Vitamix

I bought a Vitamix like this one in January and have been using it every day since. For breakfast I blend kale, spinach, a carrot, an apple or orange, some berries and a scoop of raw protein powder for a delicious and nutritious smoothie. It has replaced my blender and my 2 juicers. I love fruit but have never really loved vegetables and have always had a hard time getting enough of them in my diet, especially raw. The Vitamix pretty much solves this problem and the fruit disguises the taste of the kale and other vegetables I don't love.

Nutrition and health

Here are the results from 3 studies that I just read today.

1. The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Diet: Researchers followed 88,000 healthy women for 25 years and found that those who followed the DASH Diet which favors fruit, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat milk, and plant-based protein were 24% less likely to have a heart attack and 18% less likely to have a stroke than women on a more typical American diet.

2. Swedish researchers have found that a gluten-free vegan diet of nuts, sunflower seeds, fruits and vegetables reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes for people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.

3. An apple a day really does keep the Dr. away according to data collected by the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey. The study which collected data from 1999-2004, found that adults who eat apples and applesauce and drink apple juice are 27% less likely to have metabolic syndrome which is a cluster of health problems linked to diseases such diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Apple eaters also tend to eat more foods with vitamins A and C, calcium, dietary fiber, and potassium than non apple eaters and also less fat.