Photos and Article

By

Michele L. Tune aka Juice Girl

Imagine not having to drive to the store and spend a small fortune for organic pears…

Isn’t that a nice thought? Well, for me, it’s more than a thought! My kind neighbors have a pear tree and they didn’t plan on doing anything with the pears it grew this year so they asked if I’d like to pick them. Would I ever?! So, this bin of pears you see is some of what I got. I put some up in the freezer and the rest I used for juicing. Pear juice is delish! I love that the recipe is so quick and simple and tasty. It is a great recipe to try if you’re just starting out (if you like pears).

After a good washin’ in the sink, the pears were ready for a trip through the juicing machine.

As you can see (below), six pears made approximately 12 oz. of juice. If you’d like 16 oz (a full glass), just throw in a couple more pears.

Official recipe:

• 6-8 big pears, chopped to fit through the top of your juicing machine

This juice is not only delicious, it’s very healthy for you.

Fun Fact:

Did you know that pears are members of the rose family! And, they’re related to apples? It’s true!

Some nutrients your body will drink up from the pear juice:

• fiber
• vitamin C
• copper
• vitamin K
• antioxidants!!!

A few health benefits:

1. The vitamin C and copper found in pears act as antioxidants and help protect your body against free radicals.
2. Vitamin C also boosts your immune system.
3. The fiber in pears not only helps promote a healthy bowel (by preventing constipation) but works to lower your cholesterol! It also helps prevent colon cancer because it binds to cancer-causing chemicals that accumulate in your colon and drags them right out of your body.

I hope you enjoy your pear juice, and all it’s benefits!

(Health information from http://www.whfoods.com/)

Have you ever enjoyed the taste of pear juice? Do you love or detest pears? Are you new to the idea of raw juices or have you been juicing raw fruits and veggies for decades? Do you add anything to your pear juice or prefer it as is? Jump right into the comments and share! We’d love to hear from you.

Here’s to life, health, and healing with (raw) juices!

Photos and Article

By

Michele L. Tune

After my recent birthday dinner, I decided I should drink a few raw juices to flush my system. I prefer actually juice fasting for at least two days (without eating at all) but haven’t had time to do that. Also, I finally found my favorite organic Greek yogurt at a local store so I bought several containers of it. Now I have to finish them all before they ruin! A short juice fast is just around the corner for me, though.

As I work toward the fast, I’ve only been eating some raw fruit and veggies, the Greek yogurt, raw nuts, and Sun Butter. (More about pre-fast eating in an upcoming post.)

My regular diet is pretty much clean anyway but I like to really prepare my body for a juice fast – and that means a goal of 100% raw foods, lots of water and herbal tea. I do eat some fish, eggs, and cooked vegetables, so I just begin to eliminate them a little at a time until I’m eating only raw.  Another thing I do to transition into a juice fast is start drinking the raw juices like I’m doing now.

I’ve enjoyed a variety of raw juices so far, but today I want to focus on the watermelon juice. Watermelon is an amazing fruit. It’s loaded with goodies for our bodies to drink up and its juice will flush your kidneys. It’s nice to give the kidneys a boost and help them rid our bodies of toxins (toxins are in the air we breathe, food we eat, etc.) So, It’s very healing – and delicious too!

Here are a few fun facts:

1. Eating watermelon may help fight inflammation in diseases such as colon cancer, arthritis, asthma, and others.
2. Three servings a day could fight macular degeneration.
3. It could possibly even prevent cancer!

Healing for (Raw) Juices Tip:

• You could get all 3 of those servings in one tall glass of tasty juice.

A few nutrients you’ll be feeding your body are:

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin B-6
• Vitamin B-1
• Potassium
• Magnesium
• Antioxidants
• and more!

*Nutrition information from whfoods.com

The fun part is you get to juice the entire watermelon. Yes, there are nutrients in the rind and seeds – isn’t that great? You just chop the watermelon into pieces that will fit into the top of your juicing machine and if you want a regular glass (approx. 16 oz.) you’ll need 2 pieces (about 1 inch or so thick) or 4 cups, chopped.

It takes only a short time to get all the pieces in and then you can enjoy its sweet goodness. You’ll wonder how something so tasty is so healthy for you, but it is!

Enjoy your watermelon flush…

Here’s to life, health, and healing with (raw) juices!