The Best Juicers for Maximum Nutrition

Most of us know that one secret to a healthier life is a well-balanced diet.  A diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables can help us manage our weight and give our bodies the fuel they need to work efficiently.  Most of us, though, also know that we don’t have the healthiest eating habits.  Busy lifestyles often lead us to leave out the fresh fruits and vegetables that contain so many of the essential elements that we need if we want our bodies to be at their best.  By now, you’ve probably heard friends and celebrities raving about the benefits of juicing or about their favorite smoothies.  In addition to such raves, you also most likely feel bombarded by the number of commercials and ads for the myriad of machines out there that promise to make drinking your fruits and veggies an easy, effective, and delicious way to be healthier.  If you’re thinking that juicing might be the one thing that will get you to actually include some fresh veggies and fruits in your diet, understanding a bit about how the machines work and what to look for when shopping for one can make the process a little less overwhelming.


The first thing to understand is that juicing and blending are two different things.  Juicing involves separating the juice from the rest of the vegetable or fruit.  Blending involves turning the entire vegetable or fruit (minus any inedible skins, stems, or seeds) into a liquid.  In other words, the difference between juicing and blending is the same as the difference between drinking a glass of orange juice and eating the whole orange (minus the peel and pith).  The important thing to note about the difference between the two is that juicing does leave behind some nutrition, so juicing shouldn’t be seen as a complete substitute for eating fresh produce.  Getting fresh juice is certainly better than skipping the produce altogether and is a great and refreshing way to add a bit more veggie and fruit goodness to your day.

If you’ve decided you’d like to try juicing, there are models to fit almost any budget.  With kitchen appliances, a lower price tag can mean a lower quality machine, but that isn’t always the case.  Likewise, buying the highest-priced model doesn’t guarantee you the highest quality.  After learning more about the basic function and available features, you’ll be better equipped to wade through the ocean of hype.

If you know you don’t have, or won’t spend, the time it takes to dice your fruits and veggies into smaller pieces, you should look for machines with the largest feed chutes and strongest motors.  You also want to know how much produce a machine can handle before the pulp collector needs to be emptied.  If you’re planning to make large batches, a machine that has to be emptied often can become a nuisance.  Along that same line, you’ll want to know how much juice your machine’s pitcher/reservoir can hold.  Lastly on functionality, do a bit of research on how easy various machines are to clean.  They’ll need to be cleaned after each use, so finding one that’s a breeze to clean can definitely up the desirability level.

In addition to basic functions, a juicer’s size and weight might be worth a glance.  If you’re limited on counter space, be sure to look for a model that will either fit on your countertop or be light enough and easy enough to handle that you can readily move it from cabinet to counter as needed.

Once you start shopping, you’ll find that there are any number of optional features that might appeal to you. There are models that offer locking lids to help prevent leaks.  You can also find models that offer variable speed control, which can make dealing with different sizes or types of fruits and vegetables more efficient.

Most juicers will produce equally nutritious juice, some just produce more of it than others.  Look for models with the highest yield–the most juice per piece– to get the most bang for your buck.  

For the most nutrition benefits, be sure to include lots of veggies and don’t go too heavy on the sugar-filled fruit.

Check out these Jack Lalanne juicer reviews if you’re shopping for reliable juicing machines that work.

Tips for Coping with a Cancer Diagnosis

Being diagnosed with cancer is overwhelmingly stressful, so you need to make plans and decisions so that this period in your life would be less difficult. Here are 11 suggestions that might help you feel less anxious and afraid throughout the experience.

Get the facts about your cancer diagnosis

technician adjusting mammograph machine


Obtaining information about the illness will help you make informed decisions about the course of your treatment. Make a list of questions that you would like your doctor to answer. Bring the list with you so that you would get as much information as you can. Some of the important questions include:

  • What type of cancer do you have?
  • Where is the cancer located?
  • Has it started to spread?
  • Is this type of cancer treatable?
  • What are the chances to cure the illness?
  • What additional tests/procedures do you need?
  • What are the options for treatment?
  • How does the treatment look like?
  • What kind of side effect can you expect?
  • When would you need to call the doctor?
  • How can you prevent the cancer from coming back?
  • Is this type of cancer hereditary?

Before going to your appointments, think about how much information about the illness you would like to obtain. Some people prefer to know as many details as possible, whereas others prefer to know the basic facts. Consider how involved you want to be in making decisions about the treatment, and base your questions accordingly. Also, tell your doctor which amount of information works best for you.

It’s good to take a family member or a friend with you so that they would help you remember all the facts your doctor tells you.


Keep the lines of communication open

Remain open and honest about your cancer diagnosis. Communicate with your family, friends and doctors openly throughout the course of the treatment. Know that everything you feel is okay and you should express whatever emotion you have. That would give you strength and you will avoid feeling isolated.


Anticipate possible physical changes



Before you start with the treatment, it’s best to get informed and be prepared for changes that will occur during the treatment. Talk to your doctor about the changes that occur most often and how it would be best to deal with these changes.

Ask whether the type of treatment you will receive, would cause hair loss. In case it would, make plans about getting hairpieces, wigs and anything else that would help you feel confident and attractive. Hairpieces, adaptive devices and prostheses are most often covered by insurance.

Consider joining cancer support groups as they are most helpful in this situation. You will get valuable tips and gain coping techniques that helped other people.

Consider asking your doctor how the treatment would affect your daily routine and if there is anything that you need to change in your activities. Ask how often you would need to be in hospital and what would be the length of the treatment. Also, plan to take a leave of absence from work if it is required.

Maintain a healthy lifestyle

Base your diet on nutrition-packed foods that will help you increase energy levels. Also, getting enough quality sleep will help you cope with fatigue. Choose exercises you enjoy most, which will help you alleviate stress. According to recent studies, exercising not only helps in stress reduction but also prolongs life.

Let friends and family help you

When it comes to housework, running errands, getting groceries or transportation your family and friends can help you. Accepting their help will make your life much easier and give them a sense that they can help you in some way.

This time is also difficult for other members of the family. So, if your family needs help or rest, you can rely on neighbors and friends.

Review your goals and priorities

Think about the important things in your life and dedicate your time to the people you love and activities you enjoy. Going through a cancer treatment can impact all your relationships, so communicate with your loved ones. Talking to them will help you deal with the fear.

Try to maintain your normal lifestyle

You will need to adapt to the circumstances, but try to live the life you are used to and keep doing activities that make you happy. If you feel uncertain and scared about the future, planning can make you feel overwhelmed. Try modifying certain aspects of your life one day at the time.

Consider how your diagnosis will impact your finances

Get information about how long your treatment might take and plan your finances accordingly. This would mean that you will need to take a leave of absence. You’ll be away from home for a while. Consider what you would need to spend money on during the time, such as medications, transportation, parking fees, food and cosmetics. Often hospitals may offer resources throughout the treatment, as a financial help, so get informed about that with your healthcare team.

Talk to other people with cancer


You might sometimes feel that others who haven’t suffered from cancer cannot completely understand what you are going through. At these times, you might talk to others who have been through the same as you, and you can share your experience with them, which will give you much needed comfort in the difficult time. This will ultimately make you feel stronger and more prepared for the treatment.

Talk to any person you know that has been diagnosed or contact local support groups. The American Cancer Society is best known organization of this type.  Also, the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Survivors Network might be a good place to start.

Fight stigmas

Unfortunately, many stigmas related to cancer still persist among people. So, you might need to explain that cancer is not a contagious disease. There will be those with questions and those who might not know what to say. Express your feeling openly to your friends and even colleagues if you have the need. Choose how much you would like to talk about it and with whom. Others will pick up on your actions and behave accordingly.

Develop your own coping strategy

Each cancer treatment is different and so are people’s reactions and coping strategies. Consider these ideas and try to develop your own.

  • Talk to your loved ones openly and honestly
  • Try talking to a counselor and support groups
  • Pray or talk to a spiritual advisor
  • Develop relaxation techniques and meditate
  • Try writing and expressing yourself creatively
  • Find a way to deal with difficult decisions, like making lists, or getting advice
  • Spend some time alone
  • Maintain your usual routine as much as you can
  • Listen to music that soothes you, watch movies, read book and magazines
  • Finds something to look forward to each day

Try to remember other difficult times you had throughout your life before being diagnosed with cancer. Remember how you coped then that will help you now as well. You should do whatever makes you mentally stronger as our own thoughts greatly influence our own physical state.

How to Think Positively

A research conducted at the Mayo clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, has shown just how strongly personal attitudes can impact health and quality of life of any individual. The patients did certain personality tests that showed how optimistic or pessimistic they are in life. Over the course of 30 years, researchers measured their progress. The results of the research have shown that pessimist lived shorter than average, whereas optimists lived longer.

An optimistic attitude has been proven to boost immunity. Optimistic individuals generally adopt better lifestyles, take care of their health and make health-conscious choices. On the other hand, pessimism is linked to depression, anxiety and high blood pressure. Therefore, the quality of our lives can be greatly influenced by the attitude we choose. These attitudes shape who we are and how successful and healthy we would be.

If you struggle to remain positive — here are some tips that might help you do so:

Believe in Yourself


If you wonder what the difference is between very successful individuals and those less successful — it’s self-belief. When it comes to achieving goals throughout life, building self-confidence and self-belief proves to be more effective and more important — in outcomes in any segment of your life — than education, contacts or even intelligence. Thinking you have the ability to achieve something meaningful is of utmost importance and most often leads to success.

Set Clear Goals

What might hinder your success is not knowing clearly what you want to do, who you want to be and what you want to accomplish. A good place to start is to think about the actual ambitions and then start working towards their achievement.


Form a Mental Picture of Your Success

Portrait of teenage girl daydreaming in library

If you occasionally daydream about attaining your most desired goals, you are actually increasing the likelihood of your success. Mentally picturing the moment you wish for, in any area of your life, will help you develop efficient strategies to achieve them in reality. So, enjoy yourself while you imagine giving a passionate speech, or getting that promotion, or signing your first book, or being a member of a team that won.

Take Ownership and Responsibility for Your Life

If you keep blaming other people for your own mistakes in life, you are getting stuck in the negative and you’ll hardly achieve anything good this way. Owning your mistakes will make you contemplate how and why they occurred. Eventually you will learn from them while building your own personal integrity by taking responsibility for everything that you do.

Talk to Yourself

You cannot always expect others to motivate you — most of the time you’ll have to do this on your own. Motivating yourself can sometimes be hard, but if you practice this, it will make such a difference. A simple “Yes, I can!” sentence will often be strong enough to boost your self confidence and prepare you for the win. If you fail, be gentle on yourself and say “I’ll failed this time but I learned …………. I’ll make it next time!”

Eliminate the Negative

We all have doubts and negative feelings sometimes. However, you need to avoid creating a habit of negative thinking and pessimistic attitudes. You can prevent this by deliberately replacing negative thoughts and anxieties with positive ones. When you face a problem, acknowledge it and think “This is an obstacle but I will overcome it.”

Associate with Positive People

If you think about it, you will surely find some very positive people among your friends, family and colleagues. There will also be those who are pessimistic and depressed. Try spending more time with dynamic people that bring you positive energy. Maybe you’ll even inspire those that are going through a tough time in their lives and are stuck in the negative, to become more enthusiastic.

Count Your Blessings

Make a list of the things in your life you consider to be assets and liabilities. An asset would be good health, education, employment, whereas a liability would be a bad relationship or being unemployed.  Most of the time, people have so much going for them that they take those things for granted. So, be grateful for all the assets in your life but also try changing those that are a liability.

Find the Silver Lining

When you are in the middle of some undesirable situation in your life, try searching for opportunities. If you’ve lost your job, it’s not the end of the world. Many people who lost their jobs would tell you that it was the best thing that ever happened to them, because they now have much better jobs that make them so much happier and enthusiastic.  As each situation can bring both the fear of change and excitement of it always try focusing on the positive.

Relax and Enjoy Life More

Enjoying the sun
Enjoying the sun

Life is often hectic and can become so stressful at times that we all forget to enjoy ourselves. So, remember this when you’ve had too much of everything and stop to enjoy the little things. Do something that makes you happy, that will recharge you so that you can keep facing the challenges to come.

Fake It

Occasionally when things don’t go your way, and you feel filled with doubts and fears pretend that you are successful and confident. This might seem like a bad idea, but it will be tremendously helpful in developing positive attitudes. You can train your brain and change your thinking patterns and this will eventually make you more capable to deal with any issue that arises.

Negative thinking is easier that positive thinking, because there are not many challenges. On the other hand, thinking positively requires action, trying and failing and trying again. So, choose a more difficult way, but the more rewarding one at the same time!