Welcome back, friends. I’m so excited about how excited so many of you are about juicing. I’ve received so many emails and Facebook messages with great questions and comments.
Today, in response to a few of those questions, I want to give you some tips and techniques that will allow you to create your own juicing program as well as help you toward success with juicing.
Juicing really isn’t difficult. A lot of juicing “gurus’ out there make it harder than it is. It can be intimidating. That’s one reason I wanted to write this series — so that you could learn simple information from a mom just trying to get healthy, rather than the gurus out there who are trying to sell you something.
One of the questions I get most is about what is the simplest way to add juice to your day. My answer has been this:
Simply make green juice (like my mean green) that you think tastes good, and drink as much as you want each day that you’re juicing. You can have all you care to have. No limits.
Here are a few moresimple tips for successful juicing.
Start the morning with citrus juice
A juice offresh citrus blended with basil is an excellent way to start your day. As the day goes on use less citrus and move toward other types of fruits like apples mixed with your greens. By the end of the evening your juice should be a higher dose of greens than in the early morning.
Drink sweet juices sparingly
If you make a juice that has no greens in it, just berries, grapes, apples, or other fruits, then drink this as if it is a dessert. It’s your reward for drinking all your green juice. The problem with super sweet juice is that it’s very high in sugar and without the fiber to slow your digestion it can cause spikes and dips in blood sugar. Use sweet fruit to help the green juice tastes better.
Drink plenty of green juice
I will probably repeat this over and over again because it’s the main reason people fail. They are so used to deprivation that they cannot wrap their mind around the fact that they can have all the green juice they want. I’m telling you, drink all you want. Do not deprive yourself. If you have a craving, if you’re hungry, if you just want to feel something in your mouth, drink up. If you are juicing fasting, you should be drinking at least 4-6 servings of juicea day.
Drink it fresh
I’ll say this with one caveat. Yes, it’s better that you drink your juice within minutes of making it. This is because the enzymes are strongest when freshly made. But, if that is impossible due to your schedule, store it in glass jars with tight lids in the refrigerator and try to drink it within two days. Do what you have to in order to get the juice in your body. Day old juice is better than no juice at all.
Be gentle with yourself when fasting
Whether you’re embarking on a 1 day, 3 day, 7 day or longer juice fast there are days that will be difficult. You may experience detox symptoms like headache, severe cravings, tummy trouble or you may simply feel tired (I felt all of those strongly on days 3-5). It can be hard to start a juice fast when you have to work. Consider starting it on Thursday so that on days 3 and 4, which arelikelythe worst, it’ll be the weekend so you can rest.
Plan ahead
You will need a lot of fruit and vegetables to get you through just one day of a juice fast. Find a place where you can shop in bulk. If money is an issue, start with just a few recipes and stick to one or two juices that you really like. If you’re not prepared you will not succeed because you will try to conserve the juice, get too hungry, and slip up. Consider any social events coming up and plan in advance how you will handle them. Within just a few days the effects will be noticeable enough that all your planning will pay off. I planned this fast I am doing now between two trips out of town so that I would not have to worry about juicing and traveling!
Don’t spend tons of money on your first juicer
The Breville Compact Juice Fountain (my first juicer and the one I still use the most)is fine to start with. If you like juicing, sell that one and invest in a masticating juicer. These juicers work better because they produce more juice with less damage to the enzymes of the juice. One of the best juicer available today is the Norwalk juicer – but it is super expensive and not affordable for everyone. If you plan to make juicing a large part of your life forever, or you are suffering from serious disease or illness and think juicing will help with you may want to invest in a higher end juicer.
Tomorrow, I’ll be sharing a simple formula for how you can create your own juice recipes. You’ll love the freedom this information will provide you!
Juice of the Day
I’ve mentioned before that kale is not my favorite green to juice. It has taken me a bit of time to get used to it. But nothing packs a nutritional punch like kale. Adding the honeydew to this juice has made all the difference for me. This vibrant green juice is slightly sweet, slightly tangy, and very refreshing. I might like kale now.
Vibrant Kale Juice
Ingredients:
- 1 bunch kale
- 1 large apple or 2 small apples
- 1 fennel bulb
- 1-inch piece ginger
- 2 ribs celery
- 1/4 honeydew melon
Directions:
- Wash all produce well
- Peel the ginger and melon, andcore the apples
- Add all ingredients through juicer and enjoy(I recommend Breville)
Yield: 20 oz
Find more juicing recipes.
Please know that this is my own personal story and the information I have gathered from my own research and experience. I am not a nutritionist or a doctor (nor do I play either one on TV). If you have any chronic conditions, are under the care of a doctor for any diseases, or take medication, please see your doctor before making changes in your diet or embarking on a juicing fast.
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