Immense benefits of Juicing

[Guest guest]

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/16/Can-Juicing-Really-Lead-to-Happiness.aspx

Do you want more energy? Maybe drop a couple of

sizes?  Do you want to improve your health? Look years younger? Give

your immune system a boost? If so, then it’s time to consider juicing. 

I have previously written an extensive guide to juicing  but Cherie Calbom, the original Juice Lady, released the third edition of her best-selling book The Juice Lady's Guide To Juicing for Health: Unleashing the Healing Power of Whole Fruits and Vegetables in October 2008.  

I recently spoke with her about what she learned

in preparation for her new book. The most remarkable news from the

juicing world is in the area of clinical research, offering mounting

scientific evidence for juicing’s health benefits. 

One notable study explored the effects of beetroot juice on blood pressure.

Those who consumed 20 ounces of beetroot juice started to show

reductions in blood pressure after just one hour. After about 2.5

hours, all participants who had the juice began to show significant

reductions in both their systolic and diastolic readings. 

Another significant study called the Kame Project

concluded that fruits and vegetables might play an important role in

delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. People who drank juices

(fruit and vegetable) more than three times per week, compared to less

than once a week, were 76 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s

disease.  

Many more studies have yielded positive

findings, which are nicely outlined in Cherie’s book. The research is

just confirming what you already know—that a diet rich in fruits and

vegetables can greatly improve your fitness and vitality.  

Why Should You Juice? 

 

You might think that you can get the same benefits by eating your veggies whole, why go through the trouble of juicing them? 

According to Cherie, juice is therapeutic.

It is a nutrient-dense “living” broth that is absorbed almost

instantly, requiring little effort by your body. It is almost like

receiving an intravenous infusion of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes

that goes right into your system without having to be broken down.

Since it can be utilized by your body immediately, those who juice

report feeling the “kick” of energy almost instantly.  

This is not to suggest replacing all your veggies and fruits with juice. Juicing is a supplement

to your diet, and you need the insoluble fiber from whole foods as

well. But juicing is a fantastic way to pack in more vegetables than

you would ordinarily eat.  

Speaking of fiber, you might be surprised to

know that juice actually contains some fiber—of the soluble variety.

Soluble fiber is present in juice in the form of pectin, gums, and

mucilage. This soluble fiber helps lower your cholesterol, stabilize

blood sugar, and encourages good bowel bacteria. 

Juicing concentrates the most nutrient-dense

parts of the plants in the juice. In the past, some have claimed that a

significant amount of nutrients remained in the fiber after juicing,

but that theory has been disproved. The Department of Agriculture

analyzed twelve fruits and found that 90 percent of the antioxidant

activity was in the juice, rather than the fiber. 

Making your own juice allows you to use a wider

variety of vegetables, leaves, and stems that you might not otherwise

eat, expanding your range of nutrients.   

Raw juice also contains something very

special—biophotonic light energy—which revitalizes your body. Fresh,

raw juice is a “live food” with a full complement of vitamins,

minerals, phytochemicals and enzymes. Commercially processed, canned,

bottled, frozen or otherwise packaged juices have been pasteurized,

meaning the juice has been exposed to high temperatures, and many of

the vitamins and enzymes have been killed or removed.  

The light of “living juice” has actually been

seen with Kirlian photography. Kirlian photos of cooked vegetables and

pasteurized juice reveal very little “light” emanating from them.  

One very important benefit of juicing has to do

with alkalizing your body. Most people’s bodies are too acidic. Nearly

all who suffer from chronic illness have this acidity problem.

Vegetables are alkaline, so when you juice, it will raise the pH of

your body to a more beneficial level.  

Remember, as good as juicing is, you still need

to pay attention to your nutritional type, in terms of how much juice

to consume daily, and what kind. You might want to review my guidelines

about juicing for each nutritional type before employing juicing into your food plan. For tips on choosing a juicer, my juicer page might helpful. 

 

The Top Three Benefits of Juicing 

 

Cherie shared her thoughts about what she considers to be the top three benefits of juicing: 

 

1.    Weight management

2.    Increased energy

3.    Boosted immune system 

Over the years, thousands of readers have

emailed the Juice Lady with their personal stories and experiences of

juicing. One of the things she has been most struck by is the “side

effect” reported in literally hundreds of emails—significant weight

loss.  

This weight loss is experienced not only by

people who have that as a goal, but also by those who do not. Many—in

fact, the majority—of people start juicing as a way to improve their

health and energy. But even these folks have noticed the pounds

“falling off,” as she described it. People from all over the world have

written her about this phenomenon. 

She suggests this may be a result of the fact

that acids are stored in fat cells, and when the pH becomes better

balanced with alkaline foods such as vegetable juices, your body will

let go of fat cells and the acids they contain. I would also add that

people who are juicing are likely eating less processed food and junk

food, feeling better and having more energy, and as a result are more

active, which would contribute to shedding excess pounds. When your

body has an abundance of the nutrients it needs, and the pH is

optimally balanced, you do feel energized.  

Juicing can supercharge your immune system with

its concentration of beneficial phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are the

substances plants contain that protect them from disease, injury and

pollution. For example, the average tomato contains up to 10,000

different types of phytochemicals, the most famous being lycopene,

which has been shown to lower the risk of stomach and prostate cancer. 

Research has shown that people whose diets are

highest in phytonutrients (ie, plants) have the lowest incidence of

cancer and other diseases, and raw juices give you these vital

substances in concentrated form. Here are just a few of the

immune-boosting plant heroes and what they do for you: 

 

Allyl sulfides, found in garlic and onions, have been found to lower your risk for stomach cancer

 

Curcumins, present in ginger and turmeric,

stimulate the activity of glutathione S-transferases, which are thought

to be cancer inhibitors

 

Ellagic acid, found in grapes and

strawberries, neutralizes carcinogenic agents, preventing them from

altering cellular DNA (a first step in the development of cancer)

 

Gingerol, from ginger, has been shown to reduce inflammation, lower cholesterol, and heal ulcers

 

Monoterpenes, found in cherries, have been found to lower the risk of breast, skin, liver, lung, stomach, and pancreatic cancer

Choose Organic Produce 

 

The popularity of organic produce has increased

dramatically over the years, and for good reason. Not only do you avoid

the health-damaging pesticides and herbicides--which get concentrated

in your juice just as the good nutrients do--but organic produce has

now been shown by a number of studies to be more nutritious than

inorganic produce. 

A $25-million four-year study of organic food,

funded by the European Union, found that organic fruits and vegetables

contain up to 40 percent more antioxidants. Organic produce had higher

levels of beneficial minerals like iron and zinc. In fact, the milk

from organically raised cows contains 60 percent more antioxidants and

fatty acids than ordinary milk.  

Another study, this one a doctoral dissertation by Virginia Worthington at John Hopkins University in 2001, revealed: 

 

27 percent more vitamin C in organic produce than in the conventionally grown vegetables

 

21 percent more iron

 

29 percent more magnesium

 

13 percent more phosphorous, and

 

15 percent fewer nitrates

There should be no remaining doubt that buying

organic produce is well worth the effort and additional cost. If you

can’t buy all organic, be sure to at least avoid the “Dirty Dozen.”  

Juicing = Happiness 

 

Cherie reports that her greatest “surprise” over

the years has been the number of emails she receives from people

reporting that juicing has led them to greater happiness. Letter after

letter comes in with comments about how much happier people are since

incorporating a juicing lifestyle. 

And it makes perfect sense. If you are healthy,

you feel good. If you feel good, life is more enjoyable—and an

enjoyable life is a happy life.