The Benefits of Homemade Coldpressed Drinks this Winter.

Hello Y’all! Welcome to a new month and the second-to-last month of the year. As the weather cools, the flu, along with every other bug, becomes rampant. Avoiding getting sick during the winter is the best thing one can do because not only will it be miserable outside, you will be miserable on the inside, coupled with still having to do daily activities and get stuff done.

If you’re in the States and keeping abreast with the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) overhaul, you would realize that a lot of our processed drinks contain ingredients that are not only harmful to our health but also have limited to no nutrients and predominantly artificial sugars. It’s widely known that some of the ingredients in our foods have been banned in Europe and are not included in food processing activities. The result of this is the fact that we Americans have the highest obesity rate in the world as of 2022, with approximately 41.92% of men and 43.8% of women. Need I say more?

In an attempt to have a healthier option than soda with zero calories or fruit juice with reportedly ‘no sugar’ but has a saccharine sweetness that tastes sweeter than honey, I started researching alternatives. One thing I learned was that when making regular juice, it doesn’t keep as long, but a better option is cold-pressed juices, which keep longer in your refrigerator. In my case, they last about 7 days. Now, I am not sure as to why, but there is a science behind it, and that’s a blog for another day.

Yes, they quench your thirst but expand your waistline over time….unfortunately :/

And so, about 2 years ago, I purchased a cold press juicer and began experimenting with making juices with fruit and roots that my body needed. I usually have from two to four ingredients in any given batch, with ginger being the non-negotiable and always included in ALL juice batches. Other ingredients are pineapples, celery, apples, turmeric, and lemons. These fruits and roots contain everything from anti-inflammatory benefits, digestive enzymes, fiber, antioxidants, immune boosters, anti-nausea, weight loss, fat burning, cholesterol, and blood sugar-lowering properties, just to mention a few. These are my preferences. Another fun fact is the husk from the press can be used as compost for your garden…if you have one.

Putting on my elder-type glasses literally, let me share, according to AI, some of the benefits of cold-pressed juices.

  • Detoxification
  • Boosting immunity
  • Nutrient absorption
  • Weight management
  • Improved digestion
  • Clearer skin
  • Mental clarity
  • Reduced cravings
  • Stabilize Insulin levels
  • Lower blood pressure
  • Anti-aging
  • Mood enhancement
  • Hydration.

Now, I’m not saying I’ve been completely weaned off sodas, but I have drastically reduced my intake, and we no longer purchase soda at home anymore. It’s all about tweaks without any drastic changes that cannot be sustained. So, with this being said, If you’re interested in getting started with a cold-pressed juicer, there are a few good options on the market, and I’ll be sharing the exact one I use as well, and they include brands like Aietto, Ninja Neverclog, Tinana cold press juicer, and Kitchen in the Box. As you swap out your wardrobe for layers and warmer clothing, remember to boost your immune system and keep it healthy against all the bugs and viruses common at this time of year. Until I come your way again, be safe, healthy, like, follow, and comment. I remain,

Periwinkle Starr

Not Another Weight Loss Blog Post!!

Hello Y’all! I hope this post finds you doing great in your corner of the world. If this is your first time stumbling on my blog Periwinkle Starr, you’re welcome! This is a lifestyle blog where I get to share all things worth living for from food, travel, fashion, health and so much more. So if this is right up your alley, then follow to get notified whenever I post a new blog.

I know, I know…if you’ve been following, you know that weight loss is something I love to write about not just because it’s something that I and a majority of the population have struggled with every now and then but because weight loss eliminates the risk of several illnesses and prolongs life. So, before you roll your eyes (wink), please read on and thank me later.

We’ve heard over and over that 80 percent of weight loss is attributed to your diet. Well, that isn’t entirely true. I recently embarked on a search to figure out why I wasn’t losing weight despite doing my best to eat right, exercise regularly, and maintain a positive outlook on the process. I WAS WRONG! And on so many levels. Here’s what I found out and I’ll share what actually worked in the last month and a half – six weeks; with me being down 12 pounds without starving myself. Before this, for the past two years, I couldn’t even lose 5-pounds no matter what I did.

Know Your Blood Type

I learned that your blood type has requirements for nourishment. It also determines whether you need to be physically active or you can get away with less exercise. I kid you not. This blew my mind and opened up a rabbit hole that I voluntarily decided to explore. For free information, my first stop was YouTube. I found the following channels:

  1. Ask Dr Anita PhD
  2. BioBalance Healthcast

Eliminate Stress From Your Life

Stress is a major blocker when it comes to weight loss. It affects your metabolism, your hormones, your bones, and even your ability to burn fat. If you are ready to lose weight fast, removing stress is a huge requirement. If you aren’t able to due to circumstances probably beyond your control like school or a stressful job, weight loss will be harder and it will take longer. It will also affect the body negatively because the body is already in a bad state to begin with.

Change Up Your Diet

After incorporating points 1 and 2, you’re ready to implement the third item which is changing up your diet. If you remember a previous post I made where I talked about a YouTuber that I follow named Plantiful Kiki who was overweight for so many years but was able to shed the weight and keep it off so many years after doing the Carb Diet or Carb Balance Diet, something along those lines. Well, I tried that diet and gained even more weight. But knowing my blood type and what it needs to be nourished, I can’t eat the Carb Diet. It won’t work or give me the same results as Kiki. And I feel there are tons of people who have given up hope of losing weight or not being able to keep it off long-term; not because the diets were bad but because that was someone else’s diet, and meant for someone with a different blood type.

Now Exercise!!! Exercise!!! Exercise!!!

Don’t complicate things by saying you need to join a gym or hire a trainer, all of these are good things but you can start small. Youtube has a plethora of short-circuit exercises you can begin with. Start walking whether on the treadmill or outside. Take the stairs. When you go grocery shopping, park a little distance from the entrance so you get more steps in. You can even start tracking your steps on a daily. All of these things are FREE!!

Get A Smart Scale…If you don’t already have one.

The reason smart scales are preferred in my book is because they give me a breakdown of everything including my weight, BMI, Body Fat, Muscle Mass, Body Water, Visceral Fat, Bone Mass, BMR, Protein Intake, Fat Level, Subcutaneous Fat, Lean Body Mass, Body Type and Standard Weight. Having this information, I get to custom tweak my diet to improve.

Folks, If like me, you had practically given up on shedding those 10 or 20 pounds and accepted your fate that age had come to stay, I’m here to shake you out of that rot. You can have the best body in your later years if you’re ready to do these few tweaks. It’s worked for me and I almost cried when I saw the numbers on the scale. Illness is rampant in our world and we have so little control over many things but if you become an active participant in your life, success is inevitable!!

Until I come your way again, please like, follow, and subscribe.

Periwinkle Starr