It is but natural that, before deciding to switch over to juice therapy or make it a part of diet, one way have some inquisitiveness or apprehensions about use of this therapy. In order to allay such probable doubts we give here answers to such possible questions which a reader may like to be dealt with, before deciding to switch over to juice therapy.
1. Is juice therapy a panacea for all disorders?
Like all other therapies, juice therapy is also a way, rather a unique method, juice therapy is also a way, rather a unique method, to cure, disorders which often affect a person. It is claimed that juices act as cleansers of the body, that is by relieving the body from toxins. First they rid the body of such foreign toxic matters and then cure the disease by building up general resistance of the body. In a way juices act and rectify many ills, to which a human being can possibly be subjected. Any disease which can be could also be cured by any other medical system fruit or vegetable diets and juice. So, in this way juice therapy is almost an infallible way to well being. It has no, or very negligible, side-effects all the same it is not a panacea, but a harmless way to curability.
2. Is not fibre necessary? Do not the juices separate them ?
In fact after extracting juices only unusable residue is left behind. Juice extract is a whole-some liquid which contains all nutrients and the left out waste is notliing but waste material. What you get from the juices is the purest form of fruit and vegetable products. Fibre is an important part of our food, the absence of which will cause constipation.
Fibre is not found in animal products but is found in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes etc. Juicing is the best method to enhance intake of other foods because it increases appetite, helps food to digest and also supply necessary nutrients to body. To say that fruit and vegetable juices are bereft of fibre is not correct but essence of fibre is also extracted while juicing. But extra eating of fibre is also necessary.
3. Is fresh juice a substitute for tonics or is it better?
Most tonics are supplied in tablet, syrup forms which are prepared chemically—they are unnatural ways, meant to make up lost energy. They take time to metabolize quickly as compared to other tablets or syrups which are known as ‘tonics’. When our food mingles with juice it helps it to digest quickly. Moreover, various branded vitamins and nutrients are treated with certain chemicals, preservatives, hence most of their natural ingredients are lost. But, juices are store-houses of all such essential nutrients, because, they are natural easy to digest, tone up our body, protect our body from toxins and other foreign’matters. Juices are both protective corrective, curative and harmless extracts. So, tablets and syrups and harmless extracts. So, tablets and syrups are no match for juices.
4. What should be an ideal dose of Juice?
There are no hard and fast rules on dose, for the simple reason that dose, whether of medicine or juice, will depend upon stage, intensity, capacity of the patient, health status of a person. Moreover, age, sex and present condition of the patient will also determine quantity and repetition of dose of juices. Juice are taken in health and disorder alike.
If taken- in healthy state it will serve as a shield and guard, and also enhance resistance of the body. When taken in a diseased state, it will first purge out all toxins from the body, and then cure the disorder, So, to remain healthy, a glassful of fresh juice is enough. But, in illness, dose and frequency of juice may have to be adjusted according to condition of the patient.When dealing with an ailing person, many other factors are also to be taken into account which are not, at all, necessary, in a healthy state. So, one has to graduate, moderate and adjust the dose as per requirements of an individual patient.
5. Are Canned, bottled or pouched juices not equally useful ?
No, they have hardly anything or any factor in common ? The reason being that the juices available in the market are synthetic liquids which are first heated, then refrigerated and thus their nutrition value is lost. Such artificial juices do not contain any pulp or juice, as is mentioned by the processors themselves. So, such juices can satisfy your taste buds, but cannot meet your dietary deficiency. On the contrary, fresh juices are free from any artificial treatments, conserve their natural nutrients and food values, are easy to digest. Moreover, after taking fresh juices, you feel refreshed and satiated whereas canned/bottled juices are more costly, bereft of any nutritious value, are artificial.
Fresh juices also ensure purity. A word of caution here for juices sold in the market. The fruits and vegetables are exposed to dust, flies and other insects, are not washed properly, their unusable portions are not removed. Hence, they are causing more harm than good. Even pre-extracted residual portion of the juices is mixed with juice instantly extracted. As for branded and packed juices, you have to shell out more money also and, that too, without any healthy gain. In case of emergent compulsions or due to non-availability, aerated or artificial (canned/bottled) drinks may be preferred in preference to exposed and contaminated or so-called freshly extracted juices.
6. Is it in order to mix up vegetable and fruit juices?
In fact, truly speaking, there is hardly any need to combine juices of fruits and vegetables, for the simple reason, that nutrients differ in each item. In cases where there are no visible symptoms, such as griping, flatulence, bloating of abdomen, ache in stomach, eructations, loose motions, formation of gas and such other disturbances, juices of both can be combined. It is only one’s personal experience which can and does serve as a true guide. If no odd symptoms surface, juices of fruits and vegetables can be mixed up. Often one’s taste buds also force a person to such combinations but taste buds must not take precedence over actual requirements of a person, especially in the disordered health status.
7. Is juice beneficial for all age-groups?
On this point, a passing reference has already been made. Juices are quickly absorbed by our body, being easy to digest. It will serve as a health-giving tonic to young infants, nursing mothers, expectant women, old persons and to those who wish to maintain their health. Juice is a tonic, rejuvenator, cleanser, and purging agent for toxins, is restorative, curative and preventive of diseases. It arouses phagocytes, builds up resistance, nourishes body and its various organs, regulates functioning of various organs, builds up blood and provides essential nutrients to the body. Hence, for all age-groups juices are beneficial. Infants and old persons who cannot chew, juices help them, in more than one way, to avoid strain on their weakened teeth, as also other body organs. It is boon a for all.
8. Before juicing, which parts of fruits/vegetables should not be used? What are the other safeguards?
Skins of fruits such as lime, orange, malta etc. should be removed, alongwith their fibres and seeds. Remove all pits, plums. Remove skin and seeds of a apple, grape fruit. Only pulp of papaya and Bael should be used. Plums, Guava, Pear, Grape, loquat should not be peeled off but hard seeds, within the fruits must be removed and never eaten or. juiced. As for vegetables, only green leaves are used for juicing, but hard skins and seeds removed before juicing. For more information, reference may be made to relevant portions in this book.
All fruits and vegetable must be washed before juicing. Never use any stale, withered, decayed or cut-open fruit. Use always fresh fruits and vegetables. Try not to keep all such vegetations exposed or store the same in deep freezers. Wrap up all fruits and vegetables with a wet cloth, if those are not to be used immediately.
9. Who should not use juices? Do all juices suit all ?
It is a ticklish questions to reply. There is hardly any disease, or person, whether disease or healthy, which can prove unresponsive to juice therapy. But, exceptions are still there. Certain patients may show reaction to certain juices whereas others may not be so. It is just a question of individual suitability or reaction. It is simply a questions of pick and choose, retain or reject, trial and error for the simple reason that certain fruit or vegetable juices or mixture thereof may cause, though rarely, some reaction, in the form of digestive disturbances, skin irritation, eruption.
In such cases, it is better to start with one fruit or vegetable only and then additions may be made, gradually, if desired and necessitated by compulsions of the case. For instance, if a patient having loose motions, eats papaya, his symptoms will aggravate but for a constipated patient, it is useful. So, one has to use his own wisdom and discretion. Above all, especially in disordered cases, guidance must be had from your dietician and physician. A juice therapy suggested for a diabetic will be entirely different from a non-diabetic person and so on.
10. Can all Income-groups afford Juice Therapy?
If we look to ever-rising spiral of prices of medicines, canned foods and beverages, so called energy-building medicinal diets, we can say with certainty that cost of juice therapy will not be higher. Moreover, there are juice-substitutes also, which are much cheaper, For instance, carrot is an excellent substitute for apples, spinach for iron deficiency, beet for new blood formation (Iron-deficiency), lime, lemon and or orange for vitamin ‘C deficiency, so on and so forth.
11. Are not vegetations grown with help of chemical manure and use of pesticides harmful for health?
These factors cannot be avoided, though use of all these chemicals is harmful for health. There is no let up and escape, because emphasis is more on quantity and volume than on pure quality. Pesticides and chemical manures do leave their traces and ill-effects on plants, the off-shoots of which we all consume. Depite all such harmful effects, fruits and vegetables are still filled with essential nutrients. Sun-ripe fruits are still better for their for excellent food values. Actually they are far better than and superior to (or when compared with) canned, bottled, pouched and processed artificially flavoured juices which are,’ in fact, synthetic preparations and are, thus, bereft of any food value, what to speak of providing any energy.