I concluded Day 3 with my sunflower seed, banana, cinnamon,
water and almond milk smoothie.
It was absolutely delicious and has now become a favorite
for me.
According to some information I found on the web, these are
the benefits of sunflower seeds:
- They control cell damage, thus playing a role in preventing cancer. This is because sunflower seeds are a good source of selenium, which is a proven enemy of cancer.
- They contain bone-healthy minerals. Besides calcium, your bones need magnesium and copper to stay strong. Sunflower seeds have both these minerals. As a bonus, they also contain Vitamin E, which helps ease arthritic pain.
- They keep you calm. Yes! The magnesium in sunflower seeds is reputed for soothing the nerves, thus easing away stress, migraines and helping you relax.
- They bring a glow to your skin. The star in this role: Vitamin E again, which combats UV rays and keeps skin youthful.
- They ease every condition that’s inflammatory in nature, such as joint pain, gastric ulcers, skin eruptions, asthma and such. That’s because sunflower seeds are loaded with antioxidants.
- Just ¼ cup of sunflower seeds a day can keep heart troubles away. These small seeds disallow ‘bad’ cholesterol from sticking to the walls of your arteries, thus preventing heart attacks.
Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/5-super-health-benefits-of-sunflower-seeds.html#ixzz2t7fqFnMr
Banana:
Possible health benefits of bananas
Blood pressure: Maintaining a low sodium intake is essential to lowering blood pressure, however increasing potassium intake may be just as important because of its vasodilation effects. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, fewer than 2% of US adults meet the daily 4700 mg recommendation.3Also of note, a high potassium intake is associated with a 20% decreased risk of dying from all causes.3
Asthma: A study conducted by the Imperial College of London found that children who ate just one banana per day had a 34% less chance of developing asthma.
Cancer: Consuming bananas, oranges and orange juice in the first two years of life may reduce the risk of developing childhood leukemia. As a good source of vitamin C, bananas can help combat the formation of free radicals known to cause cancer. High fiber intakes from fruits and vegetables like bananas are associated with a lowered risk of colorectal cancer.
Heart health: The fiber, potassium, vitamin C and B6 content in bananas all support heart health. An increase in potassium intake along with a decrease in sodium intake is the most important dietary change that a person can make to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease, according to Mark Houston, MD, MS, an associate clinical professor of medicine at Vanderbilt Medical School and director of the Hypertension Institute at St Thomas Hospital in Tennessee.3
In one study, those who consumed 4069 mg of potassium per day had a 49% lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease compared with those who consumed less potassium (about 1000 mg per day).3
High potassium intakes are also associated with a reduced risk of stroke, protection against loss of muscle mass, preservation of bone mineral density and reduction in the formation of kidney stones.3
Diabetes: Studies have shown that type 1 diabetics who consume high-fiber diets have lower blood glucose levels and type 2 diabetics may have improved blood sugar, lipids and insulin levels. One medium banana provides about 3 grams of fiber.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends 21-25 g/day for women and 30-38 g/day for men.
Treating diarrhea: Bland foods such as apple sauce and bananas are recommended for diarrhea treatment. Electrolytes like potassium are lost in large quantities during bouts of diarrhea and may make those affected feel weak. Bananas can help to promote regularity and replenish potassium stores.
Preserving memory and boosting mood: Bananas also contain tryptophan, an amino acid that studies suggest plays a role in preserving memory and boosting your mood.
Almond
Milk:
According
to http://www.3fatchicks.com/6-health-benefits-of-almond-milk
the benefits of almond milk range from heart health, to bone health.
Water:
Need I
say more?
4
Ingredients… plenty of benefits. I know that some may say, “well the amount of
sunflower seeds and bananas that I would have to eat to see the benefits of
them is insane and unrealistic.” I am not arguing with this. However if you are
doing a juice cleanse, guess what your body is getting? 100% raw, natural,
nutrients. There is no tampering, no preservatives…just the good stuff! AND its
being juiced so your body is able to just absorb it all… hardly any break
down…its wonderful!
Can I
juice for the rest of my life? YES, I can. I can juice forever. I wont juice
FAST forever, but I do plan to juice for life. I think that people are missing
out on the medicinal properties of food. Processed food brings nothing to the
table for your health. Food that is heated to death isnt going to bring
anything to your health. Fruit juice you find in a bottle in a store is NOT
JUICE. Its syrup and water and preservatives. I am beginning to wonder why
anyone would have anything in their fridge or cabinet that can be opened on one
day and not spoil for 2 years. Unless it’s a bag of beans, or a bottled water I
don’t know what can stay edible for that long.
I
distinctly remember when fast food restaurants created larger portions of
everything. I remember when they made the option to pay a few cents more and
create a meal that had at least 30% more food. That’s more oil, fat and risk
for disease and sickness. Thankfully, the consumers hasty death can cost no
more than 49 cents a pop.
Am I
self-righteous? NO! I don’t think that I have had my last buffalo wing or my
last slice of pizza. I am a NY native, I guarantee you that I haven’t had my
last slice of pizza. However, pizza has to be the exception in my life now and
not the norm. I heard someone say that we spend our youth killing ourselves and
spend our adulthood trying to live.
Gone are
the days of me feeling invincible. The limitations of my body were realized
when I had youngest daughter and my body had no memory of what it had been. I
used to be able to “bounce back” and instead I had a huge stomach my kids
conveniently used to bounce on. I was a human jungle gym. I am not getting any
younger, its time to take life seriously, if I plan to have one for decades to
come.
I
remember sitting in the bar, and always turning to a friend or even a stranger
and saying : whats in your glass?
Well
today I have the same question. I am sipping on spinach and grapefruit.
So…whats in your glass?
Keeping
it juicy,
Abby
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