Saturday, February 22, 2014 by: Paige Royal

Arthritis is a disease that affects the joints and is characterized by inflammation, stiffness and pain. There are many types of arthritis however the most common are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Certain enzymes, including bromelain which is found in the stem and core of pineapple, may help reduce pain and inflammation.

I made this scrumptious smoothie for my mom today as we think she may be suffering from arthritic pain. I bought a ripe fresh pineapple and cut it so the fruit core along with the fruit around it was blended.

Thursday, February 12, 2014 by: Paige Royal

Did you know that beet juice is an incredibly amazing way to oxygenate your blood au naturel style? There are many health benefits to juicing but for those just starting out, choosing the right juicer can be an overwhelming and confusing task! I will be short and sweet and give you the low down so you can feel confident in choosing the juicer that best suits your lifestyle! After all, and as juicing guru Kris Carr tells it, “Juicers are not dust collectors folks. They are active members of your family and they hate being shelved...it hurts their feelings!”

There are three types of juicers for consumers: centrifrugal, masticating and twin gear. SO, what’s the difference right?

Centrifrugal juicers use a fast spinning grater to shred the fruits and vegetables. The juice then goes through a strainer and out of the spout and the pulp is flung up into the catch basket.

Masticating juicers use one slow turning screw-shaped gear that chews up your fruits and vegetables and squeezes the juice through a stainless steel screen. This gently tears open the cell membranes in order to release the nutrients in the fruits and vegetables.

Twin gear juicers work at an even slower speed, and like the name suggests, there are two gears that your fruits and vegetables will be slowly squished between. The pulp will be pretty close to dry meaning most of the juices are squeezed out.

Below is a list of pros and cons. Juicers are amazing and meant to be used so this will help guide you in choosing the one that you think you will use most.