Benefits of Juicing

After learning more about a raw food diet I decided to step up my "juicing game" I decided to challenge myself to a 4 day juice cleanse, and I was shocked at how I felt. Prior to the "cleanse" I thought I would be spend the 4 days tired and miserable but it was just the opposite, I was filled with energy and never had a moment of bitterness or anger towards the cleanse. I did not go into this cleanse looking to loose weight, I wanted to challenge myself to see what my body can handle. I also thought it would be good to treat some pain and swelling I was having in my jaw. For those of you unaware I had reconstructive jaw surgery and was suffering from a major flare up. 

I decided to look into the benefits of fruits and vegetables and go from there. Here is a list of some of my findings:

Apple - increases elimination

Beet - encourages a healthy cardiovascular function, possesses strong detoxifying properties

Carrot - liver cleanser

Cucumber - purifies the blood and cleans the intestines

Ginger - known as a natural healer for the entire body, reduces inflammation, aids digestion

Grapefruit - improves liver function, high in antioxidants

Lemon - liver cleanser

Pear - high in vitamin c and copper, potent anti-inflammatory 

Pineapple - reduces inflimation

Spinach - provides support to both liver and kidney function, reduces fatigue, heals the digestive tract, high in antioxidants

When juicing it is important to use Organic fruits and vegetables in order to steer clear of pesticides.

Here are a few of my favorite combinations:

Hint of Greens - Pear, Cucumber, Pineapple, Ginger

Tons of Greens - Spinach, Cucumber, Apple, Parsley, Ginger, Lemon

BApples - Beet, Apple, Pineapple

aLive - Carrot, Apple, Ginger
Gingade - Grapefruit, Ginger

When making juice don't be afraid to try out different combination's, you will be surprised how great fruit and vegetables blend together to create unique flavors.