What did you eat this year for the holidays? Most of us had all of our favorite foods and packed on the pounds despite our better judgment. For me, there was turkey with mango cranberry sauce, curry chicken and roti, spinach and collard greens, sweet potato pie and that’s just for starters.
This year instead of resolutions, I made promises to myself. Like many of you, I rejoined the gym. I am one of the January warriors, braving the cold to get fit once and for all. We’ve passed the date by which folks break their new years resolutions. I am still working out daily and plan to continue.
My objective is to become healthier. Being cuter will be a wonderful side effect. Diabetes and high blood pressure run in my family and my aim is to head them off at the pass. Working out is great but no body change is effective without eating better food.
The truth is, for the average American, we don’t know what to eat to be healthy. One person says carbs are the devil and the next says that you can carb your way to fitness. Of course with any food or dietary plan you should check with your doctor for advice. Although as a Passionate Living Expert I consider myself to be a foodie, I eat fairly well. I don’t eat pork, I minimize the dairy and I don’t eat beef.
My mother has been trying to get me to try juicing for years and my father fasts on a regular basis. I have been resistant to both ideas because, well, I like food. However, if you want something new you have to do something new. I have been doing research on using food as medicine for better health.
Recently I caught the film “Fat,Sick and Nearly Dead” on Netflix. The documentary follows Joe Cross, an obese Australian man in poor health, as he juices his way across America. As he becomes healthier, he vows to help another man facing similar challenges to get healthy. They both go on juice fasts for 60 days and basically reset their health.
Avocado Chickpea Juice Recipe
Want to try juicing with me? Here’s my mom’s favorite juice recipe to get us started:
You’ll notice that there are no amounts for the ingredients because it is all “to taste.” Juicers range in cost, but I will probably get the Breville, which is the one used in the film. Most of the good flavor will come from the apples and the carrots. You should try to get organic and in season fruits and veggies whenever possible.
Ingredients:
-Carrots
-Spinach
-Lemon Juice
-Avocados
-Chickpeas
-Apple
-Red Wine Vinegar
-Parsley
Directions: Ready? Set… Juice and drink your way to health. What do you think? Are you ready to juice your way to fitness? Sound off!
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