Each week I will challenge you to do something healthy for the entire week and take note of the effect it has on you.
Whenever I feel sluggish or want to strengthen my immune system, I turn to juicing. My monster size Breville juicer has a prominent place on our kitchen counter, right next to the sink, so it is always accessible and easy to clean…two key components.
Think of raw organic juices as nutritional supplements and preventive medicine. Drinking freshly made juices provides us with a concentrated supply of vital nutrients and live enzymes that we can’t get from eating alone; it’s just not likely that we could eat that much of a given vegetable at one sitting. For example, a 9 ounce glass of carrot juice has the same amount of nutrients as 18 ounces of whole carrots. That’s a lot of carrots.
Since the fiber has been removed from the fruits and vegetables, the juices are easily digested and absorbed into our system. Our organs don’t have to work so hard to access the nutrients. This conserves our body’s energy so instead of feeling heavy and tired like we do after a large meal, we feel lighter and more energized. The effect can be noticed immediately after drinking the juice when a buzz starts going through our entire body. Now that doesn’t mean fiber is bad; on the contrary, fiber is an essential part of our diet. Juicing does not exclude eating whole foods. Ideally the two should go hand in hand. Drink the carrot juice and eat the carrot.
The Standard American Diet is very acidic (coffee, tea, alcohol, sugar, processed foods); raw juices can help to bring your PH levels back into balance since they are very alkalizing. You will feel your energy level increase quite dramatically after consuming vegetable juices on a regular basis. Often times, fatigue is merely a sign of dehydration.
Raw juices stimulate the bowels, liver and kidneys…key organs of elimination. Removing waste products and toxins from the body is cleansing and helps to prevent disease.
When you are sick or feel a cold coming on, juicing is the perfect preventive medicine.It’s easier on your digestive system than solid food, allowing your body to rest and heal, and if you feel nauseous or don’t have an appetite, it is much more appealing to drink something than to have to chew and swallow. I have stopped the onset of a cold in the past by juice fasting and resting for 1-2 days at the first signs of feeling under the weather.
Ready to give it a try? Start by committing to one glass of freshly made juice a day. I would recommend choosing the same time every day so it becomes a habit (it takes 30 days to form a new habit). If you don’t own a juicer yet, you will need to visit your local health food store or juice bar until you decide to bite the bullet and make the investment in your health. I got mine for Mother’s Day a couple of years ago…normally if my husband were to buy me an appliance as a gift, he’d better duck and run for cover, but this was actually one of my favorite gifts.
There are endless variations of juice combinations to try and they can be quite delicious. See the recommended reading at the end of this article for some recipe ideas. I avoid using fruit too much in my juices because of the high concentration of sugar. It’s not advisable for anyone with sugar related diseases such as diabetes or hypoglycemia to drink fruit juices. As with everything else, experiment to find what you like.
Here are a few combinations I like:
Spinach, celery, lettuce, cucumber, and a green apple
Kale, collards, celery, carrot, cucumber, jalepeno pepper, lemon (tastes like a Bloody Mary)
Grapefruit, kale and celery
Cucumber and celery
Tip: Adding an apple or lemon to a green vegetable juice makes it more palatable.Carrots and beets also sweeten vegetable juices.
Recommended reading:
Juice Fasting and Detoxification: Use the Healing Power of Fresh Juice to Feel Young and Look Great : The Fastest Way to Restore Your Health
Raw Juices Can Save Your Life
