Reasons for Juicing

Most people want to live longer, healthier lives. It’s not just enough to achieve longevity; it’s equally important to have good health and enough energy to live a long life which allows us to be active, vital members of society.

That’s why there is so much interest in changing unhealthy habits. It may mean adopting a new way of eating, losing weight, exercising, or taking nutritional supplements, the goal is the same – being proactive by taking control of your way of life.

And while there are many different diet plans and approaches to nutrition, experts agree that fresh, chemical-free produce is an important component of any plan for achieving better health.

What is Juicing?

“When we talk about juicing, what I’m actually talking about is drinking water filtered through plants and I’m talking about 80% of it coming from the vegetables and 20% coming from the fruit.” Joe Cross, juicing advocate, producer of “Sick, Fat, and Nearly Dead”

Juicing is simply removing the juice from fruit and vegetables. It can be done manually or with a machine. The resulting juice contains all the vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients found in the fruit or vegetable, without the bulky pulp. It’s nothing new, everyone is familiar with orange juice or grapefruit juice at breakfast, or a refreshing glass of lemonade on a hot day.

But juicing is more than just making juice. It’s a way of eating which focuses on the consumption of juice as a partial or total replacement for other food, in the form of a juice “fast”.

Juicing has been popular for its many benefits since the 1920’s. Dr. Max Gerson, a German scientist, developed treatments for disease which included raw fruit and vegetable juices. His therapies are still practiced at the Gerson Institute.

In 1936, Norman Walker published, “Raw Vegetable Juices: What’s Missing in Your Body?”, which introduced juicing to mainstream America. He also developed the Norwalk Juice which is still used today. He continued studying nutrition for over 70 years, and honed his philosophy which advocated a diet rich in raw food and juices. Dr. Walker lived to the age of 99!

There was renewed interest in the 1960’s, and fitness trainer Jack LaLanne promoted his own brand of juicer which brought it to the attention of millions of people who followed his fitness program.

Then in the 1990’s, Jay Kordich, aka “The Juice Man”, wrote a book and introduced a juicer which was sold via infomercials to huge success. He is considered by many in the health industry to be the father of the juicing movement.

In recent years, juicing really took off after a documentary called, Sick, Fat and Nearly Dead”, which chronicled Joe Cross’s journey with juicing. After being diagnosed with urticaria, an itchy, uncomfortable condition, and feeling sick and lacking energy, Cross decided to try juicing. He lost over 60 pounds during a period of two months for a total weight loss of 100 pounds, and completely relieved his urticaria.

The documentary led to a renewed interest in juicing as a way to lose weight and prevent illness.

Why Begin Juicing?

“Nature is the best medicine.” Hippocrates, Ancient Greek Physician and the Father of Medicine

People start juicing because they want to feel better, look better, and age better. But getting enough nutrients and eating healthy food is often difficult due to poor eating habits, a busy lifestyle, or not knowing which foods are the most nutritious.

• Most people don’t get enough nutrients solely from their diet. This is due to the food processing methods and the amount of time it takes to get food from farm to table. These delays have led to today’s food containing fewer nutrients than it did in the past.
• Environmental toxins and high-stress levels can increase our requirements for many nutrients and our diets don’t come close to providing them.
• Juicing allows us to absorb nutrients quicker and more completely because our gut doesn’t have to work to digest the fiber contained in whole fruits and vegetables. While fiber is important, juicing allows you to introduce nutrients directly into your bloodstream.
• Healthy bacteria are introduced to our digestive system when we drink fresh juices. Our gut biome – the trillions of bacteria, viruses and fungi which live in our digestive tract – can affect our well-being from our brain health to our immune system.
• Fruit and vegetable juices contain minerals and phytonutrients which have been found to protect against cancer, heart disease, and some inflammatory diseases. They also contain flavonoids and anthocyanins which serve as “antioxidants”, meaning they guard against oxidative cellular damage.
• Juicing can help cleanse and alkalinize your body. When your body is too acidic, your red blood cells clump together and it’s difficult for oxygen to reach all your cells. Green leafy vegetables and grasses are effective in balancing your pH level which keeps your body running at optimum health by allowing your red blood cells to flow freely and deliver oxygen efficiently.

Juicing is an easy, convenient way to extract vitamins and other nutrients from fruits and vegetables. It’s easy to find a juicing regimen which will fit your lifestyle and provide the vitamins and minerals that you need to reach your desired goal. Whether you want to lose weight, stay healthy, or have better-looking skin, juicing can help you get there.

CONCLUSION

Advances in modern medicine, the eradication of many diseases, and better sanitation practices have extended our life spans beyond that of our forefathers.

And the move from an agricultural society to a modern one has freed many people from back-breaking labor which shortened many lives and left others with chronic conditions.

Unfortunately, although we’re living longer, we’re not necessarily achieving the quality of life which would allow us to enjoy our senior years. Cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and other diseases plague many people in their later years and sap their energy and resources.

However, it doesn’t have to be this way. There is knowledge available which can allow you to take charge of your own health so that you can help prevent these diseases and live a vital, active life well into your 80’s, 90’s, and beyond!

The right food not only feeds the body, it can heal it and keep it from falling prey to devastating illnesses.

That’s why juicing is an integral part of a wellness program. It is an indispensable tool for losing weight, detoxing the body, and increasing energy. It’s also a great way to get the 5 to 9 recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables.

With a little bit of research, you can find the ideal combination of juices for you to achieve optimal health. You may also be able to improve any existing medical conditions by taking advantage of the anti-inflammatory properties of many fruits and vegetables.

Make the decision to achieve optimal health and take charge of your life. The benefits will amaze you. Once you begin to juice, you won’t want to stop!