Hello Everyone!  Its Christmas time!  I love the Holiday Season, as I have said many times before.  One of my favorite things is driving through neighborhoods admiring Christmas decorations on people’s homes.  So far this year I have been very impressed.  Another great thing about the holidays is everyone turns into a baker.  There are sweets everywhere!  However, sweets are not anyone’s friend and learning to say no is not only a great way to keep your waistline trim, but it will also prevent premature aging.

To make a long scientific story short, when sugar enters the blood stream it triggers the pancreas to release insulin.  While insulin will lower blood-sugar levels, it also has a direct effect the health of cells, decreasing their lifespan as well as their function.  I read a book about this by a physician many years ago and could not find the book to reference it here.  However, I did find an article that talks about a scientific experiment that proves this theory.  Please take the time to read it if you are interested.  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/06/040603064935.htm.  There are also plenty of documentation stating that a low-calorie diet (like ones filled with fruits and veggies) increases longevity.  Another article that is longer, but a great read is http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/sugar-problem/refined-sugar-the-sweetest-poison-of-all.  To keep things simple we all know that sugar is bad for us.  What we may not know is how to win the battle over sugar control.  Your body will crave sugar, especially if you eat it often.  The main goal is to keep a stable blood glucose level to prevent insulin from being released.  A great way to do this is by eating plenty of vegetables and fruits!

Ingesting the required amount of fresh vegetables and fruits daily is difficult.  Juicing is a super healthy and fun alternative.  This has sort of become a fad, and all I can say is it is about time something healthy has become popular!  Get a juicer.  It will be your best kitchen friend, I assure you.  There are specific things that you can juice that will help control blood sugar as well as help to heal damage and deficiencies created by over consumption of sugar.  Green pepper, apples, and spinach are good sources of chromium which helps to regulate the effects of insulin in glucose metabolism.  Turnip greens, beet greens, and carrots are great sources of manganese which is also involved in glucose metabolism.  If you don’t feel like eating any of these delicious vegetables, then here are a few juicing recipes that can help you get them down from my newest favorite juice book “Juicing for Life” by Cherie Calbom, MS and Maureen Keane, MS, CN.  These recipes are delicious!

Pancreas Tonic

3 Lettuce Leaves

4-5 carrots, greens removed

Handful of green beans

2 Brussels sprouts

Bunch up lettuce leaves and push through hopper with carrots, green beans, and Brussels sprouts.  Drink and enjoy!

Low-Sugar Pop

1 apple, seeded

¼ lime

Sparkling Water

Juice apple and lime.  Pour into tall, ice-filled glass.  Fill glass with sparkling water.  It’s a great alternative to soda!

Popeye’s Garden Tonic

Handful of spinach

3 Stalks of Celery

2 Stalks of asparagus

1 Large tomato

1 cherry tomato for garnish

Bunch up spinach and push through hopper with celery.  Juice asparagus and tomato.  Mix juices in a tall glass and garnish with cherry tomato.

You can add fruit to any of these recipes if you would like a taste of sweetness.  Sometimes vegetables can be a bit bitter till you get used to them.  Drink up and enjoy the wonderful benefits of choosing juicing over baked goods.  How cool would you be if you showed up to your next Christmas party with a gallon of fresh juice instead of a fruit cake?  Probably the coolest guest ever!  Happy Holidays everyone!