responding! 

 

Have a FABULOUS weekend and upcoming week!

 

Stay Healthy!

Darla;)

 

 

Receive My Stay Healthy Nutrition Guide as a Free Gift and Thank you when you donate to Stay Healthy Fitness...

HAPPY FRIENDSGIVING!

My Daughter ~ My Friend

My daughter sent me a text to let me know she was having a �Friendsgiving� tonight and the more I looked at the words on my phone, the more I thought about the meaning of the words. My mind started reeling with ideas of how I would write about this and a quick call to my girl to get her insight was in order.  Well, my daughter and her friends have been meeting every Tuesday for girls dinner night, where they take turns preparing the meals, and enjoy a special sharing of their lives�talking, laughing, comparing stories, and eating the meal prepared with their own hands�no orders in�these gals are serious about their food, their lives, and their friendship. Sounds somewhat like �Sex in the City� gone REAL and how FABULOUS is that!

I think about that and am proud of the special bonds that my daughter has with these very special ladies�I have had the privilege to meet a few of them.  They celebrate their year anniversary of �Girls Dinner� night for Friendsgiving this year�HAPPY ANNIVERSARY LADIES!

My Daughter and Her Fabulous Friends

This struck me deeper than the words Thanksgiving this year, as spending time with those we love can and often times does include people that are not related by blood, but a deeper bond�a chosen bond.  A true friend is a rare gem and gift from God and to have more than one is even rarer.  Think about the sharing of food made with your own hands, laughter around a table, sharing stories of life and really listening and caring about the lives and feelings of others around that table�WOW�now that is a THANKSGIVING!

I am saddened by the many who struggle through the holiday filled with hurt, pain and overwhelmed with stress at the very thought of going through the motions with people, some family, some not�but honestly, none of us�yes, me included�are not immune to hurt from time to time, and during the holiday it can feel larger than life itself.  It is in those times, where a �Friendsgiving� would feel so good to be a part, to be able to share openly, honestly, and receive that in return, to relish in the aromas of food made with tender, loving hands, warm laughter and REAL moments of caring surrounding each and every person.  I wish this moment for every struggling person out there on this holiday�a very special �Friendsgiving�.

 

I was reminded of something from my daughter today as she shared her story of �Friendsgiving�� cherish the bonds of special friendship, take the time to stay in touch, to share a meal, a laugh, a cry�LIFE.  As I celebrate the holiday with family and friends this year, I will be thankful for my chosen bonds, those gems in my life that will hold my hand when I need it the most.  

Happy Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving Everyone!!!

Try my Crustless Sweet Potato Pie 

 

Thanks for stopping by my Blog, hope you enjoy the content, and if you have not become a follower yet, I would love to see your face on my friend's list.  If you are inspired, LIKE my entry, leave a comment and I look forward to responding! 

 

Have a FABULOUS weekend and upcoming week!

 

Stay Healthy!

Darla;)

Receive My Stay Healthy Nutrition Guide as a Free Gift and Thank you when you donate to Stay Healthy Fitness...