A refresher on refreshing, body-loving juice

I recently gave a presentation about juicing basics at the Wheaton Public Library, with my friend Kevin Walker, owner of Extract Juicery. The audience had a lot of great questions, which I thought you’d be interested in also.  Never hurts to go over the basics, whether you’re new to juicing, or a pro -- we can always learn a little bit more about improving our health through juice. 

I shared how my eating habits began changing when I was 35 and pregnant, and the smell of meat absolutely repulsed me. I knew I needed vitamins to sustain a healthy pregnancy, so I started making smoothies. I went on to have two beautiful girls in two years, and kept up a vegetarian lifestyle. However, what also went up was my weight. 

I was over 200 pounds and felt blah. I had to do more to get my body fit and more importantly, feel better. I started blending some juices like pineapple and watermelon. The juices helped me shed the weight, and I felt amazing. I wanted to learn more, and got certified at the Juice Guru Institute. I did my first juice cleanse in 2020, and continue to lead a vegan lifestyle.

After omitting animal products, processed foods, soda, and alcohol from my diet, I felt energized. I learned that the cellulose fiber in animal products is hard to digest, that our bodies make mucus, which leads to sickness, such as endometriosis (mucous in the ovaries), and other problems, especially with the lungs.

I shared how fruit juices are energizers, while veggie juices are builders.  Did you know that the chlorophyll in plants is almost identical to human blood, and helps build tissues? Plants heal!  And this is why juicing works:  it extracts the best of a plant.  It’s liquid life energy!  And raw foods are living foods with life-giving energy that bring vitality to the cells.

Also know that it’s important to drink juice on an empty stomach. It helps with absorption. Ideally, sip it slowly, through a straw. 

Now let’s talk about your colon. We need a clean colon to process nutrients. A lot of people have about 10 pounds of fecal matter in their gut. How to release it?  Juices and sometimes enemas.  Disease starts in the gut and colon, so keep them healthy.

Some people asked how I’m able to make juices for my family every week, to last us the whole week. While juice is best consumed the day it’s made, I realistically need to prepare mine in batches. I store it in to the brim in glass jars in the refrigerator, which keeps it fresh all week.  Don’t use plastic bottles, as the acidity can break down the plastic. I order my produce online, so everything is ready on juice day. And yes, that means about 20 pineapples, several pounds of grapes, and much more.

Sometimes, juice can spoil.  If your juice tastes sour or off, best to discard and make fresh.

Having a super organized kitchen is a must.  It takes my family and me about four hours once a week to make our juices.  Everyone helps, even the kids.  I keep my counters uncluttered, so when we need to juice, I have the clean space to set up my juicer and fruit, and get it done. 

 The audience asked about fruit combinations when juicing. Berries are great mixed with other fruits, but not with green vegetables. If you’re just starting out, do mono-juices. Juicing just one fruit will help you taste the fruit; you can combine other ingredients as you familiarize yourself with the process.

Can you add spices to the juices? Yes! I love combining ginger into my juices.  Apple juice with cinnamon is excellent. Other add-ins include black pepper, cayenne, and lemon.

We also talked about intermittent fasting.  I follow the 16/8 schedule. I fast for 16 hours, and enjoy my juices and vegan meals within 8 hours. Start slowly if you’re trying it out. Same with cleanses. Don’t aim for a whole week; start with 1 to 3 days of just juices/no food. Be good to your body, and you’ll feel better with more energy and life.

If you want to know some more download your free copy of Evie’s Enlivening Juice List, featuring my recipes for a juice cleanse which include juicing recipes for energy.