Juicing benefits for the long-term health-nut
Written by Heather Hooke
Juicing has this stigma that only the health guru who has way too much time on their hands actually does it. But the truth is, with the growing number of word-of-mouth testimonies combined with celebrity endorsements, a lot more people are following this health routine. Juicing isn’t just another fad diet; it’s result are real and long-lasting. So how did these nutrition all-stars go from veggie-virgins to anything but around the bush? Read on and you may just inspire the health guru within.
The skinny on Juicing:
What is Juicing: Juicing is a process where one uses a machine called a juicer typically in the comfort of their own home to process and drain raw fresh fruits and veggies, leaving a liquid of diverse vitamins, live enzymes, and antioxidants behind. Because of the Internet and an increased number of books and videos on the subject, juicing has quickly become a popular form of preventative or alternative medicine. With the documentary Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead, Joe Cross created a juicing movement as he traveled across America with his juicer and vowed to drink only fresh fruit and vegetable juice for 60 days in an effort to heal his overweight, steroid-loaded, sick body. While positive testimonies can be found throughout media channels, the Mayo Clinic’s main criticism to the hype is that “there is no scientifically-based advantage of juicing over simply consuming a fruit or vegetable in its original form.” Regardless of how you consume them one thing is for sure, upping your fruit and veggie intake is always a good thing for your health and wellness.
What kind of fruits/veggies do you use: You can use any fruits and veggies you choose! Some go better together than others. Apples, oranges, bananas, berries, broccoli, tomatoes, carrots and red peppers are popular choices. Many juicers look for the foods with the highest antioxidants and vitamins. Ginger is often added for increased digestion and taste.
How do you juice: There are many types of juicing tools, both manual and electric juicers. Electric juicers are popular due to their ease. A good juicer does not leave much foam behind because the foam can take away from the antioxidant level. Shop around and look for a juicer that leaves as little foam as possible behind.
Let’s Be Clear
Clear, glowing skin is one of the first benefits you’ll see when you juice. This is because what you consume has a direct correlation with your skin, the largest organ in your body. When you properly feed your body with balanced nutrients, your skin will be balanced as well. According to Gerri Summers, a beauty writer for multiculturalbeauty.about.com, many people don’t realize an overly taxed digestive system can also result in equally sluggish looking skin. “When the kidneys have to deal with too much waste, toxins can come out from the skin and cause blemishes and other problems.” Juicing helps with your daily beauty attempts in one step by giving your digestive track a rest, while providing skin-healthy vitamins A, C, and E along with the extra hydration.
Digestion and Weight Loss
With IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and other gastrointestinal disorders on the rise, it is clear that Americans must change their diet. Our bodies were not meant to take in so much food in such a short amount of time. When you juice, your body doesn’t have to work so hard to chew, swallow, digest and then eliminate food. Instead, juicing speeds up the first three steps exponentially, allowing your body to rest and do an internal cleanse. According to abc.com, during this process, your cells have the time to catch up with their work, and “they can repair themselves and detoxify.” This has been said to aid in weight loss, along with vast improvements in digestive health.
Consistent Energy
The key in the phrase above is consistent. Anyone can down coffee before a deadline and crank out some epic work, just to crash 30 minutes later. To achieve consistent energy from the morning all the way to bed, juice it up first thing to really add to your overall health and productivity level. Unlike caffeine, juicing has a balance of fresh, live enzymes, proteins and fiber that are concentrated into your juice. This gives you balanced energy levels that are time-released due to the fiber that takes longer to digest, livestrong.com explains. This concoction mixed with key essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals (like vitamin A, B, C and potassium) is something your daily java just can’t compare to. You should notice an increase in stamina and that you feel fuller longer thanks to the added fiber.
9 A Day Keeps the Doctor Away
According to the USDA, requirements for fruits and veggies have gone from a five per day minimum to nine per day. Many people still don’t know of this change and weren’t even meeting the five requirements before they upped the ante. Why so many? According to livestrong.com, “Fresh juice made from broccoli, cranberries, ginger, lime and other nutrient-dense foods may be beneficial in reducing the risk of diseases such as cancer and heart disease.” Juicing can be the perfect answer to ensuring you get your nine in before your 9 to 5 even begins.
So there you have it. To juice or not to juice, that is the question. Well, if don’t your want to achieve beautiful clear skin, a lean mean body, great digestive health, high energy levels, oh yeah and prevent cancer, then back away from the juicer. But if these sounds like benefits you’d like to achieve, go ahead and give it a go. Just remember that juicing does not give you free rein on calories. While they are healthy, each fruit and veggie you put in your juice has it’s own calories and carbs. Try going to caloriecount.about.com to get an idea of how many calories is in each of your favorites. To get a list of the best fruits and veggies for your skin, scan the QR Code below (http://juicerrecipesnow.com/juicing-for-clear-skin/). Then, go to the store and have fun. You’ll notice right away how healthy you feel spending so much time in the Fruit and Veggie aisle and will enjoy discovering new foods that are outside your normal “lettuce, tomato, carrot” robot-routine. Wishing you the best on your healthful journey. Happy Juicing!