Cleansing juice recipe – for brain, inflammation & gut health

Nutritional cleansing juice recipe – for the post holiday bloat

This drink is definitely in the category of “food as medicine”!  At a glance, it is good for digestion, reducing water retention, pain & inflammation and moving your body tissues towards more of an alkaline PH.  In summary –  because my focus in working with people is on brain, inflammation, gut and mental health – this juice can be put in your tool kit as a “go to” resource.

For this recipe, you’ll need a vegetable juicer, or an understanding and willing person who works in a juice making shop.

A lot is written and said about whether we should in fact be juicing our vegetables & fruit and throwing away the fibre rich pulp.  Or should we be putting the whole lot into a blender (or similar contraption) and “Ninjaing” up something which includes the whole plant?  My view is yes and yes.  Both are correct and good for different situations and people.  If you are already putting the whole plant/vegetable into the Ninja – and it agrees with you and your digestion, then please continue.  It really depends on your digestive ability, the time of year & season, and what you put in it.  When using foods as medicines, there is rarely a “one size fits all” answer for everyone – we are all different with different needs.

For the purpose of this blog article however, I’m going to recommend juicing.  I’m recommending one specific juice actually (with some options) because it’s January, I’m going to assume your body & digestion (like mine) needs a bit of help and “time out”, due to the higher sugar, alcohol, complicated foods and sweet summer fruits that have been on offer.

Digestive Lemon & ginger cleanser

This would have to be my most popular “go to juice” for the summer months.  Throughout January and into February I’d be having this most days.  And I adjust it according to my needs and how I feel.  Which I suggest you do also.  I make it in bulk to last for one to two days in the fridge (or a little longer if I’m wanting to avoid cleaning the juicer too regularly).  Often I have just a couple of small glasses per day – as a medicine – sipping it and really allowing the juice to mix with my saliva to stimulate my digestive juices.  I personally like it in between meals (and/or first thing before breakfast)…but anytime is ok.  It’s refreshing & delicious with some great body balancing (and mind) benefits.

Benefits at a glance:

• PH balancing/alkalising (lemon, celery)
• Stomach/stimulating & balancing of digestive secretions (lemon, ginger, turmeric)
• Reduces fluid retention (celery)
• Hydrating (celery, cucumber)
• Cooling on body – but not cooling on the stomach i.e. when you are overheated from external temperature, or from over indulging in heating foods and drinks (cucumber, lemons, ginger – warms digestion)
• Anti-inflammatory & anti-arthritic (ginger, turmeric, celery)

Ingredients:

• 4-8 washed sticks celery
• 1-3 lemons (cut off rind and juice the whole lemon)
• cucumber (1-2)
• ginger (3-4cm cube – or more if you prefer.  You are aiming for a little warmth, not burning)
• fresh turmeric (1-2 thumb size pieces) – or ground turmeric powder (1/2 to 1 teaspoon)

The more celery and cucumber you use in your juice will mean that your juice is extra hydrating (celery, cucumber), but also good for fluid retention (due to celery).  It will also be cooling on an overheated body – without “putting out” your stomach fire and impacting negatively on digestion.  This juice is great for digestion (and therefore you mind, brain and inflammation) – especially when sipped slowly.

Additional options for ingredients:

• parsley (high in nutrition – but with a strong flavour – add as much as you want, to your taste)
• beetroot (high in nutrition, liver supportive and detoxifying, reduces blood pressure – but if you have blood sugar problems or insulin resistance – go easy on this)
• carrot (high in nutrition, also go easy on these if you have blood sugar/insulin resistance problems)

For more recipes and ideas on how to deliciously “clean eat” for your body & mind – go to the “search” tab under blogs and type in – recipes.