Healthy Juices to Fight Diseases

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juice

10 October 2011: Jumpstart your day with freshly-squeezed fruit and vegetable juices. They work wonders for your body and mind. A few options to try out if you want to keep diseases at bay.

 

Image courtesy: © Thinkstock photos/ Getty Images 

 

Acne & Pimples: Your skin shows up different types of bumps when sebum (oil) gets blocked and bacteria begin to grow. These bumps can be blackheads, whiteheads, pimples or cysts.
Your formula: Juice 1 lemon and add to 1 cup of hot water. Drink first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.
Why: Fresh lemon juice purifies the blood by removing metabolic waste and by changing blood pH from acid to alkaline.

 

Constipation: Constipation is a common digestive problem that makes it difficult for you to have a regular bowel movement. Your stools become hard, making it difficult for you to pass without strain. It is common in pregnant women.
Your formula: Carrot 20 tbsp + beetroot 6 tbsp + cucumber 6 tbsp
Why: Drinking beet regularly helps relieve constipation. Beetroot and carrot juice, when combined, are excellent in curing gout, kidney and gall bladder problems. Cucumber is also a dependable laxative food. It supplies bulk to aid bowel action.

 

Allergies: Your eyes are itching or you’re sneezing all the time. It indicates that the allergy bug has struck you again. An allergy is a reaction of your immune system to something that does not bother most other people.
Your formula: Carrot 12 tbsp + celery 4 tbsp + pineapple 4 tbsp + beetroot 2 tbsp
Why: Pineapple contains bromelain (enzyme) which is known as a treatment for inflammation and swelling of the nose, ear, and sinus. The natural organic sodium (salt) in celery is very safe for consumption. In fact, it is essential for the body.

 

Menopause: Menopause is the transition period in a woman’s life when her ovaries stop producing eggs. Menstruation becomes less frequent, eventually stopping altogether. Hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal bleeding and itching are common symptoms.
Your formula: Carrot 18 tbsp + beetroot 6 tbsp + pomegranate 8 tbsp
Why: Pomegranate is touted as a wonder fruit since it shows promise in improving depression and bone mineral density.

 

Blood Pressure: High blood pressure (HBP) or hypertension means high pressure in the arteries. Normal blood pressure is below 120/80. If your blood pressure is 140/90 or above, it is considered high. Your formula: Carrot 16 tbsp + 4 cloves of garlic
Why: Eating garlic lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Allicin compound and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in garlic are responsible for relaxing blood  vessels, thereby improving blood flow in the arteries.

 

Diabetes: Diabetes is a chronic condition in which your blood sugar levels are high. It doesn’t have a permanent solution but the right diet and exercises can help control the sugar level to prevent further problems.
Your formula: Carrots 12 tbsp + brussel sprouts 10 tbsp + string beans 10 tbsp
Why: The pods of string beans or french beans are a medium strength diuretic, stimulating urine flow and the flushing of toxins from the body. Also, brussel sprouts are rich in fibre and vitamin C.

 

Cold, Fever & Flu: There is no immediate cure for common cold. It needs to be treated internally. For the flu, your doc might suggest pills or a syrup to fight off the virus. But why become a slave to medication when you can cure yourself with vegetable juice?
Your formula: Carrot 8 tbsp + orange 8 tbsp + lemon 2 tbsp + 4 cloves of garlic
Why: Carrots, oranges and lemons are a great source of natural vitamin C. Garlic is well-known as nature’s antibiotic and hence can treat common cold and aid in faster recovery.

 

Obesity: Obesity means having too much body fat. It is not the same as being overweight. A person may be overweight from extra muscle, bone or water, as well as from having too much fat.
Your formula: Carrot 22 tbsp + Cabbage 10 tbsp or spinach 32 tbsp
Why: Spinach contains a range of active substances which are indispensable to the body. Also, cabbage juice impedes conversion of carbohydrates to fats and hence is beneficial in controlling obesity.

 

Play it Safe

• Be pesticide free: Even under the best soil, sprays and pesticides enter plants and roots and are absorbed by them. Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly with cold running water; use a stiff brush if necessary.
• Clean your juicer: Cleaning any kind of juicing equipment doesn’t take more than 10 minutes. So stop giving excuses, and clean your juicer immediately after use, to prevent any remnants from contaminating the juicer.
• Avoid storing it: If you’re planning to juice first thing in the morning and consume it later, it’s not a good idea. Juices are perishable, so it’s best to drink them immediately. If you’re careful, you can store a juice for 24 hours but with moderate nutritional decline.

 

Why Not Eat Them?

You are probably wondering, “Why not eat the whole vegetables and fruits instead of extracting the juice and discarding the fibre?” The answer is, solid foods require many hours of digestive activity before their nourishment is finally available to the cells and tissues of the body. However, the removal of the fibres in the extraction of the juices enables them to be quickly digested and assimilated with minimum effort.

 

To Make it More Palatable

If you’re not a pro-juice person and cringe at the thought of downing bland liquids, try these tricks to make your juice tastier:

• Lime and Lemons: Add a quarter or half a  lemon to the juice. It is a rich source of vitamin C. Moreover, it contains 5 per cent citric acid, which gives it a sharp pungent taste.
• Cranberries: If you love cranberries, add some to your juice. Cranberries have 5 times the antioxidant content of broccoli, which means they may protect against cancer, stroke and heart disease. Limit the cranberries to about 8 tbsp per pint of juice.
• Fresh ginger: If you like the taste of fresh ginger, grate it and add it to your juice to give it a little kick. It’s great in lowering cholesterol levels.

 

A Juice Is Not A Complete Meal

It is unwise to adopt juicing as a meal replacement. Ideally, you have to consume it with your meal or as an inbetween snack. It should be an addition to your regular meals.