The Benefits of Juicing

I love a nice full mason jar of juice. There's nothing quite like taking in an abundance of nutrients from a simple glass of juice. That's all it really is. You simply wash and cut a selection of fruits and vegetables, run them through a juicer and voila! You've got yourself a nutritional jackpot in a glass! 

Why should you juice?

• 95% of the vitamins and enzymes our bodies need are found in the juice of raw fruits and vegetables
• Juicing helps you absorb all of the nutrients from the F + V
• Juicing allows you to consume an optimal amount of vegetables in an efficient manner. 
• You can add a wider variety of F + V in your diet. 
• Weight loss
• Aids with digestion
• Aids with inflammation 
• Detoxifying
• Increases your immunity
• Increases energy levels
• Antioxidant
• Stronger bones
• And so MUCH MORE!

To receive optimal benefits from juicing, you should try to juice at least 3 to 4 times a week. A decent amount of juice per day is 500 ml.

So, to get started on your juice fest, you must purchase the following:

• A juicer (available at most Canadian Tires, kitchen ware stores or online - brands that I recommend are Huron, Breville or an Omega. If you're on a student budget like myself, a Jack Lalane will work just fine and is only $100) http://www.amazon.ca/Jack-Lalannes-Power-Juicer-Deluxe/dp/B004Z20GF8/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1370052525&sr=1-1&keywords=jack+lalane+juicer
• Mason jars (Why mason jars? Well, anything poured from a glass container when compared to its plastic counterpart simply tastes better. Glass, unlike plastic, does not contain any harmful chemicals such as BPA, phthalates, PVC or polycarbonate. So, nothing can leach into what you're consuming from a glass bottle. Also, mason jars come with a special steel seal that locks in the nutrients of your food so it stays fresher, longer!) PS - You should only store juice for a max of 2 - 3 days before eventually, the nutrient content will go down. Remember, fresh is always best! You can purchase mason jars from your local Canadian tire for less than $1 a bottle. Score! http://www.canadiantire.ca/search/search_results.jsp?bmForm=form_endeca_search&bmFormID=1370052505523&bmUID=1370052505523&bmIsForm=true&bmPrevTemplate=%2Fsearch%2Fsearch_results.jsp&bmHidden=OMNITURE_FROM&OMNITURE_FROM=Search&bmHidden=event26&event26=true&bmText=quick_search_term&quick_search_term=mason+jar&bmSubmit=quick_search&quick_search=&bmHidden=FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1408474396672077
• Lastly, a large variety of your favourite fruits and veggies! (Preferably organic)

Alright peeps, you're ready to juice bro! What are you waiting for?

:)

Inform2Inspire

March against Monsanto

First of all, I'd like to express my DEEP regret at not having the chance to have been at the March against Monsanto! 

What is Monsanto?

'Monsanto Company is a publicly traded American multinational agricultural biotechnology corporation headquartered in Creve Coeur, Missouri. It is a leading producer of genetically engineered (GE) seed and of the herbicide glyphosate, which it markets under the Roundup brand' (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsanto)

Monsanto is the company that GENETICALLY MODIFIES our food, essentially killing the nutrients and causing illness.

GMO's: "A genetically modified organism (GMO) is an organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_organism)

The March against Monsanto took place on Saturday, May 25 2013 in over 300 cities all around the world. Millions of activists united together to spread the message of food freedom. 

This was such an amazing event and again, I am so sorry that I missed it! I'd like to share it all with you in these pictures.

Some great links:

https://www.facebook.com/MarchAgainstMonstanto 

http://www.naturalnews.com/037289_Monsanto_corporations_ethics.html

http://www.march-against-monsanto.com/p/press-release.html

Inform2Inspire

Introducing.....Myself!

Hi guys. I thought I would make my first post about myself. My name is Parm, I'm 26 years old and I live in Toronto, Ontario. I'm currently in school full time for my BaHSc in Exercise Science and Health Promotion. I also work part time as a personal trainer and in telecommunications. Busy, busy, busy!

My health journey is no different from anyone else's. Up until 3 years ago, a typical day for me would consist of a grilled cheese and chocolate milk for breakfast, poutine and pop for lunch and maybe a frozen pizza for dinner with, ofcourse, another can of pop. I worked a 9 to 5 office job and had no physical activity in my routine whatsoever.

That all changed when I started noticing odd things about myself. Every time I would eat, I would get bloated, realllyy realllyyyy bloated. Sometimes I'd develop a headache and become nauseated. Other times, well, it was the opposite of nausea. I was irritable, anxious and frankly, just uncomfortable ALL of the time. It was then that I decided something needed to change.

A few months later, I enrolled into school full time, joined the local gym, improved my diet, hired a personal trainer and changed my life around! From being a girl who would barely drink a glass or 2 of water a week, to drinking 2 L + of water a day. I lost 30 pounds within a year and never felt better!

However, the bloat, nausea, headaches, irritability and general sickness would still occur from time to time. I decided enough was enough and took matters into my own hands. I researched every digestive disorder I could online. I had blood tests, stool tests, a biopsy and a freaking colonoscopy done with no answers. NONE. The medical world decided I was fine. Doctors told me it was IBS. In 2011 alone, I had already met with at least 8 different doctors from all fields with no answer. I even had a food intolerance test done which pretty much told me I'm intolerant to almost every food on the planet (even food colouring!)

This was it. I decided to heal myself my own way. This blog will feature my story as I try to discover the cure for my "digestive woes". I'd like my blog to be a place to inform others. As I learn, I'd love for you to learn with me. This blog is dedicated to inform to inspire. I'll be posting about various topics in holistic health, fitness, nutrition, some social activism and my own journey.

Thank you again!