Drink Up for Your Health!

Want to give your body a boost? How about making your own fresh juices? Fresh juices that you make at home are a great source of vitamins and minerals and they activate enzymes that that produce energy. Not only do fresh juices give you more energy, the enzymes in the juice are essential for digesting, absorbing, and converting food for tissue growth and repair.

Every time you blend fruits and vegetables when you make juice or smoothies, you break down the fibers in them and release the trapped nutrients making it easier for your body to use them. Fresh juices are also a way to make sure you get your daily quota of fruits and vegetable which boost your body’s immune system and helps to cleanse toxins.

So are you convinced? Here are some tips to help you get started make your very own healthy juices!

Juicing Tips

• Always try to find organically grown fruits and vegetables to make your juice

• Wash your fruits and vegetables thoroughly to remove any pesticides if they aren’t organically grown

• Remove any bruised or damaged parts

• For extra flavor, you can use black pepper, lemon juice, salt, parsley, cinnamon, cilantro, or hot pepper sauce to spice up your juices

• For added fiber use all parts of the fruits and vegetables including seeds, skin, stems and leaves

• Stems and leaves of carrots are toxic so be sure to remove them

• Apple seeds are toxic – don’t include them in your juice

Juice Combinations

• Apple/Cucumber/Celery – This juice helps prevent cancer and reduces cholesterol levels. It is good for relieving headaches and upset stomach

• Tomato/Carrot/Apple – Good for your complexion and getting rid of bad breath

• Carrot/Ginger/Apple – Boosts your energy level and cleanses your system

• Pineapple/Apple/Watermelon – Gets rid of excess salts in your body while nourishing the bladder and kidneys

• Apple/Cucumber/Kiwi – Great for your skin and complexion

• Pear/Banana – Helps regulate your sugar level

• Carrot/Apple/Pear/Mango – Fights oxidation which speeds up aging, helps low blood pressure, and removes toxins from your body

• Honeydew/Grape/Watermelon/Milk – Increases cell activity with high quantities of vitamin C and B2 - also strengthens your immune system

• Papaya/Pineapple/Milk – Rich in vitamin C, E, and iron. Improves your complexion and speeds up your metabolism

• Banana/Pineapple/Milk – Relieves constipation

These juicing tips and list of delicious juice combinations should give you some ideas and get you started to making healthy juices that are good for you and your family. Gradually introduce the juices to your children to increase their intake of fruits and vegetables. If extra sweetness is needed to convince your children to drink the juices, try honey or a natural sweetener like Stevia. By including just one juice a day, you will greatly improve your overall health.

Source: http://www.healthguidance.org/authors/324/Jason-Ladock