Juice for Your Health's Sake

He's beautiful, he has an amazing voice, and he juices. Ladies and gentlemen, it doesn't get much better than Adam Lambert.  But what you or I think about him really doesn't help us get through the ups and downs of life and its inevitable medical problems.

However, juicing does.

It's a popular fad for weight loss.  Nowadays, everyone is trying a juice detox. I was so motivated last spring that I invested in a good juicer and went on a 10 day fast.  I lost 10 lbs. in that time.  It was brutal, but my body felt wonderful.

The truth is, whole body well being is more important than shedding a few pounds for cosmetic reasons.  If you clicked on that link to the juicer I bought, you might be thinking what I was initially thinking--this thing is too expensive and I just don't have the money for that.  Besides that, fresh produce can get pretty pricey.  Understandable.  I'm a broke college student.  I had to pay off that juicer over several months.
Think of it in this way: you also can't afford medical issues that will lead to hospital bills and medications.  This is especially true if you lack adequate health insurance.

One mother told the story about her three-year-old daughter Desiree who was so plagued by her asthma that she was hospitalized regularly even while taking prescribed steroids, medications, and a rescue inhaler daily.  These medical treatments did nothing to cure this little girl--they may have even made her worse.  Natural News reported:

Fortunately, Desiree's family was able to find comfort through a lung specialist willing to listen to their story and, more importantly, who was open-minded about introducing their daughter to a raw food diet. Desiree went 100% raw and began juicing. Her mother says, "[F]rom day one, she has not had another asthma attack. She has not had another seizure.... She's had no asthma-related problems since then."

The up-front costs of juicing are comparable to purchasing health insurance which can prevent your body from developing ailments and potentially cure it of existing ailments.

My own father, who has been overweight for my whole life, lost more than 50 lbs. (from 420 lbs. to 370 lbs.) in about three months through a combination of juicing and eating healthy solid meals.  He did it because he had to--an infection in his leg, exasperated by his weight, made him nearly bedridden and racked up the bills for a week's stay in the hospital.  He couldn't afford to repeat that mistake, took his health seriously and is still losing weight and becoming healthier by the day.

Most of the nutrients for fruits and vegetables are found in its juice, so you aren't losing much by getting rid of the fibrous pulp.  Taking in the nutrients in a mostly juice form makes digestion much easier on your body and gets those cleansing agents where they need to be in half the time.  Manuel Apreku, author of a natural home remedy blog, said:

Let me remind you first that, nutrient from fresh juice is quicker to be absorbed by your body than eating fruits and vegetables. Fresh juice contains an abundance of nutrients that will help you fight disease, build your health and energize your body...vitamins, minerals, soluble fiber and carbohydrates.

Allow me to reiterate, juicing is not easy.  Most of our bodies are so addicted to sugar and fast food, that juicing for a week might feel (on a smaller scale) like detoxing from a drug addiction.  The juice cleans out all the toxins--a potentially unpleasant process.  However, that process is worth it if it also cleans out any of these ailments that you suffer from.

Sometimes a pure fruit and vegetable juice fast is more than a body can handle, said Lori Corbin, in an ABC7 article, "Juicing responsibly; Diet, cleanse with energy."

But there is a way to juice responsibly so you can perform everyday tasks like taking a test, attending social events, and yes, exercising.  For instance, try blending juice with extras.  "You need a little more than the vegetables, so put a scoop of whey protein in there, put a scoop of almond butter in there," said [Ky] Evans.

So use some discernment, don't overdo it, but definitely don't be too afraid to try it.  As a college student, it's hard to find the time and motivation to juice.  For this semester in D.C., I had to leave my precious juicer in California with my family because it wouldn't fit in my suitcase.  I can't wait to use it when I go home for Christmas break.  Experiment with recipes to fight particular ailments or for your favorite fruits and vegetables.

Happy juicing!  And happy healthy living!