Benefits of Juicing - Part 2

Below is part 2 of my cheat sheet on the benefits of the fruits and vegetables I regularly juice. It is a continuation from part 1 where I covered parsley, cucumber, celery, kale and spinach.

Carrots - Organic

1. Rich source of vitamin A. Vitamin A is very helpful during pregnancy for fetal development.
2. Also contains B vitamins and foliate.
3. Great for eye health due to its abundance of luetin, beta carotene, zeaxanthin, antioxidants and phytonutrients.
4. Natural diuretic.
5. Boosts the immune system.
6. Reduces mucous from the ears, nose and throat, and clears away phlegm to aid breathing.
7. Cleanses and restores the liver.

Broccoli

1. Vitamins: C, A, iron and calcium.
2. Contains sulforaphane which prevents peptic ulcers and is also known to ease gastritis and indigestion.
3. Contains more calcium than milk per ounce.
4. Contains an anti-estrogenic compound known as glucosinolates which helps rid the body of excess estrogen associated with certain types of breast cancer.
5. High in antioxidants and lutien important for eye health.
6. Is thought to help prevent breast, colon, lung and stomach cancer.

*Juice away, it's impossible to drink too much broccoli juice.

Green Apples - Organic

1. Vitamins: A, B & C.
2. High in Pectin which can help lower cholesterol and prevent colon cancer.
3. High in Boron which prevents calcium loss and stimulates brain function.
4. Natural diuretic and laxative effects.
5. Apples also help to balance out the bitterness of dandelion greens and kale.

Ginger

1. Contains over 12 types of antioxidants.
2. Natural anticoagulant.
3. Natural aphrodisiac - better than viagra for S-E-X!
4. Soothes the symptoms of the common cold and cough.
5. Helps to relieve many digestive ailments including heartburn, nausea and indigestion.
6. Can be helpful for relieving muscle pain and soreness.
7. Anti-infammatory.
8. Can help lower cholesterol.
9. Helps to control diabetes.
10. Thought to prevent and slow the progression of cancer.

Beets - Organic

1. Loaded with vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and C. The greens have a higher nutritional content than the root so be sure to juice them as well.
2. The greens have a higher iron content than spinach and are also high in chlorophyll.
3. Also an excellent source of calcium, magnesium, copper phosphorus and sodium.
4. Blood purifier and blood builder that helps with the creation of red blood cells.
5. Dissolves liver, kidney and bladder stones.
6. Increases the production of glutathione which helps the body detoxify cancer-causing agents.
7. Regulates blood pressure.
8. Protects against stomach and colon cancer.
9. The cellulose beets contain helps to relieve constipation.
10. Contains choline, making it an excellent liver detoxifier.
11. Prevents varicose veins.

Dandelion Greens - Organic or from your yard if you don't use chemicals.

1. Ranked in the top 4 of all green vegetables and listed as one of the top 50 power herbs.
2. Vitamins: loaded with K, A, potassium and calcium.
3. Rich source of lutein and zeaxanthin - important for eye health.
4. Natural diuretic.
5. As good as milk thistle for liver detoxification.
6. Controls blood pressure.
7. Contains hormone balancing elements called taraxerol and taraxasterol. Can help to alleviate PMS.
8. Contains taraxacin which triggers the gall bladder and liver to create bile and stimulates the digestive system.
9. Thought to help treat indigestion, hepatitis, depression and irritability.

I try to buy organic fruits and vegetables as much as possible to reduce the amount of pesticide intake. It can get expensive but if you try to juice foods that are in season it helps keep the cost down. I also grew my own zucchini, beets and cucumbers in my garden this summer. 

*I am not a medical professional and claim no medical expertise. You should always consult your healthcare provider before beginning any diet.

Benefits of Juicing - Part 1

I keep looking up the benefits of all the vegetables I've been juicing and then promptly forgetting them and having to look them up again. So I decided to make myself a cheat sheet and share it with everyone. Please note that these are just the points I felt were important to me and is not all inclusive. I've also noted to the side which ones I think are important to buy organic based on pesticide load and conventional farming processes.

Parsley

1. Vitamins: B12, K & C, beta-carotene, chlorophyll, essential fatty acids, folic acid and iron.
2. Natural diuretic and laxative effect.
3. Breath Freshener.
4. Commonly used for anemia because of it's high iron concentration.
5. Kidney cleanser and liver detoxifier.
6. High antioxidant content and cancer fighter.
7. Anti-inflammatory.

  *Parsley juice is very potent and you should not drink it on its own or more than 2-3 ounces at a time. It should not be juiced by pregnant women or those taking blood thinners. It should also be used with caution if you have kidney disease.

Cucumber - Organic

1. Vitamins: C & A, foliate, manganese, molybdenum, potassium, silica, sulfer and lesser amounts of B complex, sodium*, calcium and phosphorus.
2. Regulates blood pressure.
3. Regulates body temperature.
4. Promotes hair growth.
5. Skin clarifier.
6. Supplies electrolytes necessary for hydrating cells in the body.
7. Strengthens connective tissues, dissolves kidney stones and alleviates arthritis.

*It should be noted that the natural sodium contained in fruits and vegetables is not the same as table salt and the two should not be confused. The organic sodium found in fruits and vegetables is necessary for our bodies to function properly. Organic sodium is essential for calcium uptake, digestion, fluid balance, bile production and the proper functioning of all major organs. Most Americans are actually deficient in this good type of sodium. And unlike table salt, if there is an excess of organic sodium in your body, it is easily excreted.

Celery - Organic

1. Vitamins: B1, B2, B6 and C, potassium, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, sodium and essential amino acids.
2. Regulates and calms the nervous system, it is known to help alleviate insomnia.
3. Fights cancer and prevents free radicals. Specifically stomach and colon cancers.
4. Natural laxative aiding in healthy bowel movements.
5. Natural Diuretic.
6. Reduces cholesterol.
7. Helps regulate blood pressure.
8. Eliminates and prevents kidney and gall stones.
9. Detoxifies.
10. Reduces cravings for sweets and aids in weight loss.

Kale - Organic

1. Vitamins: K, A, E & C, calcium, manganese, copper, potassium, iron, magnesium, omega 3 fatty acids, B1, B2, B3, protein, foliate and phosphorus.
2. Rich source of lutein, an antioxidant important for eye health. I prevents and heals sun damage from UV rays. It is also thought to improve your skin.
3. Excellent detoxifier due to its high content of flavonoids and carotenoids.
4. Lowers the risk of bladder, breast, colon, ovarian and prostate cancer. And possibly aids in the treatment of cancer as well.
5. Anti-inflammatory.

*Use kale with care if you take blood thinners or have kidney or gallbladder problems.

Spinach - Organic

1. Vitamins: K, A, C & E, manganese, foliate, calcium, potassium, iron, riboflavin, copper, magnesium, copper, zinc, omega 3 fatty acids, selenium and niacin.
2. High in chlorophyll which increases the oxygen intake in blood and neutralizes free radicals.
3. Natural laxative.

*Spinach contains oxalic acid which requires exercise to be metabolized. Too much oxalic acid in your body can cause you to actually loose nutrients. However, it takes 1lb of spinach to make 4 ounces of juice so a couple of handfuls in your juice each morning shouldn't be a problem for most people.

To be continued...

**Please note that I am not a medical professional nor do I claim any medical expertise. You should always consult your healthcare professional before beginning any diet.

Dandelion Greens & Juicing

Today I added dandelion greens to my morning juice after reading about all of its benefits. Next to milk thistle, dandelion greens are one of the best liver detoxifiers out there. They are also thought to be a strong diuretic, improve bowel function, dissolve kidney stones, lower cholesterol and support gastro-intestinal health. Not to mention they are loaded with vitamins and minerals. One cup of greens contains 10% of the RDA for calcium. Other vitamins and minerals include A, C, E, K, B6, iron, zinc and copper.

I found them at my local healthfood store. You can use the ones growing in your backyard as long as you don't spray your lawn with chemicals/pesticides. You should also note that they don't last very long in your refrigerator so once you buy them they need to be used within a couple of days.

Below is a picture of all the items including the dandelion greens (on the left) I juiced this morning. Obviously I didn't use the whole bag of kale, only about 3 handfuls. The other items are parsley, ginger, 4 celery stalks, 1 green apple, 2 carrots and a beet.

All of the above makes about 1 1/2 glasses of juice (see below). If you have never juiced before don't be turned off by the color. It does actually taste good or at least not bad. This one was slightly bitter from all the kale & dandelion. I think next time I will replace the kale with spinach when using dandelion greens and also maybe add an extra carrot.

*Please note that I am not a medical professional and do not claim any medical expertise. You should always consult your healthcare professional before starting any diet program.

Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead

Two days before I started The Candida Yeast Answer program I watched the documentary Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead.  Coincidence or fate?  Who knows.  It's streaming on Netflix if your interested.  Wow, what an inspiring story.  Personally I was more fascinated and inspired by the truck driver than the main character but that's not really the point of this post.

I had already began planning my diet for my new treatment program and this movie gave me an idea.  We already had a $300 juicer (see picture below) sitting in our kitchen collecting dust.  It was one of the items my boyfriend got when he split with his ex.  In the two years we've been together it has been used once.  We've talked many times about how we should use it more but basically we've been to lazy to ever actually do it.  So I decided to incorporate juicing into my new treatment program.

I've never done an actual juice fast like they do in the movie nor do I plan to do one at this time.  I'm not overweight and I'm prone to hypoglycemia so it's probably not a great idea for me right now.  I have however replaced my breakfast with a juice and ground flaxseed.  I started this the same day I started my treatment program and so far I am loving it.  It really has given me a noticeable boost of energy in the mornings which I desperately need.  I've also noticed it seems to help curb my cravings for sugar and carbs and helps me to eat healthier for the rest of the day.  Plus what an easy and tasty way to alkalize your body!  Below is a sample of my typical juice:

2 handfuls spinach
1 beet including the greens
3-4 stalks celery
1/2 cucumber
1 handful carrots
1 green apple
parsley
small piece of ginger

I know most anti-candida diets say no fruits and even frown on carrots, however, The Candida Yeast Answer program allows for carrots and limited fresh fruits as long as they do not make you feel poorly.  I have limited my fruit intake to one apple a day for now.  I have also incorporated zucchini, broccoli, bell peppers, kale, swiss chard, lemon, cabbage and arugula into my juices.  I prefer to use produce that is organic or from my own garden.  Despite how it may sound or look they really are very tasty.

If any of you other juicers out there want to share your favorite recipe please feel free!