Welcome to the monthly Ask Dr. Marty Newsletter. In response to several requests, I have decided to share some information based on questions that I frequently receive regarding natural health topics. I promise to keep the newsletter short. But if at any time you get overwhelmed with emails, please let me know and I’ll be glad to take you off of the mailing list. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the newsletter and hope that you will forward any questions you may have as well. Even if they don’t make it into the newsletter, I promise to answer all questions. All questions will be anonymous.
QUESTION: What’s your opinion on smoothies and juicing?
ANSWER: This question comes up a lot and the two are often confused. So what’s the difference? There’s a time and a place for both. Each has a different motivation and result.
Juicing is a process by which the juice of a fruit or vegetables is extracted from the lignins, celluloses and hemicelluloses (commonly known as roughage or insoluble fiber). The soluble fiber remains in the juice. Juicing is often used during a fast. Drinking juice allows the body to easily absorb nutrients without having to work hard to break the food down first. Because the nutrients are absorbed by the body so quickly, it’s important to juice mostly low sugar vegetables with just a little of the sweet stuff (like carrots, beets, or fruit) to prevent spikes in blood sugar. When the body doesn’t have to work hard to break down food, it has more time to heal from an illness or surgery, and has more energy to clean house at a cellular level.
Many vegetable juices have been used for a variety of maladies. For example, cabbage juice had been a typical remedy for healing the stomach and colon. Two traditional books for guidance on which fruit or vegetable to use for which malady are How to Get Well by Paavo Airola and Juicing for Life by Cherie Calbom and Maureen Keane. Both books are available on Amazon .com.
Smoothies use a blender-type device that usually uses whole fruit and often other foods like yogurt or a protein powder for the consistency of a milkshake. Because the smoothies contain all the fiber from the fruit and vegetables, they are a powerhouse of nutrients in many ways. High fiber consumption is associated with lower rates of cancer, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity, just to name a handful. In this milkshake can be a hidden wealth of sneaky ingredients.
When our nieces and nephews were little and would sometimes come to stay with us in the summertime, I would make them what I called Power Punch. To this day, it is nobody’s business what went into those power punches (like vegetables and extra fiber)! I have, however, crossed over the line in adding too much of the “little extras” and found that the power punches mysteriously disappeared down the drain… Oh, well. It was worth a shot.
Hot Tip: Make sure you wash your produce carefully with an organic veggie wash like Sunshine Concentrate to remove bacteria and chemicals.
Next month… Scrub a Dub Dub
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Maureen (Marty) Kernion is not a physician and does not diagnose nor prescribe. She received a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Louisiana State University, and a Master of Science degree and Doctorate of Natural Health degree from Clayton College of Natural Health. She is the author of Going Natural with Herbs. Marty lectures on natural health topics across the country and has been featured at 78 Barnes and Noble book stores since her book was published. She is also a retired adjunct professor with Clayton College of Natural Health where she authored 39 courses in nutrition and herbal remedies.
It is always wise to advise your pharmacist or health care practitioner about any change in diet or supplements you plan to take, especially if you take any prescription medication.
“Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.” Ezekiel 47:12
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