The festive season is a wonderful time of year that brings families, friends and loved ones together to celebrate the end of another year with food, fun and laughs. It is usually during the silly season that we find ourselves at feast after feast and over-indulging is basically unavoidable. Cold pressed juices are not only a lovely and refreshing drink for everyone to sip on, they're also great for giving our body much needed nutrients. During this time added stress, less exercise and sweet treats are only inevitable. We have compiled some of our favourite Christmas Juice Recipes which are not only great as an alcoholic alternative but we have also included juice recipes for the lead up to the big day and for days afterwards. If you do enjoy a tipple then add your favourite Beveridge for at tasty cocktail.

Pre-Christmas Juice Recipes

Did you know that drinking cold press juice can be a fantastic way to de-stress and alleviate tension? There are a range of fruits and vegetables which have been found to calm the nervous system, control blood pressure and relax muscles. Sometimes the build up to Chirstmas day can be extremely stressful, so it is important to arm yourself with things which will help to ease the pressure. Try our favourite de-stressing super juice...

Stress-free V8 Juice

Celery is widely known for calming nerves due to it's high calcium content, which also helps to control high blood pressure. Tomato and capsicum are both high in potassium and phosphorus which relieves stress, tiredness, fatigue and cramps. They will also give you the energy needed to get through the silly season!

Christmas Juice Recipes for Christmas Day

On the big day, there is nothing better than having fresh cold pressed juice available and at the ready for

Why you need the BioChef Gemini Twin Gear for optimum health.

The BioChef Gemini twin gear juicer technology delivers a significantly higher ratio of living enzymes and nutrients than other cold press juicers on the market. It is specially for those health enthusiasts who want the highest quality juice with the most living enzymes.

A little look at the history of the Twin Gear Juicers...

The Hippocrates GPT-1305 by Green Power was the original innovative design by Mr. Jang G. Kim; inventor of the Green Power juicers and the twin gear extraction process.

Over 20 years ago Vitality 4 Life founder Roger Akins, began importing the first twin gear Green Power juicers into Australia and together with Brian Clement from the Hippocrates Health Institute in Florida, they worked with Mr. Kim to develop the new improved Hippocrates juicer. Now, we have the BioChef Gemini the newest and best twin gear juicer on the market.

The power of the Gemini Twin Gear is the gear's themselves.

A twin gear juicer is a triturating juicer that has two gears that mesh firmly together at a steady pace. They contain magnetic and bio-ceramic technologies which work together to generate an overflow of positive ions, increasing the life and vitality of the juice.

The new superior twin gears of the latest model Gemini mesh together more finely than ever before, so more of the cellulose wall is opened during the extraction process, leaving an abundance of vital enzymes and nutrients suspended in colloidal form, making them more accessible to the body.

This finer meshing means

Horizontal juicers are so much more than juicers

Did you know that horizontal juicers are not just for juicing? Juicers such as the BioChef Axis double as raw food processors. Not only can you make your favourite juices you can also enjoy, nut butters, sorbets, dips, pasta, bread sticks and more.

You can use a horizontal juicer for most kitchen food processing tasks making them more versatile than a vertical juicer. If you have just had a baby the horizontal juicer will be your best friend in the kitchen quietly making fresh, nutritious baby foods to both eat now and store for later.

Most horizontal cold press juice extractors such as the Oscar Neo 1000 come with a variety of different attachments turning your juicer into a food processor. The mincing screen is used to puree, emulsify and crush the ingredients turning them into a paste or sauce. For example, basil, garlic, lemon, pine nuts, olive oil and Parmesan can be alternatively fed into the machine where it is crushed and extruded as a fresh living basil pesto. When made with the juicer you won't believe the taste of this pesto! It is completely different than when using a fast

People have been failing at their New Year's Resolutions for 4000 years. What makes me think I could do any better? It's been three days and I have already failed. At least back then the Babylonians were offering their resolutions up to God in the hope of improving the crop. Now we just offer them up to ourselves or our nearest and dearest who have no choice but to listen and nod along. But what do we get in return?

When looking at the top new year's resolutions I mostly notice this.. we have to give up, quit, try harder, be better, look better and on it goes. I think if we were going to do these things we would have already done them. Its just too hard especially with a hangover. I don't know about you but if someone or even myself tells me to do something, I just don't want to do it. It's the latent toddler in all of us. So by the time we get to the second week, or day in my case, of January, we start thinking 'bugger it' and go back to normal wishing we hadn't told anyone. And what we are left with is a little bit of guilt and self loathing. Perfect start to the New Year.

I like the old saying 'one day at a time' it's perfect for this time of year and any other. Instead of saying I must lose 10 kg this year to feel better about myself. Maybe just one day start the day with a cleansing juice and go for a walk

Wheatgrass has the ability to provide the human body with 98 of 102 elements including calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc, phosphorus but also many amino acids, vitamins and minerals. More than that, wheatgrass is 70% chlorophyll, which provides more energy than any other element. Produce which contains chlorophyll builds red blood cells, aids bloodstream function and improves blood sugar problems. It delivers high levels of oxygen to the brain and makes body tissue function at optimal levels. Nutrient-fuelled chlorophyll is absorbed by the body tissue, refining, rebuilding and rejuvenating them.

Which is better: juicing or blending? Does one offer more health benefits than the other?
We believe that both juicing and blending are very beneficial, but in different ways. it turns out there’s a lot of confusion about the two, and many people believe they are juicing when in fact they are blending. So, let’s clear things up!

JUICING

Juicing is a process which extracts water and nutrients from produce and discards all the fiber.  Without all the fiber, your digestive system doesn’t have to work as hard to break down the food and absorb the nutrients. Cold Press juicing separates the fiber / Pulp form the produce making the nutrients more readily available to the body in much larger quantities than if you were to eat the fruits and vegetables whole. This process is extremely healthy and great for those of you embarking on any sort of Detox or lifestyle change.

A masticating cold pressed juice extractor works on a crushing and squeezing action mimicking our own chewing action by correctly breaking open the cell wall, releasing the nutrients and organic water content while expelling the insoluble fibre.

Without all this indigestable fibre, your body doesn't have to work as hard to break down the vegetables and fruits. Cold pressed vegetable juices deliver nutrients into our bloodstream quickly and in a bio available form and juices are included in almost all types of healing and detoxification programs.

It is important to have a cold press juicer over a centrifugal juicer (the old style, loud and hard to clean type) a cold press juicer is named

Ceramic knives are increasingly becoming more and more popular these days, but have you ever wondered why? Have you ever picked up your usual go-to knife at home to cut up tomato and realised that is it too dull to cut through the skin? Ever notice a weird metallic taste to your freshly chopped produce?

Most people have used stainless steel knives their whole lives and have come to expect the general upkeep that they require and the metallic taste that older knives can leave behind. Regular sharpening is needed to keep a good knife useful and the eventual staining and rust marks are just the way it is.

This is not the case with a ceramic knife. Ceramic knives will never corrode, as there is no metal to rust. The materials that make up a ceramic blade are very hard, in fact Zirconium dioxide or Zirconia (ZrO2) is rated 8-8.5 on Mohs* scale of hardness while Stainless Steel is only rated 5.5-6.3. Ceramic knives have been known to stay sharp for up to fifteen times longer than a stainless steel knife.

Ceramic knives are typically half the weight of a tradition knife and offer less strain on your arms and shoulders when being used for tasks that you have to perform repeatedly. Ceramic material is not very porous, and so this prevents the blade from transferring odours and tastes from one food to the next. Just simply rinse the blade with some warm water and it’s ready to go!

Ceramic knives are chemically inert this means that these knives won’t give your food a metallic taste or smell. Fruits and vegetables won’t oxidize (discolour) as quickly when cut with a ceramic knife as there are no metal ions present for the produce to react to. This makes ceramic knives perfect for preparing your fruits and vegetables for juicing, fruit salads, smoothies and raw food recipes.

These knives are not to be used for everything, as hardness doesn’t equal strength. Ceramic knives are not meant to be used to cut hard materials

Dr Norman Walker teaches his guiding principles through his books: Fresh Vegetables & Fruit Juices, Natural Way to Vibrant Health, Become Younger, Water Can Undermine Your Health, Colon Health, Natural Weight Control and Vegetarian Guide to Diet & Salad.

Dr Norman W. Walker (1886-1985) is recognised throughout the world as one of the most authoritative students of life, health and nutrition. For almost 75 years, Dr. Walker has researched man's ability to live a longer, healthier life. He is his own example of achieving vibrant health through proper thought, diet and body care.

Dr Norman Walker, who lived to the very ripe age of 99 years, is known globally as the trail-blazing raw foodist of the modern era. His books are a must for either the novice or the devoted health seeker. We have selected what we consider to be his best books, and offer them individually, or in a set of seven for a special price.

"As a natural health practitioner I read health related books constantly. In particular I love the work of Dr. Norman Walker. I have read all his books and find them easy to read and very informative. I have on regular occasions loaned out these books to clients. As part of my natural therapies I utilize colon hydrotherapy and I have found Dr. Walker's COLON HEALTH book particularly good for clients to read before having colonic irrigation so they are more informed. The FRESH VEGETABLES AND FRUIT JUICES book is great as an adjunct to any clients who are using one of the Vitality 4 Life juice extractors I recommend and sell. My personal favourite book is Dr. Walkers VEGETARIAN GUIDE TO DIET AND SALAD, as I love how he speaks on the benefits of proper food combining and advocates the benefits of colon therapy. Although each individual should seek medical advice for any health issues, the Walker books contain great information that would benefit any person seeking

Do you know the difference between store bought juice and fresh juice? How about the difference between fresh juices made from different styles of juicers? It can seem a little more complicated at first thought! A cold press juicer is a healthy style of juicing machine. It has been designed to preserve living nutrients and enzymes from fruits and vegetables to produce a high-quality "living juice". Just by doing some research you will discover that cold press juicing has become a popular concept in recent years... And for good reason!

Benefits of a Cold Press Juicer

• "Alive" Juice is packed full of living nutrients and enzymes, and you body can digest easier when juiced!
• You are able to ingest a larger amount of vegetables into your diet - much easier than eating a kilo of carrots!
• Control what is in your juice - no more preservatives, sugars, additives, colours and flavours, just pure juice!
• Eco-friendly - not supporting the packaging, shipment and storage of pre-packaged, store bought juice.
• Less wastage - pulp is significantly drier, which means more juice from your produce and less wastage!
• Longer warranties, a long term investment into your health!
• Cold Press Juicers are easier to clean and use

Could this all really be true?! Yes!

Latest revolutionary Design in Cold Press Juicing

Cold Press Juicing has been launched into the mainstream with the new Vertical Style Cold Press juicer, consumers are now aware of the benefits and ease of consuming living juice as part of their daily routine, resulting in a healthier lifestyle! The latest breakthrough steams from years of customer feedback, with consumers wanting juicers which require less produce preparation. Vertical Cold Press juicers are now able to juice whole fruits and vegetables! meaning less preparation time, resulting in the fastest and most enjoyable slow juicing experience ever! Vitality 4 Life has grasped

There are two main types of juicers available in the market: centrifugal and cold press juicers. Although the two provide fresh juice, they operate on opposite sides of the health spectrum. It is definitely worth knowing the difference between the two before making a purchase. Not only do they vary widely in price but also in durability, usability and in the benefits to your health! Let's have a closer look at the two types and compare: cold press vs centrifugal juicers.

Centrifugal Juicers

Centrifugal juicers have been around for many years, and are the most common electric juicers found in homes across the globe. Cheaper than a cold press juicer, they can be found in retailers and department stores worldwide.

Centrifugal juicers use internal blades to extract juice, and spin up to 30,000 revs per minute. This pumps air through produce, incurring premature oxidisation. The blades shred fruit and vegetables into tiny particles exposing them to air, compromising their nutrient value. The juicer disposes of its waste in an external container most of the time, and the pulp attaches itself to the parts inside the juicing machine.

The high-speed and heat generated from the blades compromises the living nutrients and enzymes found in whole fruit and vegetables. This will leave the juice looking pale and the pulp will begin to separate.

When separation occurs the vital enzymes, nutrients and minerals found in fruit and vegetables, has depleted from premature oxidisation during the extraction process. Centrifugal juice needs to be drunk immediately after it is extracted from the juicer.

While a Centrifugal Juicer is not a nutritionally beneficial as a cold press juicer, they do come generally at a lower cost and are good for those only beginning