Being Juicy: Virgin Sips

   By estherblum  Jun 22, 2009

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I have clients that are all over the spectrum when it comes to juicing. Some gals gag at the thought, some want to introduce juices as a snack a few times per week, some want to juice exclusively one day per week for weight-loss purposes, and some want to add it to their daily eating habits. Personally, I love a green juice after working out or to kick a really stubborn cold. It boosts the immune system and gives you energy unlike that from any other food.

 Why Juice?
One of the greatest benefits of juicing is that it gives you an incredible amount of vitamins and minerals. Most of us do not eat enough fresh vegetables on a daily basis, and juicing can add back some much-needed nutrients into our diets. Juicing is also great for those of us with digestive issues. The fiber and pulp is removed when you juice, enabling nutrients to be easily absorbed across the intestinal wall. This cuts down on the workload required by your digestive system to break down fiber. Green juices also have an anti-inflammatory effect, calm an upset stomach, heal wounds and ulcers, and boost immune function. So if you have a hard time digesting roughage, it’s great to add in green vegetable juices on a daily basis.

Juice in Moderation
The downside to juicing is that all too often people consume too much sugar in the process. A good rule of thumb is to never juice more food than you would eat at one sitting. I often see people drinking a large carrot-beet juice combo, which not only has a tremendous amount of sugar but contains up to four or five large carrots and beets apiece. Do you truly eat that many beets and carrots at one sitting? Methinks not. It’s also important to remember that the less healthy you are, the harder juicing will be for your system to take. You need to have a baseline of clean eating and adequate protein intake for at least one month before jumping into juicing; otherwise you’ll feel pretty sick and will become completely turned off by the whole experience. So ease your way into it.

A Couple of Tips to Keep in Mind When Juicing

-You don’t need your own juicer to get started; visiting a local health food store that has fresh organic juices will do you right. Cost-wise it works out to be about the same.

-Mix fruits with fruits and vegetables with vegetables. Fruits are digested more quickly than veggies, so mixing the two together can give you an unwanted case of gas. If you really need to sweeten your juice, add in one beet and/or one carrot.

-Try other enhancers to make your juice taste delicious: lemons, ginger, or shredded coconut make welcome additions. Not only will the coconut taste delectable, but the fat inside will help your body absorb the fat-soluble vitamins in the juice.

-Drink your juice right away, because it is highly perishable. 

Combining Juices
What is the best mixture of juices? That really depends on your taste buds. Experiment with mixtures of celery, cucumber, spinach, parsley, asparagus, and red-leaf lettuce. Or, if you like to get the pain over withquickly, maximize your potential with minimum volume and do a shot of wheatgrass, my personal favorite. Juicing cilantro is a wonderful mercury chelator, but add this in very gradually, as too much at once can cause headaches.

Whether you’re eating out, cooking in the kitchen, or cooking in the bedroom, have fun and enjoy yourself! Buy organic whenever you can, and try to incorporate some basic home-cooked meals in your regime. If you treat yourself to a sumptuous dinner, balance it out the next day with plenty of green vegetables. At the end of the day, the only person holding you accountable is yourself, and eating gorgeous will help you be your own best friend.

Have you ever tried juicing? Do you think you would consume more fruits and vegetables this way?