Juice
It!
Fruits and Veggies the Easy Way
By
Neesha Meminger
In
today's world, pollution and chemicals come at us from all
angles. Our water contains toxic levels of metals and chlorine.
Our produce is tainted with pesticides. Our meat and meat
products are pumped full of hormones and antibiotics. It
is small wonder that so many of us
fall prey to chronic ailments and
disease — so much
so that conditions like allergies, PMS and migraines have
become as common as a cold or the flu.
In order to live a healthy and vibrant life in
today's modern, fast-paced world, it has become absolutely critical
to eat consciously. Include as many whole, unrefined, unprocessed
grains, meats and produce as possible. Supplement your diet with
vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids. Get plenty of rest
and relaxation. Reduce health-eroding emotions like anger, resentment
and fear. Eat organic whenever possible. And include plenty of
antioxidants in the form of dark, leafy greens and fruits and
vegetables. All of these components are necessary in the building
of optimum health and success, as well as combating and preventing
illness and disease.
Juice
it!
Most North Americans do not get even close to their recommended
daily intake of fruits and vegetables, and juicing is an easy
way to accomplish just that. Extracting fresh juice from raw fruits
and vegetables and drinking it right away allows many of the vital
nutrients and enzymes to remain intact. And since enzymes act
as catalysts in almost every bodily function, juicing plays a
significant role in the fight against free radicals. It allows
nutrients, antioxidants, enzymes and trace amounts of essential
fatty acids to enter the body in a more bioactive form than supplements.
In other words, the body is better able to absorb
all of nutritional value of the fruits and vegetables when they
are juiced. The result of all of this maximum and efficient nutrient
absorption is increased energy and vitality. In fact, Vitamin
A, if taken in large doses in supplement form, could lead to toxicity.
On the other hand, beta-carotene, which is the pre-cursor that
the body then converts into Vitamin A in the body, is water soluble
and carries almost no risk of toxicity. Fresh vegetables, especially
carrots, contain large amounts of the more easily assimilated
and non-toxic form of Vitamin A, beta-carotene, which is released
with the rupture of membranes when the vegetable is juiced.
A
better way to get your nutrition
Juicing is also a better way to get your vitamins and minerals
because all of the phytonutrients, soluble fiber and many other
complex compounds that exist in the natural fruit also exist in
its juice. Each nutrient is individually extracted when it is
in supplement form. Since all nutrients work symbiotically with
one another, with each enhancing or balancing the other, drinking
freshly extracted vegetable juice allows you to get the nutrients
in combinations that exist in the food when it is in its natural
state.
Juicing
provides a lot of soluble fiber. The nutrients that are contained
in the insoluble fiber of a fruit or vegetable are released so
that the body can make use of them. When fruits or vegetables
are eaten whole, these nutrients would not be available to the
body, as they would be contained within the indigestible fiber.
Since fiber is such an important factor in the elimination of
waste and toxins from the body and keeping the colon and bowel
cleansed, a high-fiber diet is highly recommended for optimum
health and wellness. Soluble fiber, as well as aiding in the body's
elimination and detoxification processes, is also the fiber that
has been found to lower levels of cholesterol.
Freshly extracted fruit and vegetable juice also
provides another, major key nutrient: water. Everyday factors
like caffeine, over-the-counter medications, salt, cigarette smoking
and alcohol all act to dehydrate the body. These factors, combined
with the fact that most Americans do not consume nearly enough
water just to reach the basic daily intake (never mind compensating
for what's lost), can contribute to ill health. Since fresh juices
contain ample amounts of this vital substance, this is yet another
reason that juicing could be such an important addition to an
overall optimum health and wellness plan.
What about ready-made juice?
Most of the bottled juices that are available in supermarkets
and even health food stores have been pasteurized in an effort
to eliminate harmful bacteria. Unfortunately, the process of pasteurizing
includes subjecting fresh juices to extremely high temperatures.
There are valuable and fragile enzymes, phytonutrients and other
nutritional compounds that are destroyed with the addition of
heat. Cooking, refining and processing food strips it of its maximum
nutritional value.
The benefits of juicing are many, while the downsides
are few to nil. In a culture where the number of people who get
their daily requirements of fruits and vegetables is dismally
low, juicing should be an absolute necessity and priority. I have
educated many of my clients in the particulars of juicing and
every single one of them has returned to my office full of vitality,
increased energy and a great enthusiasm for fresh juice. They
often go on to become staunch advocates of juicing themselves.
When faced with skeptics, my question is usually, “Why not
juice?”
© Neesha D. Meminger
Neesha D. Meminger is a holistic
health professional and nutrition counselor. The focus of her
practice is holistic health, wealth and optimum success for women.
For more information, visit her web site at http://www.seeitbeit.com,
or e-mail her directly for a free collaborative interview at Neesha@seeitbeit.com.
