A Moment in My Life – Friday, February 19, 2021
Green is not in my color wheel, but sometimes you have to make an exception. This is one of those times. The color green is warming to me. Now, when I see green, I think of vitality. Envision my caricature with starbursts radiating out of my eyes. A huge smile spread across my face with mounds of green vegetables in front of me. That’s what I’m talking about. Who would have thought I could get so excited at a heap of greens? Not me, but it happened. It all started when I read about the benefits of green juice. Let me tell you something. I was never much of a juice person, to begin with. I enjoyed a small OJ if I were out to breakfast with someone. That was the thing to do, and I complied. On a couple of occasions, there were those mysterious moments in the middle of the night when I would crave ice-cold orange juice. If we had OJ in the fridge, I would glass up and gulp it down right in front of the fridge to satisfy my sudden craving. That was the gist of juice in my life.
A few years back, I quit juice altogether when I learned that it was better to eat your fruits than juice them. Once juiced, the longer it sat, we had more of a glucose problem that would spike our blood sugar levels. No thanks. Who needed that?
Juice to me was always fruit juices. The only vegetable juice I had was V-8, but I knew that we weren’t going to become best buddies from the start. Remember that old saying, “Older and wiser”? Old sayings are worthy of attention. I’m older now, and thank God, wiser. Although, I think it’s more a matter of timing. Now is the right timing for me to appreciate green juice. Winter makes it harder to partake in a cold salad. The best of my intentions didn’t seem to result in more cooked veggies either. I needed to do something. It was meant to be when I read about green juices in the book “Younger.” My eyes widened with each word I read. Something about this green juice excited me. Before I tried it, I felt the energy that enlivened me, and once I drank that first glass of green juice, everything I expected while reading came to life. I felt stronger, energized, content, and more alive.
Greens have so many beneficial properties, like protecting our bones and preventing inflammatory diseases. They contain high antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber while remaining low in calories. A diet rich in leafy greens can reduce the risk of obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and mental decline. Lutein in leafy greens is terrific for eye and skin health. And get this, you can reduce weight, too. Alrighty. I need all of this. We all do.
Just a handful of a few different greens make a 16-ounce salad in a glass. Immediately, I felt like a new me. It filled me like I ate a meal. Perhaps that’s the slimming part—a nice bonus. Knowing this drink has the power of vitality—giving continuance of life, and knowing that it’s slimming, too, encourages me to keep juicing. I never thought I’d be drinking juice, but it feels right. I’ve had two glasses so far, and my scale went down two days in a row, my skin glows, and I feel invincible. I’m a juicing advocate now—no turning back. I figure if I’m going to make juice, I’m going to make it green.
Here’s the basic recipe that I’m starting with and revising as I go: one handful of each (slightly chopped): kale, romaine, parsley, spinach, three celery stalks, and one English cucumber, lemon juice to taste, and a couple of ice cubes run through the juice function of a high-power blender.
