I turn the big 40 this year.
(Seriously, I’d make the 40 bigger if I could because that is how it feels.)
And for those of you who have already turned 40, thank you for warning me. You told me it was harder to lose weight, I would sleep less, have horrible PMS, my skin would look duller, and I would experience aches and pains I never had before.
(If you are under 40 and haven’t heard these warnings from your older friends/family members, considered yourself warned.)
For me, the worst of these new ailments was the horrific PMS (mood swings, heavier periods, night sweats) and the inability to sleep. (PS…if you are guy, you can just stop reading now. Thanks for your time, but I will now feel uncomfortable about this conversation.)
And while you can purchase a cream to make your face look better and not eat Oreos and run an extra mile to keep your weight in line…not getting a good night’s sleep is a hard thing to fix.
I contemplated going to the doctor and getting drugs, but truth be told, I really wanted to find a homeopathic remedy to “what was ailing me”. I met with Dr. Google and started doing some research.
What I found was overwhelming evidence that I, in this almost 40-year old body, was not getting enough fruits and green leafy vegetables. And that SHOCKED me because I thought I was a healthy eater. But I wasn’t. I did not have the vitamins needed to run at full capacity.
This seemed like an easy fix. Find a couple of green smoothie recipes, rev up my Blendtec and have a smoothie everyday. And it worked. I did sleep better and my PMS symptoms subsided. But, I had an issue, I didn’t like drinking smoothies. Even in my Blendtec, that could blend a whole fish, I felt like I was drinking a salad instead of smoothie. And even when you know something is good for you, if you don’t like it, it is hard to stay dedicated.
My good friend, Johnna Perry from In Johnna’s Kitchen recommend some green vegetable juice health recipes. To be honest, I blew her off at first because I thought juicing was weird. I’d seen Facebook Updates from friends who were on 3 or 5-Day Juice Cleanse (which I thought was code for “I’m trying to lose weight”). I’d seen their green vegetable juice health recipes that looked like a nasty concoction of lawn mower clippings and an apple. I wasn’t sure the juicing lifestyle was for me.
But, I got desperate. After a week of not sleeping through the night followed by the worst period of my life, I was willing to try anything. And anything came in the form of a Woot Sale of a refurbished Breville Juice Fountain Multi-Speed Juicer for $119.00. I decided that $119 would be about the amount I would spend on a doctor’s appointment and prescription, so what did I have to lose.
Johnna sent me a couple of good beginner juice recipes and I took the plunge. And, surprisingly, I made a damn good green juice. Like really, really good. And I was hooked.
While I’m not a hard-core juicer, I do drink juices between three and four times per week. It is hard for me to articulate the difference between juicing and smoothies, but this graphic I think does the best job. (Courtesy of CrazySexyJuice.com)
Juices are an instant infusion of vitamins to your blood stream that give your digestive tract a rest, while smoothies are more like a meal because of their pulp and fiber. Both are good in their own way, but they are different.
But drinking juices or making smoothies can get expensive (see my favorite recipe below…it’s a lot of produce people) and be inconvenient. That is why I’m thankful for my Door To Door Organics delivery. Door to Door not only helps keep me on track with my juicing. I’m guaranteed a delivery every week (so I can’t use the excuse that I’m too busy to go to the store) and I can customize my order or add items on that enables me to make sure I’m using everything that is delivered. In fact, they have a Smoothie and Juice Detox in a Box, so you can make your own at home.
Plus, I have an exclusive Door To Door Coupon Code to get almost 50% off your first box.
How is juicing going long-term, you might wonder? Let’s just say it has transformed this almost-40-year-old body and I know when I’ve fallen off the wagon. When I drink my juice, I sleep better, my mood swings are less erratic and my PMS symptoms are more manageable. (And when I forget to drink juice, my husband is the first one to make it for me.) Plus, I have more energy, am more alert, and feel better overall. I have always been a proponent of local farming, farm to table, and cooking from scratch, but you can now add juicing to that list. I will continue to do it for the long term.
Juicing is an investment, but worth every dollar. And now that I’m at my half-way age mark, I would rather spend the money on eating good food vs spending the money on standardized medicine in the future.
How about you? Do you believe in the green vegetable juice health benefits? Can you tell a difference in the way you feel?
Kelly’s Favorite Warrior Juice Recipe
Ingredients
1 cucumber
2 stalks of celery
1 green apple, cored
1 valencia orange, peeled
1/2 inch of fresh ginger, peeled
5 stalks of chard or kale
Directions
1. Place ingredients in juicer in the order above. Stir and drink immediately. Makes approximately 16 ounces.
Disclosure: Door To Door Organics is a sponsor of Redefined Mom. However, the written remarks and opinions about juicing and what it has done to my body are entirely my own. Want more information – check out my full disclosure statement.
