Читать книгу Bernadette Bohan’s The Choice: The Programme: The simple health plan that saved Bernadette’s life – and could help save yours too - Bernadette Bohan - Страница 11

If there was ever a sure-fire way of improving your health and well-being, then it is juicing. Juices are packed with nutrients and bursting with flavours. I immediately felt the benefits of these easy-to-prepare juices, with their delicious taste being an extra advantage. I can promise you there is no better way to recharge your batteries than with freshly extracted fruit and vegetable juices. Juices have outstanding nutritional qualities and they begin their cleaning and healing of the body within 15 to 30 minutes of being consumed. Compared with solid foods, juices are easily assimilated by the body. This means the workload on our digestive system is reduced, which facilitates more efficient cleansing and elimination. Our systems are very often overloaded and clogged up with accumulations of wastes and toxins that constantly stream into the body, and green juices such as cucumber and celery are amazing ‘spring-cleaners’ and an easy way to detox the body. Juices are a perfect means to stimulate better elimination of wastes and toxins, and also assist with the detoxification process.

I often think we are obsessed with cleaning the outside of the body, but we tend to forget the important task of cleaning out the intestines. Believe me, these cleansing drinks will flush out your system very thoroughly, and when taken first thing in the morning they will move mountains! They are also less expensive and far less invasive than other detox methods now available, such as colonic irrigation. I personally have seen many students with long histories of chronic constipation and congested intestines alleviate these conditions with great success by taking green juices.

Juices are highly concentrated forms of nutrition and are of particular value to people fighting any kind of disease. Because of their therapeutic properties and amazing healing powers they are used in many natural healing centres throughout the world. They will revolutionize your body’s ability to heal itself and boost your natural self-defences, and you will see and feel the difference.

A dear friend of mine, Ronald, is the best testament for juicing I have ever seen. He juices every day, has the energy of a 20-year-old, attends the gym, travels frequently, takes care of his invalid wife, and also tends his large vegetable garden. He is now 83 years old and is alert, active and productive with the most amazing (hydrated) skin you have ever seen. Why am I so amazed at Ronald’s health and vitality? Because most of us have come to believe that ageing is synonymous with disease and infirmity, and that by the time we reach our eighties we ought to have ‘one foot in the grave’. Rather than accepting that the inevitable consequence of ageing means physical degeneration and disease, Ronald has taken responsibility for his own well-being. He has taken the matter of ageing healthily into his own hands and is now reaping the rewards of his fruitful diet. Sláinte!

Of course it is inevitable that ageing will bring about marked physiological change, but by nurturing your body with the correct fuel you can make a significant contribution to ageing healthily – you can help your body become and continue to be a picture of health, regardless of how old you are.

What better way to increase your intake of fruits and vegetables and, equally important, to increase your children’s intake, than with delicious juices? Including these in your diet will be one of the healthiest steps you can take for your body. I have noticed I am at my absolute best when I am drinking these juices. They give you the stamina to live life to the fullest and I guarantee you will see positive results.

With just two glasses of juice per day you can consume large quantities of fruits and vegetables, and the recommended daily amounts can be easily reached. For two 8-ounce glasses of juice per day you will need 6-8 portions of fruits and vegetables, whereas it would take the entire afternoon to chew your way through that many pieces. The point of increasing our intake is to provide our bodies with enough vitamins, minerals, enzymes and trace elements to support a healthy body and give sustained energy levels. A well-hydrated body is essential for good skin and enhanced vitality. If you find drinking large amounts of water difficult, these delicious drinks can easily increase your fluid intake. Juices are also an enjoyable way of increasing fluid levels after a work-out. Your shopping list will change, but you will gradually get a feel for the extra amounts of fruit and vegetable shopping required.

Because these juices are uncooked, they are loaded with enzymes, vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Enzymes are the catalysts for the breakdown of our foods, and I cannot stress their importance highly enough. You will find them mentioned throughout this book. The large amounts of phytonutrients in these juices are amazing for boosting energy levels and good looks. They help maximize our ability to fight disease and boost our capacity for self-healing.

At one point I was juicing large amounts of carrots, as they are rich in carotinoids such as beta-carotene. It was no surprise that I noticed my eyesight improve, as beta-carotene is fantastic at enhancing eyesight. Juices are also a wonderful short-term antidote to a lack of energy or a sluggish metabolism, and you can increase your intake of these vital nutrients without any artificial colourings, flavours or preservatives.

There is unquestionably a new proliferation of juice bars sweeping the country at present. Indeed, in the quest for health we have taken to the juicing habit superbly. The growth in this particular market shows that consumers have definitely become more aware of the connection between diet and health. A rock festival recently attended by my daughter Sarah had queues a mile long at the juice bar. All I can say is ‘great’ – I am delighted to see young people embracing this change for the better.

One question I am asked repeatedly is if I use organic fruit and vegetables. My reply is always the same: absolutely. If you took an apple from a tree in your garden and then sprayed it with a chemical, would you then eat this apple or hand it to your child to eat? I think not. Remember, where there are commercial interests we, the consuming public, are not always given the correct information. Now that the consumer has become better informed and is more aware of the benefits of eating organically-grown produce, it has become much more widely available in the marketplace. There is no doubt that ‘eating organic’ is definitely catching on and is our only guarantee of purity.

The organic end of the market is now becoming an expanding and lucrative business. You might wonder why. The reason certainly seems to be in direct response to the growing interest and demands of consumers for superior products – superior both in terms of having a better flavour and better nutritional value. Many of the producers now enthusiastically display their certification that will assure you of the authenticity of their organically-grown products. Organic classification ensures that the products are approved and inspected regularly by an independent organization that checks for compliance with all regulations and specifications. With the influx of chemicals into the food chain, exposure to pesticides, insecticides, fungicides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers can now have far-reaching consequences. You should be fully aware of these chemically-laden foods, as you may get a little bit more than you bargained for in your shopping basket.

It is no longer difficult to locate organic foods, but if you are unable to obtain organic produce, peeling off the top layer of skin from the fruit and vegetables you buy will generally remove any surface residues of chemicals. However, peeling is not the ideal solution, as many of the important nutrients in fruit and vegetables are contained directly under the skin.

Along with the benefits of not exposing ourselves to absorbing foods that are irradiated and sprayed with pesticides, there is the added benefit of the sheer taste of these fruits and vegetables. In comparison, the conventionally grown chemically-sprayed varieties with their long sell-by dates are tasteless imitations of the real thing. These foods may essentially look perfect, but don’t be fooled as they offer little in the way of true flavour or nourishment.

Does it cost more? Well yes, of course it commands a higher price due to the fact that the growing and harvesting of these crops is much more labour intensive. Although this is not always strictly the case, as I have on occasion bought cheaper organic produce than the chemically sprayed variety. It roughly costs about one-third more to buy organic foods…but it’s worth it. What with these harmful chemicals infiltrating our everyday diet, choosing organic foods may be your only option if you don’t want to bite off more then you can chew.

With organic juices you are guaranteed freshness and they are so much tastier than packaged concentrates and cordials. Many of these packaged juices are full of sugar and are devoid of enzymes, as they are pasteurized and heat treated. I don’t find juicing time-consuming; I think it’s more about deciding to do it and then carrying it through. It takes about five minutes to make a juice and five minutes to clean up after, and I consider this time well spent. Juices are always better consumed within 15 minutes of preparation while the enzymes and nutrients are at their best. Don’t be tempted to make large batches to last for a few days, as oxidation will occur and this will rapidly diminish the nutrients in the juice. Another tip is that if you are going out and you decide to take a juice with you, store it in a stainless-steel vacuum flask with ice to slow down oxidation. This will definitely be better for you than a cup of coffee.