JUICE THERAPY
As a general rule, juice of fresh vegetables and fruits fluid should form an essential part of our diet. But those with sound and healthy teeth and good digestive power should masticate raw salads, leafy vegetables (though not all) and fruits in their natural form. But the juice is preferable for children, old and emaciated persons, pregnant and lactating mothers, and bedridden (indoor) patients as it takes far less time to digest. Still, it doesn’t have the advantage of saliva.
A drawback of the juice is that they are devoid of roughage, which is an essential part of the diet, without which most people develop constipated bowels, piles, and hard stools. Further, juices of vegetables take much longer to metabolise than fruit juices. Hence it is unwise to blend both vegetable and fruit juices. Secondly, fruit juices contain plenty of vitamins and minerals, which vegetables do not possess in the same proportion. Vegetables lack fats, calcium, protein, carbohydrates, sugar and some minerals. A healthy and balanced diet should be an efficient and proportionate blend of vitamins, minerals, cereals, pulses, proteins, and dairy/sea products.
JUICE FOR HEALTHY LIVING
Since each food item is either depleted or replete in one essential food ingredient or the other, vegetables and fruits do not form part of a wholesome diet but should be used when a person cannot digest foodgrains, cereals, pulses, potatoes, dairy and sea products. Hence, juice therapy is simply a part of the diet but not a wholesome and balanced diet. Moreover, particular juice may even cause allergic reactions in a few individuals.
A newborn infant is often fed and nurtured on the mother’s milk. Still, after the infant crosses six months, he is given apple, orange and lime juice, though in a very moderate and measured quantity, to supplement his growth requirements and supplementation by liquefied cereals. As the child grows, his food requirements are also changed. In the case of old and aged persons who often have digestive or mastication problems due to weak/loose teeth and deficient immunity syndrome (not AIDS), general wear, tear, and run-down condition of a physical system, the use of fruit and vegetable juice will always prove a boon for them. Thus they may have a feeling of renewed vigour and vitality. Both for infants and growing children as well for the aged ones quality and number of servings should be decided, keeping in view the physical condition and requirements of the person.
Juice of fruit/vegetables or their use in raw form should form an essential part of one’s regular dietary menu; it should be part and parcel of daily meals, though to avoid monotony in use, alternate substitutes with equal food values may substitute some of them. For fruit juice and also for vegetable juice, age is no bar.
Continuous use of drugs and often overuse of some of such drugs, coupled with other intoxicants, shatters a person’s health state. Hence, all toxins generated by the continuous use of harmful medications must be purged from the body. This can be done by the juices, which are healthy and corrective ways to rid the body of such toxic effects and reactions. Juice is an infallible and harmless vehicle to restore lost health, vigour, and vitality and provide a fresh look to the body. It corrects defective metabolism and can repair torn, worn-out, tired tissues.
As already indicated, most of the dreaded diseases, like diabetes, cancer, asthma, most digestion-related disorders (like flatulence, diarrhoea, gastritis, colic, acidity), nausea, vomiting etc.) and other respiratory diseases own their causation to the inappropriate use of food. Very often, an imbalance in protein-carbohydrate intake. Lack of water intake is usually held as an attribute to food-related disorders.
Low-income groups use green and fresh vegetables and raw fruits, and their juices rarely form part of their dietary habits and style of living. The rich use them as a ritual only or do not use them in their natural form but to satiate their taste buds. There is no denying that nature’s green vegetables and fresh fruits, or still better, their juices, must be an essential and regular part of one’s diet. Regarding cost and affordability, lemon, radish, beet, mintcarrotsd, pulses, and soybean are not as costly as other costlier ones. So, one can always substitute the costlier ones with less expensive items in the same manner; all classes cannot afford meat. To solve this disparity, meat and fish can be substituted with pulses, soybeans, etc.
JUICE FOR INFANTS
An infant’s digestive system is susceptible because they are fed on mother’s milk, cow’s milk, or toned milk. No solids are given to an infant for up to six months for obvious reasons. After six months of age, juice of sweet lime, orange or grapes, or minced banana can be and is generally given, in addition, to the usual intake of milk and cereals. Care must be taken to ensure that any juice to which the infant resists and shows any disinclination or dislike (or still worse, if he vomits) should never be forced upon the infant’s tolerance in the afternoon or evening. Never move any food item upon an infant if he shows remote hate or dislikes.
JUICE FOR GROWING YOUNG CHILDREN
As it is well known, from 5 to 12 years, a child embarks upon the growth stage, and thus, his body requires plenty of repeated servings of essential food nutrients. Young ones must be given plenty of fresh green vegetable and fruit juice once, at least in the afternoon (Just an hour before lunch) and the second time in the evening after returning after playing. Timings can be adjusted as per individual suitability and need. It is a myth that costlier fruits and vegetables carry more nutrients. Other less costly ones can also give similar, if not better, results. Do not allow your pseudosocial status symbol to take better of the actual requirements of the child. The main aim is and ought to be, to provide maximum nutritional values instead of harping on the high-cost factor of the nutrient.
JUICE FOR THE ADOLESCENTS
From the 12th year, a young one enters the age, bringing about marked physical changes in the child. This is called a Critical Stage because changes noticed and experienced baffle the young ones and their food habits, attitudes, likes and dislikes and other practices; everything undergoes a sea change. It is particularly true of young girls having their first menstrual flow. Young children should be aware of the physical modifications and other consequences.
Plenty of raw and fresh fruits and vegetables are advised in this age group. The youngsters prefer canned or fried foods, bottled juices, soft drinks, and junk foods. They benefit none but the sellers.
Adolescents and grown-ups must have at least a glassful of fresh juice or fruits or vegetables in the afternoon as a substitute for supper. During both principal meals, they must take leafy and green vegetables or juice or soup or such items; if that is not feasible, they may have the same in raw but natural form. Those who have infected and constipated bowels should, as a matter of routine, take lemon juice in lukewarm (glassful) water. Those whose bowels are sensitive should take the juice of Papaya once in the morning and then in the morning and then in the evening or at bedtime, and such person should avoid taking spinach (Palak), lady’s finger (Bhindi) instead of any vegetable/fruit which abounds in starch and iron content.
JUICE FOR PREGNANT WOMEN
In our country, an overt or covert attempt is to replenish food deficiency with medicinal substitutes. It should be remembered if the diet is poor and devoid of essential nutrients, no pill or syrup of vitamins, etc., it can ever provide the required quantity of such elements critical to the mother. Further, it is also pointed out that any healthy restorative tonic, however costly or nutritive that might be or claimed to be so, derives its potential from our food. It is wrong to suggest that such brews generate any benefits. It is a myth, and all patients and persons should always bear in mind this truth, howsoever unpalatable it might seem. Digestion in pregnant women is generally slow due to a lack of physical movement and proper/suitable exercise. Keeping this fact in mind, she should avoid all heavy, starchy, fatty, fried and spicy foods. Instead, the emphasis should be placed on the calorie values of the food consumed per the individual’s requirements.
Hence it is necessary to intake liquefied diets, like fruit and vegetable juices, milk, pulses, etc. As far as possible, meat-based diets should be avoided; still better if eliminated. The foetus partly takes a pregnant mother’s diet in her womb. Hence food should be almost doubled in quantity. She has to take care of her health and her offspring’s developmental aspect.
Considering the points above, a pregnant lady should take plenty of oranges, lime, apple, mango, grapes, guava, watermelon, litchi, and all green vegetables from which juice can be extracted. 250-350 ml. of juice of fruits/vegetables should be taken at least twice daily, before or after meals. Mango shake is an excellent nutrient rich in many nutrients. Those who do not or cannot take juice should take them in their raw form. But fruits and vegetables, especially those rich in minerals, should essentially form part of a regular dietary pattern unless any of such eatables are medically prohibited. The problem arises with working-class people who have meagre resources. Such ladies should go in for cheaper but equally nourishing food substitutes. Juices keep you young, slim, innovative and growing with vigour.
JUICE FOR THE AGED PERSONS
In old age, many physical problems, heart ailments, urinary and digestive issues, other allied disorders, and respiratory problems continue to torture and torment humans, leading to physical and mental inactivity and inertia. The major problem lies in weak digestion, reduced food intake, and lack of exercise. It is tough to recommend a particular type of juice therapy for each person separately.
A problem arises because a particular juice extract may benefit one but not the other.
Keeping infirmities and limitations of the aged, easily digestible fruits and water-enriched fruits like grapes, lime, mango, litchi, and vegetables like tomato, spinach, mint, garlic, coriander, lemon, beet and other leafy vegetables, should be used for juicing purposes. One has to be rather decisive about what suits a person and what does not. Only such vegetables/fruits or their juices should be used, which neither create any health hazard nor aggravate existing ailments. A meat diet should never be used. Dry fruits should also be rarely used, especially those rich in their oily contents. A nutritious diet should always be preferred to starchy, fatty, greasy, spicy, fried meat. It may be born in mind that the main criterion should be towards consumption of foods that respond to physical needs, correct and improve metabolism, improve general well-being, does not create any monotony and aversion but provide a sense of satiation and betterment.