The first time it came up in conversation, I thought Doc H was referring to steroids. We were in the car and he just blurted out of nowhere, "I think you should start juicing." Huh? I realize it's been a few months since I've been to the gym, but my muscles are just fine, thank you, and I don't particularly find the female body builder's physique sexy.
The expression on my face must have glowed a huge, neon warning sign, because Doc H quickly explained himself.
After watching several food documentaries {Food Inc., Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead}, and studying up on nutrition, Doc H had decided enough was enough. He noted in all his years of medical training, he never had one nutrition class. He felt it was a disservice to his patients. It was time to get knowledgable and healthy. No, he didn't want his wife to start injected herself with steroids. He wanted to invest in a juicer and start drinking fruits and vegetables he, up to this point, wouldn't even eat unless prepared by a culinary genius.
I'll admit, I thought (and hoped) this desire to juice would pass. However, a month passed and Doc H spent most of his free time either at the computer or on his iPad studying this country's food supply and it's nutritional value. I tell you, it's dismal. Doc H would regurgitate the highlights of his nutritional research of the day to me as we readied for bed. It sent me to bed grasping my pillow desperately in an effort to clear my mind and find some sleep.
As Father's Day approached, I decided the gift of juice would be just what the doctor would order if asked. So, LB and I went on a trek. What a trek it was! Apparently, we are not the only ones who want to juice. Store after store, mall after mall... sold out, sold out, sold out. With the soles of our feet emanating intense heat and pain, we went home exhausted and defeated, settling for online shopping to gift him with a printout of what he would be doing in his near future.
We waited a week for the juicer's arrival. During the week, Doc H began reading up on the different foods and their nutritional values and what ailments each food can aid. Turns out, you need to drink lots of different fruits, veggies, and herbs to keep everything healthy. Now our fridge resembles the organic produce section of Whole Foods.
This weekend my Doc H made us our first juice consisting of beets, kale, carrots, and apples, along with the promise of health and fitness. Sounds exquisitely yummy, doesn't it? It tasted okay as long as you didn't smell it, drank it through a straw in an effort to bypass all your taste buds, and finished with a Godiva chocolate chaser.
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Doc H's concoction |
This week I'm again taking part in Yeah Write, a writing competition for bloggers. If you're looking for a wonderfully supportive group of writers and fun forum to share your work, be sure to check out Yeah Write. If you're looking for a place to find some great blogs, Yeah Write is the place to do it. Check it all out! Voting takes place on Thursday. Please vote!
I've also linked up at Talk To Us Tuesday; another great place to find some bloggy reads!
Hahah I can not get into juicing. The chocolate chaser sounds smart to me...
ReplyDeleteJust wait until you're in your forties. You'll be amazed at the things you'll do to hold on to your youth and prolong your life! LOL!
DeleteI think I'll skip the juice and go straight for the chocolate chaser. Followed closely by the wine chaser. Haha!
ReplyDeleteYou're right...even better!
DeleteBahaha. I think juicing looks as appetizing as juicing (steroids) lol.
ReplyDeleteWhen you include things like kale and cilantro, it's not the yummiest, but it's not as bad as I had imagined.
DeleteShe's scary, isn't she?
I don't really understand the point of a juicer. Just eat the fruits and vegetables and let your digestive system take care of the liquefaction process.
ReplyDeleteI think the main point of it is that you can juice "super foods" that you wouldn't normally eat. Plus, you can ingest more micro nutrients out of it as a juice. For example- You would juice 2 oranges and an apple for one glass of juice. Most people wouldn't eat that much fruit in a day. I know I wouldn't. Then add all the crazy veggies in there and I'm getting more nutrients than I normally would in a day. I think that's the basic notion. I don't know. I'm no expert. I just go with the flow around here.
DeleteAhh, such a great idea! Definitely gonna have to make some drinks for my fam! :) Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! I do like the fruit juices.
DeleteI have friends that "juice", I just can't do it. I've never even tried a V-8. I'm sure it's doesn't taste as bad as it sounds and I'm also sure it's super good for you but I just can't do it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking up with us!
You should still try it. I have never had a V8 either! Today, Doc H even put a tomato, cucumber, wheat grass, cilantro, beets, carrots and an apple in my concoction. It was still okay. Not that bad. Doable. Then I did orange and apple and it was delish!
Deletelol-I do think it'd be fun to make my own juice, but all of that fresh fruit and produce is really expensive. We do make our own smoothies and they are amazing!
ReplyDeleteIt is expensive, but we've been shopping around and we found some fruit stands and farmers markets which have better prices.
Deletenot for me. It's all I can do drink orange juice and it has to have booze in it.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I forgot in it!!!
DeleteI have been wanting a vitamix...some of the juices are probably good?
ReplyDeleteSome are really good! It's just when Doc H puts in the "super foods" that it gets a little questionable. God help me, I saw he printed out some information on juicing KELP and SEAWEED! I don't know if I have the stomach for that!
Deletelol, James has been trying to convince me for years that juicing is the way to go. I fear I may only have days before I come home to find our refrigerator completely void of all things, except for fruits and veggies. And my waffle maker replaced with a shiny new juicer.
ReplyDeleteI agree with date girl, I actually wouldn't mind juicing, but fruits and veggies can be quite costly.
Good luck with the juicing though. Your post was hilarious.
Thanks! I like the fruits. We'll see how long this lasts. My juicer my end up with Reedster's...collecting dust.
DeleteI'll also skip the juicing and go straight for the chocolate chaser!
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely not something I would've done on my own...
DeleteOh goodness. Props to the doc, but this is a little too intense for me. I'm Seventh-day Adventist, and the Adventists love their vegetarianism and raw diets, but I HATE juices! Maybe it's the combos that my mom would fix up! I can do smoothies anytime (and I do with lots of fresh fruit, water, and yogurt), but kale juice? NO. THANKS.
ReplyDeleteI love the fruit juices. The kale wasn't so bad, because he added an apple in there and it made it sweet (along with carrots, and beets). Sounds awful, but not too bad. Really.
DeleteI'd rather eat the fruits and veggies. And really if you juice, don't you lose lots of the fiber that's so good for you? Yeah, just give me the fruits whole please.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I thought, too! But, I can see how you can get more micro nutrients juicing along with a well balanced diet. I never seem to get enough fruits and veggies in no matter how hard I try.
DeleteI'd rather eat the veggies, too. Then my stomach can feel full.
ReplyDeleteGood luck on the juicing adventure! I hope that your hubby doesn't come up with concoctions that are unbearable...
So far not too bad. Even the wheat grass, cucumber, apple, cilantro, tomato was palatable. Kinda. Sorta.
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ReplyDeleteIf I could drink a glass of juice that dried up my diabeetus, I'd be all in.
ReplyDeleteI hear you! I was a gestational diabetic and it was rough!
DeleteI could TOTALLY juice....if someone would make it for me every day. I just don't wanna take the time to throw random pieces of fruit and veggies together. Lazy much? Why YES! YES I am!
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking up with us! We appreciate it!
The juicing is quick... it's the clean up!!!
DeleteThanks for hosting!!
Ive heard its good for you.. but.. um no thanks. Ha! Ill take the Godiva chaser please :)
ReplyDeleteI'll take the Godiva without anything to chase! Yummy!
DeleteEat good, exercise, die anyway. No thanks! Let me enjoy the ride. And besides, all the preservatives I'm eating should keep me going for a long time! :)
ReplyDeleteHa!
DeleteBetween this and The Reedster's juicer post, I am not inclined to try it! ;) But the chocolate...YUM!
ReplyDeleteI know! I read her post and thought, "Oh, Boy!" But Doc H was already heading down that road. I even told him about her experience, but that didn't dissuade him. He's all gung-ho about juicing!
DeleteLove the last line, especially the bit about the Godiva chaser. Classic!
ReplyDeleteI used to have a juicer, but the cleaning got the best of me. I do love it though. It's expensive, but I'll treat myself to a veggie/fruit juice from a health store. So good.
ReplyDeleteHa! You did it! Another one sucked in by the documentary. Your husband sounds like he is a bit more serious and studious than I was, however.
ReplyDeleteI'm so curious to hear how this works out a month from now!
ReplyDeleteGood gracious, that must be some documentary. I know several people who've seen Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead and they all end up juicing. For about a week. Then they realize liquefied kale and spinach is just nasty, no matter how many fruits you add to it. Lots of barely used juicers sitting in the uppermost recesses of kitchen cabinets because of this film, I suspect.
ReplyDeleteWell, your pictures made Juicing look quite appealing :)
ReplyDeleteYou lost me at beets. Kale sent me over the edge. There's got to be a better way!
ReplyDeleteI have to admit in the fridge picture I'm captivated by the fish and rhe champagne bottle. Oh the possibilities. Ellen
ReplyDeleteIf it looks gross or tastes gross (but is good for you), that's still too many grosses in my book. :-)
ReplyDeleteWe watched all of those same videos and more that you mentioned your husband watching. I have been researching this now for over two years and have amassed a library on natural health and healing. I won't go to a doctor that does not understand food as a remedy.
ReplyDeleteWe eat vegan, garden like crazy and my children even make up their own green smoothies to feed the rest of us. They know more about our countries food supply and health stats than most adults which I find incredibly amazing and sad at the same time.
Love this!! I started blogging a month ago and my VERY FIRST POST was on green smoothies! I'm cracking up over here. My hub got me a BlendTec blender for Mother's Day last year and I've been obsessed ever since. I think I am going to make a chocolate smoothie. I'll send you the recipe (don't tell Doc H).
ReplyDeleteP.S. I also LOVE LOVE LOVE your high heel x-ray. SO clever.
ReplyDeleteick...I wouldn't even consider juicing..but I have texture issues. I do like the chocolate chaser.
ReplyDeletei drink kale smoothies and my son who won't touch a veggie LOVES them. go figure!
ReplyDeleteChardonnay is from grapes. That counts. Sangria is even more healthy as it has pieces of fruit in it
ReplyDeleteI actually love juicing. Here are two of my favorite recipes:
ReplyDeleteYou may need to adjust the amounts of fruit depending on the amount of juice you want to make, and the size of juicer you have.
1 inch cube of fresh Ginger Rt.*, peeled
2 pears*, remove stem
1 Sweet Potato or Garnet Yam
1 apple
2 small cucumbers*
1/2 lemon*, peeled
1 head of broccoli*, trimmed
1 stem of broccoli
3 stalks of celery*
Be sure to wash all of your produce thoroughly before use.
*Juice on low setting
The other one is:
-2 large cucumbers (peeled if not organic)
-1 head romaine
-1 bunch kale
-4-5 stalks celery
-1-2 big broccoli stems
-1-2 pears or green apples (optional)
-1 kiwi
- ginger to taste
-enough pineapple juice to make it a bit sweet
And I will hide kale or spinach in ANYTHING including fruit smoothies - my 3yo and husband have no idea.
I've seen it and also tried to juice. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to keep it up. You are right about the smell!
ReplyDeleteLOL! I got my husband a juicer for Christmas a couple of years ago. It's still in the box, so you guys are doing better than we are! Loved the line about the chocolate chaser.
ReplyDelete