Tuesday
Wondering what all the Acai-based fruit juice fuss is about?
The simple explanation is that Fruit consumption is scientifically linked to prevention of chronic diseases, as well as many "lesser" ailments. Hundreds of research studies back this up, while there is no such evidence for Supplements. Yet most Americans eat little to no fruit.... and not surprisingly, we're getting sicker and fatter as a nation.
Research says you need a wide array of fruits from a wide color spectrum because antioxidants are densest in the skins of fruit, and a red skin fruit will deliver a different set of phytonutrients than a blue, black, green or yellow skin fruit. Therefore, the best juice blends contain many "super fruits", not just Acai or just Goji (real name is Wolfberry), or Pomegranate, Cranberry, Blueberry, Kiwi (real name is China or Indian Gooseberry now also being marketed at Amalaki) etc. Super-fruits are considered "super" based on their nutrient-density and array of antioxidants and disease fighting compounds.
Studies show only 5% of Americans eat 5 or more servings of fruit and vegetables per day. Most of us do get some vegetables in our diets... after all, restaurants include vegetables in every meal, but rarely do they offer fruit. At home it's the same thing... add broccoli, eat a salad, etc, but few American's add fruit to dinner. So if you drink an antioxidant-rich super juice with multiple super fruits, that is a powerful change to most American's diets.
Many Doctors or skeptics will say "just eat more fruit". Yet we don't. Why? Mess, expense, spoiling, and inconvenience are the excuses Americans use for not eating fruit. Peeling an orange gets under your fingernails, citric acid stinging your eyes, and creates a mess of peels. Bananas rot too quickly. Grapefruit is a pain to scoop out.... and for some, fruits are too acidic or sugary and can upset stomachs. Nutrient density is a problem too. Fruits today are grown in nutrient-depleted soils, they are picked way too early and shipped way too far... so Diabetics who need fruit in their diets can't eat much of what is found on store shelves because they are too high in sugar and too low in nutrients.
But what consequences do we pay for our fruit avoidance? We get ever increasing incidences of nearly every disease from cancer, to heart disease, to diabetes, obesity, blindness, gout, fatigue... you name it... and if you have an ailment... it is likely that a higher consumption of fruits would help. And it's worse then you think... due to today's farming techniques, nutrient-density has declined in fruits commonly available in stores. So most fruit eaters still don't get what they need in their diets.
The good news is that scientists and entrepreneurs are bringing exotic nutrient-dense fruits to the States from around the world. The "Functional Beverage" industry is one of the fastest growing segments of the "Wellness Industry" as American's turn to convenient and natural alternatives to youthful skin, more energy, and help with every day aches and pains.
"Super fruits" with off the charts nutrient-density like Acai boast antioxidant rating 10 times higher then anything you can find on your store shelves. Drink just a few ounces of a nutrient-dense fruit juice and you get about 100% of what many nutritionists recommend for daily Antioxidant intake. No mess, no clean up, and as convenient and tasty as it gets.
Supplement pills have ZERO scientific backing for disease prevention. Fruit does. (read more on this below). When studies are reviewed, pills do not fare well. Interestingly, when studies are reviewed, fruit juices do fare very well in disease prevention. For example, regular juice drinkers were 76% less likely to get Alzheimers in one study compared to people who did not drink much fruit juice. In addition, supplements are hard to swallow and easy to forget and often contain contaminants. Most juices taste great, and if your juice is nutrient-dense enough, you can drink just 2 ounces when making coffee in the morning, and drink 2 ounces just before brushing your teeth at night, get all the antioxidants you need, AND it's EASY to remember.
For the best information on any particular fruit juice, visit that company's web site. But watch out for hype filled sites that make "the only" type of claims. There are so many nutrient-dense super fruit juice drinks now, that anyone saying "we are the only one to...." should not be trusted until or unless you do your own research to verify the claims. And please don't rely on questionable over-reactive blogs and internet sources. Look for a thorough "FAQ" section with little or not hype and you've probably found a good product. This Blog's intention is to avoid hype, and look closely at labels. Plus, for skeptics of antioxidant rich fruit juices, this blog looks closely at why these drinks "work".
Finally, this Blog points out to the best articles and research we could find so if a Diabetic, for example, wants to know if they can drink a super-fruit juice, we'll look at diabetic testimonials and informational sites to see what they say.
Before getting to the article list... the other HUGE thing that people love about some juice blends are the anti-inflammatory properties. For those with pain and inflammation... you've got to try these juices to see if an all-natural remedy exists for you. While you want to watch out for sugar and caffeine additives like "agave" and "guarana", natural substances like essentially fatty acids and glucosamine may be added for pain and inflammation relief.
For research about fruit's role in disease prevention read the following posts and/or listen in on the recorded call above:
* The risks of chronic inflammation
* Stress causes all disease
* USDA's fruit recommendations
For why supplements are NOT a fruit or fruit juice replacement read:
* Antioxidants from Supplements not beneficial?
* It's not about the macronutirents
* Difficulty of Supplements
For specific diseases like Diabetes, Heart Disease, Cancer, Alzheimers, read:
* Cancer & Inflammation
* Fruit & breast cancer prevention
* Alzheimers prevention
* A Diabetics Story
* More on Diabetes & fruit
For Acai specific information read:
* Acai market & berry basics
* PubMed.gov research paper on Acai
* Not all Acai created equal
* University of Florida Study: Acai kills Leukemia Cells
For the benefits of multi-fruit blends read:
* Need for a wide variety of fruits
* A Premium Product with Premium Ingredients
* A 19 Fruits blend
For products that are not pure juice or nutrient dense read:
* Acai-based "Energy Drinks"
* Acai vs. "Goji"
* Yikes - Jamba Juice adds Acai - not necessarily a good thing
Monday
Drinking Juice may stall Alzheimer's
The researchers believe it's the "Polyphenols" found in fruit are the reason juice drinkers had a lower incidence of Alzheimers. One of the reasons the best fruit juices use the entire fruit - not just the squeezed juice - is that Polyphenols are highest in the skin of fruit.
Of course the most nutrient-dense fruits on earth, like Acai which has extremely high levels of anthocyanins, a group of polyphenols that give the deep color to fruits and vegetables, have an even higher antioxidant value.
So while the above study is a general fruit-juice drinking study, if you're concerned about Alzheimer's, and you don't currently drink a lot a fruit juice, imagine the benefits you might be by drinking a blend of many nutrient-dense fruits - and just how easy drinking just a few ounces of fruit juice is vs. lots of glasses, or peeling lots of fruit.
Sunday
Antioxiants don't work.... or do they???
When they eliminated the "lower quality" studies they were left with 47 studies that actually showed that Vitamin supplement takers had an increased death risk. Worse still, or maybe the reason why supplements may be bad for you is another study from ConsumerLab.com which found that more than half of the multivitamins they tested were either mis-labled, or worse contained toxic ingredients like lead, or toxic levels of vitamins (for an article refering to that study click here)
So where does that leave those of us who are now dedicated fruit juice drinkers? In luck, I believe!!! The good ones do NOT contain synthetic supplements. They are not "spiked" with things like Vitamin C to increase their antioxidant ratings. They are made of whole fruits. There is NO dispute about the health of getting your antioxidants and nutrients from food. Study after study shows those who eat fruits or drink fruit juice reduce their risk of chronic diseases by one-third or more (fruit juice drinkers 76% less likely to get Alzheimers: read here). Whereas vitamin supplement studies show NO impact, or worse in the case of both the ConsumerLab.com study and the review of the 47 "better quality" studies.
So the title of the CNN article (above) and of several other articles that recapped this recent review of supplement studies are mis-characterizing the results. Antioxidants have NOT been proven to have no effect. But you should be careful of vitamin supplements. I personally am a vitamin supplement fan. But have come to realize that they are just that... supplemental to my diet when I feel I need them... but something I should carefully consider before trying any new brand.
The nutrient-dense fruit juice I drink is a company and a product I've come to trust, and I've personally felt better overall since I began drinking it daily several months ago. I've also heard numerous anecdotal health claims from others. Adding whole food non-synthetic antioxiants to your diet is supported by science, so I'll keep drinking my juice, thank you very much!! How about you? Feel free to add your thoughts in the comments area below.
Saturday
The risks of chronic inflammation
"Inflammation is the evil twin of oxidation," says neuroscientist James Joseph of Tufts University. "Where you find one, you find the other." That would include not only such obvious inflammatory conditions as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis, but also ailments never previously associated with inflammation—such as atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, colon cancer and diabetes. Suddenly medical puzzles seem to be fitting together, such as why hypertension puts patients at increased risk of Alzheimer's, or why rheumatoid-arthritis sufferers have higher rates of sudden cardiac death. They're all connected on some fundamental level..."
Part 1 of this article references Diabetes & Obesity - read Part 1 here
Part 2 speaks to inflammation's role in Heart Disease & Cancer - read Part 2 here
Part 3 says "And a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and omega-3 fatty acids tones down inflammation overall." "But the modern diet is generally deficient in them." (read Part 3 here)
Of course, the above 2 points encapsulate this entire site's message.... that we MUST eat fruit... but most of us don't eat enough... and for those of us who think we do... modern farming techniques have dramatically lowered fruit's nutrient-density. But this quote also in Part 3 makes a new point, at least for me, that only reinforces the point of my adding a nutrient-dense fruit juice to my diet...
"While drugs usually block a single target molecule and reduce its activity dramatically, he says, natural anti-inflammatories gently tweak a broader range of inflammatory compounds. "You'll get greater safety and efficacy reducing five inflammatory mediators by 30 percent than reducing one by 100 percent," he notes."
Certainly, a diet high in fruit... or high in nutrient-dense fruit juice (a few ounces per day is all you need to meet nutritionist recommended levels of antioxidants)... are "natural anti-inflammatories". What's the Acai fruit juice fuss about??? It's about both short and long term health.... easy to remember and tastes great.... with a target market of virtually everyone in the country because we just don't get the phytonutrients in our diets we need. Wondering why you're sick, tired, or living with a disease??? It's probably a nutrient deficiency... and if you can't put down 5+ fruit servings a day (of nutrient-dense fruit), a multi-fruit (not just Acai) juice with the most nutrient-density possible, is a phenomenal alternative.
Friday
MLM juices - Premium products made with premium ingredients
http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?id=71899-acai-antioxidant-orac
Finding out how and where the Acai is sources... and then how and when it is processed is critical if you want a premium-grade juice. And not just the Acai in the just (again there is a lot of scientific evidence that high consumption of a wide spectrum of fruits helps to prevent most major chronic diseases from heart disease, to cancer, to alzheimers, obesity, diabetes, etc) so consider if the fruits are picked from the Wild (the best), or Organically grown (second best) or regular farm fruits grown using pesticides (the typical nutrient-depleted fruits on our store shelves).
With the typical American diet containing less than 1 fruit serving, and with commercially grown fruits declining in nutritional value in favor of high-yield production, the above diseases have been on the rise for years with no end in sight.
When the juice is made from "whole fruit" ESPECIALLY the skin (but seeds and pulp too) you get the maximum nutrient density, fiber, orac value, phytonutrients, etc. Wild assures the highest quality, nutrient-density, and least environmental contamination. Especially if the wild area is the untouched Amazon.
Exotic fruits picked from the wild ARE expensive. This makes for a premium brand of the highest quality... and just like fine wine... you have to pay a premium for it.
Many people are claiming they're seeing "miracle" health improvements from the MLM fruit juice they are drinking.... but any rocket boost to their diets might have similar results... it's just that most of us are not getting a variety of high-quality fruits in our diets.... and who is eating pomegranate regularly, let alone aronia, acai, even cranberry and kiwi????
There is a lot of science behind FRUIT consumption... and that is what these MLM juices are all about. Deliver the fruit in an easy to consume format.
There is also growing research that shows that it is phytonutrients and polyphenols found in fruits that are far more important than individual or processed supplements. To get the phytonutrients you need the whole fruit (skin especially), and it's most dense when picked from the wild.
One quick example - red wine grapes dense in anthocyanins are credited with the "French Paradox" of lower heart disease... yet wine is relatively low in anthocyanins compared to products that are dedicated to health. Premium products are expensive... but when sold via MLM it's pretty easy to get yours for free.
ORAC comparisons: Acai vs. Goji
However, as the Dr. Schauss study (see article here) of the Acai powder "OptiAcai" is 1,026.9 per gram, or 102,690 per 100 grams. So Acai - even in powder form after the patented flash pasteurization - is 4 times great than "Goji".
Of course some Acai based drinks contain Wolfberry (again, Goji is a name one particular company made up to brand it's Wolfberry products).
Nutritionists recommend a variety of fruits. The above "Goji" site sells a product called Ningxia Goji™ Goji Juice which appears to be only Goji. And it costs $160 for 1,000 milliters and they recommend you drink 60 to 120 ML's per day which means your $160 lasts 8 to 17 days. That really expensive no matter how you look at it.... but even more so when you consider it's just one fruit.
Acai trounces Goji.... but Goji is a "super fruit". But so is Amalaki (which is Kiwi or Indian Gooseberry) and Blueberry and Pomegrate and Cranberry and so on. Find a juice with all of these and more and you're in good shape. Don't rely on just one... not even when it's Acai.
Wednesday
Watch the hype
Unfortunately they can get away with statements like these because most people aren't going to compare each competitive juice deeply. Nor will most people read between the lines of what is really being said, and wasn't isn't really being said. For example, the first Bossa Nova statement of "the only juice" to live up to the "superfruit promise" is essentially a meaningless statement. What promise? Whose promise? What juices are they comparing themselves to and which ones have they not compared themselves to? To me that's just marketing speak, and virtually every single competitive juice makes similar statements.
On the other hand, they make two claims that I personally take issue with. One is that they have "more acai juice per ounce". Really? Since there are many supposedly "100% Acai juice" brands on the market, how can they say this when their 2nd ingredient is "agave", a sugar-like substance... which is essentially sugar. And this leads to the second claim I take issue with:
When talking about competitors they say "A quick glance at the ingredient list of other brands has us scratching our heads: What do white grape, pineapple, apple and evaporated cane juice have to do with antioxidants? Not much. They are all inexpensive ways to inflate juice content, but do little more than pile on sugar. At Bossa Nova we never use cheap juice fillers. They take up precious space reserved for açai."
Really? Well, let's go back to ingredient #2 on their label "agave" which is form of sugar. Why would you bash a juice that uses a juice to sweeten it when you use agave? It makes no sense except to unsuspecting people who buy the marketing hype.
One last thing that appears misleading to me. The top of their bottles say "nature's highest antioxidant fruit". Below that is the name Bossa Nova. To me this looks like they are saying that Bossa Nova is the "highest antioxidant fruit" when in fact that they can only legally and ethically be refering to the Acai berry. Unfortunately it's clear from their own ORAC charts that their Acai is very weak in ORAC at only 167 on the ORAC scale. The 2006 PubMed study of "OptiAcai" came in at 1026 and other Acai in that study was in the 150 to 300 range. So Bossa Nova doesn't appear to have "the highest antioxidant fruit" despite the claim on the label.
I don't mean to pick on Bossa Nova. I'm just pointing out that you can't just read a label or marketing hype and assume you've got the facts. Every juice out there uses the word "only" when they make a claim, unfortunately few of these claims can be substantiated, or have any real meaning. Next time you hear "hype", asked "compared to what" and dig deeper.
Tuesday
All antioxidants not the same
I've personally found this confusing... health foods, drinks and supplements touting high ORAC scores, as the be all end all with NO specifics about their benefits - they tout them as cure-alls because of high ORAC scores. But eating Acai alone isn't enough.
The above referenced article states that "a wide range of pigments found in fruits and vegetables have high levels of antioxidants, specifically anthocyanins and proanthocyanins." A variety of fruits, with a variety of colors will provide all kinds of antioxidant sources and benefits, vs. just one or two.
Books such as "The Color Code: A Revolutionary Eating Plan for Optimum Health" by Anne Underwood, James A. Joseph and Daniel A. Nadeau, and "What Color is Your Diet?" by David Heber speak directly to this need.
Few of the new MLM companies seem to have gotten this message. Only a few have several fruits, and fewer still have 10 or more different fruits with a variety of richly colored pigments and antioxidant sources. One size does not fit all, and even the best fruit juices aren't enough either... but it's better than what 95% of the American public is currently getting, especially if they're relying on one or two fruits, or some "goji" only drink (which is only Wolfberry), or just an Acai drink even though Acai is the highest rated fruit on earth for ORAC.
So get your variety... try one with as many nutrient-dense fruits as possible!!!
Monday
Comparison of competitive products
The two things that jump out are that so many are one-fruit products. While Acai is considered more powerful than Goji or Noni or Amalki and so on, any product that only relies on one fruit, even when it's Acai, is missing the main point of all of the research... and that is that a wide variety of fruits with different skin colors (which means different antioxidants) is necessary for optimal health.
In addition, anyone claiming to give you more than 6,000 ORAC per day is probably spiking their drink, and doesn't understand nutrition. Humans need about 4,000 to 7,000 ORAC in total per day. Even the worst eaters are getting some ORAC already, so if a drink says they have 10,000 ORAC or something silly, don't trust anything that product claims!!!
Products with caffeine and sugar are NOT health drinks. They are energy drinks. If you want to drink these, that's your choice, but don't assume that because it has Acai it's healthy. Caffeine and sugar are added to give you a buzz... leave them alone if you're mainly drinking for your health. There are Acai drinks without caffeine and added sugar.
Juice stands or stores are usually full of sugar. Many Jamba juice blends have hundreds and even thousands of calories. Add a dash of Acai powder... and you're still going to get fat if you drink too many of these sugar-filled drinks.
No sediment probably means it's NOT made from the whole fruit... you want the skin, and you want the natural oils (which Acai is full of). If you get a totally clear drink, chances are you're drinking lots of water, and getting more sugar than you want.
So... when choosing an Acai-based multi-fruit juice drink... look for one with the following attributes:
1. no caffeine
2. no added sugar - so the label should be very low in sugar and carbs
3. the first ingredient should be Acai - what's first on the label is the highest concentration ingredient
4. many other fruits should follow on the label - not things like "citric acid" or sugar or something that is not a fruit
5. research how the Acai is sourced - it all comes from the Amazon, but there's more to it than that
6. research how the Acai is processed - it starts to degrade almost immediately, so when and how are important questions to get quality Acai
7. given the above, cheap probably does mean cheaper lower quality. It's a shame you have to pay a premium, but Acai is not cheap. So if you find it cheap, ask yourself why?
8. look for something that is not perfectly clear - sediment and oils are good - that's pretty much confirms in a non-scientific way that it's packed full of nutrients. After all, why not remove it if it's not good for you since everyone would rather drink a non-pulpy sediment free drink.
So shop around. Don't settle for any old Acai-based drink. And if it does not have Acai in it, you are not getting the "#1 Super Fruit" on earth.
Friday
Bill Clinton & Wolfgang Puck drinking Acai based juices
While Mr. Redstone refers to this dark purple juice as a "miracle drug", please note, juices are "food". Only drugs can make health claims. It just so happens that most American's (and apparently some Billionaires) don't get nearly enough fruit in their diets... and far too many fruits on grocery shelves are nutrient-depleted compared to 50 years ago. MLM's try to build premium products with premium nutrient-dense fruits from around the world. You simply can NOT replicate these juices with the sugary drinks you find grocery store shelves... or even the fruits which are grown for taste... not nutrients.
For example, many diabetics can drink the juices put out by MLM's because they are low-glycemic, whereas most diabetics won't touch any other fruit juice because they have far too much sugar.
Add such dense nutrients via a natural food, and those with less than superior diets may be taking care of some of their nutrient deficiencies. EVERYONE says we should eat more fruit... most of us don't listen... so a nutrient-dense fruit juice is the easiest, and most powerful way that I know of to get fruit into your diet.
If you'd like to try the juice, I recommend buying a 3 month supply. Try a full "trial" to see if you feel an improvement in your sleep (as Mr. Redstone claims), in your energy, and overall feeling of well being and health.
If someone refered you to this site, get back to them and they'll help you order the one they think is best. Or, if you are also interested in the business opportunity, or in buying at "wholesale" prices, let them know you want to "enroll" as a "distributor".
Thursday
Can juice end your pain?
Like any other claim, no one should state that any nutrient-dense or Acai-based fruit juice is proven to do anything... but many are providing personal testimonials of pain relief that they say only happened after making one, and only one, change... starting to drink their new juice every day. Personal testimonials are not scientific evidence, so my suggestion for anyone with pain or inflammation is to try a 3 month trial to see for themselves.
One interesting substance is "esterified fatty acids" which according to one company "are thought to reduce pain like symptoms and rapidly promote joint health, improving flexibility and mobility." Another company marketing a proprietary blend of esterified fatty acids under the brand name "Celadrin" (read about Celadrin here) calls it a "cellular lubricant" and label the product "inflame away". The Celadrin site also says their product it clinically proven to be more effective than the combination of Glucosamine & Chondroitin, but many still swear by Glucosamine which is a natural compound found in the body that is used to help make and form cartilage. But avoid cheap Glucosamine or the high "sulfate" versions... the "hydrochloride" version which has significantly more Glucosamine in it. And being in the juice, is easier to absorb and take then the horse-pill size gel tablets you would otherwise have to buy.
So a juice blend with fruits that have natural anti inflammatory properties, PLUS one with additional natural substances are a great way to try to end your pain naturally. But only you can tell by doing your own personal trial.
Celebrities & Sports Professionals drinking MLM fruit juices
Dustin Hermanson appears to be one of the first professional athletes... but there are many more, and growing every day. Another MLB pitcher is Jonathan Papelbon... voted "Red Sox Pitcher of the Year" in 2006 and made the All Star team that year as a rookie. His site can be found here. He's quoted as saying "As a professional athlete, I get calls and offers for lots of things," Papelbon said. "I only do those that I believe in..."
If you don't know Olympic Champion Wrestler Rulon Gardner... his story is incredible... beating the unbeaten and legendary Russian, Aleksandr Karelin in the 2000 Olympics. Rulon is now a MLM distributor... his site needs work though... scroll down and click on the photo of the fruits on his main site here.
MLM juices have made it to the Oscars... watch the back room video here.
If you haven't seen the Nascar crash of Geoff Bodine skip to minute 1:45 on this video to see his interview and the crash
Tuesday
"Energy Drinks" a different category than multi-fruit juice-only drinks
Acai based beverages like Zola and Sambazon appear to be healthier alternatives to Red Bull, but they appear to be closer in style to the "energy drink" category than those drinks solely concerned with "health & wellness". For one, they always seem to include some additive or another... especially caffeine or sugar (Agave, a natural form of sugar, and Guarana a natural source of caffeine - but still sugar & caffeine - are very common in their blends). Acai is known as an "energy fruit" but these beverages apparently can't rely on their Acai content to insure a noticable energy spike, so they add caffeine and/or sugar which are what I call "stimulants". Stimulants spike energy unnaturally and personally have no place in my diet (other than my 1 cup of morning coffee :).
One designed as a health drink... NOT something to spike your energy so you can gamble late into the night in Las Vegas, or ski in Tahoe with a hangover is meant only to fight free radicals, to add plant-based phytonutrients, polyphenols, anthocyanins and antioxidants which aid long-term energy and health. Honestly, I'm glad to have products like Zola around if I want an energy spike since I'd rather get it from a healthier source than Red Bull or coffee.
But if you think you can replace a multi-fruit drink with an Acai-only product, or an Acai-based "energy drink", then you are completely missing the point described in all fruit research. Drink for your overall health, not for a few hours of forced energy that may result in a sugar-high like crash.
(update: see the "comments" exchange beneath this post for more on my thoughts on an even better Acai-only replacement if you want more Acai in your diet)
Stress causes all disease: "The Secret"
Hence, if we could eliminate stress, we could eliminate disease. Unfortunately, this is probably an impossibility, but we can certainly reduce stress and mitigate the damage done by stress.
But first, let's look at why stress causes all diseases:
One of the prominent and widely accepted theories behind stress' link to disease is that stress produces free-radicals. Free radicals are said to cause inflammation, aging, cancer and so on. So all the recent books on how inflammation is the cause of all diseases is actually in agreement with Dr. Johnson... but inflammation is a stress response!
It is also important to note that Stress comes in three forms:
Physical, Emotional, & Environmental.
Exercising, which is healthy for you, puts stress on the body. So while it's good, a person who exercises a lot should look for a means of fighting the free radicals that exercise produces.
The #1 cause of divorce in America is money-related problems... a form of Emotional stress. Car pollution, or the toxic metals found in some supplements (see below post) are Environmental forms of stress. Driving in traffic to and from work each day can be very stressful. So it's no wonder nearly every major chronic disease is on the rise in America given these few examples.
The good news is that I've heard anecdotal health testimonials from nutrient-dense fruit juice drinkers within each of the three stress categories... this even includes Emotional.... several people dealing with depression have said they feel an overall improvement in their sense of well being after starting to regularly drink their new fruit juice.
I mentioned Emotional stress due to money problems, and emotional stress due to commuting to work.... so I'd be remiss not to point out that this blog is dedicated to fruit juices sold via MLM's which also offer a home-based business opportunity with a potentially VERY lucrative upside (read ionlyneed2.blogspot.com for more on this) where you may be able to replace both your job and your commute within a year or so.
If Dr. Ben Johnson is right, and stress causes all disease, then we all should look to all forms of stress reduction, management, and towards our diet to add antioxidants from plant based foods (not necessarily supplements) to fight the free radicals that are thought to be the reason for the damage stress does on our systems. I drink an acai-based multi-fruit nutrient-dense juice to fight the free radicals produced by stress, and I do the MLM home-based business to reduce monetary and job stress, and I recommend "The Secret" DVD for it's mental approach to reducing stress.
Sunday
Vickie's testimonial
A Fruit Juice Testimonial
My name is J Victoria Gibson and am known as Vickie. RuthE VonGunten-Persad signed me up on May 31st. I attended Massage School with her back in 91 - 91 in Sarasota Florida . RuthE had tried to court me about the (name of juice removed) and I managed to dodge her, until she sent me a bottle. Thank God she did! This is my Story:
Well, I surely wasn’t looking for (name of juice removed) when it found me! A dear friend that I had attended Massage School with some 16 years before, contacted me about (name of juice removed) and I told her thank you, but no thank you. I mean how good could this stuff be?! RuthE , being the tenacious & amazing lady that she is, was wise enough to keep this miraculous opportunity from passing me by and sent me a bottle of (name of juice removed). OK, well it’s here, and it sure is handsome.... what the heck, I’ll try it.
After just 3 - 4 days of drinking (name of juice removed), the sharp pain in my left heel that had me limping everywhere was gone! I‘m able to take my beloved ‘Lulah for walks again!
I am sleeping better than I have in years!
As a Massage Therapist since ‘92 and a painter for the last 2 and a half years I have been pretty rough on my hands. Since I began drinking (name of juice removed), I now have a strength and mobility in my hands that I never thought could have been regained.
Thank you RuthE....... ...... and Thank you (name of juice removed) !
The above statements are not evidence or proof of anything and are just one person's personal anecdotal story. (name of juice removed) is not a drug or medicine and does not claim to treat or cure disease.
Monday
Inflammation can fuel cancer
Yesterday's article describes more evidence found by UCSF scientists of the negative role the inflammation process plays.
"We already know that inflammation accelerates skin, cervical and colon cancer, and most likely also lung and breast cancer," she said. "If we confirm that what we've discovered in the mice studies also occurs in human cancers, we may soon be in a good position to slow this cancer process using drugs already under study for severe immune disorders."
This is a major reason why I'm so excited about Acai based multi-fruit juices. Numerous studies have shown that eating a diet high in fruits can protect you against inflammation, which can therefore reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, arthritis, diabetes and other chronic diseases.
No MLM fruit juice has been studied over a period of years, and none will try to become a drug, so you can't say they will prevent chronic diseases, or any other claims. But it certainly seems logical that as a blend of nutrient-dense whole fruits, containing a very high ORAC score, that it would have a very positive impact on your diet & health. There are tons of anecdotal testimonials from drinkers, but again, this is not scientific evidence. But by drinking a few ounces a day I'm adding approximately 4,000 to 6,000 ORAC units to my diet. I'm drinking my fruit, and an amount of fruit in a mere 4 ounces that far surpasses the daily recommended number of servings in ORAC value.
I've personally felt short term health benefits after starting my nutrient-dense fruit juice, so I feel confident I'll also have long term health benefits associated with a high-fruit diet. Only time will tell, but it's food that scientists and nutritionists are recommending, not supplements. Plus a fruit juice is far more convenient to consume than 5+ fruit servings a day. With all the science pointing to the benefits of a high fruit diet, juice is a convenient choice for me. Try one and see for yourself.
Glucosamine information
This first site is in relation to Arthritis and has some warnings for Diabetics, those with Shell Fish allergies, and pregnant or nursing mothers. But the warnings seem pretty tame... but worth a read if you're one of those being warned:
http://www.glucosamine-arthritis.org/glucosamine/glucosamine-side-effects.html
Please note too, not all Glucosamine is from shell fish. There is a plant based Glucosamine, so do your research. Even Vegan's can now get Glucosamine if it's a plant based version.
This second site is Medicine.net and apparently is a Doctor's comments. He actually warns about Chondroitin sulfate and a blood thinning medication. But again not all Glucosamine is mixed with chondroitin - so you may just need to avoid Chondroiten. Here's the link:
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=14559
One thing that is true for me that both sites warn about is how too much Glucosamine can cause stomach upset. This happened to me when I experimented by drinking extra servings of my juice. I can drink extra of the blend that has no Glucosamine without a problem.
Friday
Fruits' role in breast cancer prevention
"Eating Fruit To Fight Cancer"
The woman interviewed is a breast cancer survivor, and now eats 21 different types of fruit per week. With only about 10% of American's even eating 5 or more fruit servings, this woman is probably representative of about 1% of American's.
Breast cancer, or any kind of cancer, would scare anyone into a "prevention diet" which scientists say fruit is critical. But not just any one fruit, a variety of fruits. Once again, this is the purpose of a multi-fruit blend and why Acai-only is not sufficient.
Don't just have Acai-only drinks or foods just because it's the #1 Super Food. Get a variety, and if you don't have the time, patience, or will power to eat 21 different fruits like the breast cancer survivor in the above article, then a multi-fruit blend is a convenient and healthy alternative since it is a Certified Organic blend of 19 whole fruits!!!
Wednesday
Soft drink alternative
According to this same article only 28% of Americans drink either fruit or vegetable juice, accounting for just 2% of their calories, but 28% of their Vitamin C consumption.
With facts like these it's no wonder that nutrient-dense fruit juices and the "functional beverage" industry is growing and being so well received. Fruits that are rich in antioxidants and Anthocyanins and Polyphenols can obviously have a profound effect on the typical American diet.