Carrot, Apple & Lemon Juice

One thing I highly recommend for those starting to live a healthier lifestyle is to invest in a juicer. A juicer removes all of the fiber from the vegetables and fruits and leaves you with pure, easily absorbed vitamins, minerals and enzymes that give your digestive system a rest, allowing your cells to repair themselves and assist your body in recovering from the toxins of everyday life.

Now, I wouldn’t recommend juicing as a meal replacement. Smoothies made in a blender, however, are a great meal replacement if they include protein and healthy fats. I generally have a juice as a snack or first thing in the morning before breakfast. I would recommend drinking a juice on an empty stomach, because if your meal from before is already being digested it won’t be absorbed the same way. Juice is also much better fresh out of the juicer. The juice oxidizes over time and the enzymes become denatured. If you plan to make a juice and bring it with you for later, make sure it is in a jar filled to the top with minimal oxygen exposure.

Another tip to mention is to swish juice around in your mouth before swallowing to allow digestive enzymes in your mouth to work their magic, as what happens when you eat. (Remember, juice is food, too!) I would also recommend using mostly greens and vegetables and using as minimal fruits as possible (a rule of thumb to use is 1 fruit per serving such as an apple) to minimize the blood sugar spike.

Juicing is such a great habit to develop and gives you loads of energy to power through a busy day, or help hold you over until dinnertime. In our over processed and nutrient depleted world, it’s a great way to get a high influx of nutrients to help keep you healthy and free of inflammation and disease.