Juice Tomato

Growing up I've always loathed the taste of V8... But the second I had my first spicy Bloody Mary my opinion changed. Tomatoes just have something about them that I can't put my finger on. I seem to enjoy them more every time I have Tomato & Mozzarella Salad or Naked Pizza!! But we're here to talk about Juice right...

In my 5th installment of the Juicing Series I am not going to list out all the Health Benefits but rather really focus on its amazing role as an antioxidant...

Before I get into the details I just want to note that Tomatoes do not contain the highest percentage of antioxidants compared to say Kale or Spinach but they do have Lycopene; which is technically a carotene, a super carotene which deserves an entire blog post in itself. 

• Cancer Fighter: Powerful Defense against men's most common Prostate Cancer

• Heart Disease: Prevents LDL Cholesterol from depositing in you blood stream

• Potent Antioxidant: More powerful than beta-carotene, great immune boosters

• Cell Strength: Builds strong cell membrane  and repairs damaged cells; anti-aging

• Type 2 Diabetes: Won't prevent diabetes but proven to decrease susceptibility to cardiovascular disease and heart attacks

• Natural Sunscreen: Magically blocks UV rays but only equal to an SPF 3

Lycopene has also been described a Free Radical Scavenger constantly protecting your body's Lipids and cells against germs and infections... 

Sounds like sort of a Nutritional Superhero if you ask me :)

Juice Cucumber

I have to admit that #4 of the Juicing Series is by far most refreshing Vegetable Juice!! Along with a multitude of Health Benefits I highly recommend to Juice Cucumber... Keep Reading :)

• All the Vitamin B Will Offer a Boost of Energy

• Balances Electrolytes to Reduce Body Temperature

• Great Early Morning source of Dietary Fiber

• Natural Silica Builds & Maintains Muscle Tissue

• Quick Detox Drink & Excellent Kidney Cleanse

• Promotes Healthy Hair Growth Believe it or Not

• Vitamins & Antioxidants Relieve & Repair Dry Skin

• Rich in Potassium to Help Regulate Blood Pressure

• Super  Simple Vegetable to Grow: Think Money

• One More... Pickles!!!! 

After writing that I wish I had a lawn to mow; just so after I could relax with the smell of Freshly Cut Grass in the air & a refreshing Electrolyte Boost in my hand!!

Check out some other great uses for Cucumbers!! They're cool as a Cucumber hehe...

Juice Ginger

OK... #3 in the Juicing Series and no I am not referring to Performance Enhancing Drugs. I'm on about Good Old Fashion Natural Beverages made with, in this case, roots... Juice Ginger!!

I'd recommend to be mix Ginger with other juice but even in small quantities benefits are huge:

• Mix with Honey for a Common Cold Cure

• Aids Stomach Aches & Digestion Problems

• Apparently Helps Cramps You Know When

• Ginger is a Germ Fighting Immune Booster

• Like Celery & Beets; Lowers Cholesterol

• Instant Energy! or at least a Great Placebo?

• Pain Killer for an Alternative Medicine

• Ginger Can Regulate Blood Sugar Levels

• Ginger Tablets help prevent Sea Sickness

The best combination I've found is with Cucumber & Lime which I call Sweet & Spicy... but feel free to add it to all your favorites!! It usually adds a kick...

Juice Beetroot

Welcome to the 2nd Edition of Juice Stuff!! Today we'll talk about the Amazing Beetroot!! Now before I jump right into it there is a disclaimer... Beetroot Stains!! Not only teeth and clothing but just be warned what goes in red may leave a similar color. Now that I've successfully grossed out all 17 of my dedicated readers here's why you should Juice Beetroot!!

• Juice with the greens for Fiber, Magnesium & Copper

• Amino Acids can prevent Colon & Stomach Cancer

• Beets are packed with Vitamin A, B1, B2, B6, & C

• Loosens calcium deposits and cleans Arteries

• Great Liver Detox plus an Efficient Laxative

• Anemic?? The Iron strengthens Red Bloods Cells 

• Mix with Carrot Juice to cleanse the Kidneys

• Like Celery, Beets normalize Blood Pressure

• Lubricates Skin, Arteries & Prevents Varicose Veins

• Ancient Romans thought Beets an Aphrodisiac

Beets were supposedly grown in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon almost 3000 years ago so you know they are doing something right!! Obviously these fantastic powers also translate to cooking and use in salads... But don't overcook as they can loose their essential nutrients. 

So Turn Up the Music & Enjoy the Beet!! hehe

Juice Celery

Juice Celery is the first of many installments about the wide spectrum of ingredient options for juice mainly outlining the health benefits behind each. Celery, for example, was always considered in my book as quite a useless vegetable with minimal to no taste... I guess the whole "you burn more calories chewing celery than you consume" concept clouded the reality that "celery is full of vitamins and minerals" some of which outlined below with the amazing health benefits:

• Refreshing drink on a hot day or for fever as it lowers body temperature

• Filled with Potassium, Iron, Calcium & Muscle building Amino Acids

• Organic Sodium great to replenish electrolytes post workout

• High in essential antioxidant Vitamin A as well as B6 & C

• Balances your body's pH levels to regulate body functions

• Proven to lower LDL Cholesterol; the Bad Cholesterol

• Research shows Celery helps prevent 8 types of Cancer

• Phthalides help relax muscles and Lower Blood Pressure

• Natural appetite suppressant & low calorie snack substitute

• Celery is an Anti-Inflammatory providing relief for arthritis

• Great Detox & Diuretic; ideal body cleanse after a night out

Go Celery... Get Those Free Radicals & Toxins!!

Our Incredible Juicer

It was a Big Day in the lives of L & E... We bought a Juicer!! So we raided the produce section to start experimenting!! Our first concoction consisted of the following... I call it The Ginger Hulk!!

 - Fresh Spinach: Nuval Score 100

 - Green Apples: Nuval Score 96

 - Cucumbers: Nuval Score 93

 - Parsley: Nuval Score 99

 - Ginger: Nuval Score 87

We even made a homemade Tomato Soup from roasted Garlic, Onion & Tomatoes... Fresh Juice is a quick, easy and surprisingly filling snack or breakfast idea jam packed with all sorts of essential vitamins and nutrients!! Super excited about the possibilities mixing Fruits & Vegetables!! Some great ingredients I am looking play with:

 - Beetroot: Nuval Score 99

 - Blueberries: Nuval Score 100

 - Pomegranate: Nuval Score 91

 - Celery: Nuval Score 100

 - Lemon & Mint: Nuval Score 99

 - Red Peppers: Nuval Score 99

 - Jalepeno Peppers: Nuval Score 99

 - Bananas: Nuval Score 91

 - Grapefruit: Nuval Score 99

 - Kale: Nuval Score 100

 - Kiwi: Nuval Score 100

 - Carrots: Nuval Score 99

Check out the links to learn more about the Health Benefits of each Ingredient!! I strongly recommend for anyone interested in Healthy Living or Mixology to get one...

Happy Blending!!

Fast Twitch Muscles

I am a firm believer that the world would be a better place if everyone was able to admit when they are Wrong!! After some research, one of my first posts on The Multidisciplinary Workout, which focused on Ab Workouts, was not necissarily the best advice...

I recommended 4 different Ab Exercises to be repeat once maybe twice; I will now admit this is not the most efficient workout because Abs are Fast Twitch Muscles ie they fire strong and will get exhausted fast. Therefore for Fast Twitch Muscles it is more efficient to perform aggressive exercises than multiple sets at a lighter weight. 

Back to Abs the best practice is subjective, especially when using your self weight but note that 100s of sloppy sit ups will not get you 6 pack abs. Personally I still stick to my core core lift of Super Crunches, squeezing at the top to emphasize the resistance. I also found a great new exercise, Side Plank with a Knee Tuck. No more than 20 slow reps and repeat... but maybe repeat the next day :)

It's hard to confirm exactly which muscles are Fast Twitch vs Slow Twitch as everyone is different. Sprinters will typically have a higher percentage of Fast Twitch Muscles compared to Distance Runners. If you want Size & Power check out these Tips for you body to develop Fast Twitch Muscles. If you're like me, a non specific athlete, and just want to be as efficient as possible in the gym heres one rule of thumb: Fast Twitch Muscle are likely pull muscles ie Biceps, Lats, & Hamstrings therefore respond better to less reps with heavier weight.

For the athlete seeking Muscle Tone & Endurance; check out guide to Slow Twitch Muscles!