The Joys of Juicing

In our busy society and culture, we find ourselves on the go most of the time.  When we are thirsty we stop at convenience stores and buy soda, or pasteurized juice with sugar added.  The healthiest beverage you could buy from a convenience store would be pasteurized 100% juice... and this isn't even that healthy for you.

The pasteurization process uses heat to destroy the bacteria in different substances, like juice or milk. In this process, many vital nutrients are destroyed, as well as beneficial enzymes. When we eat a raw apple, we receive enzymes from the apple to help us digest that specific fruit.  The same goes for any raw fruit or vegetable out there...they all contain these very beneficial enzymes.

If you look at the ingredient label on juice, you might find that they add "ascorbic acid", and that the juice contains 100% Vitamin C. To me this is a false concept... the natural vitamin C that the juice originally contained was killed in the pasteurization process, so the company adds "ascorbic acid" which is vitamin C--making it seem like the product is a whole product.

In knowing this, why wouldn't you want a product that is whole and healthy? A product that contains many vital nutrients... a product that contributes toward your health? Juicing your own fruits and vegetables provides all of these things for you... enzymes, vitamins, minerals, increased energy and endurance throughout the day, and MUCH MORE!

The first step in making your own fresh juices is to purchase a juicer. My preference is for the Champion Juicer (and no, I'm not a salesman for the Champion Juicer). This juicer runs around $300, but is well worth it if you are planning on juicing every day or every other day. If this does not fit into your budget, you could purchase a smaller, less efficient juicer from a superstore like Meijer or Walmart. Next, you need to purchase your favorite fruits and vegetables (which should preferably be ripe, organic, and locally grown).

Juicing is simple and there are MANY different recipes.  One of the simplest and best tasting juices contain:

1 apple
3 carrots
1/2 red beet
1 stick of celery
1/4 cup water

Raw juices are very easy to digest by the body, and the amount of nutrients absorbed is much greater than solid food. There are many benefits, which include:

• Anti-Aging Benefits
• Cellular Cleansing
• Increased Immunity (less sickness throughout the year)
• High antioxidant content
• Increased energy
• Healthier skin
• Whole-body regeneration
• Helps with constipation
• 
  ...and MANY, MANY MORE!

Juicing is something that you can add to your daily life.  You should juice every morning if possible, as it will prepare your body for food intake.  It is also easily digested in the morning... much easier than a big breakfast of solid food. Raw juices contain many natural medicines that will help with many different conditions, especially if you focus on choosing the proper fruits and vegetables for your condition.

More tips on juicing:

-Make sure you drink the juice right away.  Some vitamins and minerals are destroyed with heat and light, and the longer you let it sit out, the more you will lose. Try to drink your juice within 15 minutes of making it!
-Clean your juicer right away.  When the fruit/vegetable pulp dries on the juicer it is very difficult to clean.  Do this immediately! Also, this pulp is great to put into your compost bin!
-Add bee pollen if you would like.  Bee pollen is "nature's perfect food" and contains everything to sustain your life.  It is one of the only foods that contain everything that you need to survive. This substance can be found at most health food stores and online.  Make sure that you can find "local" bee pollen... this will be the most beneficial for you! Check back later for an entire article on bee pollen (it is one of my favorite!).
-Buy a variety of fruits and vegetables so you can try different recipes! Always try to add at least one vegetable, if not the majority.  Carrots make a great juice that tastes sweet too!
-Add raw honey.  This will not only make your juice sweet, but it will also provide you will many more vitamins and minerals! This might even help your allergies!

I encourage you all to add fresh, raw juice to your daily diet! You will see MANY benefits when you begin to do this.  Children also love raw juices (although you should water their juices down a bit more than yours).

To your health!