Many patients have often asked me to name the one thing that I would recommend most to restore and maintain health. Now, that is a tough question, since my list of healthy healing modalities gets longer by the week. But if I had to narrow it down to one thing that can be done on a regular basis to promote good health, it would be Green Juices. I can’t survive very long without my green juices. If I miss more than 2 days, I actually crave the stuff.
So what is this magical mystical elixir that I ingest on a regular basis?
Photo credit Creative Commons: Robert Gourley
Well to begin with, green juices or green drinks are not green tea. Sure, green tea is loaded with immune boosting anti oxidants of polyphenols and catechins to improve your health, but my green drinks are the ones made from green superfoods- foods like barley grass, spirulina and other chlorophyll rich foods. These super foods are packed with the vitamins and minerals that you need but are no longer getting from your fresh fruits and vegetables.
Yes, I know that it is hard to believe that our produce is not that healthy, especially since we have choices of organic and locally grown produce. But these days, the produce you buy at your local grocery store or green market just doesn’t have the nutritional power that fruits and vegetables had only a few decades ago. Over farming, soil depletion, commercial fertilizer, hybrid crops and genetic modifications are slashing the nutrients found in your fruits and vegetables.
Farmers create “hybrid” forms of your produce – not for their ability to store nutrients – but for their color, weight and shelf life. Why? So they’ll look nice and pretty when they sit under the fluorescent lights of your supermarket. You may think they look nutritious, but “under the hood,” they contain little more than indigestible cellulose, sugar and water. You may actually need to ingest about 10 servings of vegetables today to equal the mineral content of just one serving from 50 years ago!
That’s a lot of bulk.
Green drinks are a simple answer.
The most obvious thing about green drinks is that they are so green. This is due to their high chlorophyll content. Chlorophyll from green foods supports intestinal and liver health, improves oxygen delivery by the blood, supports elimination of certain toxins and heavy metals. It may inhibit absorption of environmental pollutants like dioxin and also help your body excrete toxins quicker. The high antioxidant level can slow aging by combating free radical damage. It has even been shown to repair DNA!
Chlorophyll also enhances oxygen transport in your body and is a top nutrient for balancing your body's pH by helping to reduce acidity. This is a big deal. We always read your saliva pH when you come to your dental visits. It gives us clues to your body chemistry and can help us figure out where that periodontal disease may be coming from or why you keep coming back with new cavities. Not to mention that it may explain why your body always feels exhausted.
Low-grade acidosis may not only contribute to fatigue but other health concerns as well, including kidney stones and lower growth hormone levels, which lead to more body fat and loss of lean muscle mass. Now that you know that green juices will get you trimmer as well as healthier, I am sure that you are more interested.
So where do I get theses green juices.
1. the health food store can make you fresh juices(expensive but delicious)
2. you can make your own if you have a juicer(messy but fresh and delicious)
3. buy dehydrated green juice powder (just add liquid and … voila!)
Now for me, personally, I gave away my juicer years ago. I just couldn’t stand the mess. Plus I had all this fiber left over after juicing. It gets a little bit overwhelming trying to figure out what to do with this healthy fiber. And there’s a lot of guilt associated with just throwing it away.
I presently use the green powder. There are many brands to choose from, so read the labels and see what resonates with you. If you want my personal preference, you can ask me at your next appointment.
So the next time you sit down to a nice glass of something refreshing, empower yourself and make it a health promoting green juice. It is almost a “perfect food” and it gives YOU unmatched health protection.
Your body will be thanking you for years to come. Cheers!
If you like this posting, you might like: Benefits of Raw Chocolate
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