JUICE....JUICE...JUICEEEE

JUICING 101

***The body can quickly absorb larger amounts of nutrients from juices than from solid foods because the process of digestion that is necessary when you eat whole foods is bypassed. Raw fruits and vegetables contain many substances that enhance health, and juicing benefits the body by providing the most concentrated and readily absorbed source of these substances.

***Another one of the major health benefits of juicing is that it is an easy way to get beneficial enzymes, which are primarily found in raw foods, into the body. Enzymes in fresh fruits and vegetables have the vital role of converting food into body tissue and energy. Enzymes are also involved in metabolism, so one of the more valuable health benefits of juicing is that it can increase metabolic rate. 

***Juicing also ensures that the body is getting sufficient amounts of phytochemicals, substances in plants that are considered among the most powerful ways to fight disease. While most people do not eat enough raw fruits and vegetables to obtain the amount of phytochemicals that would make a difference, it is relatively easy to drink enough juice to obtain sufficient amounts of these powerful nutrients. In addition, antioxidants and other immune enhancing properties are concentrated in juices.

***Juicing can therefore help to accelerate recovery from illness. In fact, juicing with specific combinations of fruits or vegetables can target particular conditions and improve or alleviate symptoms.

***Among the most interesting health benefits of juicing are its anti-aging benefits and its potential for alleviating symptoms of depression. The effects of juicing on depression are accomplished by providing a concentrated source of minerals like magnesium, potassium, iron, calcium, and folic acid. Deficiencies of these nutrients are associated with symptoms of depression.

***Further, the concentration of antioxidants in juices combats the damaging effects that free radicals have on skin and muscle. Juicing can help keep skin free from wrinkles and muscles well toned. In addition, increasing the intake of antioxidants by juicing can slow the onset of age-related illnesses

Juicing helps you absorb all the nutrients from the vegetables. This is important because most of us have impaired digestion as a result of making less-than-optimal food choices over many years. This limits your body's ability to absorb all the nutrients from the vegetables. Juicing will help to "pre-digest" them for you, so you will receive most of the nutrition, rather than having it go down the toilet.

Juicing allows you to consume an optimal amount of vegetables in an efficient manner. If you are a carb type, you should eat one pound of raw vegetables per 50 pounds of body weight per day. Some people may find eating that many vegetables difficult, but it can be easily accomplished with a quick glass of vegetable juice.

You can add a wider variety of vegetables in your diet. Many people eat the same vegetable salads every day. This violates the principle of regular food rotation and increases your chance of developing an allergy to a certain food. But with juicing, you can juice a wide variety of vegetables that you may not normally enjoy eating whole.

Add spirulina. Spirulina is another algae that has many similar benefits and is a good balance to chlorella. However, it does not bind to heavy metals like chlorella.

• Coconut:  You can purchase the whole coconut or use unsweetened shredded coconut. It adds a delightful flavor and is an excellent source of fat to balance your meal. Coconut has medium chain triglycerides, which have many health benefits. Lauric acid -- the major fatty acid from the fat of the coconut -- has been recognized for its unique properties related to its antiviral, antibacterial, and antiprotozoal functions. Coconut also contains capric acid, which has antimicrobial components. Natural coconut fat in your diet helps normalize your body lipids, protects against alcohol damage to your liver, and improves your immune system's anti-inflammatory response.
• Cranberries: You can also add some cranberries if you enjoy them. Researchers have discovered that cranberries have five times the antioxidant content of broccoli, which means they may protect against cancer, stroke and heart disease. In addition, they are chock-full of phytonutrients, and can help women avoid urinary tract infections. Limit the cranberries to about 4 ounces per pint of juice. 
• Lemons: You can also add half a lemon (leaving much of the white rind on). If you are a Protein Nutritional Type, you will not want to use lemons as they will push your pH in the wrong direction.
• Fresh ginger: This is an excellent addition if you can tolerate it. It gives your juice a little "kick"! And, as an added boon, researchers have found that ginger can have dramatic effects on cardiovascular health, including preventing atherosclerosis, lowering cholesterol levels, and preventing the oxidation of low density lipoprotein (LDL).

Lesson 5: Drink your vegetable juice right away, or store it very carefully.
Juicing is a time-consuming process, so you'll probably be thinking to yourself, "I wonder if I can juice first thing in the morning, and then drink it later?" This is not a good idea. Vegetable juice is very perishable so it's best to drink all of your juice immediately. However, if you're careful, you can store it for up to 24 hours with only moderate nutritional decline. To store your juice:

• Put your juice in a glass jar with an airtight lid and fill it to the very top. There should be a minimum amount of air in the jar as the oxygen in air (air is about 20 percent oxygen) will "oxidize" and damage the juice.
• Wrap the jar with aluminum foil to block out all light. Light damages the juice.
• Store it in the refrigerator until about 30 minutes prior to drinking, as vegetable juice is best consumed at room temperature.

Dinner?

A cup of brown rice with a few chopped vegetables mixed in and protein.

"Brown rice gives your body plenty of B vitamins, which is a stress reducer. It's very high fiber, will fill you up, will help you sleep, and will flush you out in the morning."

Juices: Benefits of juicing to health

• Juicing is an extremely efficient way of obtaining large quantities of high quality nutrients in the form that the body is most able to use.
• Juicing allows the body to be flooded with the full spectrum of vitamins, minerals and enzymes.
• Concentrated phyto-chemicals and antioxidants.
• Fresh juices are a perfect food supplement
• Juice is an excellent source of energising, cleansing and reparative nutrients and because it is in the raw state that the body is designed to deal with, there is no accompanying loss of energy when digesting it.
• Helps to fight disease.
• Reduces acidity in the body.

GREEN JUICES OR "GREEN DRINKS"

Green juices cleanse the body of pollutants and have a rejuvenating effect. Made from a variety of green vegetables, green juices are rich in chlorophyll, which helps to purify the blood, build red blood cells, detoxify and heal the body, and provide the body with fast energy.
Green juices can be made with alfalfa sprouts, barley grass, cabbage, kale, dandelion greens, spinach, and other green vegetables, including wheat grass. Wheat grass juice is particularly important in any cancer treatment, especially whenradiation therapy is involved.
To sweeten and dilute your green juices, try adding fresh carrot and apple juice. (No other fruit juices should be added.) Steam-distilled water is another good addition.
Although green juices have great health benefits, they should be consumed in moderation. Try drinking about 8 to 10 ounces a day. The following is an excellent "green drink":

Recipe 1: Vegetable Juice Combo
2 Swiss chard leaves
1/2 beetroot
2 or 3 sprigs of watercress
3 carrots
1 celery stalk
Wash with filtered or distilled water, cut and put in juicer.


Recipe 2: Carrot-Apple Juice
2-3 Small Green Apples or Red Apples
2-3 large carrots
Fresh basil leaves
Wash with filtered or distilled water, cut and put in juicer.


Recipe 3: Carrot-Vegetable Juice
A handful of dandelion leaves
1 kale leaf
4 carrots
Fresh mint, basil or coriander leaves
Wash with filtered or distilled water, cut and put in juicer.


Recipe 4: Peach Juice
2 or 3 peaches


Recipe 5: Apple Carrot Ginger
2-3 small  red apples
4-6 carrots
1 small piece of ginger

Recipe 6 Green Juice

4-5 carrots
3 sprigs fresh parsley
1 large handful spinach
1 large handful kale 1 beet, including tops
1 clove garlic, peeled
1/4 head cabbage


Recipe 7
3 carrots
3 celery salks
1 large beet and leaves
1 cucumber