Beyond any shadow of a doubt, vegetable juices offer abundant health and longevity. Reams and reams of papers containing research data areavailable to prove that, with the right combinations and regular, sustained intake, these healthy liquids improve the condition of your body in leaps and bounds, and help cure a wide range of ailments.
The eating plan that follows, suggests that you drink two vegetable juices per day. These will depend on the availability of fresh produce and on the state of your health from time to time. The Daily Health Juice (recipe below) is for everyday consumption, and the recipes that follow are for specific ailments, as are the teas and broth of beans and onion.
As far as your weight loss is concerned, vegetable juice can help you achieve your goals far more readily and speedily than you ever thought possible. It regulates the appetite, improves your looks in general (cabbage and lettuce juice are excellent for hair and nails and carrots improve the skin) and it provides your body with loads of essential nutrients, minerals and tissue salts. Spinach is great for regularity and tomatoes keep your electrolytes (minerals required for a regular heartbeat) normal. Juices will cleanse and protect your body, which will not only improve your health, but also ensure that all your systems function at optimum efficiency, aiding efficient weight loss.
Vegetable juices are concentrated nutrients, especially mineral salts, so essential for glowing health. If the juices don't taste good, that's just too bad. Here I have to rely on the old adage: If it tastes this bad, it has to be good for me!"
Herbs can play an important part in improving your health, so here's a good way of consuming them: simply put them through the extractor together with your vegetables and they will release their health-promoting benefits directly into your vegetable juice. Ginger (excellent for digestion and to alleviate nausea) goes well with most yellow vegetables and parsley (beneficial as a kidney cleanser and diuretic) tastes divine in just about any combination. Buy a good herb book and read about all the specific benefits of herbs so that you can use them appropriately. That way you can truly have a medicinal pantry!
Daily Health Juice - large quantity
250 ml apple juice (or, when in season, grape juice)
All juices must be freshly extracted, even the apple juice. Store in 5 small containers in the deep freeze. This is sufficient for 5 days' intake. Defrost at room temperature or in the fridge. Drink as indicated on the eating plan. Yes, some vitamins will be lost in the freezing process, but most of the fibre and minerals will remain completely intact.
Daily health juice - single portion
It is of course far better to enjoy your vegetable juices fresh - as fresh as can be, and usually chilled. Since standing tends to make the juices lose nutrients and taste bitter, have them as soon as extracted and use chilled vegetables to begin with. The bother of having to clean your machine is a small price tag for great health. And as for the pulp, it makes terrific compost. If you are really the prudent type, freeze the pulp and use it at a later stage in soups and stews.
1 large carrot
1 large spinach leaf
1 apple
2 lettuce leaves
10 sprigs parsley
4 green beans
Push everything through your juice extractor. The leaves are more manageable if you roll them into a little ball before pushing the funnel of your extractor through. Drink at once.
