Red Wine And Your Gut?

Interesting Study Results

You've probably heard that red wine can be a very healthy drink option, but you most likely only heard about generic benefits of the antioxidants and resveratrol in red wine. 

But here's another MAJOR reason below why red wine in moderation (1-2 glasses per day max) can be a super healthy part of your routine.  I personally have really grown to enjoy having a glass of red wine with dinner about 4-5 days per week.

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Am J Clin Nutr. 2012;95:1323-1334) reported that people who drank 2 glasses of red wine per day (dry red wine, not sugary dessert wines) had higher levels of beneficial bacteria in their gut and lower levels of pathogenic bad bacteria in their gut.  This is great news as you know from reading this newsletter how vastly important your gut flora balance is to everything from your digestion, immunity, metabolism, skin health, and much more.

The study concluded that while red wine consumption decreased pathogenic bacteria in the gut, it actually had a prebiotic effect in the gut in that it supported the growth and colonies of healthy gut microbes which protect your health.

But the powerful health benefits of red wine don't stop there...

Another exciting part of this study is that the red wine drinkers also decreased systolic and diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, and CRP (C-reactive protein).  CRP is a measure of overall inflammation in your body, so it's great to see an association between red wine and reduced inflammation.

The interesting part of the study is that red wine was compared against equivalent servings of gin (equivalent alcohol serving) and none of the benefits mentioned above were seen in the group consuming the gin.  This means the benefits were probably related to the polyphenols and resveratrol in red wine and not necessarily the alcohol content itself, although there is likely a synergistic effect of the alcohol and other compounds in red wine since the group receiving de-alcoholized red wine got less of a blood pressure benefit.

You can choose Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Shiraz or any other dry red wine to get all of these powerful health benefits of the unique polyphenols and resveratrol.

Note that white wine also has some health benefits but not nearly as powerful as red wine due to the lower antioxidant levels. 

Another benefit of red wine not mentioned in the study above is that some studies show that red wine consumed with a meal can slow and moderate the blood sugar response you get from that meal.  This is yet another benefit to keeping your hormones balanced, lowering insulin levels, controlling appetite, and staying lean!

As you can see, there's plenty of reasons raise a glass of red wine at your meals and toast to your health and happiness!  After all, I've seen several stories on the news where they ask a centenarian how they're so healthy over the age of 100, and one of the answers they seem to frequently give is that they have one glass of red wine per day.

 

Source: Mike Geary - Certified Nutrition Specialist

THE RIGHT FOODS AT THE RIGHT TIME - What You Should Eat - And When You Should Eat It - To Get The Most From Your Diet

CLOCK'S TICKING: Studies show that eating within an hour of exercise improves your body's absorption of nutrients. Photo Credit iStockPhoto.com

Overview

Whether we’re talking buzzer beaters or marriage proposals, we all know that timing is everything. That’s also true when it comes to what you eat. Depending on the time of day or what situation you’re in, your body needs certain nutritional properties to help you get through—so you can work and live at your optimal level.

Food creates all kinds of hormonal reactions in your body—reactions that affect your mood, your alertness, your energy level, and everything in between. So while you may already know what you need to eat, it’s also important to know when to eat it. Follow our guide for the best foods to eat no matter what situation you’re in.

What to Eat… After a Tough Training Workout

When you put your muscles through a test, they’re like undergrads studying for finals—stressed and broken down. To respond to the next challenge, they’ll grow; that’s how you get stronger. But in order to take full advantage of that growth cycles, your muscles need proper nutrition.

Follow this formula for post-workout snacks: The carbohydrate-to-protein ratio should be 2:1 for short, low-to moderate intensity workouts or 3:1 in long, high intensity training sessions, says Andrea Hacker Thompson, MS, RD, of the ACSM Fit Society Page. The carbs will replenish the glycogen stores (that is, the stored glucose that provides energy), and the protein will rebuild the muscles.

Eat 30 minutes to one hour after completing your workout, because that’s the best window for your body to absorb the nutrients after a workout. Try a glass of chocolate milk or all-natural peanut butter on a piece of 100-percent whole wheat bread.

What to Eat… After a Long Meeting

If you feel foggy after sitting through a 200-slide PowerPoint presentation, munch on a few almonds. They provide healthy fats and a little protein, says Lauren O’Connor, RD, from Nutri-Savvy. Research published in the journal Neuron shows protein, not sugar, activates the cells that keep us awake and burning calories.

While whole grain carbohydrates provide the glucose that keeps the brain going, protein is what guarantees that you won’t forget what the meeting was about in the first place. That’s especially true when protein is rich in the amino acid tyrosine, a neurotransmitter that is critical for brain energy and alertness (one ounce of almonds contains 127 mg of tyrosine).

What to Eat… At the Finish Line

After any endurance event, replacing sweat loss should be your number one priority. That’s because you need to replace those glycogen stores. The best post-marathon foods and drinks will contain mostly carbohydrates, some vitamins and small amount of protein to help replenish those deleted stores, says Shari Portnoy, RD, CPT, a registered dietitian and certified fitness trainer. Even after a short race like a 5K, you should replenish what you depleted (just in smaller amounts).

Since liquid is more easily digested than solids and carbohydrates are more easily digested than protein, runners should go for regular or chocolate milk, says Ximena Jimenez, RD, national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Chocolate milk has the desired 3:1 ratio of carbs to protein, and it helps replace other nutrients. “It’s actually a great source of electrolytes, especially potassium,” Jimenez says. For instance, 8 ounces of Gatorade has 30 mg of potassium versus 400 mg in low-fat milk and 425 in chocolate milk—and that’s important because you can lose potassium in endurance events.

What to Eat… After a Restless Night

Spent the night pounding pillows? The groggy feeling you’ll have the following morning isn’t your only problem. Researchers at UCLA researchers found that poor sleep causes increased ghrelin and decreased leptin during the day, which can lead to an increased appetite and overeating.

To combat this, start your day off with lean protein. Try an ounce of nuts or three ounces (abut a size of a deck of cards) of lean meat, which will keep you feeling satisfied longer. You can also try Greek yogurt mixed with a banana and some Chia seeds sprinkled in.

What to Eat… After a Night Out

When your happy hour gets out of hand, consider Jimenez’s morning fix: “The next day have a virgin Bloody Mary. It’s an easy hangover cure. The tomato juice will replenish your body from water and electrolyte losses caused by an alcohol binge.”

To cut back on that “ugh” feeling before it strikes, try pear cactus, says Erin Palinski, RD, author of the forthcoming book, Belly Fat Diet for Dummies. Researchers at Tulane University found that people who took capsules of pear cactus 5 hours before starting to drink experienced 50 percent fewer hangover symptoms.

The theory: Since excessive alcohol is essentially toxic to the body, the body responds by using the inflammatory response to counteract the effects of excessive alcohol and the damage it may cause to cells and organs. Compounds in pear cactus help decrease that inflammation.

By Marta Montenegro

Pineapple & Tuna Fish Diet

The pineapple and tuna diet is a three-day fad diet intended to produce rapid weight loss. As you learn more about the diet you'll clearly see how and why this diet is an unhealthy fad and shouldn't be attempted. According to "Diets Exposed: Analysis of Popular Fad Diets," if a diet claims that you can lose more than 2 lbs. per week, limits your intake to only a few foods or cuts an entire food group out of your diet it is likely a fad diet.

Diet Guidelines

The pineapple and tuna diet lasts three days and promises a 5 lb. weight loss. The diet requires that you eat only the foods on the menu in the amounts specified. Eat six small meals per day. Water is the only permitted beverage on the diet. Intense exercise is discouraged during the diet. If you wish to exercise, try stretching or yoga.

Menu

On the first and third days of the diet you eat six meals consisting of 1/4 of a pineapple or approximately 1 cup of pineapple chunks. Space your meals two to three hours apart. Eat 1/4 of a pineapple for your first, third, fourth and sixth meals of the day. For your second and fifth meals of the day, eat 6 oz. of fresh tuna or canned tuna packed in water.

Weight Loss

Because the diet provides only approximately 500 calories per day, rapid weight loss is likely to occur. However, very little of the weight you lose is likely to be fat; most of it will be water and muscle. Because muscle burns more calories at rest than fat, losing muscle mass has a profound negative impact on your metabolic rate and increases your chances of experiencing rebound weight gain after the diet.

Considerations

Diets providing 800 calories per day or less, like the pineapple and tuna diet, are classified as very low calorie diets. Due to your metabolism slowing on a VLCD, these diets should only be performed under the supervision of a physician, according to "Handbook of Obesity Treatment," and should be used only when rapid weight loss is absolutely necessary for your health. Lasting weight loss requires you to form a balanced diet and exercise regimen you can stick to forever.

By Leigh Wittman

Can I Lose Weight And Have A Social Life?

3 Tips for Making Healthy Choices in Social Settings

As someone who has lost over 60 pounds and kept it off for over 12 years now, today I feel very blessed to work with people all over the world helping them to achieve their weight loss goals, without dieting or deprivation.

As a weight loss expert, one of the most common questions I get asked is, “What should I eat and drink when I’m out at social events?”

• Is this something that you struggle with too?
• Would you like to know how you can still be social, and lose weight at the same time?
• Have you ever wondered what you should do when you attend a work function or family gathering?

If so, then in this article, are my 3 top tips to help you lose weight naturally, even whilst attending numerous parties, work events and family gatherings. 

Tip #1: Mental Preparation.
At social events, it is important to mentally prepare yourself beforehand, so that once you are at the event, you can stay focused on achieving your health goals. As someone who is on a health mission, you may have very different priorities than most people at the party. Once there, remind yourself of this frequently!

Before the event, and whilst you are there, mentally ‘coach yourself.’ Reconnect back to your ‘bigger’ goals: remind yourself what you most desire.

You want to get strong

You want to lose weight

You want to feel healthy

You want to heal your body

You want to get your body back into balance

You want to feel good again

If you mentally prepare yourself beforehand, making empowering healthy choices will be easy. Even better, you will leave the party feeling proud of yourself. 

Tip #2: Think Addition, Not Deprivation.

Adopt the mindset of addition, never deprivation… 

Deprivation is the old-school way of losing weight. Plus, as Jon Gabriel and I share, it just doesn’t work over the long term (it can even do more harm than good!). As you start adding nutritious foods and drinks that nourish your body, it makes sense to also substitute real foods for fake foods wherever possible.

At social events, you will most likely come face to face with your ‘nemesis’ food; whatever that might be for you:

• Cookies
• Cake
• Fluffy white bread, margarine
• Crisps and chips
• Burger and chips
• Cheesy pizzas
• Cocktail sausages
• Artificial fizzy drinks…

The list of fake ‘party’ foods goes on… But remember, these are man-made foods, they are not real food. 

Remind yourself that your beautiful body does not even recognize these ingredients. They are not food you want to eat or put in your body. Eating these foods will certainly not help you lose weight. Eating these foods can make you gain weight…

Instead, try adding these real foods into your body…

• Juicy watermelon chunks
• Juicy pineapple chunks
• Platter of Veggie dippers
• Guacamole, hummous and dips
• Big colourful salads
• Mixture of different grilled vegetables, flavoured with tasty dressings, herbs and lemon juice
• Grated carrot or beetroot
• Grilled fish, grilled chicken or grilled zucchini
• Stuffed red peppers
• Grilled tomatoes
• Chocolate mousse made with avocado and coconut

If you know that you are going to a family gathering where the food/drinks are not healthy, if possible, take your own!
Who knows, you might even inspire your friends to eat real food as well! 
Add into your life – including your social life- foods that your body knows and recognizes.
Most importantly, keep choosing foods that will help you effortlessly achieve your health and weight loss dreams. 

Tip #3: Healthy Alternatives to Alcohol

At social events, instead of not drinking at all, try delicious non-alcoholic drink alternatives made from real food. Besides the damaging and dehydrating effects of drinking too much alcohol, it negatively influences your decision-making process, which will make it more challenging to stay committed to your health goals! 

Along with alcohol, substitute any ‘juice’ from a box or can, even if they say ‘natural’. These kind of juices and drinks are very disruptive to your body’s delicate internal chemistry, and disastrous for your weight and waistline.

They are made with high corn fructose syrup or refined sugars, along with artificial additives, colourings, flavourings and preservatives. They are made in a science lab and are a chemical concoction that is horrendous and damaging for your immune system, your brain, and your digestive system.

Here is an easy way to substitute these fizzy, sugary or alcoholic drinks for healthier alternatives instead

Start with the most gorgeous glass jug you can find. ¾ fill it with mineral, still or soda water. Add in generous amounts of freshly squeezed lemon, lime, pineapple, or orange juice. Then add in chunks of cucumber, pineapple or melon. Lemon and lime wedges are great too if desired.

Other ideas are pomegranate seeds, cherry halves, pieces of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries… Let your imagination play!

Finish your drink with sprigs of fresh basil or mint. Drink immediately or leave to infuse. 
Serve in beautiful cocktail glasses of your choice.

These drinks looks amazing when served and are a party winner every time. They are very refreshing, especially when you squeeze the wedges to flavor it with fresh lemon or lime juice. Simply delicious!


If you are at a restaurant or bar, try ordering a large mineral water served with a generous wedge of lemon or lime in a tall glass.

Ask if they have any fresh non-alcholic alternatives. Perhaps a fresh berry smoothie. Or could they do you a freshly squeezed apple and ginger juice. Or a refreshing cucumber and mint juice in a tall glass with a straw. YUM!

If the places you currently frequent don’t serve these types of drinks, maybe it’s time for you to start looking for cafes, bars and restaurants that do serve healthy options…

Yes… You Can Lose Weight and Still Be Social

Losing weight is about taking charge of your life. Make the decision to go after your health and weight loss dreams and you can attend any party under the sun and still not want to put fake food in your body. 

Create the mindset for success and use the power of substitution to make healthy choices for yourself.
Eating real food is an active act of self-love and nourishing yourself from within.

Have fun with substituting and adding in healthy foods to your life.
Play and experiment with different ideas and food choices and over time, you’ll learn how to find healthy foods and drinks that are far superior to fake ones that truly align with your health goals.
And remember, you can do this. 

* On a side-note, many people drink alcohol to deal with ‘social anxiety’. If social anxiety is a problem for you, I suggest you check out other healing modalities such as emotional freedom technique (EFT) or tapping. 

I hope that you find this blog post helpful on your healing journey…

Source: The Gabriel Method

9 Foods You Should Remove From Your Diet

 

 

What foods you should remove from your diet?

Foods have the ability to make you healthy or diseased. Your food choices determine the deviation in one direction or another. Here are some examples of foods and food groups, which you must remove from your diet as soon as possible for a healthier replacement and appropriate food. 9 foods you should remove from your diet are:

1.Saturated Fat.

They are perhaps the number one culprit that is responsible for the fact that most of the world’s population is obese. They take the form of sinful food, very tasty, which is not hard to indulge in but extremely harmful.

Besides the accumulation of calories, saturated fat also contributes to the rapidly growing percentage of coronary heart disease, stroke and heart attacks in the world.

2.Frozen Food.

Aren’t they the most convenient and fastest ways of cooking your lunch or dinner on the go? However, this option is widely used as food, turns into a nightmare for the urban population. While these products can be labeled as low in calories, but they are even lower in nutritional value. They do not have fiber (dietary fiber) and protein.

They are processed carbohydrate sources that do not do any good, just fill you in all possible ways. If you need to preserve foods, prepare these products yourself at home, freeze and use them as needed.

3.Trans fats.

If you notice a “trans-fats” on the labels of food products, the best action is to abandon the food, even if for some reason you have already chosen.

Hydrogenated fats also contain trans fats, and therefore both categories are unsuitable for human consumption. The fact that trans fats raise cholesterol levels led to an increase in the number of heart disease and many other health problems in the country. Snacks and pastries are ideal examples of foods rich in trans fats.

4.Artificial coloring’s and sweeteners.

 

Artificial Sweeteners.

If you think that artificial sweeteners may be an alternative to real sugar, you’re wrong. Nothing artificial in food has never done anything good to the human body.

Artificial sweeteners such as sucralose, aspartame and saccharin are only increasing number of health problems, including fatal diseases such as cancer.

They also complicate the course of diseases such as migraines, chronic fatigue, joint and muscle pain, vision problems, nausea, gastrointestinal disorders and fibromyalgia.

Artificial colors are also responsible for the emergence of such effects.

5.Flavored yogurt.

 

Flavored yogurt.

Switch to the good old Greek yogurt instead. Fruit flavored yogurt may seem tempting and useful because it is believed that they contain fruit. But fruit flavored yogurt is just another name for sugar, which is rich in yogurt.

This small package can contain at least 10 grams or more sugars.

It would be a wise decision if you stay away from flavored yogurt.

6.Processed meat.

 

Processed meats with nitrites are very dangerous. Hot dogs, bacon and your lunch meats piece that contain nitrites, can mix with the other ingredients in your stomach, and turn into carcinogenic.

They are responsible for the spread of cancer.

7.White flour.

 

Don’t choose the ‘RIGHT’ one here! 

White flour is a flour that has been treated to the fullest extent possible. And such treatment leaves it completely without the nutrients. They also do not add any value to the food. White flour deplete your body of nutrients, lack of stock. Better go whole for grain.

8.Carbonated Drinks.

 

Carbonated drinks.

Conventional or diet sodas were identified as the main reasons for the emerging health problems in America. The importance of water for your body is enormous and huge water changes sodas can make life and health extremely vulnerable. These fizzy drinks increase thirst, drain the bone density, increasing the formation of tooth decay and speed up the risks of heart disease and stroke.

9.Processed cheese.

Any products that are unreasonably long shelf life, have a lot of things wrong in its composition.

If you want to eat cheese, eat those species which grow mold during prolonged storage.

Cream cheese can be stored in the refrigerator for a long time. They are neatly wrapped slices sold in cans or cartons. They are a crazy amount of preservatives that can cause more damage than you can imagine.

Cream cheese.

Health is the most important investment you can make when you are healthy, when you can enjoy the beauty of life at any age. Eat healthy foods and lead a life without stress.

www.freetipss.com

8 Foods You Should Avoid

Salad: A healthy meal option? Maybe not. Photo Credit Medioimages/Photodisc/Photodisc/Getty Images

Overview

Some of the rules of a healthy diet are fairly obvious -- steer clear of fast food joints, say "no" to fried foods, and keep the chips and cookies to a minimum. Unfortunately, eating smart involves more than just avoiding notoriously unhealthy foods.

Lurking behind the facade of words like "organic," "fat-free" and "natural" is a whole slew of foods that can kill a diet and pack on the calories. So here's a warning for any well-intentioned healthy eater: Just because it sounds nutritious, doesn't mean a food is actually good for you.

Lurking behind the facade of words such as 'organic,' 'fat-free' and 'natural' is a whole slew of foods that can kill a diet and pack on the calories.

Deciphering a Label

The key to knowing whether the foods you're buying are as nutritious as they seem is being able to read the nutrition labels. Some tips from the experts can help you navigate the information on a food package:

• Be mindful of portion size: "People always miss the serving size," said registered dietitian Tara Miller. The packaging can make a food or drink look like a single serving, when it's actually two or more.

• Look for foods that are trans fat-free: "Trans fat is harmful for your heart," said Ginn. While you're at it, though, also scan the label for partially hydrogenated oils, another ingredient you should avoid.

• Don't be seduced by misleading words: "Organic" doesn't necessarily mean a food is low in calories, and "fat-free" can be a mask for loads of added sugars to hide behind, says Gans. Instead of assuming these marketing catch-phrases indicate a healthy food, check out the label and be mindful of the order in which the ingredients are itemized. If an unhealthy one like sugar is at or near the beginning of the list, steer clear of the food.

1. Salad

The biggest pitfall with a salad is ruining a veggie-filled meal with hundreds of calories in dressing. "Check the label," advised Keri Gans, a registered dietitian and author of "The Small Change Diet." Oftentimes the dressing with a salad at a restaurant has more calories than a candy bar. "Order dressing on the side," Gans said. "You should not be putting more than 60 calories of dressing on a salad."

2. Smoothies

Blending fruit with frozen yogurt sounds like a sure-fire healthy snack. But Tara Miller, registered dietitian and founder of Achieve Balance Wellness and Nutrition Counseling, warns against too much of a good thing. "People think that because it's fruit, it's healthy," she said. Yet most smoothies -- especially the ones sold at specialty shops -- are 16 to 32 oz. and contain too many servings of carbohydrates. So keep it small, and try to add vegetables to your smoothies whenever possible.

3. Soy Milk

Both soy and almond milk are great options for those who are lactose intolerant. But many people regularly grab the vanilla or sweetened varieties of these drinks, ignoring the excess sugar and paying attention only to the healthy connotations of the word "soy" or "almond." If the sweetened versions are all you can tolerate, though, Miller recommends avoiding the added sugar by mixing a teaspoon of vanilla flavoring into the unsweetened kind.

4. Granola

Granola is a food that most people consider an uber-healthy breakfast choice. But granola can also be very high in sugar and low in fiber, says Gans. "When you look for granola, you need to read the label carefully," she said. "Not all granola is created equal." Make sure the cereal or granola you're choosing from the store shelf has a minimum of 4 or 5 g of fiber.

5. Muffins

You're rushing to get to work on time and dash into the nearest coffee shop to pick up a quick breakfast. In the name of health, your eyes are drawn to those bran muffins on display beside the donuts. But don't let the word "bran" or "yogurt" trick you when it comes to muffins, cautions Miller. "Think of them more in the donut category," she said. Bran muffins often contain extra fat, necessary to hold the bran together. And the fat-free versions usually contain extra sugar to compensate for the reduced in mouthfeel and flavor.

6. Sushi

This one might be surprising since the tuna, salmon and other fish commonly found in sushi is about as lean as it gets. Yet when you factor in the cream cheese of your Philadelphia roll or the mayonnaise in most spicy tuna rolls, the calorie count skyrockets. Portion size matters, too, says Gans. Stick to three rolls or less, and choose brown rice when possible.

7. Turkey Burgers

When a burger craving hits, the calorie-conscious person often turns to a turkey burger as the second-best option. But be careful, warns Gans. "If you have a turkey burger made with dark meat and skin, it can be higher in calories than a sirloin burger," she said. If you're at a restaurant, ask whether the burger has dark meat and turkey skin ground into it. At the grocery store, it's a bit more straightforward: Check the label and pick a lean meat with less than 10 g of fat per serving, Gans advises.

8. Frozen Meals

There's a whole section of frozen meal options that are quick and easy to make and boast low calorie counts. Yet many are also packed with sodium, says Angela Ginn, registered dietitian and owner of the nutrition counseling service Learn-2-Live. "Frozen and prepared foods can often have a day's worth of sodium," she said, which is roughly 2,300 mg per day.

By Leigh Remizowski

Detox Drinks To Lose Weight

Lemon juice may increase liver detoxification and fat burning. Photo Creditgoce risteski/iStockphoto/Getty Images

Detoxification can change aspects of your dietary habits---such as increasing your consumption of certain drinks---to reduce the effects of chemicals, preservatives and refined foods in your diet, according to "Dr Joshi's Holistic Detox." As a result, you start to lose weight and gain other benefits such as an energy boost. However, conventional medical professionals question the benefits of detoxification and more scientific studies are necessary to prove the claims of detoxification practitioners. Before beginning any weight-loss program or making dietary changes, consult your health-care professional to determine whether such changes are suitable for you.

Cranberry Juice

According to Ann Louise Gittleman, author of "The Fast Track One-Day Detox Diet," cranberry juice enhances the liver's ability to metabolize fats due to its high vitamin C content. Poor liver function inhibits metabolism and weight loss. Cranberry juice also contains arbutin, a diuretic compound that helps to flush out water weight trapped in tissues, states Gittleman.

Citrus Juices

These juices are also rich in vitamin C and provide some of the same benefits of cranberry juice. Vitamin C also increases the production of glutathione, the primary antioxidant the liver needs for both phases of detoxification, explains Gittleman. In a study published in the "Journal of the American College of Nutrition" in 2005, researchers found that people with lower levels of vitamin C burn less fat during moderate exercise.

Water

Drinking filtered water plays an essential role in detoxification and weight loss. Your body needs water for several functions including digestion, nutrient absorption and elimination of toxins and waste. In a study presented at the 240th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, participants who drank two eight-ounce glasses of water before each meal lost more weight than those who did not increase their water intake. Brenda Watson, author of "The Detox Strategy," recommends drinking half your body weight in ounces of water each day during detoxification.

Buying

Drinking detox beverages to lose weight is counterproductive if you're still consuming more toxins each day. Gittleman recommends going organic, which is easier to do today as supermarkets and markets frequently offer organic fare. Buy organic cranberries and lemons to make your juice at home. If you're buying juice, choose unsweetened brands.

Side Effects

In general, adding cranberry and citrus juices and water to your diet is considered safe. However, cranberries contain oxalate, which increases the risk of kidney stones, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Drinking too much acidic juice may also cause heartburn or stomach upset. Consult a doctor or dietitian when making significant changes to your diet.

By Kay Uzoma