Diabetes won’t Beat us!!

The next time you snack on hummus or slather apple slices with almond butter, you might be doing more than just satisfying your hunger. You could also be reducing your risk of developing diabetes. How’s that? A long-term, large-scale study published in the British Journal of Nutrition earlier this year found that plant protein is more effective at preventing type 2 diabetes than protein from animal sources.

Researchers from the University of Eastern Finland followed over 2,000 middle-aged and elderly men for 19 years. They found the men who ate the most plant protein had a whopping 35 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes over the course of the study than those who ate the least.

Even better news from this study: you don’t need that much plant protein to have an impact. The researchers estimated that replacing just five grams of meat per day with plant protein could decrease your risk of developing diabetes by 18 percent!

How much protein is five grams? Half a cup of chickpeas, an eighth of a block of tofu, a quarter cup of edamame, an eighth of a package of tempeh, and 20 almonds all have five grams of protein or more.

If you want to get more plant protein into your diet, soy is a good place to start. Tofu is versatile and perfect for stir-fries because it soaks up the taste of the sauce you use to cook it.

Here’s a stir-fry recipe with tofu, bok choy, carrots, and snow peas in a gingery sauce.

Personally, I prefer tempeh (a fermented soy product) to tofu, because it has a more complex flavor and a denser texture. Like all fermented foods, tempeh has digestive and other benefits. Crumbled, it makes a good substitute for ground beef.

Swapping beans for meat in chili or burritos is another simple way to eat more plant protein. Another option: yummy black bean burgers!

Chickpeas are a good addition to soups and salads, but if you want to take your chickpea game to the next level, try roasting them. The result is a crispy, savory treat!

I’m also fond of edamame, which are whole green soybeans still in the pod. They are delicious steamed and lightly salted, and they’re often a hit with children.

And don’t forget nuts and seeds. A handful of almonds makes a good mid-afternoon snack. Or try sprinkling sesame seeds on your next stir-fry, walnuts or pumpkin seeds in your oatmeal, pistachios on a spinach-strawberry salad, and sunflower seeds on top of a casserole.

What’s your favorite plant-based protein? Share in the comments below!

JOYFULLY RAW, JACKIE

 

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Complete Quinoa Pancakes

Who said pancakes can’t be healthy and energize your morning? This healthy pancake recipe with Juice Plus+ Complete and quinoa will fill you up with nutrition and last you until lunch! In addition to the protein kick from the quinoa, this recipe gives a boost of whole food based nutrition from our gluten-free Juice Plus+ Complete French Vanilla mix. Customize the recipe with your favorite fruits and share your tasty topping choices in the comments below!

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • 3/4 cup of cup white quinoa, uncooked
  • 1/8 cup of oatmeal
  • 1/8 cup of baking powder
  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 cup of milk
  • Rind from one lemon
  • 1 scoop Juice Plus+ Complete French Vanilla

Recipe:

  • Rinse the quinoa with cold water and cook the quinoa for 12 minutes
  • Mix all ingredients in a blender until smooth
  • Grease a small frying pan with little coconut oil and cook each pancake
  • Add your favorite fruits on top!


Can’t get enough of Juice Plus+ Complete recipes? Check out our recipe for a breakfast bowl featuring banana, berries and dates!

JOYFULLY RAW, JACKIE

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Grab a Buddy, Get Fun on Fit!!

The alarm buzzes for your early workout, and while you were looking forward to it last night, all you want now is to go back to sleep. Does this sound familiar? Some days you get up and lace up your sneakers anyway, but others, your workout never happens.

What if you had a friend waiting to meet you at the park, though? You’d get up for sure then, right? That’s called having an accountability partner. You don’t want to leave your friend in the lurch, and he/she feels the same way. By counting on each other, you both get your exercise so everyone wins.

Not wanting to let someone down can make a big motivational difference. A study conducted by Dr. Gail Matthews from Dominican University in California found that if people wrote down their goals, shared the goals with a friend, and then sent them weekly progress reports, they were 33 percent more likely to achieve the goal than those who just formed a goal.

If you don’t have a friend who can exercise with you, or if you’d like someone with professional experience, you could find a personal trainer or sign up for a workout class. That way, if you skip your workout, you’re not only missing the exercise itself, but you’re wasting money. That can be a powerful motivator, too.

A partner will cheer you on, help you believe in yourself, celebrate the milestones on the way to your goal, commiserate through the setbacks, remind you why your goal is important, and provide company. With so many responsibilities, you can see why it’s important to choose the right person for the job. Will this person stay positive and challenge you to push yourself? And if it’s a friend, can you do the same in exchange? The satisfaction of helping someone else is another benefit of partnering with someone to improve your health!

How do you stay motivated to exercise and meet other health goals? Share in the comments below!

JOYFULLY RAW, JACKIE

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How to Get Back on Track

The past few weeks have been really stressful while I plan out our upcoming Homeschool year with all the activities, field trips, volunteer requirements, work and the list just goes on…….. and then – has it actually been that long since my last workout? What about that weird head congestion that hit me in the middle of summer, derailing my active lifestyle for two weeks? We all fall off the health train, and it always seems to happen faster than we’d expect.

Here’s the good news: it’s not going to be easy, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Take simple organic solutions, some practical steps and don’t beat yourself up for your lapse. Just follow these tips and before you know it, your healthy living momentum will be back at full strength!

Drink Lots of Water (1/2 of your body weight in oz.)

If you’ve had a lot of processed food or meals out in the past few days, you’ve likely consumed extra carbs and sodium compared to your normal diet, which means your body is retaining more water than usual. Drink lots of water to help your body rehydrate and get back to a normal balance.

Plan and Track Your Meals

Don’t leave your food intake up to chance! Begin your day by planning your meals (see here), then adjust your record to fit what you actually eat throughout the day. This will take the guesswork out of getting back on track with your health, plus it’s easier to be motivated to meal prep at home when you have to record the 1,000-calorie salad you had for lunch at a local burger restaurant.

Get Sufficient Calories

That said, make sure that you are getting sufficient calories each day. Don’t under-eat to “make up” for being off track. That will only make you more likely to get too hungry and binge again or give up on healthy eating completely.

Get Moving

If it’s been a long time since your last workout, the idea of hitting the gym may be overwhelming. Get around this obstacle by skipping the gym and opting for a long walk with a friend, a hike, or a bike ride instead. Or like I just did this week, move in the mini tramp and get to bouncing with this great routine. As you move your muscles and get your heartrate up, your body will remember how much you love working out (endorphins are the best!) and you’ll be able to head to the gym without as much of a mental battle next time. The good news is, if you’ve been consuming extra carbs and calories the past few days, your workout will feel great because your body will have so much energy to fuel your efforts.

Fill Up on Nutrients

Remember to take your Juice Plus+ every day! After being off track with healthy eating for a while, your body is going to be nutrient-starved. Make sure you’re replenishing those nutrients with your daily Juice Plus+ capsules, and if you’re not getting enough protein in your regular meals, throw in a Complete shake too. Your body will feel better, and you’ll be less hungry for more of the unhealthy foods you may be craving – a double win!

We all get off track with healthy living sometimes. But thankfully, a few days, weeks, or even months of lapse do not have to become permanent. With these small, practical changes, you’ll restore your body’s energy and health, not to mention your motivation. And before you know it, you’ll regain momentum once again.

What are your favorite tricks for getting back on track with your health? Share in the comments below!

Joyfully RAW,  Jackie!

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Demands

Just do your best to keep yourself in balance. One of the first things that causes Energy misalignment, is asking or demanding too much of yourself in terms of time and effort. In other words, you just cannot burn the candle at both ends, so that you are physically tired, and then expect yourself to have a cheerful attitude. So, the rule of thumb has to be: “I’m going to be very, very, very happy, and then do everything I have time to do after that.”
With Raw Joy-Jackie

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July 80/20 Meal Plan

Don’t tackle a healthy diet all at once. Start by replacing empty calories with whole food options. Whole foods include fruits, vegetables, and whole grains – foods that are as close to their natural form as possible. It won’t be long before you realize just how good “good food” feels. Before you know it, your cravings will change from greasy burgers and fries to healthful nutrition.

In this meal plan you will find multiple options for “real” food and will feel satiated and satisfied  beyond what you thought possible.  You will notice the meals are easy, take very little time and are duplicated throughout the week, this is to create a simplistic approach to a weekly schedule to ensure you can easily stick to a lifestyle of delicious commitment.

All of these meals have been picky kid and hurried husband tested with the busy life in mind. Having 7 starving people look at my with forks and knives in hand, I know I have to be quick to prepare and ready to serve my army favorites so they walk away fat and happy without the feeling of slow and sluggish.

Here are some simple changes you can make for a healthier diet:

  • Have fruit for breakfast.
  • Clean your fridge and pantry. Get rid of processed food in the process.
  • Buy snacks from the produce section of the grocery store.
  • Say no to an unhealthy food temptation.
  • Consume smaller portions, more frequently. Try eating twice as often and half as much.
  • Eat a food with no nutrition facts label – whole food.
  • Reread this post that really guides you through the process of meal planning.

Truly Raw Joy, Jackie

July 2017 SOSRAW MEAL PLAN

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