How to Make Grocery Shopping a Healthier Experience

They always say never to go grocery shopping while hungry. For many of us, fulfilling our weekly shopping trip is one of our most annoying chores. Making sure we get enough to stock the pantry is stressful enough, let alone trying to navigate healthy eating options! This piece will cover some ways that you can help bring healthy habits into your grocery shopping.

Planning For Health

If you are just looking to visit a grocery store and hope that you’ll come out with the right stuff to make a healthy meal, you’re going to be disappointed. Everyone has different health needs, and going into what makes for healthy eating in the modern day would be an article on its own.

Everyone can do a meal plan to help make sure they are building a healthy diet. This means deciding what you will eat a week in advance and creating a menu. It’s much easier to make the most nutritional decisions at this stage rather than trying to make them in the grocery store. Planning a head based on your dietary needs and restrictions will keep you on track and make you less overwhelmed on your weekly shopping trip.

Another great way to get ahead on being healthy is to organize grocery deliveries. In a lot of situations, this can be much more convenient for you than getting to a grocery store. You can plan the perfect healthy shopping list from the comfort of your own home. (Remember, if you’re looking for a juice cleanse in San Diego, we deliver our green drink and other products across California!)

Building a Healthy Grocery List

As mentioned, everyone’s health requirements will be a little bit different. Everyone can follow some general guidelines for a healthier grocery list, no matter if you’re shopping in-store or getting it delivered.

First and foremost, you can never have enough fruits and veggies. Learn to love your green veggies, leafy greens, and juice smoothies. The health benefits of fruits and veggies are infinite, and they’ll generally provide you with tons of nutrients, including valuable antioxidants and immune boosters. All this while managing to be low carb, low sugar, and low fat! Fruits and vegetables are simply win-win kinds of foods. Also, look for seasonal fruits and veggies. The winter time is great for asparagus while the summer is prime time for strawberries and oranges. This will ensure you’re getting the best quality produce and hopefully help with your budget.

Secondly, do your best to resist processed foods and high sugar snacks. We understand; it can be hard to drop some of your favorite cookies or chocolates. But these kinds of foods tend to be high in fats and sugars and low in the types of things your body actually needs. Quick tip: try to stay on the perimeter of your grocery store. It’s generally the inner isles that contain all of the processed foods, while the outer area features the fruits, vegetables, dairy and unprocessed grains.

Speaking of getting what your body needs, when possible, it’s always a good idea to get organic or whole food. This means less lost nutrients, and less weird stuff in your body.

Shopping Smart

So let’s say you do find yourself in a grocery store. Maybe you have your planned list in hand. Or perhaps you just found yourself with time and an opportunity. How should you go about shopping in the most sensible way possible?

First things first, have lunch if you haven’t already. It’s a cliche, but shopping on an empty stomach is rarely a good idea. You’re much more likely to buy things you don’t need if you suffer from hunger or sugar cravings.

It’s also vital that you learn how to read nutrition labels and take your time to understand what they mean. Getting the hang of modern nutrition fact labels is an art all its own. Generally, you should be suspicious of anything that seems exceptionally high in saturated fats, sodium, or added sugars. Also any label that has 20+ ingredients probably isn’t the healthiest option.

Make sure to check out the produce section carefully. The fruits and veggies here are going to be some of the best things for your health. Aim for the freshest choices, and always get organic if you can.

Lastly, be careful when comparing all your options. Is there a lower-fat or low sodium version of what you’re buying? Is there a whole grain or multigrain option? Make sure that you know all of your healthy options beforehand, and shop accordingly.

Beat Cravings With Chef V!

Even a 3 day juice cleanse from Chef V can help you beat those grocery store cravings, letting you shop in healthy confidence.

Of course, Chef V also offers plenty of choices beyond the grocery store with our delivery options. With Chef V, you can get a fresh juice cleanse in San Diego just as easily as you can get our green drink in New York! Check out our cleanse options and order today.

There are plenty of reasons to undergo a 21 day cleanse. Getting a handle on your weight or blood sugar levels are widespread reasons people decide to give a 21 day detox a try. However, an increasing number of people are worried about high blood pressure. In this blog, we’ll dive into the causes of high blood pressure, and what you can do to better manage it.

Understanding Blood Pressure

Our bodies are pretty amazing machines. We have mechanisms to take in air, complex joints and muscles, and an entire hydraulic system to move blood around our body. And just like any hydraulic system, pressure is always going to be a concern.

We don’t really want to get into all the physics of moving liquid here. We’re here to bring you the best in 21 day cleanses, and to help you to understand the major mechanics. But the basics are pretty simple to understand and essential to grasp so your body and mind can connect.

Essentially, the less room that a liquid such as blood has to move through, the higher pressure will be. That makes sense, of course. For example, water would need to squeeze at a higher pressure through a straw than a pipe.

For humans, those pipes are our arteries. If your arteries become narrowed or clogged, your blood pressure will rise. This also means that the higher force of blood can actually start to damage the walls and lining of your arteries.

Having high blood pressure (a condition also known as hypertension) puts extra stress on your circulatory system. It increases the risk for various circulatory-related health issues, such as heart attack and stroke. What’s worse is that the signs of high blood pressure are often fairly subtle, and you may not recognize these risks sneaking up on you.

Why is My Blood Pressure High?

There are a few factors that can lead to high blood pressure. More often than not, the main culprit to examine certainly has to be cholesterol. For those not in the know, cholesterol is a substance your body produces to help it make things like cell membranes. While useful as a construction material, you don’t want too much of it sitting in your bloodstream. Imagine a bunch of concrete blocks dumped in the middle of a busy highway causing a huge obstruction – you get the idea.

So eating foods that are too high in cholesterol will make your blood pressure rise, as will getting a diet that is too high in salt and fat. If you have issues with your kidneys or hormones, you could be at risk for higher blood pressure – ditto for people with diabetes. Being overweight is also a significant risk factor for higher blood pressure.

Okay, So What Can I Do About This?

The most straightforward answer is obviously to simply cut back on that cholesterol. That means you’re going to want to try to eat a diet that is full of low fat, low sodium content. You should also cut back on your vices – that means to scale back on the alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine. Exercise gets your blood pumping and circulation working correctly. It’s also a great way to reduce stress, which (you guessed it) drops blood pressure.

It’s also vital to get started on your weight loss goals. The faster you can shed some pounds, the sooner you can start letting your arteries recover. Of course, not all weight loss methods are created equal. If you want a reliable and sustainable weight loss program without things like celery juice side effects, Chef V is here to help. Whether a quick 3 day juice cleanse or a longer 21 day cleanse, we’re here to help you with your weight loss goals.

Chlorophyll – Not Just For Plants

You may have heard rumors about the health benefits of chlorophyll. You probably also know that it’s what makes plants green. But why exactly are people talking about it? Is it something you should care about? Or is chlorophyll just for plants? Let’s find out.

What is Chlorophyll?

Chlorophyll is a substance found naturally in plants, noted for giving them their green color – chlorophyll translates literally from Greek as “green leaf.” Plants use chlorophyll to help them get energy from sunlight. (Fun Fact – Chlorophyll absorbs blue and red light but reflects green, which is why so many plants look green to our eyes).

Why Does Chlorophyll Matter For People?

Since we eat plants, that means we’re also ingesting all of that chlorophyll… and that’s a good thing. Chlorophyll is best known for its antioxidant properties, which is one reason green veggies are so good for you. Studies also indicate that it might be linked to anti-cancer properties as well, particularly those cancers related to the stomach and colon. This is because chlorophyll seems to block the absorption of cancer-causing chemicals.

There are ongoing studies being done on what chlorophyll is good for, but it’s been linked to aiding in better digestive health, providing energy, aiding in weight loss, boosting the immune system, and even leading to healthier-looking skin. No wonder people are all over green drinks! (Speaking of green drinks, chlorophyll is sometimes used in culinary situations to dye food a more vivid green).

It’s essential, however, to distinguish chlorophyll (found naturally in any green plant) from chlorophyllin, which is a water-soluble extract.

Is Chlorophyllin Worth It?

Regularly, chlorophyll is fat-soluble. The idea behind chlorophyllin extract is that it is water-soluble and contains copper and sodium. This combo is intended to help make it easier for your body to absorb compared to chlorophyll. Many chlorophyllin substances also come in liquid forms to make the absorption even easier.

However, there’s no real indication that taking chlorophyllin is any better than getting your chlorophyll the old-fashioned way in a green drink or other plant-based product. Plus, many users report that liquid chlorophyllin can cause diarrhea or other stomach issues.

Where Can I Get Chlorophyll Naturally?

Any leafy green is going to be full of chlorophyll. This means that things like spinach, collard greens, broccoli, asparagus, and peas are all great sources. Matcha green tea is also a green drink noted for a solid chlorophyll count.

If you’re looking for a product that is chock full of all the best leafy greens, then look no further than our own Chef V’s green drink. Packed full of greens like kale, collard greens, and chards, our green drink is a great way to get the good stuff without the need for artificial supplements. Whether as part of a 3 day cleanse, 7 day juice cleanse or an impressive 21 day cleanse, our green drinks can help you lose weight and fight sugar cravings.

Of course, you can also just get the green drinks delivered on their own. They make an excellent companion to any meal and will ensure you are getting all the stuff you need for good health. You might not be able to survive on sunlight from a plant, but you can still benefit from the green stuff!

At Chef V, we’re proud to offer an organic juice product that is 100% GMO-free. But what exactly does GMO-free mean? You might also wonder – why should I care about this at all? Does it matter if my detox juice cleanse is GMO-free? For those of you unsure about what GMO’s really mean to your diet or Chef V cleanse, this quick blog will explain it all.

What’s a GMO?

GMO stands for “Genetically Modified Organism.” This sounds like superhero stuff, but GMOs generally refer specifically to genetically modified plants, including many plants you eat daily. Indeed, in some crops in the United States, the use of GMOs is pervasive. Good examples would be corn and soy. In fact, the vast majority of foods you eat are probably genetically modified in some way or another.

Why is this? Technically, genetic modification of food is nothing new or futuristic. Ever since there has been agriculture, farmers have been trying to breed better plants. They might mix plant strains to create produce that is more nutritious, faster-growing, or more resistant to pests. Genetically modifying plants is essentially taking a shortcut to this system. Rather than letting breeding do the work, genetic modification lets agricultural scientists speed up the process.

Why GMOs?

The wide adoption of GMOs worldwide makes sense when you consider the number of people we need to feed. GMO crops tend to be more resistant to pests, droughts, or illness. This means more crops total and less money spent on pesticides or extra water.

However, not all GMOs are about increasing crop yields. Sometimes a fruit or vegetable will be modified for appearance, taste, or increased shelf life.

Why Worry About GMOs?

So it seems like GMOs are mostly a good thing, right? Well, there are some things you should be aware of. Picking apart issues with GMOs can be difficult. Firstly, GMOs encompass a wide range of processes and techniques. Secondly, confusion over the science had muddied the water with some pretty out-there claims about GMOs. Most of us don’t really understand genetics or DNA. When we hear that the genes of plants are being changed, we assume that could affect our own DNA. But that’s just science fiction. It’s unlikely a GMO is going to give you cancer. Nada on getting superpowers from them either, we’re sorry to say.

However, there are some legitimate concerns regarding GMOs. One of the major ones is allergies. When genetically modifying fruits and vegetables, traits from one vegetable can be transferred to another. If that trait causes allergies for you, unfortunately, you’ll have to add another food to the list of your allergens.

There’s also no guarantee that because the food was modified to grow faster or live longer on the shelf, the new version will have as much of a focus on its nutritional content and value. In many cases, convenience for grocery stores takes precedence.

Plus, many have environmental concerns about GMOs. Despite being designed to be pest resistant, not every farm appropriately cuts back on the use of pesticides. In fact, since GMO foods are also resistant to pesticides, this can encourage some farmers to go overboard in using weedkillers, poisoning the soil in their area.

More concerning are the ethical issues. GMOs mean that there is less need for a diversity in the kinds of seeds used to grow various crops. It’s inefficient to have variety when you have a “super-version” of food that can survive everywhere. However, since these seeds are artificially created, large corporations can copyright and monopolize them, leading to an unfair advantage for larger organizations.

The Upshot

So what’s the upshot? GMOs aren’t radioactive and won’t turn you into a mutant if you eat them. At the same time, if you are getting GMO food, you don’t really have much control over nutritional volume or specific allergens. Plus – it often won’t just taste the same way as purely organic food. Many of us may have never even tasted organic food in our entire life.

Thankfully, Chef V’s detox juice cleanse is 100% GMO-free. So at least for this part of your health routine, you can simply forget worrying about the nutritional and ethical concerns – and just enjoy feeling great.

Worst Pieces of Weight Loss Advice

The desire for weight loss is hardly an uncommon goal. However, with so many people looking to shed pounds, there is plenty of plain terrible advice out there. This piece will cover some of the most common myths about weight loss to help you identify diets and plans that don’t work. We’ll also explore the viability of a 21 day juice fast for weight loss and the benefits of a 21 day cleanse in general.

Why Do We Gain Weight?

Any weight loss is going to be complicated, whether thats 10 or 50 pounds. Even the best 21 day green juice fast isn’t going to change how your body works on a fundamental level. However, some basics of weight gain are relatively simple to pick up.

Most of us understand that our body gets energy through calories. The calories that we use for energy are consumed in the process. Our body will store the excess calories on your body – as fat. We all need a physical fat reserve as it represents our enegy reserves. Too much fat reserves is what weighs us down, makes us sluggish and pivots our eating habits in the wrong direction.

Weight gain is a little bit more complicated than simply burning calories or turning them into fat. Everyone has their own unique metabolism, which will affect the rate at which energy is converted.

Basics of Weight Loss

So the basics of weight loss should be pretty straightforward. Get exercising, and don’t consume too many calories, right?

In theory, yes. But there’s a lot more to it. The key to weight loss is ensuring that it is healthy and sustainable. You still need to be getting enough of the vital minerals and vitamins you need from food. Otherwise, you’ll have more health problems to worry about than weight.

Also, if you just try to aim for the lowest calories foods, you could give yourself severe hunger cravings later on. Sugar intake is also something to watch. Too much sugar can lead to a wildly fluctuating blood sugar level, which can significantly affect weight gain, energy levels, and perceived hunger.

In short, there are a lot of different factors at play when it comes to weight loss. This is one reason why something like a 21 day juice fast for weight loss is so effective. It’s a wonderful way to cut down on calories and sugar simultaneously while still giving you the nutrients you need to remain healthy.

(Of course, there are some nutrients even 21 day green juice fast might have difficulty getting you. That’s why Chef V provides you with delicious detox soups and detox smoothies as well!)

So now that we understand the basics, hopefully, you can spot the weight loss fads you might see online that just won’t plain work. If you need a starter, here are some of the worst that we’ve seen.

1. It’s Just About Counting Calories

You’ll hear many people suggest that losing weight is as easy as measuring the number of calories you’re eating, then cutting it down and making sure your physical output is more than your caloric intake. This is where the obsession with counting calories comes from. However, considering this in concert with what you’ve learned already, this approach has some glaring problems.

If something is low calorie, it’s not necessarily low in fat or sugar. It also doesn’t mean that it’s going to be nutritious. You could try to exist solely on “negative calorie” foods such as celery and watermelon but all that’s going to do is leave you feeling hungry and more likely to break your diet.

2. It’s Just About Moderation and Diets

Promoting moderation – eating less – is a nice thought and generally a good idea. There are also plenty of diets that may or may not be able to help you temporarily lose weight. But what happens when you’re finally sick of your diet and fall off the wagon? Temporary diets are only a pause on your weight gain, not a permanent solution. Permanent weight loss will involve lifestyle choices.

3. Just Fast

It’s tempting. Food makes you gain weight. So why not just cut yourself off from food entirely for a while? Fasting has a long and successful history, after all. The problem here is that fasting just isn’t sustainable. At best, you’re just going to get hungry and start to binge once your fast is done. At worst, you’re going to potentially seriously hurt yourself through starvation or dehydration.

4. It’s Just About My Magic Food!

There’s no silver bullet for weight loss. No matter how nutritious a food is, it’s not going to be a good idea only to eat that one food. No matter how great a “superfood” is, it’s not magic. That’s why the best diets and 21 day cleanses offer a mixture of different foods to give you everything you need.

Get Sustainable Weight Loss With Chef V

In the end, losing weight is one thing, and making lifestyle changes to keep it off is another. This is why a 21 day juice fast for weight loss can be so powerful. It can help you lose weight quickly, giving you the confidence that you control your own weight. It will also help you get control of sugar cravings, helping you be prepared for a set of healthier choices to come. Still need proof? Then check out our success stories.

At Chef V, we’re proud to make a purely organic juice cleanse. Our customers are also pretty crazy about it. We’ve noticed that there’s often an intersection between the desire to eat organically and a desire to be sustainable. This makes perfect sense upfront. The processes by which you grow food organically often overlap with how you grow food sustainably. But is that the whole picture? Are there other ways to eat sustainably beyond hunting down organic fare? We’ll discuss it all in this blog.

What is Sustainability?

You’ve probably heard the word sustainability tossed around a lot in the sense of being “good for the environment”. Sustainability is a little bit more specific than that. Sustainability in this case refers to farming practices that ensure that the land can be used continuously for generations to come. Essentially it means getting food in a way that doesn’t harm the ability of future generations to get their food. This can involve the passive selection of land and farming practices. It could also mean actively avoiding things that poison the environment, such as toxic pesticides.

How Do I Eat Sustainably?

When it comes to eating sustainably, there’s no one magical way to affect your impact on the planet. Just picking organic juice cleanses doesn’t mean you’re a fully sustainable person. Indeed, it’s hard to live in the modern world and be fully sustainable. Even if you only ate food you grew yourself, you’d still impact the planet through your regular energy consumption.

It’s better to think of eating sustainably as a menu of options you can take to lower your environmental impact. Here are some ways to get started!

Embrace Regenerative Agriculture

Regenerative Agriculture is a massive movement in modern farming. It would take an enormous essay to explain all the intricacies. To understand regenerative agriculture, we’re going to have to get dirty. That’s right – soil. When it comes to farming, the soil is one of the most critical factors in what you can grow, how fast, and how healthy that plant will be. Good healthy soil is going to be full of tons of microorganisms. Many farming practices tend to kill off these microorganisms to maximize a single harvest through processes like deep tillage and monocultures (only growing a single crop in an area). This essentially leads to less fertile soil, which is soil that is less suitable for growth over time. Attempting to move back to more traditional farming practices can help promote overall soil fertility.

You’ll want to buy from producers who only use regenerative farming practices if possible. Obviously, that can sometimes be difficult to figure out. When feasible, try to go for organic products.

Buy Organic

Trying to find out exactly how an individual farm operates is tricky. However, certified organic labels are pretty standard on many modern products. They are a great way to help you identify products grown more sustainably. Generally, organic means that a product is made without harmful artificial accessories, such as toxic pesticides or fertilizers. This means that there is a significant overlap between organic products and ones grown with regenerative agriculture.

(Here’s a great bonus for you – all the veggies in our organic juice cleanses are not only totally organic but guaranteed to be grown with regenerative agriculture. That means that Chef V has a 21 day cleanse that you can order with complete confidence as far as sustainability goes!)

Adopt a Sustainable Diet

Where you get your food is the most critical choice in being sustainable. But you can also gear yourself towards sustainable eating in the choices that you make in your diet. Essentially, different foods are going to have a different environmental impact. Also, suppose you lean too heavily on one kind of food. In that case, you’ll be contributing to the creation of mono farming – bad for the soil, remember?

Most experts recommend a balanced diet that is heavy on fruits and vegetables. Generally, plant products require less from our planet than poultry and fish, which themselves require less than red meats. Including more fruits and veggies in your diet can help be more sustainable – but don’t consider this a cureall. Try to do your research on standard farming practices for specific products. For example, many people want to move to plant-based milk to be more sustainable – but almonds specifically take up a massive amount of water to grow.

Avoid Food Waste

When it comes to being more sustainable, your head may be spinning at all the research you need to do. Want an easy way to be sustainable? Avoid food waste. Whether you eat it or not, wasted food is food that needed energy and soil to create, but for no benefit.

Making sure to carefully consider and manage your portion choices isn’t just a great way to be more sustainable. It can also help with your weight loss goals. Other ways to avoid weight loss are pretty simple. Try to repurpose leftovers whenever possible. Do your best to meal plan to prevent food from going bad. All minor changes, but all easy ways to be a more sustainable human being.

Eat Local

When we think about sustainability, we often laser focus on farming practices. And that makes sense, of course. You can’t be sustainable without sustainable farming. But what about the rest of the agricultural process? Food doesn’t magically teleport from the farm to your plate. It needs to be packaged, processed in at least some way, and then delivered to you.

Moving food around can cause a lot of energy waste and pollution, especially if it’s traveling long distances. Your 21 day detox can be filled with totally organic products, but is it sustainable if it needs to be frozen and then transported across the country?

Thankfully, Chef V’s organic juice cleanse is made fresh and delivered quickly to you, with distribution centers depending on which part of the country you’re in. This makes our organic juice cleanses fresher and more nutritious, but it also cuts down on your environmental impact. Since you’ll be mostly cutting back on solid foods, your organic juice cleanse isn’t just great for you; it’s great for the planet too!

Popular Juices, Judged

A glass of juice is often seen as a healthy companion to any meal. But are all juices really that good for you? Which juices come out victorious on the health front when you measure them up against each other? We’ll go over some of the most popular juices in this blog and see which come out on top. Whether you’re looking for detox juices or green drink ingredients, you’ll see that not all juices are rated equally!

The Whole Story

Of course, ranking juices will involve a good deal of subjectivity. The reason is that the specific brand of juice will have a lot more to do with its overall healthiness. You could take the healthiest fruits and veggies in the world, make a juice out of them, but still ruin it by adding way too much refined sugar, additives and preservatives.

It’s tricky to judge cocktails of different fruits and veggies mixed together (like in our green drink). With these, you’ll have to study the nutritional info provided carefully.

In general, your best bet when looking for healthy juices is to try and find examples that are low in sugar, 100% organic, and are filled with ingredients that give you plenty of nutrients and minerals. That said, let’s rank some of your favorite juices.

Orange Juice

Orange juice is a breakfast staple, so it makes sense that we’d start here. Despite being at many a breakfast table, you don’t always see orange juice in a leading role in many detox juices. Orange juice does have a lot going for it – it’s a great source of vitamin C, naturally sweet and comes in many different varieties. However, it does tend to be lower on many other essential nutrients. For example, you won’t find much in the way of antioxidants in a glass of OJ. Also, orange juice often gets overrated on health benefits because it usually has other nutrients added to it such as fiber or vitamin D – but this can also mean extra preservatives added. Fresh orange juice makes a refreshing treat, but don’t rely on it as a staple for a healthy diet.

Tomato Juice

Tomato juice is one of the most underrated juices out there – likely because people tend to value the sweetness of fruit juice. However, if you’re looking for a low-sugar juice, tomato juice is absolutely the way to go. It’s also lovely as a vegetable juice that comes with lots of the good stuff, from lycopene to potassium. Being so nutritious, you won’t suffer from the side effects of more “empty juices,” such as the infamous celery juice headaches.

Cranberry Juice

When it comes to the fruit side of the juice scale, cranberry juice is definitely overlooked. Cranberry juice is full of antioxidants and vitamin C and is also low in sugar. Ironically, the one problem you might find while enjoying a serving of cranberry juice is the lack of sugar. Some people find unrefined cranberry juice to be a little sour, which leads many brands to add in a sweetener additive. This ends up ruining what made cranberry juice so great in the first place. Try to find low-sugar versions and look away from the cranberry cocktails, and you won’t be disappointed.

Pomegranate Juice

Pomegranate juice could maybe be even more underrated than cranberry juice. This is a shame since it’s filled with great antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, as well as excellent immune system support. Pomegranate juice is a popular option in most health food stores but can end up being on the more expensive side. Pomegranate kernels each have a small edible seed within them, making them very fibrous and yielding less juice.

Carrot Juice

If it’s good enough for Bugs Bunny, good enough for you, right? Carrot juice marries the low sugar content of tomato juice with a ton of vitamin A and beta-carotene, which are great for helping combat the signs of aging.

Celery Juice

Celery juice has become pretty popular as a modern “cure-all” among some people. It’s certainly got some anti-inflammatory properties, but so do a lot of the juices we’ve talked about. Drinking a lot of celery juice is also good for hydration – but then so is water. So does celery juice really work as a good detox juice? It’s not necessarily bad, but there are a lot of celery juice side effects that you’re going to have to deal with, from digestive issues to the infamous celery juice headaches. These mostly come from the fact that there’s not a lot of anything in celery. It’s not unhealthy, but it’s not a miracle cure.

Apple Juice

When it comes to taste, apple juice can’t be beaten. If you’re looking for a healthy sweetener for another juice, there’s not much better. That’s why apple juice is such a key component in our own green drink! However, a lot of apple juice you find on its own may be high in sugar. Also, juiced apples are sometimes missing the vital ingredients that are found in the peels of apples. This makes apple juice often a better ingredient than a juice to enjoy on its own.

Grape Juice

Grape juice is another staple on many tables across the country. Grapes are a popular fruit for a reason, since they’re perfect for your heart health. That’s why a glass of wine once in a while is considered a healthy habit. However, it must be warned that a lot of grape juice comes in versions that are very high in added sugar and from concentrate.

Mango Juice

We have time to squeeze in one last underrated fruit juice. Mango is known as the “king of fruits” by many, and for good reason. Mango is great for helping you boost your immunity and manage your blood pressure. Low sugar versions of mango juice are a delicious addition to any meal.

Chef V’s Green Drink

Chef V’s Green Drink is a powerfully potent detox juice in its own right. Mixing the best of greens with delicious apple juice is a recipe for delicious success. You get all the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients you need in a great-tasting package.

Better yet, if you live in the Chef V delivery zone, you can get our green drink right at your doorstep. What’s not to love?

Our Top Tips for a Healthy Morning Routine

Any day is only as good as its start. Developing a healthy morning routine is the best way to make sure that you kick butt every single day. A healthy morning routine is essential if you’re taking part in a juice diet or a detox juice cleanse. Count this doubly if you’re going for a 7 day juice cleanse or even longer.

Of course, there’s more to healthy morning routines than just green juice. This blog covers some tips to get that little extra boost of health and energy in your mornings – of course, with a bit of help from Chef V’s green drink! We’ll be running this blog as a list – make sure to read more of our content for continuous great health tips.

Prepare the Night Before

Before you even actually start your day, you can still get ready for a great morning. No one wants to scramble to find the things they need while the clock is ticking or when they’re still a little sleepy. By prepping all you need for work or school the night before, you can simply grab and go when getting ready for work. This means prepping your lunch bag with your juices for the day and filling up your water bottle. Or even setting out your clothing to minimize morning indecision.

Cold Showers

Let’s start off with a shock, shall we? Some people prefer cold showers to give them the quick burst of energy that comes with being doused in chilly water. Getting energy without any food or drink needed is always a plus. However, there’s also an indication that a burst of cold water in the morning can boost your endorphin levels, circulation, and metabolism. Pretty good for such an easy wake-up step, isn’t it?

Cut the Coffee

We know, coffee is an essential part of so many morning routines. And you need that energy, right? But is coffee really worth it? The energy it gives is only temporary and can lead to caffeine addiction and withdrawal. And that’s before we take into account the fat and sugar that many of us dump into our brews to make them more palatable.

Plenty of Water

After you wake up, it will probably have been eight hours or so before your last drink of water. Good hydration is vital to consistent health and energy. Make sure that you get enough to drink in the morning, and you’ll feel great for the rest of the day.

Morning Exercises

What? Exercise when you’re at your most tired?

No, we’re not crazy. Just a little bit of exercise will get your blood pumping and your energy levels rising. Just 10 minutes of yoga can go a long way toward giving you a burst of energy for the day and a healthy amount of blood circulation and muscle activity. A quick walk is also a great way to get that blood pumping and some fresh air.

Mental Preparation

If you’re already in the mindset that you’re going to have a bad day, well, spoilers – you’re probably going to have a bad day. Starting off with a positive attitude is vital. If you’re into it, a quick morning meditation session can be a fantastic way to center yourself and get ready to kick the day’s butt. Meditation is also a great way to reduce stress and lower your blood pressure.

Give Yourself Time

You don’t need to go for full meditation to have a mentally healthy morning. Sometimes the best way to cut back on stress is to give yourself plenty of time. Don’t just rush to the shower and out the door. Give yourself time to sit down, maybe enjoy a podcast or some music. This also gives you the chance to do things like write to-do lists for the day or write in a journal.

This lets you prep things for when you come home tired at the end of the day. If the dishes are already done or the garbage already taken out, that’s one more thing you don’t have to worry about. Getting chores done in the morning can be much more effective than doing them in the evening when you’re all tuckered out from a day at work.

A Low Carb Start

We’re always told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Debatably true, but why do we have this hammered into us? Is it maybe so we’ll buy tons of oatmeal, cereal, and juices? A hearty breakfast sounds like a decent idea – if you’re in a field involving a lot of manual labor. For everyone else, this is a massive carb overload. This will lead to a blood sugar spike and then the inevitable blood sugar crash. Not all the coffee in the world will give you your energy back.

Despite what the breakfast pundits will tell you, you don’t need to load up on carbs to have a productive day. Keeping it light is often the best way to go. And the best way to go light, of course, is just enjoying a simple green drink or green smoothie. This way, you get all the nutrition and hydration you need without all the carbs weighing you down.

And if you’re looking for the best green drinks out there, look no further. With Chef V’s green drink delivery, you can make sure you’re getting a ton of great green drinks, ready for every single morning!

Walking: Your Secret Fitness Weapon

Everyone has their favorite methods to get their body moving and blood pumping. And with the weather getting a little warmer in most places, there’s an even greater chance to get outside. We’re sure you’re all planning out how to get some serious cardio and jogging into your schedules. However, lower impact exercises shouldn’t be forgotten – especially for those currently on a Chef V cleanse.

As far as low-impact exercises go, few are as underrated as walking. Not to say that active people hate walking – it just tends to be something that we take for granted. However, there are many more benefits to walking than you might realize. We’ll cover just a few of them here.

Health Benefits of Walking

Is a longer or a shorter workout better or more effective? Should you workout very hard in quick bursts or stretch out your activity? Everyone has a different opinion. Really, the best workout is the one that you, personally, will actually stick with and not drop a few weeks after your New Year’s resolutions.

In this case of incorporating movement when juice cleansing, we’re going to hone in on a “long” workout here – the benefit of lengthy walks. Getting your body moving outdoors can have some surprising benefits, including the following.

Weight Loss

Even people who love walking as their preferred means of exercise don’t often think of it as a real calorie burner. Indeed, short walks may not produce significant weight loss – though they could help keep away weight gain.

There’s a lot of “secret” weight loss power waiting to be unlocked in walking. If you increase your walk times to just an hour or more, move faster, or stick to rugged terrain (think hills and steep inclines), the calorie-burning power of walking starts to get much more noticeable.

Of course, how effective walking is for weight loss depends on the person. If you have a higher BMI, it’s more effort to carry your weight around. This means that walking will actually cause you to burn more calories. Walking also gets your metabolism going, so it’s perfect for people who tend to put on weight quickly.

Heart Health

Walking isn’t just about burning calories. It also helps to pick up your heart rate and boost your blood circulation. A little walking around 30-40 minutes every day can go a long way toward improving your heart health and help get your blood pressure under control. If you’re getting detox juices and green drinks to target your blood pressure, why not throw a small but mighty walk into the mix?

Lung Health

It’s not just about the fresh air – but that’s a nice bonus. Just like walking gets your heart working that little bit harder, it gives your lungs some much-needed oxygen and exercise. In fact, many doctors recommend light walks to deal with inflammatory lung diseases.

Joint Health

Walking’s benefit on blood flow isn’t just good for the heart. More blood flow around your body means that more blood flow is going to the areas of your body that are heavy in cartilage. This connective tissue helps cushion the joints between your bones. Better support for your cartilage helps keep your joints healthy and stave off arthritis later in life. The movement of your muscles is also great for helping protect your joints from health issues. And just like getting hydrated with detox juice and green drink, walking helps make sure your joints are consistently receiving enough lubrication.

Immune Boosting

Boosting your blood flow also helps the cells that make up your immune system travel around your body more efficiently. This helps to ensure that your immune system is performing effectively. Exercise has an anti-inflammatory effect, which takes some of the hard work off of your immune system and lets it focus on fighting diseases. Plus, your immune system does better when you’re low on stress. And speaking of…

Brain Health

During a brisk walk, your body releases endorphins. These help reduce the stress-causing hormones in your body and can even help combat mild depression. Walking has been linked to improvements in mood and self-esteem. And that’s before we count the benefits of taking a break from work to enjoy the outdoors and fresh air. (If you walk with friends, the stress-busting benefits are even more fantastic!)

However, the benefit to your brain from walking could go beyond just reducing stress. Walking has been linked to improved cognitive function and memory as well.

The Importance of a Low Impact Workout

So, I think we’ve now established that walking is great. But this has a special meaning for anything interested in doing a juice cleanse. While you’re on a detox juice cleanse to lose weight, many exercises are a little too hardcore. After all, the point of exercise is burning calories – and when you’re on a detox juice cleanse, you’re going to be shedding those calories quickly.

Of course, exercise isn’t just about weight loss. You need to stay active to get your blood pumping and muscles moving, even if just a little. Walking is a great “low impact” exercise while tackling a detox juice cleanse, from the 3 day cleanse to the 7 day cleanse. While you could try something more ambitious, it’s always the best idea to listen to your body and only take on exercises that you feel comfortable with. Upping your walking pace is also a great way to segway into more extensive activities post-cleanse.

Of course, we’ll give more guidance on proper cleanse care with our cleanse instructions – so go pick the cleanse that seems right for you, and get started today!

Why Weight Loss Matters

If you are interested in low sugar juice cleanses, there is a good chance it’s because you want to lose weight. There’s no reason to be embarrassed by this fact. Let’s be blunt – obesity and weight issues are an epidemic in America. And it’s been a long standing national issue for so long that many of us simply take it as the way things are. However, being overweight isn’t something that should be ignored. Here, we’ll go in-depth over the dangers of being overweight, ways you can address this issue, and Chef V Cleanse weight loss tips. Whether you want to just lose a few pounds, or go for a serious 21 day juice fast for weight loss, Chef V is here to help with your weight loss goals.

Dangers of Weight Gain
We won’t go too much into the definitions of being overweight or obese. As a rule of thumb, you can use Body Mass Index as a way to calculate the appropriate weight for your height and age.

When it comes to the danger of being overweight, there are some a few factors you should be aware of. Many people know that being overweight is extremely dangerous for our hearts and arteries, and increases the chance of high blood pressure, heart diseases, and stroke. Many are also aware that being overweight is linked with the development of type 2 diabetes.

However, there’s a lot more risk to being overweight than that. Being overweight can damage organs beyond the heart, such as leading to gallbladder issues. Carrying the extra weight can also end up doing damage to the cartilage within your joints, leading to arthritis – which can start a dangerous spiral of making exercise painful to partake in.

Being overweight or obese can also increase the chance of developing sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, leading to a lack of sleep that can create further health issues. More subtly, weight loss can lead to imbalances in the brain, creating issues such as depression or anxiety. It’s no wonder that there are many people out there who try maintain a healthy body weight range.

Is it Possible to Lose Weight?

We hear about weight loss success stories all the time. We see them online, on the front cover of magazines or on tv commericals. The truth is, there’s no magic product that can make you lose all your excess weight. Plenty of people out there do their best to try and lose weight and still fail.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that just because you tried to lose weight and it didn’t work, doesn’t mean that it’s entirely out of reach for you; It just requires good planning. One of the most common ways that weight loss plans fail is because it’s not permanent – the weight just comes back. Permanent weight loss requires a permanent shift, a plan and a lifestyle change, though that could be difficult to get started.

How to Lose Weight

When it comes to losing weight, most of you probably already understand the basics. If there’s one rule to take away, it’s that there is no magic potion or formula that will just get you losing weight. The more exercise you partake in, the easier it will be to lose weight. The healthier you eat, the easier it will be to lose weight. The fewer calories you intake, the more weight you will see being dropped on the scale. Here at Chef V, we are not suggesting that you stop eating to lose weight. We believe in making healthy choices to achieve your weight loss goals.

The basics are easy, but as in everything, execution can often be much harder. Just trying to “eat less food” or fast for a period of time will often just end up causing the proverbial pendulum to swing the other way, as you start to overeat and binge eat in accordance with your new hunger cravings.

It’s important, then, not just to try to cut back on calories and carbs, but to try to get your blood sugar levels under control. Spiking and crashing blood sugar levels can leave us lethargic, or craving food. This can make it hard to get the exercise we need and to keep up with our healthy eating.

Losing Weight With Low Sugar Juice Cleanses

So it’s pretty easy to get a grasp on the idea that if you want to lose weight, you need to cut down on foods that are high in fats and sugars. In particular, sugar is a significant cause of a lot of weight gain out there. Getting a handle on your sugar cravings is key to getting a handle on your weight loss.

This is one reason why low sugar juice cleanses are such an effective tool in helping with weight loss, and why so many people have found success through Chef V Cleanse weight loss green drinks. But how exactly does a low sugar juice cleanse help?

Firstly, while you’re undergoing a blended juice cleanse, whether a short-term one or a 21-day juice fast for weight loss, you are dramatically cutting back on carbs and calories. However, you’re also lowering your sugar intake, which stops blood sugar spikes. On top of this, you are detoxing your gut, and promoting more effective digestion.

All this means that a low sugar juice cleanse won’t only help you lose weight, but can help you cut the cravings that would cause you to put that weight right back on again.

Of course, just moving on to a juice cleanse after unhealthy eating can be difficult. And just trying to starve yourself isn’t particularly healthy either. This is where Chef V’s juice cleanses really have the chance to shine.

We don’t just provide bottled juice and expect you to make it through a 21-day juice fast for weight loss. Rather, we make sure to provide a mix of healthy green drinks as well as protein-providing detox shakes, and fiber-providing detox soups.

This means that Chef V provides low sugar juice cleanses that you can actually, you know, finish. And if you can gain the confidence from completing them, you can have the confidence to tackle any and all of your weight loss goals.

Why Plant-Based Pea Protein Rocks

A good 21 day juice cleanse will ensure that you’re getting all the nutrients you need to carry you through to the end. Many of these nutrients are pretty easy to include – fruits and vegetables tend to be heavily packed with all the good stuff.

Protein is generally the more difficult nutrient to get efficiently through your juices during a juice cleanse. However, there are some options for those willing to do the research. A great way to get protein during a 21 day juice cleanse is through protein smoothie recipes for intermittent fasting. And the best way to put protein in those shakes is through pea protein.

Why Protein Matters

So what’s the big deal with getting protein during a juice cleanse? Isn’t the point of a juice cleanse to drop high-protein and high-fat foods like meats and other animal products?

The thing is, protein is about as essential as nutrients get. Pretty much everything in your body consists of protein to some degree. In order for your body to build and maintain energy and repair itself, you’re going to need a source of protein in your diet.

This is especial during a blended juice cleanse. If you aren’t getting protein, you will feel terribly uncomfortable as a 21 day cleanse progresses. You’ll be very low energy and lathargic which will lead to irritability, lack of focus and dizziness. You’re also much more likely to simply give up on it halfway through. And yet, a lot of high-protein foods are also high in fats or carbs?

Here’s where pea protein comes in.

Why Pea Protein?

As the name suggests, pea protein is a protein source that has been isolated or concentrated out of peas, generally yellow peas. This pea protein can then be added to things like detox smoothie recipes for intermittent fasting. So why not just toss whole, raw peas in there?

Well, firstly, peas, as much as we love them, don’t necessarily blend well taste-wise into juices or smoothies. The creamy texture of pea protein powder is also much easier to work into a detox smoothie. More importantly, you can get more bang for your buck by extracting the protein from the pea vegetable. Pea protein powder will have double or triple the protein of the same amount of peas.

So pea protein powder brings its A-game to protein, sure. But why use it over other protein options? Well, there are plenty of reasons, including some of the following:

#1 Vegan
If you want a vegan option for getting your protein, pea protein is a great way to go. There’s no need to get your protein from any animal product, making it one of the most widely associated forms of protein.

#2 Hypoallergenic
Some of you are probably naming some other plant-based protein sources right now. Some of these are great, sure, but can also be allergenic. Take, for instance, protein gained from nuts. Pea protein is hypoallergenic, meaning it’s safe for everyone. No gluten, lactose, or anything else allergenic.

#3 Easily Digestible
Measured against other options, pea protein is very gentle on your stomach. This means that more protein actually gets into your body, and you don’t have to worry about your detox smoothies giving you any digestive issues.

#4 High in Iron
Do you know what else your body needs apart from protein? Iron. Do you know what has a ton of iron and protein? Pea protein powder. This means pea protein won’t just keep you full and healthy, but energetic as well.

Check Out our Detox Smoothies

At Chef V, we want to create the healthiest blended juice cleanse products possible that are also achievable by anyone. No starving out and giving up with us. That’s why we include detox smoothies full of pea protein in our 21 day juice cleanses. Make sure to check them out today!

What to Eat After a 21 Day Juice Cleanse

You did it! You finished that juice cleanse. Whether a 3 day detox or an impressive 21 day cleanse, you should be rightfully proud of your accomplishments. After a 21 day juice fast, you’re surely going to be eager to get back to a regular meal schedule. Before you put down that green drink and pick up a burger, you might want to consider planning out your post-juice cleanse meals. We’ll provide a guide here.

General Guide to Eating After a Juice Cleanse

You are going to want to go big after a juice cleanse. We get it. However, you want to make the most out of your 21 day cleanse. This means that you will have to be thoughtful and strategic as you come out of your juice cleanse. Your digestive system is going to be used to taking in a lot of green drinks, detox soups, and detox smoothies. This means that it’s not the best idea to leap right into big heavy meals. Here are some things consider during your meal planning in the days post-cleanse.

Be Mindful of Eating: You can easily make yourself sick by binge eating or eating too quickly after a long 21 day juice cleanse. Eat slowly and steadily as well as paying attention to your hunger levels. The simplest and best idea is to start with small meals and reduced portion sizes. This keeps your digestive system happy by gently reintroducing foods into your diet again and prevents suddenly regaining your lost weight.

Avoid Alcohol and Caffeine: Cut back on alcoholic drinks and caffeinated beverages for the moment. Your digestive system isn’t going to be quite ready for them yet. If you’re out with friends, try a fun mocktail made with club soda and fruit juice (in moderation of course – they can be packed with sugar!). There are also a great array of decaf teas and coffee’s you can try instead of your morning cup of joe.

Keep Sugar Intake Low: Your 21 day cleanse should have done a good job at helping you beat your sugar cravings. Lean into this. Try to go for foods that are low in sugar, and don’t give in and binge on the sweet stuff. If you really feel yourself about to cave, try drinking some water. Most times, we are just thirsty and we get our bodily cues mixed up. Or reach for a piece of fruit!

Eat Whole Foods: Eating whole foods will give you more of the nutrients you need, without adding in anything that could be damaging to your health. This includes unprocessed and fresh produce. Whole grains, seasonal vegetables, fish, meats, meat alternatives, legumes and beans are just a few really great options to start with.

Drink Plenty of Water: This one is huge. Drinking water will keep your health and let you better manage your appetite.

Ideas for Post 21 Day Cleanse Meals

All those tips are well and good. But what should you actually be eating within those rules? It’s a good idea to develop a meal plan with some healthy options. You can use the meal plan format to slowly increase your meals’ size after your 12 day cleanse. Take these ideas to get you started.

* Soups: Soups are known for being easy on the digestive system. They can also be super healthy! Ingredients like pumpkins, squashes, and leafy greens are good places to start.

* Salads: After plenty of green drinks, salads are a natural way to return to a regular diet after a 21 day cleanse. You want to make sure to prioritize salads that feature plenty of leafy greens.

* Fruit Dishes: If you’re looking for snacks after your 21 day cleanse, fruit is the way to go. This is a safe way to satisfy your sweet tooth without overloading with sugar. Fruit salads and fruit parfaits with yogurt are the way to go here.

* Healthy Fats: Once you’ve started to move back to regular eating with salads and soups, you’ll want to start upping your intake of more substantial foods. Try to keep it to healthy fats – dishes with avocados and nuts will be winners here.

Of course, no matter what you eat after your 21 day juice cleanse, you can always boost your nutritional value with Chef V’s Green Drink. You can get it delivered fresh, right to your doorstep.

Best Countries to Go Vegan

It might be presumption to say that going vegan is the way of the future. Still, finding vegan food options is much easier in some places compared to twenty, or even ten years ago. That said, the vegan revolution has hit different parts of the globe at different levels. Some places its easy to get a green drink delivery. Other places it can be quite difficult to find people who know what a good green drink should contain! As a quick guide to hungry world travelers, here’s some countries that are considered great places for vegans to live, travel and eat.

The United States

Of course, we have to put the USA on here. After all, its the one place in the world (as of now) that you can get a delicious Chef V green drink delivery, right to your door!

We are being serious here. The US has a bad reputation as a difficult place for vegans among many foreigners, due to the slow start that the vegan movement had here. The US is also associated heavily with high fat and calorically dense foods that aren’t the best for our overall and long term health..

However, current stats show that 6% of Americans are vegan, and that number is steadily growing. More impressively, many Americans are looking to cut back on the meat they eat in their diet. As a caveat, the vegan love in America is somewhat unequally shared. If you want great vegan eating, then make sure to join us on the west coast!

Canada

If we’re going to mention the United States, it’s unfair to not mention Canada as well. The two countries have many places that have similar cultures, and that holds true for their attitudes towards veganism as well. The best places to get vegan food in Canada are going to be the larger cities, which mix together vegan options from all over the world.

Over the last few years, many restaurants have opened their eyes to the vegan community. Chains, dine in restaurants and mom and pop restaurants are offering at least a few vegan friendly options. Making their menus more accessible to a broader audience.

The United Kingdom

This one might seem surprising to many. England is best known for fish and chips and sausages, right? Traditionally, you might be right, but something big is stirring in the British Isles. Veganism has taken off in a big way over there. Especially notable hotspots are cities like Bristol and Brighton. It seems like concerns about health are fueling this sudden takeoff in vegan options in the UK.

Germany

If there’s a country more associated with sausages than Britain, it has to be Germany. Continental Europe is known for its love of meat and dairy dishes after all. However, Germany might surprise you in this regard. German’s secret vegan power is its innovation. More new vegan products are launched in Germany than even in the United States! With an estimated 1 in 10 German youths being vegan, it seems that green drinks and the like are very trendy here.

Indonesia

Many people aren’t aware that some of the best countries to go vegan can be found in the Muslim world. With foods like hummus and falafel being staples, however, you’ll certainly find lots of tasty options in this country.

And in the Muslim World, Indonesia shines as the crown jewel of vegan cuisine. Dishes like Balinese Urab have captured the imaginations of vegans around the globe. If you’re looking for new vegan dishes to try out, Indonesia is the place to look.

Israel

If a country can hope to lay claim to the vegan crown, we might have to award it to Israel. This country manages to mix together the vegan cuisine of Arabic countries, the vegan ingenuity of Europe, and the plant-based zeal of the most vegan-friendly cities in America. Over 5% of Israelis are fully vegan. When new vegan products are created, there’s a good chance that they came from Israel.

No matter what country you go to, Chef V wishes you the best of eating on your vegan journeys. And if you return to one of the states where we deliver, we have our green drink delivery waiting just for you!

There are so many human enthusiasts of our Chef V green drink that we sometimes forget all our four-legged fans. However, animals love our green drink, proving that pets can be just as intelligent as their owners. While you’re giving your pet some of your delicious green juice delivery, did you ever realize that they’re giving you just as much of a health benefit? Pets are one of the best secrets to a healthy life. We’ll explain here.

Pets and Physical Health

You might figure that pets are good for you since they’re fun to have around. And being able to relax and have fun is always good for you, right? But did you know pets have physical benefits as well?

Firstly, pets like dogs will require that you get out and walk them every once in a while. This means that just by owning a dog, you’re automatically getting more exercise than you usually would. (Low impact exercise like dog walking, by the way, pairs great with a 3 day juice cleanse!)

Owning pets also has been linked with a reduction in allergies, particularly if you start interacting with pets at a young age. Humans are animals, after all, and living too sterile a life can leave us unprepared for the more infectious parts of nature. Having plants and animals around helps us keep our immune system ready to roll at any time.

And if you have a health condition, having pets around is excellent insurance. Some pets can smell the effects of things like diabetes. There are even trained diabetic alert dogs and seizure alert dogs that can help save lives. When they said dogs were man’s best friend, they weren’t joking.

Pets and Mental Health

The idea that pets benefit your mental health is a no-brainer. Everyone wants to be loved, and pets give love unconditionally. Staving off loneliness is worth getting a pet on its own, helping you battle conditions like acute anxiety or depression. (Pet’s are also a great excuse to get out and meet with other pet owners, strengthening your social circles). Some of the different ways pets improve your mental wellness might surprise you.

For example, did you know that owning pets can reduce your blood pressure? Petting animals seems to reduce a hormone that helps regulate stress levels in humans.

The happiness that pets bring can also cause your body to release more endorphins. These hormones are some of the most potent pain relievers humans can naturally produce. This means that having pets around is a way to combat chronic pain.

Pet’s Love Chef V!

Pet’s and Chef V products are a natural pairing. Both help you with your physical health, and both make you feel great at the same time. If you’re taking a break to enjoy a 3-day juice cleanse, there’s no better way to spend it than chilling out with your pet.

What’s great about Chef V is that it’s made from entirely organic, natural ingredients. This means that it’s perfectly safe to share with most pets. So if you have cats or dogs, pour them out a little bit of green drink. From our experience, they’ll love it just as much as you do – so make sure to save some of that green drink for yourself.

Of course, our green drink is always best enjoyed fresh. So make sure to order your Chef V green juice delivery today!

Weight loss is a challenge no matter the time of year. Whether you’re working out or trying low sugar juice cleanses, staying fit is a lifelong commitment. And yet, some times of the year are more challenging than others. Some of our readers may be in places where winter is just a distant worry, while others are still having to shovel the snow.

These can be some of the most challenging times to stay fit for those who have to deal with months of ice and darkness. In this blog, we’ll take a look at some ways that you can beat the winter woes and keep that healthy edge – with a bit of help from Chef V cleanse for weight loss, of course.

What Makes Winter So Tough on Weight Control?

There are quite a few challenges that winter poses to a healthy living regime. Just how much of a roadblock winter can be to your health goals very much depends on where you are in the world.

For many, the weather will absolutely prevent you from leaving your home. If you live in the Mid West, you know exactly what we’re talking about. This means that your regular exercise options such as an outdoor way are limited. If you don’t have easy access to a gym or workout equipment at home, you’re going to have to rethink your exercise plans.

People have always realized that winter is a miserable slog. This is why our ancestors decided that this would be the perfect time to put as many holidays as possible to try and cheer us all up. While a nice thought, big holiday meals tend not to be the best for your waistline. From huge Christmas dinners to New Years Eve snacks to Valentine’s Day chocolate, the cold months are associated with tons and tons of fatty and sweet food.

Despite all that festive cheer, many of us still feel pretty down during the winter. A lack of sunlight and Vitamin D can cause a downturn in the brightest person’s mood. This can then cause a lack of motivation and energy to get active and eat right. Once you fall off the healthy lifestyle wagon, getting back on board can be pretty tricky.

Of course, all these worries pale in comparison to the fact that winter tends to be the season of health bugs, bacteria, and viruses. This is the time when flu, colds, and other diseases tend to spread the furthest and the fastest. If you’re not feeling well or bedridden, you’re not going to be getting activities.

So what are you to do during those chilly months?

Exercising in Winter

At some point, you have to get some exercise. Even if you’re in the middle of a low sugar juice cleanse or a long 21-day detox, you should be moving your body around a little bit. While winter can be brutal to be active, it doesn’t need to be.

Firstly, have you considered picking up some winter sports? Depending on where you live, skiing or skating could be an option. You might need to pack on some extra clothes, but winter hiking can be just as enjoyable as walks in warmer weather. If you get outside, you’ll also maximize what little sunlight you get, which is good for keeping up your Vitamin D.

Some days, Mother Nature will decide on there being a snowstorm. You’re going to need a plan to get active even as you’re stuck inside. If you have home workout equipment, that’s great, but not all of us are that lucky.

Thankfully, there are ways to stay active even while stuck inside. With the help of an online fitness video, aerobic exercises are one method. Yoga is also an option to keep active if you have no other equipment to use. Plus, yoga is a great low impact exercise to do if you’re on, say, a low sugar juice cleanse.

Mindful Winter Eating

The temptation is natural to go into hibernation mode in the winter. Eat a whole lot of food, then sleep the darker months away. However, people aren’t bears. Hibernation or dormancy aren’t going to work for your health. You need to do your best to make sure that you stick to healthy eating habits. Go for a regular meal schedule, and avoid holiday binging or excessive snacking.

You’re going to be especially tempted to load up on sweet treats during the holiday season. This might be enjoyable at first, but we both know you’re going to suffer from a severe sugar crash later on. This is why it’s a good idea to search for some vegan, low-sugar options this holiday season.

Enjoy a Blended Juice Cleanse

When it comes to handling your weight in the winter, a blended juice cleanse is going to be your secret weapon. In fact, winter can be one of the best times to tackle something like a 21-day detox.

There are a few reasons for this. Firstly, you’re more likely to have time off or time at home during the winter. This is the best time to do a blended juice cleanse, as you don’t need to worry about focusing on anything else. You can relax, chill out, and enjoy your cleanse.

Being stuck inside isn’t as bad when you’re on a blended juice cleanse. You don’t want to be doing intense exercise in the middle of a 21-day detox, so having your exercise routine limited to low-impact activities is perfect.

A low sugar juice cleanse is the perfect way to help get your body sugar under control after some holiday binging. Better yet, it’s a way to help quickly shed a lot of that winter weight. So relax, pick your favorite cleanse, and let Chef V help you make it through the winter!

It’s one of the most talked-about health issues today, but not everyone is aware of what inflammation is, or why it's a risk to your health. This piece explains the ins and outs of inflammation, including the foods that cause inflammation – and the foods that fight it. This, of course, includes all the great things you’ll find in a low sugar juice cleanse.

What is Inflammation?

If you ever had an injury that got even mildly infected, you might have remembered the vivid redness. Inflammation is a result of your body trying to protect itself. Whenever your body has to deal with infection or injury, it releases chemicals to try to kill off bacteria. These chemicals are called cytokines.

Cytokines can be considered your body’s weapons against infection. However, like any weapon, they are best used responsibly. Think of them like firearms. You want the military and maybe the police to mainly have access to them. If you start giving everyone in a city a handgun, that’s not automatically leading to safer neighborhoods – especially if you have a lot of irresponsible owners.

In this metaphor, you can think of your white blood cells as your body’s army. The “problem owners?” Those would be your fat cells. Yep, your fat cells can make cytokines too. Excess fat cells in your body can start “firing off” cytokines even if there isn’t a real emergency. And they’ll start to do a lot of damage in their reckless use of cytokines.

Dangers Of Inflammation

If you undergo too much inflammation, eventually it’s going to start affecting even your perfectly healthy tissues. This turns your body into a warzone, even if there are no enemy bacteria inside to fight. And the effects can be severely harmful to your body.

Acute inflammation, where the inflammation briefly appears to deal with an issue and then abates, is normal. Chronic inflammation (where the inflammation persists) has been linked to conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and even cancer.

What’s worrying is that plenty of chronic inflammation can be happening inside your body, without you noticing. Many of the symptoms of inflammation are also easy to mistake for other issues. These include joint pain, fatigue, and headaches.

How to Beat Inflammation

Chronic inflammation is serious, but there are ways to combat it. Doing so should involve a two-part approach. Firstly, you want to try to alleviate the inflammation itself. Secondly, you want to reduce your number of fat cells, such as through a juice detox diet.

Alleviating the inflammation can be done with medication, but it’s also achievable with choices in diet. Some foods are considered to be “anti-inflammatory” – which includes a lot of fruits and vegetables.

On the flip side, foods that are high in processed sugar or fats tend to promote inflammation. If you have a craving for sugary or fatty foods, you might want to look into a low sugar juice cleanse detox to help you cut back.

To prevent more inflammation, one of the best things you can do is try to lose weight. Making sure that you are getting enough exercise is very important. As is developing a diet that is low in fats, carbs, and processed sugars.

If you want to try and cut down on your weight faster, you should look into a juice cleanse detox, like our 21 day detox. A juice cleanse detox is a great way to quickly shed the fat cells that could be causing inflammation in your body. A low sugar juice cleanse is also a great way to help kick sugar cravings, leaving you ready for an inflammation-free future.

As of writing, it may be the depths of winter in many parts of America. We’re certain you’re dreaming of sunnier climates, especially if you’re buried in snow. One of the best ways to lift your spirits during these times is to enjoy some tropical fruits. Not only does this add a tropical flair to your diet in dark times, but it can also help you stay healthy while you’re cooped up indoors. With that in mind, we’ll go over some of our favorite tropical fruits here.

Why Fruits Matter

Fruits tend to be packed full of all sorts of great vitamins, just like vegetables. In particular, fruit is often noted for high levels of Vitamin C and potassium. This means that fruit is great for your immune system. Fruit is also very low in carbs and fat, while still keeping a sweet taste through natural sugars. This means that fruit is a great way to indulge your sugar cravings without having to worry about gaining weight or suffering sugar crashes.

Of course, every fruit brings its special benefits as well. The following are some of our favorites.

#1 Papayas

As makers of detox juice cleanses, we’re always looking for ways to help promote healthier guts and digestion. In many places around the world, papaya is considered the staple after-dinner dessert. This is because of the enzyme appropriately called “papain”, which makes proteins much easier to digest. And, of course, papaya is wonderful for your immune system. So if you’re looking for the perfect post-dinner snack, the papaya might be just what you need.

#2 Banana

Okay, the banana is a really obvious choice. We get it. But there’s no list of our favorite tropical fruits that couldn’t include a mention. There’s just so much in every banana. They include Vitamin C for your immune system, dietary fiber for your digestive system, and vitamin B6 for energy and making red blood cells. If you need it, bananas probably have it in a conveniently portable package.

#3 Mangos

There’s a good reason many people have dubbed the mango the “king of fruits”. First off, mangos are just plain delicious. They’re incredibly flexible as well, fitting into a wide variety of dishes. Yet, mango’s nutritional profile is where its real magic shines. Mangoes are full of vitamin C, making them amazing for your immune system. They are also packed with substances that promote the creation of Vitamin A, leading to good eye health. (Oh, and Vitamin A and C together help give you clearer skin – a total win!)

Mango is also popular in many juice cleanse plans for its benefits for indigestion. Mangoes contain enzymes that help you break down fiber and protein, making them great for your gut.

#4 Pineapples

Pineapples are thought by many to be just a garnish – something you might (controversially, perhaps) toss on a pizza to make it seem more “Hawaiian”. Yet, pineapples are a secret nutritional powerhouse.

Beyond having tons of Vitamin C, pineapple also contains manganese, good for building healthy bones. It also includes antioxidants that help boost your immune system even further. And it tastes great without featuring too many fats or sugars, making it the perfect fruit to combat sugar cravings.

Enjoy A Tropical Green Drink

At Chef V, we’re famous for our juice cleanse plans filled with leafy greens. But did you know that you can get detox juice cleanse green drinks that have a tropical flair to them as well? Our tropical green drink features mango and pineapple along with all the greens. This makes it one of the most delicious detox juice cleanses out there. Make sure to start building your detox juice cleanse plan today, to get this tropical green drink as soon as possible!