Summer is here! Woo hoo!

You may think cinnamon is only for a hot bowl of oatmeal in the wintertime but it isn’t. And I’m feeling cinnamon love lately so I decided to share with you the health benefits of cinnamon and give you a few ideas of how to incorporate this delicious, healthy spice during the warmer months.  

Fun Fact!

“Cinnamon is one of the oldest spices known. It was mentioned in the Bible and was used in ancient Egypt not only as a beverage flavoring and medicine, but also as an embalming agent. It was so highly treasured that it was considered more precious than gold. Around this time, cinnamon also received much attention in China, which is reflected in its mention in one of the earliest books on Chinese botanical medicine, dated around 2,700 B.C.” – WH Foods

Cinnamon is more than just a spice you can mix with sugar for your toast or something you can sprinkle on your oatmeal in the morning (just a couple of examples that seems to be pretty familiar with folks overall). It not only packs a powerful punch on taste, but provides some cool nutrients our bodies definitely appreciate.

(source)

A few health benefits that may come from consuming cinnamon:

1. enhanced brain function
2. more stabilized blood sugar
3. preventative colon and heart health

Cinnamon is also known to have anti-clotting and anti-microbial properties.

“Seasoning a high carb food with cinnamon can help lessen its impact on your blood sugar levels. Cinnamon slows the rate at which the stomach empties after meals, reducing the rise in blood sugar after eating. Researchers measured how quickly the stomach emptied after 14 healthy subjects ate 300 grams (1.2 cups) of rice pudding alone or seasoned with 6 grams (1.2 teaspoons) of cinnamon. Adding cinnamon to the rice pudding lowered the gastric emptying rate from 37% to 34.5% and significantly lessened the rise in blood sugar levels after eating. Am J Clin Nutr. 2 007 Jun;85(6):1552-6.” – WH Foods

For even more information on cinnamon and its nutritional value, click here.

Some of my favorite ways to get the health benefits of cinnamon follows….

Overnight Oats

I’ve made a pretty wide variety of overnight oats concoctions but haven’t only posted a couple of my recipes. Both recipes are below and make for a super yummy, cold and refreshing breakfast or snack during the hotter months.

Coconut Peanut Butter Overnight Oats <—Click link for recipe.

NuttzOats <—Click link for recipe.

Fun Fact!

“Cinnamon is the brown bark of the cinnamon tree, which when dried, rolls into a tubular form known as a quill.” – WH Foods

Cinnamon-Honey Tea

(source)

Ingredients:

1. honey of your choice

2. cinnamon of your choice

3. cup of hot water

Directions:

1. Pour 1 teaspoon of  honey in your cup.

2. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in your cup.

3. Pour hot water, stirring as you pour to mix well.

4. For hot weather, add ice and a wedge of fresh lemon. In colder months, sip while hot and warm the bones!

Note:

You can add honey and cinnamon to your tea of choice (whether it’s plain, old-fashioned Lipton or green, nettle leaf, etc.).

Other Cinnamon Ideas

1. herbal tea concoctions

2. sprinkled (generously) on a baked sweet tater

3. in iced coffee

Did you run and check your cupboards only to find you’re fresh out of cinnamon and/or honey? You’re in luck! With a few clicks, you can order  and have it delivered right to your front door.

If you’ve found yourself needing them, you can order honey here and order cinnamon here.

What’s your favorite way to consume cinnamon? Do you love the spice? Hate it? I love to smell it, eat it, drink it… What about you? Do you love adding honey to cinnamon like I do? Spice up the comments with your answers!

Credits:

Cinnamon Benefits and Nutrient Chart: WH Foods

Photo source

First time visiting? Check out my latest contest (over a $200 value!) and my chocolate-covered raisin hemp balls. You may also enjoy Zeenat’s guest post about the healing benefits of onions.

Sounds crazy, huh? Well, before you think I’m crazy just hear me out, please.

Raw Reflections

I had the amazing opportunity to review the Raw for Thirty and Raw for Life DVDs a while back. I still remember how raw and real the DVDs were.

Here’s a snippet of my thoughts from that review:

Simply Raw gives you a peek into the journey of six Americans who are battling diabetes. Some of them are also battling obesity. While staying at The Tree of Life in Arizona, under the supervision of Dr. Gabriel Cousens, the six individuals (with various diabetes levels and insulin problems) were carefully monitored and cared for.Looking into the lives of these people and watching their struggles, their honest attempts, and then more struggles as they tried to make it through the 30-day program just broke my heart. I’ve been obese morbidly obese. I know the pain. I know how discouraging it can be to wake up every morning with a heavy person weighing your life down and feeling like life is hopeless and like you can never, ever achieve the healthier, slimmer body you so desire.

I also used to be on diabetic medication because my blood sugar was atrocious. I related so much to the stories these people shared in this DVD. It was almost as if I were living my own morbid obesity and blood sugar problems all over again!

So, I absolutely believe in the power of raw foods and know from personal experience and my own journey that blood sugar can stabilize. I’ve lost over 100 pounds and am now eating 100% raw food–no more diabetic medication for me!

Raw Reality

Living with diabetes is no fun. And that’s why I wanted to let you know that for a short time, you can get a 50% discount on this DVD set about reversing diabetes! That’s right! That’s a HUGE savings!! And with money being so tight these days, that 50% savings is such a blessing for you – especially if you’re sick and tired of living with diabetes as the ruler of your life!

Raw Hope

Do check this DVD set out – even if you aren’t diabetic. I don’t believe you’ll be the same once you watch the stories and hear the experts chime in with facts.

Everyone’s bodies are different, so you may not be diabetic-free within 30 days BUT if you follow the raw food lifestyle, it’s a given that your blood sugar and other health issues should improve by the end of the 30 days. It depends on your weight and/or how bad your blood sugar levels are.

There IS hope for a better, more beautiful tomorrow, people. It lies within you to resurrect it and make it happen. Take this RAWsome opportunity to change your life. Who needs to wait until the new year to make resolutions and lifestyle changes?! Start today, so you’ll have your own raw reflections and health transformations to share with others!!

Today’s Details

I was surprised after not sleeping well that I’ve felt okay today–not fantabulous, not super energetic, but an “okay” I can be happy with. I haven’t taken photos of my juices today because I’ve had errands to run and have been gone for part of the day. But I do have photos for you!!

Oh, and I haven’t felt hungry today either. The digestive system is getting some Zs!

Breakfast

My day started out the same as always: With a cup of hot lemon water. After that, I had a glass of cucumber juice. It’s so refreshing, I knew that’s what I wanted for breakfast today!

I put some more cucumber juice in my E3 Live cup to take with me and also grabbed a container of water with one tablespoon of organic apple cider vinegar so I wouldn’t be thirsty or get tired while I was running errands.

Lunch

For lunch, I had about 16 ounces of my brown juice (if you’re just tuning in, it’s only brown because of the beets mixing with the greens).

Snack

For a snack, I had my tablespoon of  E3 Live and also a glass of herbal tea with lemon. Yum-O!

Dinner

For dinner, I’ll probably have a green juice.

As always, rest assured I’ll have had plenty of good old water and herbal tea before day 8 ends!

Reader’s Question

I receive this question from readers a lot: Will juice fasting help me lose weight? I addressed this question with an article at Raw People: Juice Fasting for Weight Loss. But I’ll discuss it here, too. I have lost weight during various juice fasts I’ve done–anywhere from 20 pounds up to 30-ish. I’m not following my weight on this juice fast because it isn’t about weight loss for me, it’s about cleaning my body and getting back on track after falling off the 100% raw food wagon. I confessed to the cooked foods I ate: Confessions of My Not-So-Raw Moments. The foods I ate weren’t all that bad and it was during an extremely high-stress situation (losing 3 young family members and almost losing my Dad). So, I have forgiven myself and moved on. I am 100% raw right now because of the juice fast, but before I started this juice fast, I was only 90%+ raw and although that is still excellent and I should be proud of myself (and I am), it isn’t the 100% raw status I was striving to maintain.

So, this juice fasting journey isn’t about losing weight for me (although I won’t be upset if it happens!), it’s about enjoying the serenity of the fast and being in tune to myself spiritually, emotionally, and mentally.

The answer to the question: Yes, many people do lose weight while juice fasting. Like I stressed in my article for Raw People, though, losing weight isn’t at all what juice fasting is about. If you’re heavier (200 lbs and up) you may lose 30 pounds or more during a 30-day juice fast. That’s from my own research. You may even lose around that much if you’re a little under 200. And some people have lost 50 or more pounds during a 30-day juice fast. It all depends on your body, that you’re not limiting your juice intake, that it’s 100% raw juices you’re drinking–and not storebought, etc.

But if you lose weight on a juice fast and don’t transition from the fasting mode correctly and just go back to eating junk, then you’ll gain all of that weight back!! Sorry, but it’s true. You have to target the root of why you’ve gained weight before you can successfully keep it off.

As you’ll see in the photos before, I’ve lost a significant amount of weight. I didn’t start juice fasting until I’d already lost around 50 pounds or so, but raw juices and juice fasting have been a huge part of not only my weight loss, but my maintenance.

Before & After

More before and after photos are available on my Before & After page.

Just tuning in? Catch up:

Day 1 of a 30-Day Juice Fast and Juicer Mishaps

Day 2 of a 30-Day Juice Fast–and AMAZING GRASS!!

Day 3–E3 Living!

Day 4 + Wheat Grass Galore + a Juicer!!

Day 5 — Dead or Alive?

Day 6 + Father’s Day Bliss!

Day 7, Cucumber Chia Heaven!

Until tomorrow… happy juicing!

Contest Alert!

Don’t forget about the Living Tree Community contest! (You’ll win a 16 ounce jar of Coconut Mango Persimmon Butter AND an 8 ounce jar of Raw Almond Butter–both organic!!)

Upcoming Contests Featuring these Fabulous Companies

• 2 books by Nomi Shannon, The Raw Gourmet (These two books have GORGEOUS photos and the recipes are amazing!
• 2 Food Matters DVDs (Haven’t had a chance to watch this one yet, but do check out their site–they have a RAWsome message to share!!)
• Detox 4 Women by Natalia Rose (I read this book last night and it’s awesome; it really helps you understand water retention, etc!)
• Living Tree Community (Raw almond butter and organic coconut mango persimmon butter!)
• Oh Nuts! (raw macadamia nuts and pecans) <— These are seriously delicious nuts–and they’re JUMBO sized!
• E3Live (Green-tasting (which I don’t mind!), but I REALLY notice that it’s making me feel better. It was definitely put to the test through my recent stressful events!)
• and MORE!

You’ll definitely want to stay tuned!

So… be sure to subscribe to Healing with Juices’ Feed for free updates. You can get free updates to your email as well (sign up here). You’ll also receive inspiration, juice and smoothie recipes, and juice fasting tips and encouragement to help keep you motivated toward your ultimate health–and more personal posts about stuff that’s going on in my life.

What a great contest!! I absolutely loved reading each and every comment and was so honored by your compliments, touched by your desire to try out Tropical Traditions Virgin Coconut Oil, and felt so much compassion as I read your reasons for wanting to win. I’m so glad that each of you are thinking of your health and are wanting to try new things. I wish I had a giant jar of this coconut oil to send all of you but I can’t do that. There’s only one jar. And that jar goes to….. George (aka Tumblemoose)!!

These are all yours, George!!!

When I went to Random.org, it chose comment #24. This was George’s second comment in the contest (you were allowed four):

24 Tumblemoose { 04.29.09 at 9:08 am }

Hi Michele,

I tweeted this, too (from @tumblemoose)!

Tumblemooses last blog post..Tumblemoose Times – A writer’s newsletter

I thought you’d love to know what George said in his first comment, which was answering the question of why he wanted to win:

7 Tumblemoose { 04.28.09 at 8:34 am }

Michele,

This Alaskan boy dreams of darn near anything tropical at the end of a harsh Alaskan winter. Mmmmm coconut, mmmm.

I’d use it as a soothing after shave balm for me head and face. I also like the idea of salad dressing with a squeeze of lime!

Cheers!

George

Tumblemooses last blog post..Tumblemoose Times – A writer’s newsletter

I love it that George says he’ll use the coconut oil for his face as after shave and for his bald head (Guys, did you hear that? Try it out!). It’s something I didn’t mention in the list of possible uses–very clever, George! And I can’t wait for you to try it on your salad–it’s delish! I’ll be in contact with you to get your mailing address. Congrats–now we can glow together!!!

UPDATED TO ADD:

I forgot to say that those of you who didn’t win should truly invest in Tropical Traditions Virgin Coconut Oil (and the book) as soon as you can fit it into your budget. This is a worthwhile investment, you all!! And if you missed the contest, or if you’re new to Healing with (Raw) Juices, please take a moment to read the review I wrote about Tropical Traditions Virgin Coconut Oil and the book.

In future contests, you’ll be competing for raw nuts, goji berries, raw nut butters, and more–so don’t miss out on upcoming posts!

First, I’d love to take a moment to thank TropicalTraditions.com–and Dawn Campbell, Marketing Manager–for sponsoring this contest and for being so gracious as to send a jumbo size (32 ounces!) jar of Certified Organic Virgin Coconut Oil–and a book all about it! We appreciate it!

Tropical Traditions Virgin Coconut Oil = Heaven on Earth!

I’m serious! Y’all, I am soooooooooo excited to be hosting this contest and have the opportunity to review such an amazing product as Tropical Traditions Certified Organic Virgin Coconut Oil. It’s divine. Not only is the review/contest about the coconut oil itself, but I’ll be reviewing (and the lucky winner of this contest will be getting) a book about it as well! How awesome is that?!

So…. you’ll get to read and learn all about how magnificent coconut oil really is while reaping the benefits (both inside and out)! Fantabulous!!

Take a look at that jar of coconut oil–it’s a whopping 32 ounces!

That’s GINORMOUS!!

[See my face? That isn't make-up. Nope, it's the glow that comes with applying this coconut oil! Eeek!]

Review of Tropical Traditions Certified Organic Virgin Coconut Oil

I honestly cannot think of ONE thing I dislike about this coconut oil. It’s delicious and when I apply it to my skin, it isn’t greasy–just luxurious! That’s right… I use it both internally and externally for all sorts of reasons. I’m eating 98-100% raw right now so I’ll share how I’m using it and then I’ll add a few more ideas for those of you who aren’t a Raw Foodist.

Internally for a Raw Foodist:

• drizzled over salad (or any veggies) with a squeeze of lime juice (from a real lime) as a “dressing”
• stirred in raw oats
• eaten straight from the spoon
• added into raw smoothies
• added to hot tea
• added to raw soup
• smeared on raw crackers/breads
• used in various other raw recipes

Internally for Non-Raw Foodists:

• drizzled over an omelet
• added to soups
• added to breads/biscuits/baking recipes
• smeared on toast
• stirred into oats
• stirred into quinoa
• used in meat recipes
• and more

Externally for all of us:

• on your face (to help prevent wrinkles and moisturize)
• on your arms/hands
• on your feet/legs
• anywhere
• add a dollop to your bath water
• make an oil treatment for your hair
• use to moisten dry lips
• apply to prevent sunburn and protect against harmful UV rays
• apply to sunburn, itches, rashes, etc.

See, the possibilities are endless!!

Worried it isn’t raw (for you Raw Foodists)?

See, I thought of everything–that’s why I checked their site (TropicalTraditions.com) and found the following information!

Excerpt from Tropical Traditions:

Characteristics of Our Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil

This Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil is a truly
unrefined coconut oil. This coconut oil is made on Mt. Banahaw and
surrounding areas from organic coconuts. Coconuts are used fresh
(within 24-48 hours of harvest) from small family farms on Mt. Banahaw
and other rural places in Quezon Province, the coconut capital of the
Philippines. Only the highest quality coconuts are hand-picked from
each harvest. The volcanic soil of Mt. Banahaw makes these organic
coconuts some of the most nutritionally rich coconuts in the world!
Testing done in independent laboratories reveals higher levels of
phenolic antioxidants than other coconut oils. The fresh coconut meat
is shredded (wet milled), and then cold-pressed using the water from
inside the coconuts to make coconut milk. The milk is then allowed to
sit for about half a day, while the oil naturally separates from the
heavier water. The oil is then filtered from the curds (coconut
solids). No chemical or high-heat treatment is used, and this oil
contains no trans fatty acids. We do NOT mass produce this oil. It is
made by families who are coconut farmers using old-fashioned
traditional methods that have been used in the Philippines for
hundreds of years. Our coconut trees and family producers are
certified organic according to strict USDA standards. The families who
produce the oil are also trained according to GMP (Good Manufacturing
Practice) standards and re-certified each year. This high-grade Virgin
Coconut Oil has a long shelf life due to the high antioxidant
properties. The Gold Label standard is our highest standard for Virgin
Coconut Oil. Read more.

Book Review:

As someone who could spend her every waking hour writing and reading, I was elated to receive this book. Not only is it a great gift to receive along with the coconut oil so you can learn fascinating facts about the oil but it has already become one of my go-to reference books. Yes, since I write so often about health, I have been using this very book as a reference in some of my articles!

It is written by Brian (who has a B.A. and M.A.) and Marianita Jader Shilhavy (who is a CND: Certified Nutritionist/Dietitian). Not only will you get to read each of their personal stories, you’ll learn all about coconut oil, how it’s produced, and how it can improve your recipes and your health. You’ll also get to read about population studies, research, and be inspired by testimonials.

Different chapters and pages target numerous illnesses and how coconut oil improves them (such as HIV/AIDS, diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, digestive disorders, thyroid, cholesterol, candida, and more. This book also shares reasons that coconut oil aids in weight loss efforts, why it’s great for your skin, and even how you can use it in your pet’s health care!

And… there’s a whole section in the back of the book dedicated to coconut recipes! They sound delish! At 236 pages, I just know you’ll love what you find in them. I know I’ll keep my copy forever–it’ll always have a cherished place on my bookshelf!

The Contest!!

You’re allowed FOUR entries for this contest:

1. Leave a comment sharing why you’d benefit from owning a copy of the Virgin Coconut Oil book and the 32 ounce jar of certified organic coconut oil. (DO NOT just say “thanks for the contest” or something like that–I do not publish those type of comments because they seem like spam and aren’t fair to the other contestants who leave a thoughtful, genuine answer.)
2. Do you Twitter? Tweet about this contest and then leave a comment with your Twitter name.
3. Share this contest on your blog, linking back to this post. (The pingback will be counted as your third entry.) If you don’t see your pingback, just email me at healingwithjuices@gmail.com and let me know. It may have gone to spam for some reason.
4. Add Healing with Juices to your favorites on Technoratori. Comment the fourth–and last–time to let me know, with a link to your technoratori profile to show you added us.

NOTE: ANYONE can enter this contest. You DO NOT have to be in the United States. Oh, and I’ll be using Random.org to choose the winner….

Contest ends Monday, May 4th, at 9 p.m. (Central Time) so you have an ENTIRE WEEK to get all your entries in. Have fun trying to win!!

What, can’t wait to see if you win? Visit Tropical Traditions now: they’re having a big sale on their coconut oil. Check it out!

Referral Option

If you’d like to join the Tropical Traditions Healthy Buyer’s Club, visit www.healthybuyersclub.com/orderform.cfm

And enter Raw Juice Girl’s User ID number: 4845073

By following these steps, you will receive a complimentary copy of the book Virgin Coconut Oil: How it has changed people’s lives and how it can change yours! by Brian and Marianita Shilhavy.

Your sponsor (that’d be me! ) will receive a coupon for a complimentary gift to redeem on their next order.

You may view the current complimentary gift being offered here: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com//referral_program.htm

Further instructions can be found here.

Thanks again to www.tropicaltraditions.com!

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

After this contest ends, you’ll be competing for raw nuts, goji berries, raw nut butters, and more–so don’t miss out on upcoming posts!

This contest is closed.

Be sure to subscribe to Healing with Juices’ Feed for free updates. You can get free updates to your email as well (sign up here). You’ll also receive inspiration, juice and smoothie recipes, and juice fasting tips and encouragement to help keep you motivated toward your ultimate health–and more personal posts about stuff that’s going on in my life.

First, I’d like to thank everyone who entered. I appreciated your heartfelt comments and positive attitudes.

On to the winner…

I used Random.org to generate a winner. It chose #5, and that would be Lisa. Here’s what she said:

5 Lisa { 04.15.09 at 8:41 pm }

Wow! This would be a very useful resource for my family. I’m particularly interested in the weight loss and detox sections.

Congratulations, Lisa! Please email me with your mailing address so I can send you your DVDs!

Next, be watching for a fun post followed by more contests: you’ll be competing for organic coconut oil, raw nuts, goji berries, raw nut butters, more books and DVDs, and more–so don’t miss out on upcoming posts!

Be sure to subscribe to Healing with Juices’ Feed for free updates. You can get free updates to your email as well (sign up here). You’ll also receive inspiration, juice and smoothie recipes, and juice fasting tips and encouragement to help keep you motivated toward your ultimate health–and more personal posts about stuff that’s going on in my life.

Michele L. Tune

Health Websites and Blogs

Health sites and blogs are abundant all across the Web, but which ones should you invest your time in? Which ones share accurate information? I’m sure there are a ton of other fabulous health sites out there, and I might have even come across them, but today I want to focus on just three of my recommendations and why I recommend them.

KathEats.com

Health Blog: KathEats.com

Health is #1 priority with Kath. I’ve been reading this blog for quite a while. I love the fact that Kath reached her goal weight and successfully maintains it by exercising, eating healthfully, and staying focused on ultimate health. Kath isn’t a vegetarian but she doesn’t eat a lot of meat. She also finds ways to incorporate tofu and veggie burgers into her meals. You’ll find lots of salads as Kath loads up on the veggies. And, you’ll be absolutely amazed at her creativity when it comes to eating oatmeal almost every morning! She even has a special Tribute to Oatmeal page that she updates once in a while. Kath is so personable, you can’t help but be inspired to live a healthy life when you read her posts. I can’t say enough great things about KathEats.com (a.k.a. KERF). Enjoy your visit!

Wellsphere.com

Health knowledge made personal

I’ve been visiting Wellsphere.com for a while now and recently shared with you that I’ve been welcomed to the Wellsphere Health Community as a Top Health Blogger (which I’m thrilled about!). The variety of topics at this site is simply amazing. From vegetarian to weight loss to sports to fitness and exercise to information on various illnesses and green living, there is a massive amount of resources in the Wellsphere Community. I guarantee you won’t be able to get to it all in one visit – you’ll have to visit time and again and absorb it in snippets. Wellsphere.com is definitely a health site you’ll want to bookmark and return to from now on. You can also join the Wellsphere Community and actively participate in healthy conversations. I’ll see you there! (Add me as a friend if you join.)

Dr. Emily Kane

Health and Alternative Medicine

This health site is new to me. I discovered it when Esculon Magazine (owned by Alexandra Mihaescu)  mentioned HealingwithJuices.com in an article about juicing: “Learn all about juice fasting and what it can do for you from Dr. Emily Kane and Michele Tune.” I hadn’t heard of Dr. Emily Kane so I went to check her out. Her site is full of alternative medicine-related articles. One of her articles that I enjoyed immensely and find to be a fabulous resource is Tips for Reducing Stress. Be sure to take your time and have a look around, dig through her archives, and gobble up the natural health knowledge she so willingly shares with her readers. You’ll be glad you did!

I’ll be sharing more fantabulous health sites in upcoming posts – including a new one I’ve been working on – so be sure to subscribe to Healing with Juices’ Feed for free updates. You can get  free updates to your email as well (sign up here). You’ll receive inspiration, juice and smoothie recipes, and tips to help keep you motivated toward your ultimate health.

Have you ever visited any of these health sites? Did you bookmark them? Did I leave out any important aspects about these sites? So, which health sites do you frequent? Join in (or start up) the conversation and spill the beans!

Here’s to life, health, and healing with juices (and smoothies!)

Michele L. Tune

Last week we talked about taking our life and health back in 2009. We also looked at how to focus on short-term goals so we can actually reach the health goals we set for ourselves. Today I’d like to talk to you about continuing to make that happen. Choosing health over temptation isn’t easy. In fact, it’s far from it. When everyone else is pigging out on luscious looking deep-fried foods and oversized sodas, milk shakes, or liquor it takes more than a little self-control to be able to sit on the sidelines and eat a salad, sip a water or unsweetened tea, and focus on your health instead of “being in the moment” with the crowd that surrounds you. Right?

I paid my dues doing that. I’ve lost over 100 pounds and it didn’t happen because I joined in with the others at the table who were eating whatever they wanted. Yes, I had to sit through people gobbling up gorgeous chocolate cake or creamy mashed potatoes. But I made it. My sacrifices paid off and I can hardly believe how different my life is now compared to then. My weight loss happened (slowly) because I decided to take my health back.

I’ve only shared a teeny bit of my story but here’s a quick summary: After barely surviving domestic violence, I was in pretty bad shape. My life was in shambles and I honestly never thought I’d see the pieces fit back together again. I was so broken, so depressed, and in such bad health my future looked hopeless at times. In my 20′s, my medical records read like a senior citizen’s (seriously). I suffered all sorts of health issues and was on numerous medications to control them, and required a few surgeries. My weight ballooned up to near 300 pounds and I literally experienced “laying on my death bed” – it was bad…

Raw juices and juice fasting has been a huge part of my healing process.

Someday I hope to publish a book about my journey, but until then I’ll blog and share snippets and I’ll do my best to be that inspiration you need when you’re home alone and you’re only connection with the world is your computer – or when the house is sleeping – and food and unhealthy drinks are calling your name. It’s my desire to be comfort when you need it, a resource for raw juice and smoothie recipes when you want to whip one up, and to be a friendly voice so you know you’re not alone on your weight loss and/or health journey.

Let 2009 be the year you focus on you. If you don’t take care of you, you can’t take care of those you love. You’re worth it. You’re health is worth it. Life is precious. You deserve ultimate health. What is your health worth to you? Mine is priceless.

Be sure to subscribe to Healing with Juices’ Feed for free updates. You can get  free updates to your email as well (sign up here). You’ll receive inspiration, juice and smoothie recipes, and tips to help keep you motivated toward your ultimate health.

Here’s to life, health, and healing with juices (and smoothies!)