Juice Boost

There’s usually some kind of virus going around – stomach virus, cold virus – especially if you have school-age children, and we’re only a few weeks away from the start of another germ-filled school year. Currently there is a potentially much more dangerous virus on the planet and it never hurts to boost the immune system to its optimum capacity to protect your body. Even if you do get a virus, having a strong immune system will help you recover more quickly.

The immune system is a whole healthy body system – you can’t add something to your diet, like 2,000 mg of vitamin C, and suddenly your immune system grade goes from a C- to an A. The system is one of balance, so it includes healthy life habits such as regular exercise including some cardio, limited alcohol, being smoke-free, and a diet loaded with numerous vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Celebrating real food is a lifestyle that will benefit all of your body systems, but today I’m going to focus on how to get the nutritional boost to the immune system through regularly making juices or smoothies. You can make a juice or smoothie for any meal of the day. Sometimes the process of getting out, using, cleaning, and putting away the juicer or blender become an obstacle that prevents juicing, so I suggest rinsing it and leaving it out until you get used to some juices you like and incorporate them into your meal plans.

Here are some categories of ingredients for different types of juices and smoothies; you can try them throughout the week.  There are many other health benefits to each of these ingredients that I’m not giving in detail but are easy to search.  This is a great time of year to start experimenting because there’s an abundance of fresh produce that you can get organic or from local farms that aren’t using heavy pesticides.

Citrus – A powerful Vitamin C intense juice is best with oranges, grapefruit, and lemons or limes.

Roots – The best roots to use in juices for an immunity enhancement are beets and carrots. You rinse and use the entire vegetable, including any leaves – the leaves are super-packed with nutrients.

Probiotics – If you don’t have a juicer but have a blender, you can make luscious smoothies with a yogurt base. Personally I do not like yogurt, but using Greek yogurt along with mixed fruit completely erases the typical yogurt smell and flavor. Buy organic yogurt with live cultures and no added sweeteners. A Swedish study found that a specific probiotic, Lactobacillus reuteri, that appears to stimulate white blood cells, increases healthiness.^[1] This strain has since been shown to also be beneficial in treating infant illnesses. If you buy a probiotic supplement or make your own yogurt, include this great probiotic. It doesn’t come in any American yogurts, but you will find some that list other “live cultures.”

Greens – Your most nutrient-packed dark, leafy greens are kale, with spinach, celery, and chard close behind. Spinach and celery are good mild-tasting greens to use when you’re first starting to juice. And don’t forget the little greens like parsley, mint, and other herbs.

Garden Delight – A blend of juiced varieties of garden tomatoes makes a wonderful drink this time of year when they’re at peak flavor, and cucumbers mix well into many juices. Apples are easy to acquire and again you can try many varieties throughout the season – pears too.

Berries – If you have access to organic or garden berries with minimal pesticide use, berries are a great antioxidant boost to juices. (But do not use store-bought, non-organic strawberries, because it isn’t possible to wash them enough.) Blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries are all excellent in juices.

Powerful Powders – Added power boosters like proteins help make a juice more filling for a meal. Try hemp protein, maca powder, whey protein, super greens, etc. They do not change the flavor of your juice or smoothie, just add a powerful punch. You can find many articles on the benefits of these super powders.

Other Tips: – Watermelon and pineapple are sweet and full of vitamins, so they make a great balance with some of the stronger-tasting vegetables. Another tip is to freeze some fruit so you have frozen banana, berries, etc., for fantastic summer coolers. Also drop in a tablespoon of nut butter to smoothies for flavor and protein. Here are the ingredients for my drinks pictured.

Green Machine
Juice 2 C spinach
1 C grapes
2 stalks of celery
1 cucumber
1 bunch parsley
1 T flax seed

Orangesickle
Juice 3 carrots
2 apples
1 stalk of celery
1 C red grapes
1 T hemp protein

Mellow Yellow
Blend 1 frozen banana
½ avocado
1 cup crushed pineapple w/juice
1 individual container Greek yogurt (vanilla, honey, etc.)
½ C orange or pineapple juice or 1 C ice cubes
1 T nut butter
Puree until smooth

Purple Punch
Juice 2 C blueberries
2 C raspberries
1 C black grapes
1 T maca powder