How Juice Plus+ Started My Family’s Health Journey 13 Years Ago

I love everything I post here, but today’s post is particularly near and dear to my heart. At first glance, it might just look like a sponsored post for a supplement, but you probably don’t know that Juice Plus+ has been a part of my life for the past 13 years and has profoundly affected the way my family views health and wellness. Let’s start with the personal stuff…

My Family’s Juice Plus+ Journey

I’ve mentioned before that my Mom is my biggest health inspiration, but I haven’t necessarily dived into why. The fact that she’s a yoga teacher might be reason enough, but her story goes even farther beyond that. And it all really started with this company.

She discovered Juice Plus+ in August of 2005 when she took my brother to the doctor for his High School physical. The doctor asked if he eats a lot of fruits and vegetables, especially since he was an active hockey player. My mom was honest and told him his diet wasn’t terrible, but what High School kid actually eats a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables? The doctor then told her to look into Juice Plus+ and the research around it, because it could be helpful. She left and didn’t pursue anything right away.

Then on December 4, 2005 (she knew this date off the top of her head), my cousin was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia. She was devastated, mad, and scared. But her next thought was “what can I do to protect my family?” Let’s just say, a Juice Plus+ order was placed that day.

Learning more…

Even though she originally got it for my brother, they split the order and they both felt more energy right away. As soon as they were done with those capsules, she placed another order and a representative named Susan called her to answer any questions she might have. They bonded immediately over nutrition, diabetes (Susan is diabetic and my Papa passed away from the disease), and being proactive about health care.

Susan suggested that my Mom consider becoming a distributer, which she had absolutely zero interest in at first. But once she realized she could jump on board without feeling pressure to climb the sales ladder, she signed up.  Turns out it was a great decision because doing so spearheaded her health education. She became a sponge, going to wellness presentations and events, watching documentaries, doing yoga teacher training, and learning about how food can truly be medicine.  

Obviously, she shared all of her discoveries with all of us, and we honestly didn’t fight her on it. She taught us how to read labels and cut back on processed foods. We all learned how to cook new things, including vegetables outside of our traditional Italian recipes. We learned about sugar and harmful additives. She brought everything she was learning into our home and into our kitchen. Juice Plus+ started a whole family transformation. And we really went along for the ride with her without complaint… except maybe when she said no to Cheez-Itz 😉

Then it got real.

In 2009, my Mom got a diagnosis that scared all of us. It still does, honestly. But because she had started to learn so much about health and wellness, she quickly told herself she needed to do everything in her power to stay healthy. She researched nutrition and went to a naturopath doctor. She deepened her yoga and meditation practices. Her disease slowly progressed as expected at first. But then 3.5 years ago, her numbers started turning around. Instead of going up at each check up, they were going down.

To give you context, her white blood cell count was at 15,000 when she was diagnosed. They went up as high as 35,000… and today they are back below where they started at 12,500. Obviously, this is not entirely because of Juice Plus+, but the health journey it inspired has been endlessly beneficial. And the combination of learning about whole food nutrition, getting rid of processed foods/sugar/inflammatory foods, plus her mind body work with yoga and meditation – it has all brought her to the state of health she’s in today.

Okay, but what is Juice Plus+ exactly?

Basically, Juice Plus+ is the next best thing to real fruits and vegetables. The capsules are made from powder concentrates and oils from 48 different nutrient dense fruits, vegetables, and grains. This is not meant to be a substitute for eating the real thing, but it is an easy way to ensure that you are getting the plant based whole food nutrition your body needs.

In addition to an increase in energy, my family also saw a decrease in colds and sickness. And when we did get sick, it didn’t last as long. Obviously, this could be a result of a lot of different changes in our health, but Juice Plus+ provided the nutritional foundation for all of us.

How much does Juice Plus+ cost?

I’ve always taken the Juice Plus+ fruit and vegetable blend capsules, which is $44.50 a month. This includes 2 capsules of each per day and you get a 4 month supply each time it ships. I know it’s not cheap, but I’ve been able to justify this cost in a few ways. First of all, if you choose the same plan as me, it comes to roughly $1.48 a day. All I have to do to budget for that is make coffee at home instead of buying it at a coffee shop each morning. For me, that’s the easy and 1000% worth it.

I also justify it by reminding myself that it’s for my health. $44.50 a month for an all natural product that will keep my body and immune system working properly? Yes please! 

Is Juice Plus For Weightloss?

In short, no. This is not a weight loss supplement. That being said, I find that starting my day with all of these fruits and vegetables helps me make smarter food choices throughout the day. Even in a capsule form vs. food, it gives you a foundation of nutrition that certainly doesn’t hurt anyone’s weight-loss journey!

Is Juice Plus Safe?

Yes! You can read all about their clinical research, as well as reviews from health professionals, on their website. Also, while the Food and Drug Administration does not formally approve dietary supplements like Juice Plus, they do inspect the facilities where it’s manufactured. Additionally, select Juice Plus products (the Orchard Blend, Garden Blend, and Vineyard Blend capsules) have earned product quality approval from NSF International. NSF is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to product and ingredient safety, highly regarded with athletes.

That being said, due to is antioxidant effects, cancer patients should not take Juice Plus. There have been a few pilot studies that conclude it can interfere with chemotherapy. Of course, I always encourage you to consult your own personal doctor before taking anything new!

Can Juice Plus help my heart health?

There are some studies that suggest that Juice Plus can reduce your homocysteine levels, an amino acid in your blood that can be linked to an increased risk of heart disease if the levels get too high. On the flip side, it can increase blood levels of beta-carotene, folate, vitamin E, and vitamin C – which are great health benefits! Also, fruits and vegetables reduces oxidative stress and combat free radicals. In terms of helping with high blood pressure and cholesterol, definitely consult your doctor before reaching for JP since those studies have mixed results.

Is taking Juice Plus the same as eating fruits and vegetables?

NO! This is really important to understand. Taking Juice Plus does not mean you can stop eating fruit and vegetables. This is a bonus – the same way you’d take a multi-vitamin for an extra boost.

If you don’t like taking capsules, they also have gummies – and they aren’t just for kids! Although, my mom has already taught my nephew to ask for “Juice Plus” when he wants them ? 

Even though I’m very familiar with Juice Plus+, their Berry Blend and Omega Blend capsules are pretty new to me. The Berry Blend is great if you have trouble working foods with antioxidants into your diet, and I’ve been really excited about the Omega Blend. These capsules have a plant-based combination of the omega 3, 5, 6, 7 and 9 fatty acids derived from fruits, algae, and seed oils.

Juice Plus+ Complete Fudge

Since they have more than just supplements, I thought I’d show you a fun way to use the Juice Plus+ Complete besides just putting it in smoothies! The chocolate flavor have 13g of plant based protein per serving, so it’s great for pre/post workout smoothies – but I also like it in fudge!

Yes, you read that right. I got the idea for this healthy raw fudge from my friend Emily. As soon as I tasted her version, I realized I could amp up the protein with this Complete powder… and it’s SO good! Scroll down for the recipe!

It’s like magic – you’re going to love it!

Have any of you ever tried Juice Plus+?

I’d love to hear about your experiences!

Juice Plus+ Complete Protein Fudge

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Print

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil, melted
• 1/4 cup raw almond butter (or nut butter of choice)
• 1/2 cup Juice Plus+ Complete, Chocolate flavor
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• pinch fine grain sea salt, to taste
• 1/2 cup Lil Bucks (+ more sprinkled on top)

Instructions

1. Whisk together melted coconut oil and almond butter.
2. Whisk in Juice Plus+ Complete, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt.
3. Fold in Lil Bucks sprouted buckwheat seeds.
4. Pour the mixture into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper.
5. Sprinkle Lil Bucks on top.
6. Put in the freezer to set for 1 hour.
7. Lift the parchment paper from the loaf pan and peel the fudge off. Cut into squares and enjoy!

*This post was sponsored by Juice Plus+, a company I love! Thank you for supporting the sponsors that make Lake Shore Lady possible!

PS. You might also like All About Collagen and The Best At Home Workouts.