Sunday Supplements

Don't panic . . . Sweet on Sunday isn't gone forever. But I realized that blogging about sweet treats every week was making me include more than I usually would in our weekly diet. Plus, I'm halfway through a three-week no sugar cleanse and writing about cupcakes would probably make me cranky.

Instead, I'm putting Sunday on a rotation of random topics starting with the letter "S":

- Sweet on Sunday
- Sunday Supplements
- Green Smoothie Sunday
- Big Sprout Sunday

It seemed appropriate to start off the rotation with Sunday Supplements since Jim just celebrated his birthday this week. And I'm sure you were wondering how there is possibly a connection, so let me explain.

Just a few years ago, Jim had a streak that he badly wanted to break - a streak of getting sick on his birthday. For some reason, he had ended up being sick on his birthday almost every year for as long as he could remember.

Then, shortly after Big Sprout was born, we learned from our midwife and our pediatrician about Juice Plus, a whole food supplement made from 17 fruits, vegetables and grains. Both had seen wonderful results both personally and in their practice, so we decided to give it a try - and Jim hasn't been sick on his birthday since.

We took Juice Plus for about three years before making the switch to a plant-based diet, and during that time, I noticed that we were sick much less than we used to be - and Big Sprout seemed to not catch many of the typical childhood illnesses that so many kids seemed to get. We usually got 1-2 colds per year and some type of flu every year or two - which was much less illness than we'd experienced in the past.

When we made the transition to a plant-based diet, our health improved dramatically again. In the (almost) four years that have passed, we've had the flu only once (May of 2008 - I remember it vividly because we were on vacation and it was horrible!) and an occasional cold.

As we continue to improve the quality of our plant-based diet, reduce our intake of vegan junk food and get adequate rest, even the occasional colds have almost disappeared. I literally can't remember the last time any of us was sick except for Little Sprout having a cough sometime before Christmas of 2009 (the night she went to see the Nutcracker with Grandma).

I'm a big believer in paying for prevention, so to me, the monthly cost of Juice Plus and our other supplements (B-complex, an Omega 3 and an occasional probiotic) has been a great investment. Not only have we enjoyed more days filled with vibrant health, but in our 7+ years as parents, we've had virtually no expenses for doctors visits and none for medication. Our only "sick visit" co-pays have been for Big Sprout's broken arm and the time Little Sprout swallowed a penny, and the only time one of them has ever needed antibiotics was when Big Sprout had a tooth infection from a bad filling. To me, keeping them - and us - healthy has been the best investment I've ever made.

Many times, people have asked us if we plan to continue taking Juice Plus now that we're eating more fruits and vegetables than ever. My answer? For us, a plant-based diet and Juice Plus seem to be the perfect formula for great health - I'm not messing with any part of it!

Interested in learning more? Feel free to shoot me an e-mail. Although we don't actively sell the product all that much anymore, Jim and I are Juice Plus distributors and would be happy to answer any questions you may have. And for those with little ones, ask me how you can get free Juice Plus for your kids!