what type of juicer should i buy?

There are 5 main types of juicers, or juice extractors. They each have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Centrifugal Juicers:

Centrifugal juicers are the most common type of juicer that you will find in department stores. They are often upright and cylindrical in shape. They extract juice from fruits and vegetables by grating them into tiny pieces, then using a sieve to “spin” the juice out of the pulp at high speeds (in a similar manner in which a salad spinner extracts the water from washed greens).
Advantages: Centrifugal juicers are much faster when making juice so they are more convenient. They usually have larger “mouths” so you don’t have to cut up fruit as much which means less prep work. They are sometimes easier to clean than other types of juicers. There is a huge variety of centrifugal juicers on the market that can be had on any budget.
Disadvantages: Centrifugal juicers generally do not perform well when juicing leafy greens. If you are serious about making green juices, then look into masticating or triturating juicers. Centrifugal juicers are not as efficient at extracting juice from pulp (resulting in wetter pulp) and they may produce foam in the juice and speed up oxidation.
Examples of centrifugal juicers include the Breville Juice Fountain series and the ever popular (and budget-friendly) Jack Lalanne juicer.

Masticating Juicers:

Masticating (aka “single gear”) juicers use a screw-type auger to grind, crush and “chew” fruits, vegetables and leafy greens. It distributes the juice and extracts the pulp into separate containers.
Advantages: Masticating juicers do a much better job at juicing leafy greens and vegetables than centrifugal juicers, and they produce drier pulp – which means they extract more nutrients. These types of juicers usually last much longer and come with longer warranties – up to 10 years or longer. Masticating juicers can also be used to make nut butters, sauces, baby food, pasta and frozen banana ice cream as well as fruit sorbet.
Disadvantages: Masticating juicers have smaller “mouths” so there is more cutting and chopping of fruits and vegetables when juicing. It takes longer to make juices with these machines than it does in a centrifugal type juicer. Masticating juicers have more parts and take a little longer to clean up after. They cost more money than centrifugal juicers, although high-end centrifugal juicers may cost the same as a mid-range masticating juicer.
Examples of masticating juicers include the Omega 8005/8006 series and the Champion brand juicers.

Triturating Juicers:

Triturating (or twin gear) juicers are high-end juicers and are considered to be the best ones on the market. They work similarly to a masticating juicer but the motor runs slower, which preserves maximum nutrients and promotes efficient juicing. They also have two, interlocking “screws” that grind, crush and “chew” produce in order to extract the juice.
Advantages: Triturating juicers are the best you can get. They are the most efficient juicers and extract the maximum amount of juice (and nutrients), which results in the driest pulp (fewer wasted nutrients). Like masticating juicers, triturating (twin gear) juicers can be used to make nut butters, sauces, baby food, pasta and fruit sorbet.
Disadvantages: Triturating juicers are high end machines so they come with a high end price tag. They are not as quick and easy to use and some force is required to push things like carrots into the gripping, twisting gears.
Examples of triturating juicers include the Green Star brand juice extractors.

Wheatgrass Juicers:

If you want to juice wheatgrass, then you should get a dedicated wheatgrass juicer. Centrifugal juicers are not appropriate for extracting the juice from grasses, and masticating juicers are not the best option either. Wheatgrass juicers are specifically designed to do this job.

Citrus Juicers:

Citrus juicers are specialized to extract juice from citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruit, lemons and limes. Obviously, they are not suitable for making green juices. Citrus fruits can be juiced in centrifugal, masticating and triturating juicers so it is not necessary to get a separate citrus juice extractor if you are getting one of these other units.

eating salad is eating "raw"!

super simple salad, mixed at the table.

there is a raw food movement out there, which is good. raw food foodies are very strict about what they eat. i love to borrow from the raw food movement without getting married to it, if you know what i mean.

lots of my meals are raw, but not all. lots are vegan, but not all. this one starts with a dash of balsamic vinegar reduction, a stack of various chopped, and sliced veggies: carrot, cukes, lettuce hearts, celery, and red cabbage. then a half ripe avocado, a hand-full of fresh water cress and two freshly picked nasturtiums. a honey, vinegar and pepper oil dressing is served on the side. the salad is then dressed and tossed at will at the table.

the drink is a tart/sweet lemonade made with several whole (peeled) lemons, some wild honey and a few frozen berries blended in the blender, chilled and served cold.

making a u-turn: turning diabetes around

IN NINE WEEKS OF SELECT NUTRITION AND REGULAR EXERCISE I HAVE TURNED MY A1C BLOOD TEST LEVEL FROM A 7.8 (WHICH IS VERY HIGH) TO A 6.3 (WHICH IS CONSIDERED BETTER THAN IDEAL FOR DIABETICS). MY BLOOD PRESSURE IS NOW NORMAL, I HAVE LOST 17 LBS. OF FAT AND GAINED 5 LBS OF MUSCLE. PLUS: I HAVE MORE ENERGY THAN EVER.

I'M DOING THIS!

when you're first diagnosed with type 2 diabetes your whole world sort of melts before your eyes. you know nothing is going to be the same. there are shots to take, blood drops to extract and glucose gadgets to read. you feel very alone.
(and maybe a little sorry for yourself.) the new world you are about to enter includes regular doctor visits, bizarre physical ailments which can morph into really serious medical emergencies if not handled quickly and properly and a host of informational websites that look like something out of a 5 grade "how to was your hands" film playing on an old school projector. in other words, there is nothing sexy about being diabetic.

there is so much information out there, all with contradictory advice, that in the beginning it just might seem easier to bury your head in the sand, take your pills and carry on with life unchanged- except for maybe swapping sweet&low for sugar in your coffee in the morning. feeling sorry for yourself is easy! you've got a disease that no-one can cure and is a lead cause of early death in this country. why bother? of course, you know that you're supposed to "cut down on carbs", but that like "cutting down on booze or cigarettes", it's nice to talk about but very difficult to actually do.

here's the good news: there is one person who can help you get rid of diabetes, you! and not by "cutting down" on carbs here and there and trying to eat a certain pyramid or portion allocations. no. the way to do it is to realize that this is a matter of life and death and that you no longer can eat certain foods at all! in a way having a chronic condition makes things very easy. hopefully the option to take massive action becomes abundantly clear in a flash. hello? cakes, breads, white rice, potatoes and all processes foods are no longer a part of my regular life. (period) what's left is a new adventure in eating, one you could never get to know when you were infatuated with fats and deep-fried and processed foods. what's left is fruits and veggies and yogurt and fish. what's left is nutrition! action! exercise and passion!

IT ALL STARTS WHEN YOU DECIDE THAT IT'S TIME TO TAKE MASSIVE ACTION TO IMPROVE BOTH YOUR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH!

nourish yourself: white bean & kale soup

http://nourishedkitchen.com/kale-and-white-bean-soup/#

learning to love yourself means learning to nourish yourself. making soup from scratch is a time honored tradition for "sharing the love". make time in your busy day to do something that's good for you, take a walk, breathe deep, really connect with someone, and make soup.

anti-anflamitory food pyramid

here is food guru andrew weil's food pyramid. i like the way this looks, altho i would move the pasta and rice a little further up the line. i have linked the image to the source so click on it for more information.

food as medicine

once you get beyond the idea that processed and fast foods taste good and nourish you, there is a whole new world of food that awaits discovery. educating oneself about herbs, enzymes, probiotics, roots and sprouting has can be a steep learning curve, but a welcome one. when i first started researching juicing, i was amazed at the long list of healing properties associated with most fruits and veggies, and the lack of nutritional value, even detrimental effects of others foods. as difficult as it is to stay focused on healthy eating habits when not actually losing much weight, i have to remind myself that with every healthy eating choice i make i am actually healing my body from the inside out.

in dr. andrew weil's anti-inflammatory diet (for weight loss) he lists turmeric, ginger and boswellin as key nutrients to aid in healing.

real food doesn't need a label

juicing heals

have i mentioned that i have been juicing? oh yes! you start a diet, cut out all the bad stuff, then start making healthy green smoothies and the next thing you know you're on the hard stuff: raw fruits and veggies.
there are a million combinations and the learning curve of what cures and heals what is huge. but, if you are like me you'll start out with granny smith apples, carrots and kale. then add in the other stuff like ginger, turmeric,and horse radish. i went to the library when i first did a juice fast about a year ago and checked out several books on juicing. of those books i weeded out the those that were too technical and the ones that seems too preachy and i found the author who spoke my language. i dug in and learned a lot. i was really impressed by the facts: when you compare other foods (processed ones) and all the bad things they do to your body and then look at raw foods and see all the good things they do for your body the conclusion is clear. get with the program and juice. i'm convinced that one fresh juice a day can really make a difference in weight loss and general health improvement! try it!

fast-food-floozie vs. long-haul-hanna

fast-food-floozie vs long-haul-hanna

i was talking with my eldest brother the other day, the one who has lost a bunch of weight and is keeping up with his running, and i reminded him about the importance of getting some raw green stuff into his system to help keep him strong. i am always pushing protein smoothie with greens on him, especially after he takes a long run.  i was pleasantly surprised when he told me that he WAS getting into smoothies, as his running partner had been been preparing them after a few of their runs. of course, she's starting him off with strawberry smoothies, which he liked. "tastes like a strawberry shake... almost!" he said. i said what about spinach and flax seed, have you tried that yet? "yeah, i'm not so much for the flax seed stuff" he admitted.

i remember when i first started drinking the more complex smoothies and having the same reaction. now, however, the flavor and texture really come in second to the nutritional content. these days i prefer a little grit and bits of chewable greens in my drink. 'figure it just comes with the territory. 
in the old days i was satisfied with cheap processed foods and imitation ice cream shakes. they tasted so good to me. like a cheap date, you know, big salty-sweet flavor explosions all night long and just a little tinge of regret in the morning. everything felt so good in the moment, but "no-so-much" in the long run. now, i'm eating whole fruits and vegetables and juicing ginger and turmeric root with kale, carrot and anise. it's a whole other deal. sometimes it takes a little work. sometimes it's not so convenient. but the pay off is always there, not always right away, but in the long haul. eating whole foods instead of commercially processed food is the same difference as having a committed life partner than a cheap one night stand. eating is a kind of relationship you have with your body.   and just like having a life partner, it's not always exciting, sometimes you have to be patient, sometimes there's something flashier across the street or at another table, but what you have is better because it's a commitment for life. i guess what i am saying is: treat your body with the respect you would have for your perfect life partner, and not the way you would treat a quick trick on a drunken week-end romp, because after-all you and you're body are going to be together for a long time.

simplicity

okay. staying on track. i want to remind myself that while the details of diet and nutrition and body-systems dynamics are important... so too is simplicity. what i am seeking is balance. balance of body, mind and spirit with the ultimate goal of unleashing a more passionate life. what i don't want is to become an overanalyzing food-nazi. i want to keep things real, eat whole foods, exercise more and enjoy the fruits of good health. but all in good time! i am still just 5 weeks into a lifestyle i intend to maintain for a lifetime. i have to remember to breathe and to laugh and to have fun along the way.

re-focusing

after 30 days of my new diet/exercise regime, i decided it was time to check in on my weight. i prepared myself for the possibility of lack luster results. when i step on the scale, i was horrified to discover that all of my efforts were decidedly unimpressive. i hadn't gained weight, thank god! but the results were dismal at best. the last time i went on a diet, it was at this point that i threw in the towel and chalked up my efforts to hopeless! after a short-lived binge on roasted lamb, boiled potatoes (with gravy) wilted spinach, two bowls of egg-nog ice cream and two bowls of popcorn (with butter)... i came to my senses.
today i went to the whole foods store to begin the re-boot of my diet.  i purchased the itemes your see above: lemons, limes, apples, red cabbage, broccoli, cilantro, carrots and spinach. time for less cooking, more whole foods, less peanut butter on my apples when i snack, and fewer snacks!  when i came home i got my "shop and chop" on by making a big red cabbage salad, with green onion, cilantro, carrot, lemon & lime juice and a table spoon of organic honey. this is where the rubber meets the pavement. got to get some traction here. have to read more labels, and track what i eat more closely. the good news is, i feel ten times better than where i was a month ago! my walks are faster and farther. and i swear i am down one belt loop. guess i need to be grateful that i didn't GAIN weight over the holidays. the beat goes on.