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By Erika Doolan
Over the last six months there’s been a noticeable surge of people part taking in 3–5 day juice detoxes and lots of new juice companies sprouting up everywhere. But why has the world gone mad for juice? Every health authority recommends consuming five to eight portions of fruit and vegetables each day yet it can be tricky to incorporate a variety of them into our daily diets. Strapped for time, and often money too, most of us take the easy route and could take more consideration of the live enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants that our bodies require to thrive. Juicing offers a way to do this.
5 Reasons To Juice – The Delicious Cycle
- Introducing your body to a whole new world of delicious nutrients can be fun. They say change is as good as a holiday and this is like a holiday for your body. It offers an alternative way to consume the vegetables you don’t love the taste of but know are good for you and remains one of the easiest ways to ensure that you are consuming your daily quota of nutrients, micro nutrients, vitamins and naturally occurring enzymes. On top of that, natural, raw fruit juices are easy to digest, meaning you’ll actually imbibe more goodness than if you merely munched on an apple or an orange.
- Great juices flood your bloodstream with a high dose of loads of good stuff and you’ll find this will give you a boost in all sorts of ways. I always feel brand new afterwards; cleaner, leaner, lighter, glowing skin, shiny hair and my energy levels soar. Juicing advocates also report fewer sleepless nights. All of this makes it easier to make more good decisions; a delicious cycle rather than a vicious cycle.
- If you haven’t been very healthy over the last few months or years juicing is a fantastic way to detox and nourish your body to give it a kick start. It gives your body a chance to heal itself; eliminating toxins and making the most of the valuable vitamins and nutrients at its disposal at the same time.
- Raw fruit and veg contain high levels of plant chemicals known as phytonutrients, which have been shown to improve and maintain heart health and help with inflammation. Naturally occurring plant compounds called flavonoids and anthocyanins are also in abundance and help our bodies defend against oxidative cellular damage.
- Some foods, such as meat, wheat and processed foods can cause your body to produce acid, meaning your body may need to work a bit harder to keep the the pH levels of your blood balanced, alkaline diets and juicing give your body a bit of a stress relief from constantly working to keep your pH level as they should be.
What to Expect
Days 1 and 2: If it’s your first time doing it, Day 1 can be easy but it’s Day 2 that separates the men from the boys! Toxins start leaving your body, withdrawal symptoms kick in and you may feel slightly hungry.
Day 3: You will already start to feel the benefits and will likely be hooked and want to continue to day 5! I lost 6lbs over 3 days and felt leaner, lighter and my mind was clear. My tummy felt flatter and I began craving healthy foods. Continue your light exercises each day; the best surprise is how much energy you have.
You will suffer side affects associated with the detox taking place in your system and this can include headaches, nausea, skin breakout, colds and flus. These are most likely a sign that it’s working and to forge on through, but if you’re concerned, do of course get medical advice.
Pro Tips for Juicing
If it’s your first time on a juice programme, add in fruit like apples or pineapples but going forward, juice lots of veggies.
My favourite juicer is GreenValu.ie’s masticating juicer, it provides the best quality juice at a reasonable cost.
Juicing involves substituting meals for raw, organic fruit and vegetable juices but you should also drink lots of water, herbal teas, and broths, made with fresh vegetables, herbs and spices.
A super-juice with concentrated benefits is hemp juice; rich in carotenoids, mineral nutrients and chlorophyll and believed to act as a great anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotectant, it’s often used as a therapeutic nutritional supplement.
Another great green is wheatgrass. It contains the full spectrum of B vitamins, as well as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium and potassium. It’s also a source of protein, supplying all of the essential amino acids but in a form that your body can use really efficiently in the blood stream and tissues.
A huge number of advocates purchase pre-made, nutritionally-balanced juices. This saves on time but also ensures that your program contains the right balance of vitamins and nutrients.
After a juice programme, continue with a ‘maintenance plan’ to continue having high fruit and veg intake after.
The Best of the Benefits
- Better energy
- Improved skin, hair and nails
- Aids healthy, long-term weight loss plans
- Cleanses your system
- Break old habits
Juices to Choose
The Juice Factory: Erika’s Juice Factory supply 3–7 day cleanses that are not only nutritionally balanced but also some of tastiest going. They’re available in 55 cafes, restaurants and shops nationwide off the shelf too so they’re easy to get your hands on. thejuicefactory.ie
The Punnet Health Store & Punnet Food Emporium: James and Darragh have taken the initiative to getting Ireland cleansed and encouraging healthier, more fulfilling lifestyles. thepunnethealthstore.com
Cornucopia: Erika has been working with restaurant owner Deirdre McCafferty and have come up with mighty plans for bringing juicing to a another level in the coming months. Keep your eyes peeled. cornucopiajuices.ie
Western Green: A Clonakilty based company selling juicers, water filters and accessories and even a nifty little manual juicer. westerngreen.ie
GreenValu: Another great supplier of juicers as well as products and accessories for sprouting and even offering juicing and sprouting workshops greeenvalu.ie
Stillorgan Orchard: A juice programme doesn’t mean you have to stay home. If you’re heading out for breakfast pop along to the Stillorgan Orchard for a juice treat. stillorganorchard.com
Juice 2 Go: They offer a range of different packages and deliver all over Ireland. Choose from a 5 day, 3 day or Kickstarter Cleanse to get you going. Juice2go.ie
Important Info
- Young children should avoid juice cleanses but juices and soups are still a great way to get loads of greens into their diet.
- Anyone with candida and diabetes should consult their General Practitioner before juicing it up.
- Long term juicing is not recommended due to no protein or fibre intake so please juice wisely or add these in with your juices.
- It’s important to remember that juicing isn’t a substitute for medical treatment; if you are unwell, recovering from an illness or have any concerns, consult your doctor first.
Erika is an expert on juicing and the associated benefits as well as supplying fresh raw juices from her website. She’ll also be speaking at the Allergy Expo this coming October and will be speaking on or the ‘Benefits of Incorporating Raw Food and Juicing into your Daily Lifestyle’. erikadoolan.com
