Juicing Power!
When I started juicing nearly a year ago, I had no idea it would lead me to such an amazing new network of friends and clients, all wanting to know more. I had seen a few articles about it, but usually along side the ‘Raw’ food sensation where people only eat raw fruit and vegetables and are usually Vegan.. The idea of eating a raw diet did not appeal to me. I saw friends who were on it, and their skin suffered, they found the lack of warm foods in cold climates quite challenging.
So I did a little more research and on the advice of my yoga teacher I bought a juicer….that came with the ‘Juice Master’ Book. It was all new to me. A learning curve with the different variations and the amounts to make. The book was an inspiration, and recently, Jason Vale has done a Global 7 Day Juice Detox. Eye Opening to say the least. I decided not to do that plan…I have no real reason to detox. I didn’t over indulge at Christmas, and I am not over weight. Having been juicing for a while, my sugar cravings are very few and far between, so I tend not to need to pick at naughty processed foods. My appetite is smaller, and the way I eat my food is more mindful. I juice every morning. Sometimes it is my breakfast. More often I have my juice and hour before breakfast. The benefits of juicing? Its FRESH. ORGANIC….Hopefully you will buy your goodies with Low HI …. according to Jason Vale…That’s ‘Low Human Intervention.’ Think packaging. Think Food Chain….. Think. Your Juice will be packed with more of your 5 a day than you could ever imagine. If you make it very ‘green’ you will be upping your alkali foods.Although some people do not agree that certain foods can help with the pH of the body, it is felt by others that although your body naturally moves from alkali to acid during the day… it won’t balance itself if it is unhealthy to begin with. Many cancer sufferers try the Ph Diet as some believe that cancer cells cannot grow in an alkali body. There are reports for and against this, but if I was suffering I’d give it a go! If you eat processed foods, lots of meat and dairy and refined sugars, your body will find it hard to balance itself. Give it alkali foods…. this is a whole subject of its own, but generally the more green the vegetable the more alkali it is. Superfoods such as Broccoli, Wheatgrass, Spinach are all high alkali foods. As are lemons! It’s worth noting that when cooked spinach turns acidic…so juicing it is the best way!
I buy a huge Juicing Box from Abel and Cole every couple of weeks. Designed perfectly for Juicing. Delivered to the door. I try to juice more vegetables than fruit. You will, however, miss out on the fibre in the fruit and veg when you juice them. The idea is that the vitamins and minerals get in to the system really fast this way. So you need fibre too…. Whizz your juiced fruit and veggies in a Blender some avocado – Food of the gods! You can’t juice an avocado. It has….. no juice! Perfect breakfast filling smoothie. Or add avocado to coconut milk and banana in the blender for fibre and energy. ‘Super Smoothie’ While we re were on the subject of ‘Green’ things to juice… Wheatgrass… Hugely Powerful little grass. But you can’t juice it. You need a different, costly piece of equipment for the extraction…. you can add a tsp of powdered wheatgrass to any juice…or I have just discovered Squeeze Juice Cafe who deliver FRESH pouches. Much easier and much cleaner in the kitchen too!
Although there are many great recipes in the book, I’m often asked for my favourite one.
2 apples, 2 inch of cucumber, small chunk of broccoli, slice of lemon, about 1/2 inch of fresh ginger, a stick of celery, and a carrot. Squish a handful of spinach in the middle and you’re off! If you need a more filling juice, add that whole amount after it’s juiced, to half an avocado in the blender. Super Juice! So much to write, so many things to share…like the subject of beetroot! Add a small Beetroot to the juice. Powerhouse of vitamins. expands the blood vessels, so great prior to exercise. Many Olympians drank Beetroot Juice! Click for article. What Juicer I hear you ask? There are many.Unless you are feeding hundreds of people every day I wouldn’t spend over £100.00 on one. You need one with a wide chute that is easy to clean. I chose mine from a recommend and have since recommended to many others. Phillips HR1861 does the job. takes little space. Easy to clean! Off you go! Juice Away!
