I Gave Up Soda....Now What?

So anyone who knows me in real life knows that I was a hardcore, die-hard pop addict for years and years. Decades, even. Is it soda or pop? When I lived in Virginia, it was soda...Now that we're in Ohio, it's pop. I am confused and will probably use both terms until one doesn't feel weird to me! Anyway, I drank a whole 2 liter PLUS of soda each and every day since I was a teen. I am almost ashamed to admit this habit, since I buy mostly organic foods and don't keep junk food of any kind in my home. I have a ton of specialty appliances that allow me to create meals from scratch with almost no effort. So even though my cooking has always been very health conscious,  I guess you could say that pop was my (very) guilty pleasure.

Recently, I saw a news story about a woman not much older than me who died suddenly. Cause of death? Well, let's just say it was attributed to a soda addiction just like mine. Pop is full of empty calories, insane amounts of sugar, and is just generally very bad for the body. Diet soda isn't much better since it's chock-full of nasty chemicals that I cannot even begin to pronounce. So seeing this poor woman's life come to a halt because of her addiction to this bubbly drink made me quit cold turkey, literally. I am 31 years old and not getting any younger, and I cannot be careless when it comes to my health. If I won't allow my kids to drink it, why should I?

So after pouring all of my beloved Diet Dr. Pepper down the sink, I went out and grabbed a ton of flavor packets to add to water. I hate water, so I need to take baby steps. Surprisingly, that has worked out well. I have not killed anyone due to caffeine withdrawl, and I actually feel a lot better in general. Hopefully my health will remain intact and I will never have to buy Clopidogrel.

After a couple of weeks and a lot of thought, I think I should kick things up a notch and do something even better for my health like juicing. I just ordered a ton of non-GMO seeds to plant an extensive fruit and vegetable garden, and juicing seems like a healthy and logical choice once our crops start producing. I will have fresh cantaloupe, watermelon, spinach, kale, carrots, and many, many more tasty crops. (I am most excited about the eggplant, but that's just me! My hubby and teen are afraid of it!)

I have been researching juicers and I have my eye on the Breville Juice Fountain Elite 800JEXL. Yes, it's pricey, but I don't skimp when it comes to appliances and kitchen electrics. I spend a lot of time cooking and preparing meals, so I only want the best.

Have any of you made your own fresh juice using a juicer? What juicer do you recommend, and what fruit and veggie combos taste the best? I am a juicing virgin, so I'd love any suggestions you may have!

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