The Family Groove | Mixed Greens | Spring-Clean Your Body

MIXED GREENS
HOLISTIC HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE COUNSELOR KATHERINE PENNINGTON OF BE-N-BALANCE.COM
TOSSES UP NUTRITIOUS AND EASY WAYS TO FEED YOUR FAMILY—MIND, BODY AND SOUL

SPRING-CLEAN YOUR BODY

Carrot Juice

Spring is here! It’s time for us to start preparing our
bodies for the fun and freedom of the summer
(read: bathing suit season). With the bounty of fresh
fruits and vegetables coming our way as we move
forward into the warmer seasons, there’s no better
time to do a juice fast.

Not only do fasts help us lose weight and clean our bodies of toxins, but they also clean out our minds, providing us with a startling degree of creativity and clarity. And, in this economy, we all need more of that!

Fasting has been a part of different religions and cultures around the world for thousands of years and is not just some new-age 20th-century fad! Fasting is described as intentionally abstaining from food and is usually done for religious and health reasons. Fasting is nature’s way of giving the body a chance to rest and overcome injury or disease. When animals are sick or injured, they instinctively quit eating until they feel better. This internal awareness is even present in our children, who do not eat when they aren't feeling well. Somewhere along the line, we lost the knowledge of the importance of fasting to regain and restore health.

Fasting, of course, is used for weight loss, but it is also a tool for cleaning, flushing, detoxifying, maintaining the body, and even healing both major and minor illness. There is a doctor in Arizona named Dr. Gabriel Cousens who has healed diabetes through fasting and cleansing with a raw food diet. It all makes perfect sense: When we eat, all of our body’s energy goes toward digesting that food, and when we go on a fast, we are giving our bodies a break.

During our lifetime, we are exposed to a variety of chemicals and toxins, both in our food and drinks as well as in our environment via cleaning products and pollution. Some of these toxins are eliminated through waste, but ultimately, toxins build up and remain in our colon. Chemical products and free radicals contribute to premature aging, heart disease, cancer and other diseases. Fasting is a way to get rid of these toxins and allow your body to heal itself.

Additionally, fasting increases the white cell count in our blood, which boosts our immunity and protects us against disease. It has also been known to reduce the symptoms of menopause, such as night sweats and weight gain. And it also aids our circulatory system, which improves the quality of our skin, hair and nails. Fasting is a way to jump-start our system and get back on track. It’s something I recommend everyone do once or twice a year for ultimate health and well-being.

Juices furnish the body with live enzymes and bioactive vitamins, minerals and trace minerals that are destroyed when a food is cooked. The juices bring an alkaline force into the body that helps neutralize the toxic acidity that we have as a result of our modern diets. They also speed the recovery from disease by supporting the body’s own healing activities and cell regeneration, and improve the cells’ ability to absorb nutrients and eliminate waste and other toxic material from the body.

Similar to herbs, juices have specific healing properties. The principle that food relates to certain diseases is a well-established clinical finding in Western naturopathic systems as well as in Chinese and Ayurvedic systems. Since each juice has its own healing properties, it is beneficial to rotate them. Some juices include carrot, apple, kale, spinach, beet, wheatgrass, orange, cucumbers, celery and watermelon.

So why not just eat your vegetables instead of juicing them? When we juice them, we take out the fiber and leave only the essential nutrients. There is no way that we could eat the quantity of vegetables needed to equal that of vegetables in a juice form. Fiber certainly has its place in our diets, but if you could do one thing to improve your health and energy, it would be to add one green juice or other vegetable juice into your diet each day. If you can’t do a fresh juice, then do one with a green powder. You will feel an immediate improvement in your mood, energy and outlook on life. Your skin will be clear, your hair shiny and you will feel great!

If you want to lose weight, jump-start your diet, gain energy, up your clarity and improve your overall outlook on life, then a fast is a wonderful way to break away from unhealthy eating habits and give your body a clean slate to work from. For anyone interested in finding out more about juicing and resources for juicing, please e-mail me at Katherine@be-n-balance.com for an initial consultation to learn more about how you can go on a safe, easy juice fast.

My Daily Cleansing Juice
1 apple
Head of celery
1 cucumber
3 to 5 stalks of kale (preferably lacinato)

Juice in juicer and drink throughout the day.

Carrots & Green Juice
2 to 4 carrots
4 to 8 leaves of romaine, spinach and/or kale

Carrots are great because they contain natural sugars that your body will crave during a fast.
This is a great blood strengthener and balancer.


Carrot juice	is one of the richest sources of vitamin A and also includes vitamins B, C, D, E, G and K; the electrolytes sodium and potassium; calcium; magnesium; and iron. Carrot juice helps improve the health of the eyes, skin and teeth; has been said to be a natural solvent for ulcerous and cancerous growth; and has even been claimed to help prevent sterility in males.
Kale and other leafy greens	are very high in calcium; magnesium; iron; potassium; phosphorus; zinc; vitamins A, C, E and K; fiber; folic acid; and chlorophyll. Greens help purify the blood, prevent cancer, improve circulation, strengthen the immune system, improve liver function, clear congestion, improve skin quality, lift the spirit, eliminate depression, and increase energy and vitality.
Beets	are high in vitamin B and folate and are a very good source of manganese, potassium, vitamin C, magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus. Beets help purify the blood, cleanse the liver, aid in resolving menstrual irregularities and have even been said to fight cancer.
Celery	contains an extremely high level of the vital sodium, which helps eliminate carbon dioxide from the system and maintain blood and lymph health. Celery is also high in magnesium and iron, a combination that is invaluable as a food for the blood cells.
Cucumber	is one of the best-known diuretics, helping the body secrete out toxins. Due to its high silicon and sulfur content, celery also helps promote hair health and growth as well as strong nails. Celery is also high in potassium, which helps regulate low and high blood pressure. Skin breakouts may also be helped by cucumber juice.

Katherine Pennington is a holistic health counselor and founder of Be in Balance, which helps women and men lose weight, reduce stress and achieve more balance in their lives. Additionally, Katherine runs a cooking program for kids and their moms called Kids in the Kitch, in which she helps mothers and fathers cook healthier meals for their families as well as works one-on-one with children. Katherine is also an avid runner and marathoner and advises athletes on how to fuel for maximum performance and health.

Katherine graduated from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition/Columbia Teachers College and is a member of the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. Additionally, Katherine is a founding member of Women for Family Nutrition (www.wffn.org).

Katherine resides in New York City and is the mother to two beautiful children.

For more from Katherine, visit www.be-n-balance.com.