THE JUICE PIONEERS
The ancient Greeks realized that you are what you eat.
"Each one of the substances of a man's diet acts upon his body and changes it in some way, and upon these changes his whole life depends, whether he be in health, sickness or convalescent." Hippocrates.
These words have never found a more receptive audience that today, when may people believe that the essential nutrients in much of our food production have been depleted by modern farming techniques and modern food production and distribution.
Blending and juicing fresh fruit and vegetables, preferably using organic produce, is one way to regain the natural goodness lost to the gods of profit, preservation and expediency.
Eating or drinking raw produce to improve the overall health emerged at the end of the 19th cenutry, interestingly at a time when the very earliest convenience foods were beginning to permeate the market.
CONVENIENCE FOODS were the beginning of the slippery slope where by freshness was sacrificed to convience. 150 years later, we have come to rely too much on food that has had the natural goodness processed out of it.
With the right ingredients, a glass of fresh juice or a smoothie can be a meal in itself. Perfect for a variety of diets--- get the mix right and you can use them for Healing, Maintaing Good Health, Weight gain or Weight Loss.
SPRING CLEANERS
A seasonal clean out of the body does not mean pain or giving up eating! When you spring clean your home you don't throw away all your furniture, but maybe dispose of some old things and replace them with bright new ones!
When you detox you cut out the processed food as well as the caffeine, alcohol, candies and cigarettes that have been adding an extra burden to your body, but most importatly, you replace them with fresh natural foods that will boost your energy, replace dying cells with new healthy ones and lift your spirits.
A one-day detox only takes a little will power and is a great way to start the process. You can extend the detox to a weekend later on, and then a week once you've got use to the idea and found out more about cleansing and nourishing your body.
There are a number of excelent books available to help you achieve your goals. Do some research first and discover the benefits you can gain from Juicing!
Here are some of my favoriets.
LETTUCE MILK
Detoxifies the body. Full of vitamin C, betacarotene, folic acid, potassim, calcium and iodine.
Ingredients for 1 serving
Make this in a powerful blender
2 or 3 large dark lettuce leaves
1 tbsp ground almonds
2 apples
1 tomato
3 1/2 buttermilk or live natural yoghurt
1/2 lemon
pinch of nutmeg
CUCUMBER-MELON
Both have diuretic properties and are great detoxers. By adding live yoghurt, this becomes quite a substanatial drink
Ingredients for 1 serving:
1/2 cucumber
1/2 cantaloupe melon
3 1/2 oz natural live yoghurt
2 or 3 sprigs of fresh dill
This can be made with or without yoghurt
TOMATO and WATERCRESS
Excelent DETOXIFIER for the skin. It will also stabilise hormones with the
zinc that is present in both tomatoes and watercress.
Ingredients for 1 serving:
4 ripe tomatoes
Large handful of watercress
Few sprigs of parslely