Why juicing is the perfect summer cleanse

Summer is a time for fun, spending time with friends and family and enjoying the sunshine. There is something truly magical about this time of year that makes us want to lighten up (literally and metaphorically) and embrace the organic supermarket fruit and vegetables section. Our appetites wane slightly, we have the urge to exercise more, and our bodies intuitively want to shake off excess weight. In a nutshell, it's the ideal time to embrace nutrient-packed juices or, better still, consult with a trusted medical professional about embarking on a juice cleanse regimen.

It's widely known that many of us need to up our game when it comes to fruit and vegetable intake. Even if you are eating the recommended servings of fruit and vegetables how many of those are raw, meaning you’re getting the most nutrient-rich bang for your buck?

Freshly made cold pressed juices are the simplest solution. Even if you already follow a plant-based diet, you’ll quickly feel the benefits of supercharging your consumption of enzymes, phytonutrients and living water into your body this way. Recent studies have found that a three-day organic juice cleanse improved the healthy balance of gastrointestinal microflora. That leads to boosted immunity, improved digestion, and reduction of harmful free radicals in the body. Study participants also reported feeling significant boost in energy up to two weeks later and an average weight loss of two kilograms. In short, juicing supercharges your body and helps set you on a healthy path for the warmer months.

So, what should we be juicing?

Summer is the perfect season to cleanse, the fruit and vegetables that traditionally appear in summer are perfect for juicing. Plant-based foods that are at their peak in the summer provide us the best vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, living waters, sun light, and energy we need for our health coming out of winter, says Gary Dowse, aka The Juice Chef. 

Summer is the season of new growth, he says, when we start to see green again on trees and in our gardens after the barren chill of winter. And in that vein, it’s also the ideal time to embrace green juices, which contain ingredients seasonal to summer and packing the energy punch we all need this time of year. “Think sprouts, leafy greens, and herbs (like parsley and basil) as well as any green vegetables that grow above the ground, like celery, cucumber and zucchini,” Gary says. “All these green foods provide us with minerals like sodium and potassium to help us move our bodies more, and an important green nutrient known as chlorophyll helps us get our blood pumping.”

The magic of chorophyll

Chlorophyll is a powerful plant-based nutrient, often referred to as a plant’s blood, that helps them absorb energy from sunlight and is what gives them their green colour. When consumed, it is a powerful anti-inflammatory, helps the body detoxify, fights oxidative stress, protects the liver, boosts the immune system, boosts energy levels, and may even have anti-ageing properties.

Eating and juicing green herbs and vegetables is one of the best ways to get more chlorophyll into your diet. A cold press juicer is the best machine to extract the maximum amount of green juice and allows you to store the juice in the fridge for up to three days without loss of nutrients.

While there are plenty of ‘liquid chlorophyll’ supplements available in health food stores, and even supermarkets, they don’t actually contain chlorophyll. Rather, they feature a compound called chlorophyllin, a semi-synthetic mixture of sodium copper salts isolated from chlorophyll. The bottom line: always opt for fresh over supplements. “You’ll soon see how it outperforms the man-made versions,” agrees Gary. Foods with the highest chlorophyll content ideal for juicing in summer include broccoli, brussel sprouts, celery, coriander, parsley, spinach, silver beet, and the hero of the chlorophyll world thanks to its high concentration, wheatgrass.

What about the other colours in the rainbow?

Gentle warming foods like fennel and cabbage are also good for summer as they help you make the transition from the colder months into the warmer season, says Gary. Both are high in folate, potassium, and vitamin C, which are great for heart health and our immune systems.

We have more warmth in the air in summer, we should start to introduce the orange and deep red colour foods like rockmelon, carrot, beetroot, and cherries to our juices, says Gary, as they will take your energy up another notch. Red and orange vegetables are high in antioxidants, including vitamins A and C, great for anti-inflammation and anti-ageing.

Sound great? We agree. See you in the supermarket organics section!

How yoga can help improve your gut health

A healthy digestive system is integral to living a balanced and wholesome life. The gut plays an essential role in a variety of functions throughout the body, and when undernourished and out of balance, the gut can contribute to a number of health conditions.

Some of these health issues include:

• Mood disorders (anxiety and depression)

• Autoimmune conditions

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome

• Fatigue

• Skin conditions

• Allergies

• Headaches and migraines

• Weight gain

• Hormonal Imbalances

• Poor nutrient absorption

• Bloating, constipation or diarrhea

• Joint pain

How yoga benefits the gut

 A healthy lifestyle has the potential to profoundly benefit our gut health and act as a preventative measure to many illnesses. Yoga, in particular, is a great way to begin this journey where it can heal our microbiome through stress reduction, gentle exercise and in aiding digestion.

Stress Reduction

The gut is so important in regulating stress responses in the body, where it is involved in the production of neurotransmitters in the brain such as dopamine, and GABA, as well as the regulation of other hormones. The microbiome is highly sensitive, where it can be thrown off of balance when hormones are produced to signal that the body is in stress, be it mental or physical. Yogic breathing and meditation has been researched to activate the parasympathetic nervous system which clears stress responses within the body, thus restoring the health and balance within our gut.

Increases microbiome diversity

Consistent exercise is correlated with higher levels of microbiome diversity as well as the amount of healthy strains of bacteria within our gut. As a gentle exercise practice, yoga has the potential to support a flourishing and diverse microbiome.

Aids with Digestion

Ayurveda, the oldest healthcare system in the world and the sister of yoga, believes that a healthy digestive system is vital for optimal health. Specific asanas can promote “agni” (our digestive fire) to facilitate digestion as well as cleanse and release toxins within the body. Certain asanas can also act as a massage for the internal organs as well as improve oxygenated blood flow to a variety of organs and lower blood pressure. 

TOP 5 ASANAS TO HEAL YOUR GUT

Peacock

Yogi masters have been quoted to say that if you practice this pose regularly, it doesn’t matter what you eat. This pose places pressure and cuts blood flow to your stomach, liver, intestines, kidneys and spleen. Not only does this increase the digestive fire, but once released, fresh oxygenated blood flows to the organs, reducing the production of toxins in the intestine thus improving function. This is the perfect yogic detox pose!

Revolved Crescent lunge or Seated Twist

These poses aid in digestion, where pressure from the twist is applied to the organs. This facilitates with digestion of fluids and foods, as well as the release of toxins, and helps eliminate waste.

Shavasana

This is the perfect stress reduction pose to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, and keep your gut happy and stress free to restore balance within the rest of the body.

Bow Pose

This stimulates digestion by rocking forward and backwards on your belly, and also provides a massage to the internal organs. This also increases blood flood flow, oxygenating and revitalising the digestive system.

Sun Salutations

These are great in stimulating the digestive fire, as a few sun salutation combined with inhalation and exhalation of breath, produce heat in the abdominals, facilitating detoxification and digestion.

Article Author: Sofia Poggi

Article Source: https://www.powerliving.com.au/blog/here-is-how-yoga-can-improve-your-gut-health/