How Juicing For Health Can Deliver Profound Benefits
Juicing for health has become one of the most controversial and talked about ways of trying to improve health using natural ingredients, both because of the research which has been carried out by the more forward thinking members of the medical profession, and because of the involvement of celebrities and the mainstream media in advocating its use. There is more information available than ever before concerning the use of raw food and the juices which are extracted from it in maintaining and improving health, but it is important to be able to separate the facts from the unproven speculation. Juicing can indeed bring great benefits, but it needs to be done properly as part of a sound dietary regime.
There are many different purposes for which juicing therapy can be used, from immediate pain relief to a consistent and varied dietary plan which is designed to last for a lifetime. Immediate pain relief must, of course, be taken in context as there is nothing which can simply turn off the pain of acid reflux or a heartburn condition. Even an antacid drug can only work quickly, and while natural juice will not match it for speed it will certainly not have the same disadvantages of drug therapy, such as side effects and potential addictiveness.
It is vital to realize that there are certain juices which are excellent as natural antacids, and others which are actually harmful in this role even though they are normally perfectly healthy and safe to drink. Citrus juices such as orange and pineapple juice are naturally acidic, but the body is capable of breaking them down and using the nutrients from them in a constructive way. However, when the stomach is in an unnaturally highly acidic state, this never has chance to happen before the acid has added to the acidity already present causing further difficulties and physical pain.
Using juicing for health in this way requires a more in depth knowledge of juices and their medicinal properties. There are some milder juices which, like the fruits they are extracted from, will produce a calming effect on an acidic stomach. These include pear juice, grape juice and apple juice. Used over time these juices will reduce the acidity of the body chemistry, allowing for a full recovery to occur. This is assuming, of course, that you do not do something at the same time to retard this progress, such as smoking, drinking too much alcohol, or over-indulging in acid forming food.
Most people who use juice as part of their diet do so with the longer term in mind, although conditions such as heartburn and acid reflux can be cured along the way as progress is made. Vitamins such as vitamin C, which is one of the nutrients the immune system needs when it has to fight off a viral infection, are found in copious quantities in many fruits and vegetables. Normally, you would have to eat too much of the fruit or vegetable to take in the recommended dose, but with juicing this can be achieved.
There are many different implements you can use when you are juicing for health, from the humble lemon squeezer to the latest models of mechanical juicer with twin gears and variable speeds. There is no point in paying for anything more than you actually need, but it is worth bearing in mind that more expensive equipment can allow you to save money over time. You will be able to reach more of the fruit which contains a large proportion of the nutrient, namely the heart of the fruit and the areas closest to the skin.
Whichever juicing equipment you decide to buy, you will need to learn how to get the most out of it. This can be quite an involved learning process, especially if you have bought a more powerful model and now have a capability of juicing hard vegetables as well as soft fruits. The fruits are great cleansing agents for the body, but they can be used excessively if the only consideration is detoxing and removing pollutants. The body cells also need to regenerate in the right way, and juiced vegetables can play a significant part in improving the way the body does this.
The most important aspect of juicing for health is not the equipment but the way it is used, and if you are new to the subject there will almost certainly be possibilities you have not yet considered. Buying a twin gear highly specified model opens up the possibility of juicing fruit and vegetables alternately, and in sufficient quantities for a difference to be made. If you are prepared to put in the time to clean and maintain the unit, there is no limit to the variety of possibilities you can test out. Just be sure to do everything in moderation, and never forget that you are first and foremost juicing for health.