Juicer recommendation?

[cloversandlions]

So I watched "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead" last night. Inspiring movie, I'll say...and I'm considering giving it a serious try.

 

Thankfully, I am not on meds for most of the things mentioned in the movie. Even though I'm a lot overweight (almost 100 lbs.), my blood pressure is fine, my most recent cholesterol result was 140, and I do not have diabetes. Last year, though, my BIL, who was a brittle diabetic and a smoker, had a massive stroke. Everything indicated that he would die within a week, but he's still alive - he is paralyzed on one side, and he'll never leave the nursing home he's in. He's 51. And although I don't have many of the indicators like Phil and Joe had in the movie, I'm often just...tired. I remember the time when I wore size 6 pants and had endless energy. I worked out every day at the Y, and I felt great. WW isn't an option here this time, but surely I can do this on my own.

 

I'm wondering if the juicer they used in the movie is the best. Or, I've seen vita-mixes at Costco, although I don't know if they are only sold when they are being showcased. Cost is a factor, but I don't want to waste money on something that doesn't work well, either.

 

So, any recommendations? Also, has anyone here tried to do a juice fast, and if so, do you think it helped you?

[1GirlTwinBoys]

I would get a Vitamix or a Blendtec (which is what I have). They're very high power and you don't lose any pulp in waste.:) Couldn't be without my juicer and it's definitely worth the money. I purchased mine at Costco. If you have one close by, you can ask when they're going to demo one of those brands.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

Natalie :grouphug: Please read the reboot site and Dr. Fuhrman's Eat to Live before jumping in to a full-bore juice fast.

 

Joe and Phil did it the hard way. (I saw a youtube video of Joe yesterday. He explained that he didn't know to ramp up to it, and if he'd known better he would have done better.)

 

As a homeschool mom, you probably don't have four or five days to sleep, wail, rage and cry through the initial detox, but you don't have to go through that all if you'll take this in phases. I know all about this level of detoxing. I had to do it before to address candida and to heal from years of prednisone. It is brutal. You don't know how detoxing will make you feel, or how capable you'll be of taking care of your kids while you go through it. So try not to.

 

Avoid the shock-style detox by going in stages:

 

1. Spend a month on the ETL diet.

2. Then spend a week eating only fruits and vegetables and drinking juices.

3. The do your juice fast. (10, 15, or 30 days; keep going if you feel good and if your dr. approves)

 

After the juice fast, come back the same way:

 

1. Spend a week eating only fruits and vegetables and drinking juices

2. Then resume the ETL diet.

3. Reincorporate some meat and dairy, etc., in strict moderation. Furhman's book explains how to hold the line while still having some treats.

 

Joe does a 'reboot' every quarter now, going to fruits, veg, and juice only for a week and then doing a 10 or 15 day juice fast. That's a great way to stay focused and on track for life.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

Oops, I forgot: To answer your question, I have a 10-year-old Juiceman juicer that is doing just fine. If I were starting over and could afford it, I'd get the Breville.

[Running the race]

I watched it last night as well. I certainly will use my Vitamix more, though I doubt I'll do the juice fast.

[meggie]

I would get a Vitamix. In fact I did. If you want the juice, you can always strain your smoothie. The fiber does a lot to help you feel full and supposedly helps keep your blood sugar from spiking (I hear the Vitamix people say that, I have no idea if it's actually true.) The juicer can only do one thing. The Vitamix can do a whole heckuva lot. We've done smoothies, ice cream, tortilla soup (love this!), salsa and almond butter and will be doing peanut butter later today and hopefully mayonnaise in the next few days.

[kwg]

I just couldn't afford the one in the movie. I got this one http://www.walmart.com/ip/Black-Decker-Fruit-and-Vegetable-Juice-Extractor/15034494?sourceid=1500000000000003260370&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=15034494

 

I only bought it in August.

[4wildberrys]

I vote for Vitamix too---less pulp waste and much more nutrition with all the fiber. I bought one over 10 years ago when my Juiceman died and I was appalled at the cost of JuicePlus. Been making 2 smoothies a day---fruit in the morning and veggie juice at night---for 10 years straight and only had to get a new container last year ;)

[cloversandlions]

So I'm looking closely at the Vita-mix, although I'll look at the BlendTec, too. My Costco won't have a VitaMix demo until December, so I'm wondering if it is worth waiting until then. Tibbie, the information you included is interesting, though I can't deny that I do just want to jump in and get started. :)

 

My children wanted to watch the movie, so we are watching now. My ds loved the histamine animation!

 

Thanks for the replies; I did also find a related thread from last month - that one was so helpful, too.

[meggie]

So I'm looking closely at the Vita-mix, although I'll look at the BlendTec, too. My Costco won't have a VitaMix demo until December, so I'm wondering if it is worth waiting until then. Tibbie, the information you included is interesting, though I can't deny that I do just want to jump in and get started. :)

 

My children wanted to watch the movie, so we are watching now. My ds loved the histamine animation!

 

Thanks for the replies; I did also find a related thread from last month - that one was so helpful, too.

 

The Vitamix at Costco is the 5200 and cost $400. Contact this lady and see what her special deal is. I know she does lots of Costco demonstrations and she tells you to contact her for the lowest price. Maybe it'll be comparable.

[LisaKinVA]

A vitamix isn't a juicer... it does a lot, but making "juice" in the true sense of the word it does not (unless you strain the pulp through cheese-cloth, or something like it).

 

I bought the vitamix first (wet and dry blades). More versatile, I am more interested in smoothies than juices right now.

Next, I bought a pasta maker and tortilla press...

Next on my list is a grain mill and a new mixer (as mine is dying).

Then comes the juicer.

 

Why do I want a juicer too? Because sometimes, I just want the juice, and I don't want to have to do more work to get it. :D I'm completely interested in doing a once a quarter juice fast "re-boot" for a week or two.

Edited October 25, 2011 by LisaK in VA
typo

[SJ.]

I believe that one aspect about juicing is you absorb more micronutrients that aren't absorbed when the fiber is present. Just something to think about.

 

We have a Vitamix and a Jack Lalane Power Juicer. To be honest we don't use either as much as I'd like. The juicer is a PAIN to clean and there is a lot of waste, plus it doesn't do well with greens. On a positive note I FEEL different when I juice, sometimes within the hour I am energized.

 

LisaK - why do you need a blender if you have a Vitamix? We use ours for our blending needs.

[Twilight Woods]

I bought a the one used in the movie-refurbished on amazon for $130. I love it and the juice it makes. The kids love it too!

 

:)

[cloversandlions]

The Vitamix at Costco is the 5200 and cost $400. Contact this lady and see what her special deal is. I know she does lots of Costco demonstrations and she tells you to contact her for the lowest price. Maybe it'll be comparable.

 

Thanks! I'll give her a call tomorrow. What an interesting coincidence that she'll be demo'ing later this week very, very close (within a few miles, I think!) to where we're probably moving next year.

 

I believe that one aspect about juicing is you absorb more micronutrients that aren't absorbed when the fiber is present. Just something to think about.

 

Oh, that's interesting. I'll have to look into that, too. Hmmm...:001_huh:

[i.love.lucy]

Natalie :grouphug: Please read the reboot site and Dr. Fuhrman's Eat to Live before jumping in to a full-bore juice fast.

 

Joe and Phil did it the hard way. (I saw a youtube video of Joe yesterday. He explained that he didn't know to ramp up to it, and if he'd known better he would have done better.)

 

As a homeschool mom, you probably don't have four or five days to sleep, wail, rage and cry through the initial detox, but you don't have to go through that all if you'll take this in phases. I know all about this level of detoxing. I had to do it before to address candida and to heal from years of prednisone. It is brutal. You don't know how detoxing will make you feel, or how capable you'll be of taking care of your kids while you go through it. So try not to.

 

Avoid the shock-style detox by going in stages:

 

1. Spend a month on the ETL diet.

2. Then spend a week eating only fruits and vegetables and drinking juices.

3. The do your juice fast. (10, 15, or 30 days; keep going if you feel good and if your dr. approves)

 

After the juice fast, come back the same way:

 

1. Spend a week eating only fruits and vegetables and drinking juices

2. Then resume the ETL diet.

3. Reincorporate some meat and dairy, etc., in strict moderation. Furhman's book explains how to hold the line while still having some treats.

 

Joe does a 'reboot' every quarter now, going to fruits, veg, and juice only for a week and then doing a 10 or 15 day juice fast. That's a great way to stay focused and on track for life.

Thank you for these wise words! I just sat here and watched the movie and cried seeing Phil at the end. What an amazing movie.

 

I now want to run out and buy a great juicer and jump right in. But common sense tells me to slow down a research more. I definitely DO NOT have days and days to drop out of my life to detox and do this. Especially with the holidays approaching! Hello!?! Set myself up for torture? But, maybe I could make some better choices and work up to doing a 5-7 day fast soon. I really want my husband to sit and watch this. We are both fat, tired, sick, blah, blah, blah. Something needs to be done.

 

Maybe a cheaper purchase of a juicer at first is okay? Holy cow at the prices of those good ones!

[Lang Syne Boardie]

Thank you for these wise words! I just sat here and watched the movie and cried seeing Phil at the end. What an amazing movie.

 

I now want to run out and buy a great juicer and jump right in. But common sense tells me to slow down a research more. I definitely DO NOT have days and days to drop out of my life to detox and do this. Especially with the holidays approaching! Hello!?! Set myself up for torture? But, maybe I could make some better choices and work up to doing a 5-7 day fast soon. I really want my husband to sit and watch this. We are both fat, tired, sick, blah, blah, blah. Something needs to be done.

 

Maybe a cheaper purchase of a juicer at first is okay? Holy cow at the prices of those good ones!

 

Amy, I started my 30 day ramp-up today! :) I'm doing ETL plus one juice meal per day. In my opinion, don't wait to start incorporating the juice even if you need more time before doing the fast (as I do). Just one serving of juice gives a huge burst of energy for those of us who are fat, sick, and nearly dead. I felt so good all morning after that juice! And mornings are usually so hard for me. Big difference. Starting to feel hopeful already...

 

Concerning quality of juicers for beginners:

 

At the reboot site, the nutritionist from the video (Stacy something?) answers common questions and chips in her wisdom. She said to use whatever you have or whatever you can ahold of; don't feel like you have to run out and get the top-of-the-line model shown in the movie. She said the main point, first and foremost, is to become a juicer, not to buy a juicer. LOL

 

So I'm using my 10yo Juiceman. If I didn't have that, I'd buy a refurbished good juicer or a mostly-good cheap one for starters. Prove to yourself that juicing is going to be part of your life before getting married to some $400 kitchen appliance.

 

Let's try to keep a thread going if you're going to do this, too. I really, really want to succeed at this! I want to fix up my diet to prepare for the juice fast, and then do it. I loved watching Joe and Phil turn back the clock. I want that for myself.

[i.love.lucy]

So, step one is probably to get my hands on ETL? And do the diet in there, then move on to juicing or veg/fruit only?

 

:D Should we start a new thread?

[cloversandlions]

I bought a the one used in the movie-refurbished on amazon for $130. I love it and the juice it makes. The kids love it too!

 

:)

 

Which model?

 

I want a Vita-Mix, and was even planning to go get one today (@ 5 hours round trip - yikes), but maybe I should do a bit more research first. :)

[Twilight Woods]

Which model?

 

I want a Vita-Mix, and was even planning to go get one today (@ 5 hours round trip - yikes), but maybe I should do a bit more research first. :)

 

Breville JE98XL Juice Fountain Plus

 

.

[LisaKinVA]

LisaK - why do you need a blender if you have a Vitamix? We use ours for our blending needs.

 

oops. meant mixer... my 15yo kitchen aid is dying.

[Negin]

Natalie, I can't answer about best juicers. I've been juicing for more than 15 years on and off. Many of my juicers have died. So now I just buy the cheapest ones and replace them every year or two. Seriously. I got tired of spending bundles of money on juicers that were going to live for the same amount of time as the cheap ones. The absolute worst juicer I ever got was this one at Costco. Because of that, I will never get a Jack La Lanne juicer again. I mistakenly believed that Costco only sells the cream of the crop. Not so. This was horrible. I would do my research and consider the reviews on amazon, especially the distribution of star ratings, if you KWIM. For example, that juicer I linked has 42 out of 155 people giving it a 1-Star - basically 27% hated it.

 

So I watched "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead" last night. Inspiring movie, I'll say...and I'm considering giving it a serious try.

I'd really like to see this movie. I keep hearing about it.

 

but surely I can do this on my own.

I think you can also and I applaud your spirit and positiv-ity (not a word, I know). :)

 

Also, has anyone here tried to do a juice fast, and if so, do you think it helped you?

I've never been able to. I would love to if I had no distractions and commitments - a break from the kids - and zero responsibility.

I have replaced ONE meal a day with juice - mainly veggie juices. But never gone all out. Just replacing that one meal has helped me lose weight in the past. Maybe I should try it again. This post is encouraging me to do so. :D

 

Most juicers come with their own recipe books. This book is fabulous and I love it.

 

 

Some of my thoughts/tips on juicing. Wanted to share in case anyone's interested.

 

I try to juice daily or at least as often as possible. I juice veggies for the most part, and seldom juice fruits, since they say that too much fruit juice raises insulin levels. When making juices for our children, however, I add a little bit of fruit – usually an apple. Adding an apple or some grapes is also great for those who cannot stand the taste of veggie juices and are just starting out.

 

Any good juicing book will give great recipes as well as all the benefits of various juices. My favorite one is Juicing for Life. There are many others, but that’s the one I have and like. I like to rotate my juicing recipes and vary the vegetables. As with any food, if you keep juicing the same veggies day after day, you may develop food sensitivities to them. Variety is important.

 

My reasons for juicing:

 

1. I believe that regularity of and ease with bowel movements are probably amongst the most important measures of overall health. A healthy person should preferably have at least one bowel movement per day. Also, it should not be painful, take too long, or involve straining. Bowel movements should be easy. There should be very little time for magazine reading ;)! I notice a huge difference in this area when we juice as opposed to when we don’t.

 

2. Juicing helps to detox the liver. The cleansing and health of the liver is essential to overall health. The liver has many important functions – mainly to clean the blood and to remove toxins and waste.

 

3. One of the most important measures of health is a well-balanced pH system – one that is just above neutral and slightly alkaline. Pretty much any disease and health disorder (ranging from acne, to the common cold, all the way to cancer), simply cannot survive in a system that is alkaline. Vegetable juices are great for alkalizing. A good friend of mine, who really knows her stuff about natural healing, once told me that maintaining a healthy pH balance and lymphasizing are the two best things one can do for overall health.

 

4. Most of us know that the more raw foods we can eat, the better. Juicing is a great way to do this.

 

For those who reject juicing because of the lack of fiber, yes, of course fiber is essential. Most of us need even more fiber than we’re currently taking. To me, juicing is an excellent way to get even more nutrients than I would otherwise. When I see the amount of veggies that I juice, I know that it would be very, very difficult to eat all those veggies. I see juicing as an addition to a high-fiber diet. Besides, from what I understand, juicing removes mainly indigestible fiber, which your body cannot absorb anyway.

 

The only downside of juicing is the amount of time it takes to prepare the veggies and to clean the juicer. The latter really and truly can be an absolute pain! But the benefits of juicing far outweigh this.

 

After juicing, you should drink it within a few minutes, or the enzymes will be destroyed from exposure to air. Within 20 minutes the enzymes are all oxidized.

 

I just couldn't afford the one in the movie. I got this one http://www.walmart.com/ip/Black-Decker-Fruit-and-Vegetable-Juice-Extractor/15034494?sourceid=1500000000000003260370&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=15034494

 

Sounds like the approach I take. :)

 

A vitamix isn't a juicer... it does a lot, but making "juice" in the true sense of the word it does not (unless you strain the pulp through cheese-cloth, or something like it).

Thank you so much for this very helpful piece of info, Lisa :grouphug:. I never knew. Here I was thinking that I simply must get one someday.

 

I bought a the one used in the movie-refurbished on amazon for $130. I love it and the juice it makes. The kids love it too!

Karen, I haven't seen the movie. Could you please send a link as to which one you got? Thank you.

 

Just one serving of juice gives a huge burst of energy for those of us who are fat, sick, and nearly dead.

:iagree: Juicing is wonderful.

 

Prove to yourself that juicing is going to be part of your life before getting married to some $400 kitchen appliance.

 

These words are gold. So very, very true.

 

So, step one is probably to get my hands on ETL? And do the diet in there, then move on to juicing or veg/fruit only?

Should we start a new thread?

Amy, if it were me and I was just starting out, I would buy a decent-priced juicer and get hold of a good juicing book, such as the one I mentioned above.

Then focus on juicing just once a day, as Tibbie mentions above.

And then I would look into the whole ETL approach, which, is not really easy to do and may be quite challenging. In other words, I would start slowly with just one juice a day. Just my 2 cents.

[Pamela H in Texas]

Thanks for the thread,

 

I think I'm just going to get the one at Walmart myself. If I want, later, I can go get a top of the line one. We had a more expensive one before but it just sat on top of the refrigerator the great majority of the time. We prefer smoothies for the fiber, temperature, and that it takes half as many (or fewer) items to get the same amount (ie, it's cheaper!).

 

And that leads into my next question because you mentioned it too and I simply cannot understand. I *totally* get that many more items go into juice so ideally one is getting many more nutrients from the juice. However, I think my head pretty much says, "ha, no way." I would guess you're losing PLENTY of nutrients outside of fiber in the pulp. Is juicing considerably more nutrients per sip than blending? I'm not convinced.

 

That doesn't make it a bad idea. I totally get some of the ideas behind juicing. I simply am not understanding or buying that it is more nutrient dense than eating a whole veggie or blending.

 

I hope I don't sound contrary. I simply want to know if my thinking may be right or is off in left field because of X, Y, and Z.

 

Can you tell as how many meals per day you're eating generally with juicing being one of them? The last few days, I seem to be eating four meals with some hunger discomfort before the next. So would one of those be juice if I committed to juicing one meal per day?

 

I do want to do some juice fasting, but I think I need to ramp up to it. I simply do not have a week to feel like I'm dying. I'm also concerned about price. $14/day (as shown in the movie) may not seem like much to *some* people, but 30 days of it adds up! That is almost my entire food budget for the entire family! But if I could do 20-30 days of the next three months (my big goal date is about 100 days away), I think it'd only help me.

 

(side note: My goal date isn't a date to be at some particular weight or what have you. It is a date of a special event -hopefully!- so I simply want to be at my best, up for the challenges and joys the next 15-20 years are going to bring me :) ).

[Negin]

I think I'm just going to get the one at Walmart myself. If I want, later, I can go get a top of the line one.

Pamela, good decision, I think. :)

 

Is juicing considerably more nutrients per sip than blending? I'm not convinced.

That doesn't make it a bad idea. I totally get some of the ideas behind juicing. I simply am not understanding or buying that it is more nutrient dense than eating a whole veggie or blending.

I hope I don't sound contrary. I simply want to know if my thinking may be right or is off in left field because of X, Y, and Z.

You don't sound contrary. I can't remember the details. I do recall reading about this in some juicing books. I don't know much at all about blending. If it involves bananas and fruit, my thoughts are that juicing veggies for the most part is just better for you. Whatever one choose to do, variety is a great thing. :)

Here's basically what I've read.

For those who reject juicing because of the lack of fiber, yes, of course fiber is essential. Most of us need even more fiber than we’re currently taking. To me, juicing is an excellent way to get even more nutrients than I would otherwise. When I see the amount of veggies that I juice, I know that it would be very, very difficult to eat all those veggies. I see juicing as an addition to a high-fiber diet. Besides, from what I understand, juicing removes mainly indigestible fiber, which your body cannot absorb anyway.

 

Can you tell as how many meals per day you're eating generally with juicing being one of them? The last few days, I seem to be eating four meals with some hunger discomfort before the next. So would one of those be juice if I committed to juicing one meal per day?

If you can replace one meal a day with a veggie juice, or even occasional fruit, you should be able to lose weight. I did. I haven't been able to do that plan in a long while. Every time I've done it, I've lost weight and looked and felt so much healthier. There were even times where I replaced 2 meals a day with veggie juices.

If you can do it, I say, go for it. I wish I could do this again. Right now, my lifestyle makes it difficult.