Day 30 - What Are The Benefits of Collard Greens??

WOW!!..I made it to day 30 and I am walking on a regular basis and I am feeling GREAT!!.  I lost another pound today so now I lost 23 lbs.  I am on cloud 9..I have accomplished what I thought I could not do and I proved myself wrong.  Isn't it great when we are challenged and we feel we can't accomplish the task and it shows us how we are capable of completing that challenge and even go beyond it.  If we only change our thinking to a positive reaction, we can accomplish more than we expected to.  

So, here is a vegetable I have not had yet...Collard Greens.  What you see on the picture is a whole bunch of it which I juiced and here is the recipe

1 bunch of collard greens

l lb abt. spinach leaves

1 bunch of celery stalks w. leaves

8 carrots

2 cucumbers

1 apple

Wash all the vegetables and if not organic..peel the skin.  Enjoy!

When you juice vegetables together to make a green drink..it all looks green..but the taste is not the same.  This has a mild taste to it.  I thought the collard greens would make it bitter but it didn't.  

Here is a recipe for collard greens

Health Benefits Of Collard Greens

Collard Greens help lower cholesterol, collards have proven cancer prevention properties. Collards contain more vitamin A than any other vegetable. It is only over matched by the amounts of Vitamin K found in collard greens.

Vitamin A

Collard greens contain more than 20 percent of the recommended daily allowance of Vitamin A. One small cup of raw collard greens contains 2400 IU of Vitamin A. If the collards are cooked, then 15,000 - 30,000 IU of vitamin A is released. Amazing!

Vitamin A plays an important role in promoting healthy eyes, skin and a great boost to the immunity system to help fight disease.

Vitamin C

Collard greens are rich in Vitamin C, 3/4 of a cup of semi-cooked collard greens contain up to 60% percent of the daily recommended allowance of Vitamin C.

Vitamin C is important to maintaining healthy, bone, blood vessels, and healthy skin condition.

Any of the Collard Greens antioxidant phytochemical or sometimes referred to as phytonutrients such as zinc are plentiful in collards as well.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K helps form healthy bones and is essential to prevent blood clotting.

Conclusion

Collard Greens is an important food in the diet of any serious diabetes prevention program. Make it a routine to consume collard greens several times a week. Add collar greens to that favorite green smoothie, yummy:)

Collard Greens Nutritional Rating?

Collard Greens receive a rating of excellent and very good in all twenty two of the vitamins and nutrients found in collard greens.

Thank you for stopping by and being part of my journey.  Have a blessed day!!

Day 25 - Spinach Anyone??

Here is my refrigerator filled with 2 bags of 3lbs each of spinach, a 25 lb bag of carrots and other various vegetables and fruits.  I must be out of my mind...yep!!,,but this will all be gone in about a week.  Not bad though when you consider there is no meat and I purchased enough for two weeks under $100. Is this what it's called "GOING GREEN"?.

I have not been blogging for the last two days except posting a recipe.  I had so many things to do that I needed to focus on them since I had a long weekend.  It is no wonder that I have stayed the same in weight since Friday morning.  My daughter and I went to Orlando for the a fundraiser for a little girl named "Izzy" who has leukemia and there was alot of snackie foods. White chocolate covered strawberry. I could not resist, but I must admit, it did not taste the way I remember.  My taste buds are changing and that is really on the plus side.  Plus I did not juice except for breakfast which makes it a little hard.  I woke up late this morning since it is my day off and can do that..LOL!!.  I rarely sleep in so this was a treat.  BUT, now to business!!

I had a nice large class of apple juice this morning made from golden delicious apples this time.

Here is the recipe for the lunch and dinner I just juiced

3-4 large handful of fresh spinach
2 cucumbers
1 bunch parsley
12 carrots

Wash the spinach, carrots, parley and cucumber if they are not organic.  Then juice all together..ENJOY!!  It has a sweet taste because of the carrots.

I posted about the Health Benefits of Spinach and nutritional value here.  Although I eat my spinach mostly raw in a salad, now I am using them for juicing.  If you are more into cooking spinach, here is a suggestion.

The Healthiest Way of Cooking Spinach
Spinach is only one of three vegetables we recommend boiling to free up acids and allow them to leach into the boiling water; this brings out a sweeter taste from the spinach. Discard the boiling water after cooking; do not drink it or use it for stock because of its acid content.

Use a large pot (3 quart) with lots of water and bring to a rapid boil. Add spinach to the boiling water and boil for 1 minute. Begin timing as soon as you place the spinach in the pot if you are using 1 pound or less of spinach. If you are cooking larger quantities of spinach bring the water back to a boil before beginning timing the 1 minute. Do not cover the pot when cooking spinach. Leaving the pot uncovered helps to release more of the acids with the rising steam. Research has shown that the boiling of spinach in large amounts of water helps decrease the oxalic acid content by as much as 50%.
Remove spinach from pot, press out liquid with a fork, place in a bowl, toss with our Mediterranean Dressing, and top with your favorite optional ingredients.

Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog.  Let me know what your favorite juicing is or even your favorite recipe that you would like for me to post.  Have a wonderful Labor Day everyone!!

Day 23 - The Health Benefits of Using A Treadmill

I lost another lb which brings it up to 19 lbs lost in 23 days.  I feel really good and energetic.  I have been walking every day and today I will be dancing to the Wii Dance 1. Today I will be blogging about the treadmill.  I don't own a treadmill but I have gone to the gym a few times and have used the treadmill. I liked using it and if I had the room to have it set up all the time, I would purchase one.  There are many benefits of using a treadmill and here are some of them.


Everyone wants to get healthy and stay in shape. This goal can sometimes seem quite elusive. There are never enough hours in the day to do everything we want to do, and our fitness regimen often falls by the wayside.
However, to fully enjoy life and get the most out of it, we NEED to be in shape.  Exercise is the lifeblood of our existence. It gives us energy, stamina, and even happiness. It’s time we all started exercising daily, even if it’s only for a little bit at a time.


The easiest way to do this is with a treadmill at home. But treadmills aren’t only good for reminding you to exercise and making it convenient, there are plenty of wonderful health benefits that come with using this kind of home fitness machine.


Here are the top 5 health benefits of daily treadmill workouts:

1.   Treadmills improve cardiovascular health.
This means using them makes your heart stronger. A strong heart will, in turn increase the blood flow throughout your body, revitalizing every part of you. This includes helping you breathe better, heal faster, and even think more clearly.
2.  Treadmill walking easily burns calories, helping you to lose weight.
The longer you stay on it, the more calories you burn, and the leaner you can become. As you get more fit and can endure more, you can even pump up the intensity of your workouts to lose even more weight. If you workout regularly, you can be sleek and slim, just like you’ve always wanted.[ReviewAZON asin="B000BGMFHO" display="inlinepost"]
3.  Treadmill workouts can help you sleep better.
It’s a proven fact that lack of exercise will keep you up at night. A good workout on the treadmill during the day will put your body in the right state to sleep deeply that night, and can be wonderful for curing insomnia. Just remember to not exercise within 2 hours of going to bed because that can keep you up as well.
4.  A treadmill workout relieves stress and helps eliminate depression.
In fact, exercise is one of the best stress relievers on the planet, and many doctors say it’s more effective than any medication for mild to moderate depression and anxiety. A little bit of time on the treadmill each day can really boost your mood and improve your outlook in a profound way.
5.  Workouts help ease the symptoms of diabetes.
Regular walking, including walking on a treadmill, regulates blood sugar levels and increases insulin sensitivity in your muscles. Many people who use a treadmill regularly have been able to reduce their diabetes medications with the help of their doctor.
You should try it, too!

Benefits to Diabetics

Treadmills are a great way to encourage people to exercise regularly, and regular exercise is a very important factor in controlling insulin levels in type 2 diabetics. According to a study published in the Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry regular exercise decreases blood sugar levels in diabetic patients. The combination of diet and exercise is the best way to control diabetes symptoms in patients that are not insulin dependent. Each patient should consult their doctor before starting their exercise routine because exercise that is too intense can actually raise blood sugar levels.

Exercising for less than 20 minutes at a time usually causes the liver to release stored glucose for fuel, but a session of at least 20 minutes is more beneficial because it causes the muscles to take in glucose for fuel and lowers overall blood glucose levels. Using a treadmill for regular exercise often allows patients to lower their blood glucose levels enough that their medication levels can be adjusted down or eliminated. Working out regularly also helps to regulate the hormones that induce sleep and allows the patient to sleep better. Regular sleep cycles are another factor that helps keep blood sugar levels in the body stable.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your exercising in whatever you choose to use to help you with your weight loss or maintenance.  Have a wonderful and blessed day.

Day 11 - Why Is Mango Called The "King Of Fruits" ?

This is wonderful news..I lost another pound.  Total now is 11 lbs in 11 days.  I seem to be keeping that record.  Will see how tomorrow goes.  I found this delicious recipe that has lots of nutrients and aids in detoxing your body..Believe me this works!!  It was so delicious that I forgot to take a picture of it.  It was creamy and as you can see light color.  The mango and kiwi gave it an exciting taste.  I am not worried about the calories anymore.  I am sure some of these fruits are higher in calories but I am not having this everyday..just once in a while and what a great change to have in the morning.

I am also happy to report that my ankles are not swollen, my legs feel thinner and look thinner and some of the pains I had around my hip and leg areas are disappearing.  The toxins are coming out of my body..yeeeaaaahhhh!! This has been a challenge alright and I will continue to improve.

Here are the ingredients.

Kiwi Orange Mango Juicer Recipe   (I doubled the recipe)
1 kiwi, peeled
1 orange, peeled and sectioned
1/2 mango, peeled and sliced

Process kiwi, orange and mango through your juicer. Pour the juice into a chilled glass. Enjoy!

Health Benefits:

• Kiwi fruit provides an excellent source of vitamin C (more than oranges) and is especially important in respiratory-related health problems including wheezing, shortness of breath, asthma and coughing.
• Kiwi fruits contain about as much potassium as bananas.
• Kiwi offers a very good source of fiber which is why it is useful in decreasing the probability of colon cancer. Fiber has also been proven to reduce cholesterol levels, improving the conditions of patients with cardiovascular diseases and lowering the probability of heart attacks.
• Kiwi's black seeds can be crushed to produce kiwi fruit oil, which is very rich in Alfa-Linoleic Acid (an important Omega-3 essential fatty acid).
• Kiwi is also rich in flavonoids that help protect our cells from oxidative damage, and are therefore considered very helpful in protecting our DNA from mutations and damage.
• Kiwi can help protect us from age related macular degeneration.
• Kiwi is rich in phytonutrients which prevent blood clotting and control fatty acid levels in your blood.
• When kiwi juice is mix with water and vodka it can be use as astringent to help tighten and tone the skin.

The Mango trees is found in Haryana in a wide belt along the Yamuna river. Mango tree is an evergreen tree, native to India, widely found in South Asia. It is now also grown in the drier tropics and in the United States. Mango is a tall tree growing up to 100 feet, a dense, heavy crown and a spread of 125 feet. The evergreen drooping leaves resemble those of the peach tree. Coppery to purplish-red at first but becoming green at maturity, they are lance-shaped and slightly curved. Mango tree is long lived, some specimen are more than 250 years old and are still bearing fruit. The flowers of mango are small, ivory colored and very numerous. The fruit clusters hang outside the foliage canopy.

Due to its superb, juicy, tasty and very colorful fruit, Mango is known as the 'King of fruits'. Called Am or Aaam in Hindi, Aamrum in Sanskrit, Mango in English and Spanish, manja in Dutch, it has a great variety in species, forms, size, color, scent, taste and quality. There are over 500 named varieties of the mango. The colorful, tasty, juicy, flavored fruit is known all over the world. Within each fruit there is a large flat elongated fibrous stone containing a single seed.  Here is a video to show you how to cut a mango.  He uses mostly the ends and leaves the middle..I would use all of it.  

Health & Nutrition Benefits of Eating Mangoes 

• Mango, being high in calories and carbohydrates, is good for those who are trying to gain weight.
• The phenolic compound found in mangoes has been found to have powerful antioxidant and anticancer properties.
• Being high in iron, mango is said to be very good for pregnant women as well as for people suffering from anemia.
• Mango is believed to be effective in relieving clogged pores of the skin.
• The vitamin A (beta-carotene), vitamin E and selenium present in mangoes provide protection against heart disease.
• Mangoes have been found to be quite helpful in treating acidity and poor digestion.
• It is being said that the Vitamin E present in mango helps hormonal system function more efficiently and thus, boosts sex life.
• The anti-inflammatory properties of mango might help alleviate asthma symptoms. 

Other Benefits

Mango has been found to be beneficial for people suffering from the following ailments 

• Bacterial Infections
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Dysentery
• Eye Disorders
• Hair Loss
• Heat Stroke
• Leucorrhea
• Liver Disorders
• Menstrual Disorders
• Morning Sickness
• Piles
• Prickly Heat
• Scurvy
• Sinusitis
• Spleen Enlargement
• Vaginitis

Thanks for coming to my blog and reading on my continued Fresh Start Journey...I wish you all a blessed day!