May 16, 2014
Spring clean your insides
Natural Health
Colleen Kennedy
Spring is traditionally a time to cleanse, on an inner level and an outer level. When nature is transitioning from one season to another, there comes with this a certain amount of agitation in the natural world, and so, it’s a great time to rebalance one’s inner and outer worlds.
I advocate cleanses in the spring and autumn that combine Ayurvedic knowledge, traditional cleansing techniques, nutrition and herbal medicine. One of the elements to this cleanse is juicing.
With juicing, you might be tempted to think ‘another fad diet or trend’, but it really is just the latest manifestation of a centuries-old health practice. Juicing isn’t about deprivation or starvation, but really boosting your intake of vital nutrients, which tend to get depleted through cooking and processing. Everyone knows they would do well to eat more fruit and veg, so I’m not about to preach here – I’ll just give you some insights and common sense.
Juicing is a great way to supercharge your intake of these health boosting phytonutrients. The plant world contains a host of these ingredients, like flavanoids, anthocyanins and isothiocyanates (fantastic antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds), as well as vitamins A, C and E, and magnesium, calcium and potassium, which all help to nourish each cell and assist metabolic function in the body.
Overall, vegetables have a stronger alkalising effect on our bodies than fruit, so in juicing, I recommend more veg than fruit. And the more colour the better, because this is where you find many of the phytochemicals.
Green plants hold a lot of chlorophyll, which has only one atom different to haemoglobin. This means it has a unique capacity to enhance our ability to produce more haemoglobin, which in turn increases the delivery of oxygen to the cells, the best anti-ager of all!
With the removal of the fibre in the juicing process, the nutrients just take 15 minutes to be absorbed by the body, as opposed to an hour or more with whole food. That fibre pulp can be recycled into soups, smoothies or stews. Your compost heap will also thank you for the offering!
So consider giving yourself a break from the daily bombardment of additives, preservatives, sugar, alcohol and foods that are difficult to digest, and help your body’s own intelligent system of detoxification. You will gain increased energy levels, a gently cleansed body and a clearer mind. You could start by adding juices to your weekly diet, or join in on a group cleanse to learn more about the body benefits. Please consult a health professional if you have a medical condition, before you enter into a juice fast. These types of fasts can be adapted to suit individual needs.
Try get organic/local unsprayed produce where possible – you don’t want to concentrate pesticides into your juice. Enjoy!
Colleen Kennedy is a herbalist and naturopath based in the Body and Mind Heath Centre, Rosbeg, Westport. Colleen is running a spring-cleanse workshop next Tuesday, April 22, at 8pm, with the cleanse to start on Thursday, April 24. For more information, contact colleen@herbalhealthcare.ie or 087 9942291, or visit www.herbalhealthcare.ie.