What do you guys think about juicing??

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Permalink Reply by VOID on November 30, 2008 at 11:46am

I disagree with Doug on this one. Orange juice with 'some fibre' is orange jice with a little soluble fibre. Thatgs all well and good but will not make a big impact on sugar release, or the way it is processed. Doug neglects to remember that ALL nutrients presented in a natural food, by nature are equally important. Just as he doesnt recommend dried fruits because water is an important nutrient, or juices in general because fibre is an important nutrient, so too is INSOLUBLE fibre. You do not get any of this when juicing oranges. Insoluble fibre is equally as important in the way the body processes a food, as its soluble fibre.

This is especially important in the way doug recommends OJ. He drinks upto 1-2 litres per day. This is like drinking 1-2 litres of wine or vodka per day as far as the liver is concerned. Ive even heard him recommend drinking large amounts of OJ to help people gain weight by increasing their caloric intake. I think its a dangerous practise.

Take care

Adam x

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Permalink Reply by Vaughn Sadekni on November 20, 2008 at 5:24pm

I think juicing is fantastic. The problem is that most people guzzle down their juice. This is where the saying "Drink your food, chew your juice" comes from. When drinking juice always make sure to hold it in your mouth and move your jaws in a chewing motion. Chewing stimulates salivation and salivation absorb nutrients. It is important to remember that it is a fact that food digests first in the mouth not in the stomach. Juices especially green leafy vegetables and apples are fantastic to drink an hour before a meal. It builds up digestive enzymes which allow more solid foods to break down and be absorbs. This is from my own personal experience of course, but try it out one day. I personally try to drink a green vegetable and apple juice at least once a day. I love green tart apples, celery, spinach, and ginger.

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Permalink Reply by Vaughn Sadekni on November 21, 2008 at 5:11pm

Fair enough! :) Its interesting if you look to Ayurvedic medicine they say the same thing about the pungent roots. However the body type vata may actually benefit from small doses of ginger due to weaker digestion. I am a vata type so ginger has really helped to increase my digestive fire. Large doses has really overheated me before though so ginger isnt really an everyday thing especially during the warmer seasons. In winter it really does wonders though :)

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Permalink Reply by VOID on November 30, 2008 at 11:48am

Unfortunately chewing juices will not slow down the release of the sugar in the cells, nor will it prevent the liver from processing the fructose like alcohol in the absesnce of fibre.

Take care

Adam x

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Permalink Reply by Melanie on November 21, 2008 at 4:10am

I try to mostly use greens in my juice and really limit the fruits. (Drink your vegetable and eat your fruit).
One green mixed juice (or mono-cucumber or mono-carrot) a day is what I usually do - and I feel really energized after a hughe glass of juice. So I judge from my personal perception.

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Permalink Reply by VOID on November 24, 2008 at 9:22am

Hey Melanie,

Just thought I would note that carrots, beets and other sweet veg. when juiced, have been shown to be just as dangerous to the liver as fruit juices because they have a high fructose content. Fructose in the absence of fibre gets treated like alcohol in the liver, contributing to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and cirrhosis.

Green leafy vegetables still have fructose often, but much lower so probably not as bad.

Take care

Adam x

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Permalink Reply by VOID on November 24, 2008 at 9:26am

Interestingly, although natural hygiene doesnt advocate juices, philosophically, many hygienists worldwide do juice, and advocate juicing. I remember a few years ago I went to see a well known hygienist for a consult in the UK, and he advocated drinking 'V8' which is a commercially sold vegetable juice drink containing loads of salt and I think it had spices in too. Its also pasteurised. It was disgusting. He also told me to eat soya yoghurts. lol.

Take care

Adam x

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Permalink Reply by Mica on November 25, 2008 at 9:43am

Thanks guys, most of what you said has kinda confirmed what I instinctively always though of juicing myself.
I do believe that green juices can have a lot of health benefits , like the fact that they have such a high concentration of nutrients and that at the same time they are so easy to be assimilated for there is virtually not digestion needed.
But still my own issues with it have always been the fact that it denatures foods, separates them from their valuable fibres.
I don't just consider this less than optimal but to be honest also a bit wasteful. I thought about going on a long juice feast for a brief while but then changed my mind when I considered just how much food I would potentially be wasting into the bin in order to get those vast amounts of juice every day, expensive tooo!!
Though I've seen people have some amazing results with them, physically and on many other levels.

I'm so happy with my green smoothies and I personally think it makes more sense. Though technically still not NH....;)

I do occasionally juice either apple or orange or lemon juice and use them for my smoothie base mixed with water or make lemonades.
Sometimes my smoothies get too thick otherwise and the kids won't have it, don't have a high speed blender yet.....:(

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Permalink Reply by Alexandra on December 9, 2008 at 10:55am

My understanding about juicing is that the benefit lies in giving the digestive system a rest so the body can focus on other rejuvenating activities. Digestion supposedly takes 1/3 to 1/2 of the body's energy at any given time, so the idea is to not spend the energy on digestion. I think that's part of the theory behind fasting.

I personally don't juice, since I am still very sensitive to sugar. I don't eat fruit either; I find it way too sweet and it makes me feel sick. I do however drink a lot of green smoothies with low-sugar fruits like granny smith apples and blueberries, and I find that these have a major impact on my health and energy levels. Green smoothies rule!

I can see how juicing might be appropriate for a fast/cleanse, but I am not fond of them for daily drinking.

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Permalink Reply by Mera Magic Meraa on December 18, 2008 at 6:25am

I don't really like juicing either... when I did juicing it was greens with ginger and or garlic at the restaurant, as tonics. I think this can be somewhat neutral for the short term, which it was. If I feel a need for greens and don't want to do a mono meal or a salad I just throw it in the blender with some cilantro and sea salt and/or pepper and have a blended soup... I also like my orange juice and other citrus blended rather than juiced... it has more flavor and textural satisfaction that way.

Mark, maybe get the Bragg fasting book and start with one water fast a week... that is what I'm doing, I haven't felt the need to rest and have more energy than my eating days... I haven't gone long term fasting yet though, but my one day water fasts have been really amazing and inspiring! I'm a breastfeeding mother, so I'm not sure when I'm going to do more than one day, but I seem to get better at it each time I fast, I follow my intuition and one day is no problem at all. The last time I went out for a spontaneous run at night on a pretty cold night and felt great!

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Permalink Reply by Mera Magic Meraa on December 19, 2008 at 12:26am

You didn't have more energy when you did?

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