Recently I’ve been reviewing the basics and here’s some more info that you newbies need to know (and possibly some that have experience will get something out of it to… in other words, no matter who you are, keep reading for God’s sake).  A month or so ago I gave you the lowdown on the three basic categories of juicing and their benefits; Greens, Vegetables and fruits.  In this article, we’ll look at the differences and benefits of the two basic juicer types, Centrifugal and Masticating, and we’ll give a little attention to juicing enthusiast’s preference, the Twin Gear juicers.

Centrifugal

Centrifugal juicers are the old faithful and they’ve literally been around for decades.  When I was a kid I remember my mom whipping me up a tasty batch of carrot apple juice with an all stainless steel unit identical to the Acme 6001.  I always thought it looked like a robot.  Anyway, not much has changed over the years and with good reason.  These juicers are fast, effective and affordable.  Centrifugal juicers work by using a flat cutting blade on the bottom of a rapidly spinning basket. Food is quickly shredded by the cutter and flung out to the sides of the basket. The high centrifugal force passes the juice through tiny holes in the basket and through a spout. In some like the Omega 4000 the pulp is spun off and collected in a separate container. The juice produced by centrifugal juicers is excellent but the extraction process—higher revs and resulting motor heat—incorporates  more oxygen which oxidizes the juice destroying more enzymes and therefore diminishing the health benefits a bit as well as reducing the shelf life.  So drink immediately if possible.  These juicers are great for most fruits and vegetables but because of the nature of the cutting process, centrifugal juicers do not break down leafy green vegetables very well so if you’re looking to juice wheatgrass or other greens, you’re better off with a masticating juicer.

Masticating

Mastication means to “chew”.  So masticating juicers like the Healthy Juicer (which is unbelievably easy to clean) use a slow rotating single auger (or boring tool) to literally crush and chew the produce into juice and pulp.  The pulp is squeezed up against a mesh strainer so the juice is extracted while the pulp remains behind and gets ejected. Masticating juicers are more efficient than centrifugal juicers in that they yield more juice from the same amount of raw food. They also run at much lower RPMs, so the foam and oxidation is much less, therefore producing juice that is more nutritionally dense and has a longer shelf life.

That said the biggest problem with masticating juicers is the speed.  Many people who make the switch, either because they want to begin juicing wheatgrass and leafy greens or they’re just going for a healthier alternative, get a bit impatient with the time involved compared to their old centrifugal model but it’s really a question of commitment to a healthy lifestyle.  My preference is a centrifugal juicer for most stuff and a manual masticating juicer for the green stuff.

Twin Gear

Ok, so finally we come to the elite sports car class of juicers, the Twin-Gear or, if you want to sound hoity toity, “Triturating” juicers.  I guess the sports car metaphor doesn’t really work because although these guys will produce the highest yield and most nutritional juice, they’re no faster than single auger juicers.  Anyway, Twin-Gear juicing is also a masticating process but instead of a single auger they ­­­­­­­­­­­­use two stainless steel gears with very close separation that turn in towards each other crushing the produce between them.   The juice is then passed through a screen and the pulp is ejected similar to the masticating juicers.  Twin-Gear juicers like the Greenstar 2000 have an incredibly powerful motor so you can literally juice anything.  At the same time they have the lowest RPM and therefore the most nutritious juice with the least oxidation.  They tend to be more expensive but you’re paying for quality.

Happy juicing!

Be well,

Juicy Josh

…but at least you don’t have to look at these pictures.  So to prove my devotion to my own and your healthy living, this article is about that deep dark place most of us would like to avoid considering completely, our colon.  And oh the places I’ve gone to research it.  The insanity started back in 1979 when Dr. Norman Walker published Colon Health, a book that has endured throughout the years and is still one of the best sources of information on the importance of keeping this part of your digestive tract in tact.  (The cover even has a cool picture of The Silver Surfer with hair.)  Among a wealth of important information on how the colon functions, why it is imperative to keep it healthy and how to do that, Dr. Walker discusses what he calls “colon irrigation”.  That’s right boys and girls, the Doc means colonics.  Don’t worry, I’m not going to focus much on this aspect of colon health because…  well, it’s disgusting.  But if you’re in the first phases of a real life change in diet, consider a colon cleanse—which usually will include colonics and/or enemas.  About 12 years ago when I was a new vegetarian I bit the bullet, opened my mind and did one.  And although there was trauma, the benefits were undeniable.  (I’d like to officially apologize to my parents for having to read that)  You’ve spent years filling your body with toxic materials and it’s time to get that stuff out.  But do your research and do it right.  So here’s the low-down on the down low:

Your large intestine consists of the caecum, the colon and the rectum.  It is responsible for the re-absorption of many nutrients and water, and ensures normal defecation (that means pooping). The colon is the site where most of the absorption of water, salts and vitamins takes place.  Some food components, such as dietary fiber and oligosaccharides, which escape digestion in the upper parts of the digestive tract, are exposed to bacterial digestion in the colon. The colonic microflora, (which are good bacterial microorganisms) not only digest otherwise indigestible food components, they also synthesize a variety of significant vitamins which are utilized by the human body like Vitamin K (essential for blood clotting), Vitamin B12 (prevents harmful anemia) Thiamin (B1) and riboflavin (B2) (metabolic processes/energy, nervous system functioning and lower homocysteine levels implicated in heart disease).  These microflora also ferment otherwise indigestible food components to short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) which provide fuel for the cells of the colon and help with the absorption of water and salts.  Microflora like Lactobacilli, and Bifidobacteria help boost immunity overall and increase our resistance to various infections like Candida, Salmonella and E-coli.  Research has even shown that a happy colon plays a part in lowering cholesterol.

What you essentially need to understand about colon health is that if the colon isn’t functioning correctly—which really means it’s not cleansed—the rest of the organs can’t cleans their waste.  Some experts assert that there is really only one disease–autointoxication or malnutrition.  That means it’s all about the diet.  A bad diet doesn’t digest well, and ultimately creates feces that are sticky, hard and difficult to get out (I know, I know).  Therefore it builds up along the colon wall and, Presto!; you’re filled with decaying toxins and poisonous gas.  The system backs up and the body gets sick.  It’s like a sewer backing up in New York City.  No matter how efficiently everything else runs, it’s all coming to a stop.

If you have doubts just look up some of the pictures of waste matter eliminated during colon cleanses (I dare you).  Also consider that according to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in men and women in the United States and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths with more than 153,000 new cases and more than 52,000 deaths expected this year.  Infections, antibiotics and excessive stress also impact the health of the colon so once again it’s all about balance.

In the end (no pun intended) colon health is all about a holistic, healthy lifestyle.  Keep your weight down, don’t drink alcohol excessively, don’t smoke, meditate or find some way to alleviate stress, exercise, drink plenty of water and for God’s sake eat right.  A healthy colon requires fiber, calcium, Vitamin D (sunlight), B (folic acid) and the rest of them.  First off stop with the processed food and cut way back or eliminate red meat.  M.D. Anderson suggests at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day for colon health and I’d suggest even more.  Juicing and blending can really assist in getting that daily requirement but remember fruits and vegetables are loaded with anti-cancer, immune-system-strengthening properties and they are fibrous and assist in digestion.  For more fiber eat your oats, legumes, whole grains and wheat bran.  Yogurt and fermented milk products, which contain live Lactobacilli, promote healthy microflora and you can also take microflora supplements.  Finally, if you’re over 50, get screened.  Because of an increase in colorectal screenings over the past years, new colorectal cancer cases have been decreasing steadily.  It’s you’re butt, better take care of it.

Be well

JuicyJosh

I’m not really sure what that title’s about.  “Bill and Ted go to Dune” maybe?  Anyway, it’s a sad fact that although my secret sci-fi fantasies would have me doing battle alongside Fremen warriors on the great sands of the desert planet, the truth about the inhabitants of such a place would be far off from the super humans described in Frank Herbert’s novel.  That level of water depletion would more likely create a population of frail, sickly, lethargic and unintelligent people.

Ok, so now that I’ve given away my super geek-ness what’s all this about?  Well, it’s all about water—the giver and preserver of life.  If it weren’t for the existence of this wondrous compound of hydrogen and oxygen none of us, and in fact nothing we know of life would exist.  Over 75 percent of our body is composed of this stuff and to maintain proper hydration it’s estimated that we need about 10 cups a day (approx. 1 milliliter for each calorie of food).   Some doctors claim we need much more than that and although I wrote an article showing evidence that the 8 glass a day necessity was a myth, there’s no doubt that there’s a lot more to dehydration than dry mouth.  When water consumption is inadequate, certain body systems steal from others to protect different tissues and organs, which results in pain, tissue damage, and variety of many other health problems.  One physician even claims drinking more water can be helpful in curing everything from headaches and depression to asthma and arthritis.

Pure water is essential for the digestion of food and for its transport to the tissues, for the elimination of body wastes, for the circulation of body fluids (like blood and lymph), for a lubricant in the joints and internal organs and for the regulation of body temperature. Water is part of the blood system holding dissolved minerals, like calcium and magnesium in solution, making them available to body tissues where they are required for proper health and when it is plentiful, blood viscosity, joint cartilage, blood capillaries, digestion, the ATP energy system and the spinal column, all work in an efficient, easy manner.

So what about the quality of water we put into our bodies?  Here’s where it gets interesting.  If you’re feeling comfortable drinking straight from the tap, think about this.  Average city water today contains over 500 chemicals that do not belong in it.  In the United States, over 2100 organic and inorganic contaminants have been identified in drinking water supplies since 1974. 190 of these contaminants have confirmed adverse health effects, whether carcinogens, mutagens, teratogens or toxic.  75 percent of drinking water in the U.S. is chlorinated and although chlorination has been essential in helping to reduce the incidence of infectious diseases, known carcinogens, such as chloroform and trihalomethanes, are formed when chlorine reacts with organic compounds in the water.  Room doesn’t allow but trust me when I say that the above just scratches the surface of the information available and  I encourage everyone to look into it and make their own decisions.

Now I’m not a conspiracy theorist and I don’t think the EPA has failed us (I mean Peru discontinued chlorination and caused a cholera epidemic for God’s sake) but there’s enough evidence in my opinion to warrant some serious safety precautions.  Many people are going so far as to use chlorine filtering shower heads but in the least I believe it’s essential to drink purified water.  Frighteningly, many studies have shown that most bottled water isn’t much better than what you get from the tap so do it yourself.  There are many options available and when you consider the benefits, it’s a no brainer.

Be well,

JuicyJosh

I’d like to see the look on my grandfather’s face if I time traveled back to 1950’s America and told him I ate a diet consisting primarily of uncooked, raw food.  He’d probably spit hot borsht at me.  A man of true serenity and balance, he did live to be 99 so, in preface to this article, I restate my overarching belief in the moderation of all things, including diet.  Neuroticism around food is unhealthier than unhealthy food.  At least that’s my opinion.

That said, I eat healthy, I pay attention to what goes into my body and I am pretty aware of its effects.  The last several years have seen a rise in popularity of what is most usually called the Raw Food diet and there’s some real compelling evidence of its benefits.  The raw food diet is a diet where at least 75% of what’s eaten is unprocessed and uncooked plant foods, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, sprouts, seeds, nuts, grains, beans, nuts, dried fruit, and seaweed.   The theory is that heating food above 116 degrees F destroys enzymes in food that can assist in the digestion and absorption process. Cooking is also thought to diminish the nutritional value and life force of the food you ingest.

The stated benefits of this way of eating are compelling.  Increased energy, improved skin appearance, better digestion, weight loss, reduced risk of common illness such as flu to more serious problems such as heart disease and cancer are just a few of the plusses.  Raw foods contain enzymes which greatly aid in their own digestion, freeing the body’s own enzymes to do the work unimpeded of regulating all the body’s many metabolic processes. Heating food degrades or destroys these enzymes in food, putting the burden on the body’s own enzyme production.  Eating food without enzymes makes digestion more difficult, leads to toxicity in the body, to excess consumption of food, and therefore to obesity and to chronic disease.  Raw foods contain bacteria and other micro-organisms that stimulate the immune system and enhance digestion by populating the digestive tract with beneficial flora and raw foods have overall higher nutrient value than foods which have been cooked.  The diet is also low in sodium and high in potassium, magnesium, folate, fiber and phytochemicals.

So what can you eat?  Basically unprocessed, organic, whole foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, grains, legumes, dried fruit, seaweed, freshly juiced fruit and vegetables, purified water and young coconut milk.  There are many books written about the diet but the one describing the easiest transition is 12 Steps to Raw Foods by Victoria Boutenko.

Now although at least 75% of what you eat should not be heated over 116 degrees F there are a few cooking techniques that can make foods more digestible and add variety to the diet, like sprouting seeds, grains, and beans; juicing fruit and vegetables; soaking nuts and dried fruit; blending and dehydrating food.

Skeptical?  Try it for a month.  If you don’t feel better you can write me a nasty email.

In the meantime…

Be well

JuicyJosh

The juicing craze! After all of the hype and strict regimens of the raw and juiced diet fads, the whole idea may leave a bad taste in your mouth. But you do not have to learn how to cover up the taste of juiced beets or start watching infomercials with Jack LaLanne reving up his “Juice Tiger.” There is an easy, and yes, tasty way to drink your vitamins and boost your intake of the good stuff.

For starters, you may be wondering why juiced foods are so fantastic to begin with. Simply put, it’s because they are living, unprocessed foods that enter your body in their purest form, with their vitamins and nutrients intact. When you drink a glass of fruit juice from the bottle, you are most likely getting additives and additional sugar to enhance the flavor and appeal. The problem here is that you could have downed a soda if you wanted empty calories, and all for a fraction of the nutrients you could have received if you stuck to au-natural. So great. Now you know you can toss your fruits and veggies into a blender and delicious, nutritious nectar will appear, solving all of your ache and pains, as well as restoring your body to age 21 perfection. Not quite. The concoction you get might taste a bit more like a punishment than a treat. But comparing the thick, amateur juice of a novice to the real deal is like comparing apples to oranges. In order to get into your body, it’s got to taste good. So how do we get from bravery to savory?

First of all, start with what you know. What fruits do you like? Bananas make a fantastic “base” fruit, and your body will thank you for the potassium, not to mention the gram of protein and three grams of fiber. Bananas also tend to help neutralize the tartness of some fruits, so it can be a nice place to start. Not bananas over bananas? No problem! After a few tries at the old blender, you’ll figure out which fruit combination you like best. But what about veggies? How do we make that taste good? Well, right off the bat you will want a fairly decent juicer. Introducing veggies into your juice regimen is going to require a bit more “juice” than a typical blender can pack. But even when you’re armed with the right equipment, certain vegetables need some help from that spoonful of something to help the medicine go down. Your sweeter fruits and vegetables (pineapple, carrots, etc.) can also be used as a moderator to help tone down the all too unpleasant overpowering vegetable taste. Tomato and celery with a pinch of lemon juice makes a great foundation juice, as most people tend to like this health conscious knock off of a Bloody Mary. From here you can add cucumber, spices, carrots, or even a bit of apple juice.

Ok. So you have read this blog, dusted off your juicer (or purchased one), made a resolution, and now you are standing in the produce aisle at Grocer’s Gala and have not a clue what to buy, or why you even wanted to try this in the first place. Before you resign and head over to aisle five to pick up a jug of V8, hear me out. Grab a piece of paper and quickly jot down some health issues that you have that you want to resolve. Next, log on to the internet and do a quick Google search to learn which vitamins serve as an anecdote to your problem. As an example, if you suffer from fatigue than you may be lacking vitamins B12 and B6. Mangos and Kiwi’s have each of these B’s, so get them on your list. Is the common cold a little too common for your comfort level? Well than I am sure you are aware that vitamin C is key. Stock up on your friends in the citrus family. Have you noticed that you are squinting at the menu at your local fast food joint? Than stop eating burgers and fries and pick up some carrots! Carrots are loaded with beta-carotene, which morphs into vitamin A, which gets an A+ when it comes to your eyes. Have allergies? Try Mandarin Tangerines. Upset stomach? Pick up some pectin and grab some grapefruit. You may have to search a bit, but some Noni juice added to your blend can act quite like serotonin on your brain, and some believe it can relieve headaches. Aloe and cabbage have been rumored to do the same, and as you experiment you will find what works best for you.

So you have the idea. Now you have your fruits and veggies at home and you are ready to juice! As you are playing scientist and experimenting, remember to balance your sweets with your not-so-sweets and see what you can get. If you do not mind wandering off the beaten path every now again, start trying fun additions like cinnamon, maple syrup, parsnip, or other spices. Juicers note: The natural sugar in fruit will raise insulin levels, so keep this in mind when you head into juicing mode. Too much of the sweet stuff can upset your blood sugar levels, causing you to feel hungry too soon. No worries, though. Soon you will have your “recipes” down, just keep experimenting and tasting.

One final note. “Smoothies,” although not as healthful as the juices we discussed above, can be an excellent alternative to typical desserts laden with fat and excess sugar. Dessert smoothies can end up containing a lot of calories, but watching your portion size can be the perfect way to treat your sweet tooth without trying to trick your diet. Here is one of my special blends…and it couldn’t be simpler:

• Fill the blender about half way with chocolate soymilk.
• Next add a banana and a few tablespoons of organic, vanilla yogurt. (For a thicker shake you can add some ice, or an additional tablespoon of yogurt.)
• Divide in two glasses and you and the person lucky enough to be dining with you are in for a “milkshake” that won’t leave you with a twist of guilt.

So go forth and juice! Your mind and body will thank you.

Be Well,

JuicyJosh

Continuing with the basics, in addition to eating organic fruits and vegetables another way to drastically improve your diet is by eating whole grains and products made from whole grain flour.  Whole grains are nutritionally superior to refined grains, richer in dietary fiber, antioxidants, protein (in particular the amino acid lysine), dietary minerals (including magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and selenium), and vitamins (including niacin, vitamin B6, and vitamin E).  It’s been proven that a high fiber diet can reduce the incidence of some forms of cancer, digestive system diseases, gum disease, coronary heart disease, diabetes, and obesity and many studies have shown that whole grains have numerous cardiovascular benefits.

So how does flour work?  Almost all flours are derived from a whole cereal grain that has been milled into a fine meal and is then used for making baked goods of all kinds.  The refining process involves putting the kernels of the whole cereal grain through a high-heat milling process that removes the germ and bran (where 90 percent of the nutritional content resides), leaving only the endosperm which is starch. The starch is then ground into different sizes for different purposes and the result is refined flour.

Many people have gotten into home grinding and milling of grain because of the incredible taste added with that level of freshness and the certainty of the nutritious integrity of the grain.  With a simple electric machine like the KTec Kitchen Mill, the process is essentially no more complicated or expensive, than grinding beans and brewing breakfast coffee and because virtually all commercial flours (even “whole wheat”) have lost fiber, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and phytochemicals during processing and storage, producing your own begins to make a lot of sense.

Boy, I think this was the least funny article so far.  I guess I could have made a joke about fiber…

Be well

(Name the song and artist that the title quote is from and get $5 off any purchase at 877MyJuicer.com.)

So most people would call it a smoothie nowadays but to me it is, always has been and always will be my power shake.  And I start my day with it religiously.  I’ll get into the ingredients in a bit but an explanation of my intentions first.

Being that for the last two weeks I’ve written some basic articles on juicing, I wanted to write one on the differences and benefits of blending specifically.  The problem is many of the same principles hold—blending is essentially another great way to get all the nutritious goodness from fruits and vegetables…  So how do I write this article without sounding redundant?  The best way as I see it is to lay out my breakfast; the Power Shake.

To juice or to blend?  Well, I’m not promoting one over the other.  There are several unique benefits to juicing.  For example, you can’t (or at least I wouldn’t) blend wheatgrass.   In the same way there are many things about blending that just can’t be substituted with a juicer.  For one, you can’t get phytochemicals by juicing because they live primarily in the rind or pulp of the produce.  You also can’t juice yummy grains or nuts but in a blender you can liquefy the stuff right into whatever concoction you come up with.  Not to mention with a good blender, in addition to shakes (smoothies) you can make soups, hummus, peanut butter and many other things.  So here’s the recipe for my power shake—just one example of  something delicious and nutritious that is only possible with a blender.

The Power Shake

• 1 Organic Banana
• A couple cups give or take of frozen organic blueberries/Strawberries/cherries/any berries you like (mix and match)
• A hand full of soaked raw pumpkin and sunflower seeds
• A tablespoon of organic peanut butter
• A tablespoon of Flax Seed oil (keep in the freezer)
• 1 serving of a live food liquid vitamin
• 1 serving of a super green food powder
• 1/2 serving of vanilla whey protein
• 1/2 serving of a complex brain protein powder which includes amino acids, GABA, Glutamine, and much more.
• A tablespoon of Psyllium husk fiber (mmm regularity ;o)…
• Organic apple juice mixed with any other you like (I do mango and coconut often).  Use enough to liquefy.

With a start like this the day can only go well.

Be well,

JuicyJosh

That’s right, although the wheatgrass craze is a bit past its apex, it’s clear that its popularity is more than just a passing fad.  Somehow, despite the fact that obesity is on the rise, the country is getting more interested in health.  Now I could do an entire article on what I believe to be behind this dichotomy but for now trust me, they aren’t related.  Cows are fat for other reasons.

So once again this will be basic stuff for a great many regulars in this community but it’s important to keep pulling in those who are just getting into this stuff.  And because the whole Juicy Josh community is relatively new, I think the basics need to be laid out.

Some health enthusiasts believe wheatgrass to be the pinnacle of healthy living, going so far as to claim that 1 pound of wheatgrass is the nutritional equivalent of 25 pounds of choice vegetables.  I wouldn’t go that far.  But there’s solid evidence that wheatgrass is good for everything from fighting cancer (for a great documentary watch Crazy Sexy Cancer on TLC tonight, 8/30/07 at midnight) to preventing tooth decay.  It is enormously rich in beta-carotene, the vitamins A, B, C, D, K, and E as well as many amino acids, such as lysine, tryptophane, and phenylalanine.  But most importantly wheatgrass is one of the highest sources of chlorophyll.  Chlorophyll strongly resembles the molecular structure of hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein of red blood cells and this is probably the reason it is so beneficial.  Essentially it helps in clearing drug deposits from the blood, it counteracts and purifies toxins, removes heavy metals stored in our tissue, and increases the enzyme level in our cells.  All this amounts to the rejuvenation and preservation of our vital system.

Not to mention it gives you quite an energy kick.  Almost makes me want to MOO…

Be Well,

JuicyJosh

Well, it won’t fix your car, bring you love, or raise your kids but it might make all those things easier.  Two glasses of fresh fruit and vegetable juice a day to maintain your health and at least four a day to speed the body’s healing and recovery from illness, making a regular habit of juicing and blending can literally change your life.  Yes, I realize I’m going into infomercial sounding copy (always a peril when you write for a retailer) and for the bulk of this community might be common knowledge but this is important for anyone interested in healthy living.  Not to mention it’s high time I write an article on the benefits of juicing overall.

Raw fruits and vegetables are probably the best source of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, cancer fighting phytochemicals and other nutrients and because more beneficial substances continue to be found in fruits and vegetables all the time, it’s increasingly clear that you cannot substitute supplements for the real thing.  When you juice or blend from raw produce you get the whole plant including all its health promoting components in tact so it’s important to drink it when you make it.  For the newcomer to this world, essentially there are three juicing categories to become familiar with: Green Juices; Vegetable Juices and Fruit Juices.

Green juices are cleansers. They rid the body of pollutants and have and incredible rejuvenating effect because they are rich in chlorophyll which purifies the blood and builds red blood cells.  It detoxifies and heals and produces big boost of energy.  8 to 10 ounces a day is recommended using everything from alfalfa sprouts to wheatgrass.

Vegetable juice restores and builds. It removes excess body fat, boosts the immune system, removes acid wastes and balances the metabolism.  Carrot juice is the most popular not just for its taste but because it is packed with cancer fighting beta-carotene but you can benefit from just about any vegetable you can fit down the juicer spout.

Fruit juices are also cleansers and nourishers of the body. Filled with important nutrients including invaluable cancer fighting antioxidants you can enjoy fruit juices any time of the day.  Berries in particular have a high amount of antioxidants and so with fruits (but I’d suggest it with veggies also) blending up everything, peel, rind  and all will make for great smoothie experimentation and give you the much needed phytochemicals found only in the fiber of produce.

So now you’ve got the overall scoop.  Happy juicing!

Be well,

Juicy Josh

877MyJuicer.com

Yeah, yeah.  I know it’s “cretin”.  But I’ll use any gimmick I can to get you to read on.  Even shameless hacking of my beloved Ramones.  Why?  Because instead of a lobotomy, shock treatment, or other sedation I want you to be happy, healthy and divinely aware.  And I bet Joey, may he rest in peace, would now agree with me.

So what we’re talking about here is the Mediterranean diet.  Yeah, you’ve been hearing about it since the 60’s but there’s a reason; it’s great for you.  The discovery of the Mediterranean Diet was actually the byproduct of a seven country wide study on diet and disease patterns throughout the world which also established the connection between saturated fat and heart disease.

So now we’re narrowing down to our great Greek islander’s.  During the course of the study it was discovered that some of the longest life spans and lowest rates of heart disease were found in the people of Crete.  Later studies confirmed that Cretans also had much lower rates of cancer as well as type 2 diabetes.

Now they call it the Mediterranean Diet but it’s really the whole lifestyle because in addition to the way they ate (which hadn’t changed much since ancient times), the hardy people of Crete, mainly farmers, got loads of physical activity.  But what about their diet?  Delicious meals full of vegetables and fruits, abundant in beans and fish, and almost devoid of red meat and processed foods, the Cretans regularly took in high amounts of fat—40 percent of their daily calories—but most of it came from olive oil; their average saturated-fat intake was among the world’s lowest.  And this diet has stood the clinical test as well.  Huge studies have shown that when people are put on a Mediterranean eating program, they tend to live longer and have lower rates of heart disease and some cancers.

So how do you do the Cretan hop?  Eat more whole foods and fewer processed foods; use unsaturated fats, particularly monounsaturated fats like olive oil, for cooking and flavoring foods, and for salad dressings; eat an abundance of vegetables, especially leafy greens, every day; eat more servings of fruits, grains and legumes than animal-based foods, and include low-fat or fat-free dairy products; serve beans and fish as your main protein sources; make small amounts of meat an occasional treat, rather than a daily staple; and enjoy nuts, such as almonds, peanuts and walnuts, regularly, in moderate amounts.

Remember, “All good Cretans go to heaven” (Ok I’ve taken this one too far.)

Be well,

JuicyJosh