A NEW LEASE—on Life!
By Judit Rajhathy, B.A., RNCP, D.Ac.
Raw Juicing
People often ask me, “What are you on?” or “Are you always like this?” Referring to what they perceive as my high energy. So I would like to share with you what I feel gives me my best energy on a daily basis. Two things come to mind—cardiovascular exercise five to six days a week and incorporating raw juices into my regime. I begin my day with a huge glass of the following veggies in various combinations put through my Breville juicer: broccoli with the stalks, cabbage (either purple or green) jicama (Mexican turnip), spinach, sweet potato (yam) or carrots, tomato, celery, and occasionally I may add beets if I want to work on my liver. Fruit juice is too high in sugar.
A summary from the world health organization’s report on Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health concluded the following three key points:
Up to 2.7 million lives could be saved annually with sufficient fruit and vegetable consumption
Low fruit and vegetable intake is among the top 10 selected risk factors for global mortality
Worldwide, low intake of fruits and vegetables is estimated to cause about 19% of gastrointestinal cancer, about 31% of ischaemic heart disease and 11% of stroke.
If these facts are not enough to convince you then do what I did and check out some raw food websites such as www.lovingraw.com and www.welikeitraw.com. The before and after pictures of these people are amazing! It is not just about weight loss but about beauty radiating from the inside out. Skin clears up, the color of their eyes become more intense and clear, nails and hair become stronger and facial lines soften as energy beams from inside their new-found bodies. These pictures inspired me to buy a new juicer and embark upon a healthier way of life. No more coffee for my artificial highs, cutting back sugar once again and more raw foods and veggie juices into my diet.
Testimonials abound of how individuals with chronic ailments reversed them simply by changing from a cooked, denatured diet to one filled with raw, enzyme rich foods and juices.
Why do raw foods and juices have this effect on the body? Wastes and toxins build up in the body from years of ingesting processed foods and environmental toxins, indulging in improper food combinations and eating too many acid-forming foods. As a result disease takes hold as does premature aging. Counteracting this accumulation of toxins by flooding the body with alkaline rich foods and veggie juices usually results in healing and is often a major protocol in most holistic clinics worldwide.
Of course juicing does not replace eating raw veggies and fruit because fibre is crucial for overall health. Raw vegetable juices are like feeding the body intravenously, allowing the nutrients to directly enter the bloodstream and instantly begin feeding cells so the body can heal. Those on medications or suffering from various ailments should always consult one’s holistically inclined doctor or natural therapist before embarking on this path.
We are so blessed to live in a country where fresh veggies abound, where prices are so reasonable, and where if we don’t feel like juicing ourselves, juice bars abound! So juice it up and see you at the gym!
(Judit is the owner of Change of Pace Fitness Center and is the author of the Canadian best-seller Free to Fly: a journey toward wellness. She can be contacted at 766-5800.)