Juice Therapy

Only fresh juices are good for juice therapy. No juice (in plastic or glass bottles) bought in a shop, which is good when you’re thirsty, can have any healing properties, and you cannot count on them when starting juice treatment.

However, the healing value of fresh juices should not be overestimated as well. First of all, it is food, and they cannot be as effective as medical preparations. You cannot and should not fight with a disease using juice therapy alone, it is most efficacious when used as a preventive and supporting means. Here are some basic rules to follow if you want to make use of juice therapy.



Be careful

Having decided to consume fresh juices daily and systematically, do not forget to get the approval of your doctor, because in some conditions fresh juices may be strictly contraindicated. Thus, it’s better to avoid acidic juices (lemon, apple, currant, orange or cranberry) if you suffer from peptic ulcer disease, exacerbation of pancreatitis or gastritis. Such juices contain a lot of organic compounds that increase gastric juice acidity and may cause heartburn or attack of pain.

And remember that some fresh juices have laxative effect. That’s why if you are prone to diarrhea, it is better to dilute your juice with water and drink it in small portions.

You don’t have to drink liters and liters of fresh juice in order to get required nutrients and vitamins. Such experiments may be quite harmful. Reasonable amount of fresh juices varies from several tablespoons and up to 3 glasses during a day depending on the juice.

Fruit juices should be used with more caution than vegetable ones, because the chances of developing an allergy to them are much higher. If you are allergic to some fruits, vegetables or berries, you by no means can drink juices made from them!


How to get the most from a fresh juice

Fresh vegetable and fruit juices can perfectly complement each other; juices made from fruits contain more vitamins and sugars, whereas vegetable juices are rich in mineral salts.

Juice treatment should be started with small doses (for example, half a glass per day) divided into several intakes (2-3 times). You can use mono-juices as well as various mixes of fruit, berry and vegetable juices. It is better to drink them about 30 minutes before your meal or in between meals. This advice is particularly important for the juices made from sweet fruits. In case you have a sweet juice after your meal, it can intensify fermentation process in the intestine and provoke bloating.

Freshly made juices should be used at once. Even a short-term storage in the fridge reduces the healing value of a juice, its taste may stay the same though. Drink it slowly and it’s better to use a straw – it will help you drink your juice even more slowly so that it to be digested properly, also a straw will save your tooth enamel.

Every juice should be used properly and it has its own peculiarities of use.


Carrot juice

This fresh juice is the king of all vegetable juices. It is rich in vitamins (group of B vitamins), beta-carotene, calcium, potassium, cobalt and other minerals that make it particularly beneficial for people with problem skin and weak immunity as well as for children. Beta-carotene is good for your eyes. However, for it to be digested properly it is recommended to eat something rich in fat once you have drunk your juice. The best option is a carrot salad dressed with a vegetable oil. But you should not drink too much of this juice, because the excess of beta-carotene may overload your liver and your skin might become yellowish. Excess use of carrot juice (especially by weak and physically exhausted people or those with low body weight) may cause sleepiness, sluggishness, irritability, headache, vomiting, ataxia, rash, increased body temperature, bone pains. The most optimal dosage is half or full glass of this juice drunk 2-3 times a week. Fresh carrot juice ought to be avoided during exacerbation of peptic ulcer disease and if suffering from diarrhea.


Pomegranate juice

It is well-digested; it promotes appetite, increases hemoglobin and regulates stomach activity. This juice has diuretic, anti-inflammatory, choleretic and antiseptic action. It will be even more effective if you use it in combination with beet or carrot juices. Before drinking pomegranate juice it is better to dilute it with water, as it may contribute to the destruction of tooth enamel and irritate gastric mucosa due to the acids it contains. It is better to avoid pomegranate juice provided that you suffer from hyperacid gastritis, pancreatitis or peptic ulcer.




Beet juice

Beet juice is rich in sugar; it contains vitamins P, C, B1, PP, B2 as well as a fair amount of potassium, manganese and iron salts. Its nutrients stimulate blood formation; high content of magnesium normalizes nervous system function when you are experiencing stresses, overstrain or insomnia. Moreover, this juice contributes to the improvement of intestinal peristalsis, so it is good for the constipation prophylaxis. However, fresh beet juice also contains some harmful compounds that are destroyed when in contact with air. Thus, before you drink fresh beet juice it is better to store it in the fridge for at least 2 or even 3 hours, the container with the juice should be open. Unfortunately, not everybody can drink beet juice; sometimes it may cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, accelerated heart rate and weakness. You should start taking beet juice gradually – 1 tablespoon a day. Before you drink it, it’s better to dilute it with rosehip decoction or boiled water. You can mix it with apple, pumpkin, cabbage, carrot or plum juices. You should not use beet juice if you have kidney disorders or peptic ulcer disease.


Apple juice

It contains a lot of vitamins P and C, salts of copper, zinc, cobalt, calcium, iron, potassium, manganese and nickel. It is used for atherosclerosis, liver, bladder and kidney diseases as well as for urolithiasis. Pectin contained in apple juice with pulp improves intestinal function and high content of organic acids and sugars promotes fast recovery after physical activity. This juice can be consumed without any harmful consequences in quite large amounts – up to 1 liter (about 2 pints) per day. It’s better to avoid apple juice during exacerbations of peptic ulcer diseases, pancreatitis and gastritis.




Tomato juice

This juice stimulates gastrointestinal tract activity, it is particularly wholesome for pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers. Overweight people can safely drink this juice thanks to its low calorific value. Fresh tomato juice contains very potent phytoncides that suppress fermentation and decomposition processes taking place in the intestine. Tomato juice should be drunk about 30 minutes before meals, so it can improve the readiness of the stomach and intestine to the digestion process. Note that salt reduces its healing properties, instead of salt you can use ground garlic or fresh dill, parsley, coriander. Tomato juice ought not to be used during exacerbation of cholecystitis, peptic ulcer disease, pancreatitis and gastritis.


Cabbage juice

This juice contains easily digested carbohydrates, vitamin C, folic acid, vitamin PP and amino acids as well as potassium, iron, calcium, sodium, magnesium salts. Also a special anti-ulcer substance called S-methylmethionine or vitamin U is found in this juice, that is why it is used to prevent exacerbations of peptic ulcer disease. In addition, providing you have stomatitis or gingivitis, it will do you good if you rinse your mouth with warm cabbage juice. Moreover, this juice can be used to fight with obesity. Take it several times a day in between your meals or about 30 minutes before meals. Despite the healing effect it has on the gastric mucosa, cabbage juice should not be used during exacerbations of gastritis or peptic ulcer. However, it will do you good during the recovery period.


Pumpkin juice

Pumpkin juice contains pectin substances, sucrose, salts of potassium, cobalt, magnesium, calcium and copper as well as vitamins C, B1, B6, E and beta-carotene. This juice improves gastrointestinal function and promotes bile secretion. It is good for those with cardiovascular problems accompanied with edema. The juice is particularly good for liver as well as kidney diseases. Take ½ glass of juice once a day. For kidney and bladder stones – ¼ or ½ glass three times a day for 10 days. If you suffer from insomnia, take one shot glass of pumpkin juice mixed with honey before you go to bed. There are no contraindications for the use of this type of juice except for idiosyncrasy.



Citrus juices

Citrus juices contain a great amount of vitamins P and C, potassium and folic acid; they improve vitality, strengthen blood vessels and reduce fatigue. These juices are good for atherosclerosis, hypertension and cancer prevention. Grapefruit juice is used to treat the consequences of stresses – it soothes and tones, helps cope with depression. It is also good for hypertension and it helps reduce the amount of ‘bad’ cholesterol in blood, it makes teeth and gums healthier, helps remove kidney stones, relieves diabetes symptoms and considerably reduces the risk of osteoporosis. However, if you have chronic gastritis, pancreatitis or peptic ulcer disease, it is better to avoid citrus juices. Besides, you should always remember that grapefruit juice may interact with medications (it is particularly important for those who take drugs to treat hypertension, heart diseases, allergy or cancer). Therefore, it is usually contraindicated in people undergoing medicinal treatment.

Potato juice

Raw potato juice is very effective for gastritis with high acidity and for constipations. Besides, it inhibits pancreatic secretion, promotes wound scarring and helps lower blood pressure. And it is particularly effective if taken in combination with carrot and celery juices. For gastritis with high acidity - take ½ glass of the juice about 40 minutes before meals 1-2 times per day for at least one moth. For peptic ulcer disease – ¼ or ½ glass of potato juice before meals 2-3 times a day for 2 weeks. Potato juice is contraindicated in people with hypoacidity of the stomach and in those who have severe form of diabetes. If you have such conditions, you should talk to your doctor before using this juice. It is not recommended to drink it for a long period of time and in abundance, because it may harm the pancreas. Never make juice from sprouted or green potato, as it contains poisonous substances. Here are some juice recipes Adults should drink at least 16 oz. of juices per day for several weeks in order to get a tangible result.


For intestinal colic, gastritis, gallbladder disease and gallbladder stones, cardiovascular disorders

• Carrot juice – 10 oz.
• Beet juice – 3 oz.
• Cucumber juice – 3 oz.

For gastric indigestion or dyspepsia

• Carrot juice – 7 oz.
• Celery juice – 4 oz.
• Parsley juice – 2 oz.
• Spinach juice – 3 oz.

For dyspepsia, gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, intestinal colic, gallbladder disease and gallbladder stones, heart disorders

• Spinach juice – 6 oz.
• Carrot juice – 10 oz.

For peptic ulcer

• Carrot juice – 9 oz.
• Celery juice – 7 oz.
Note that if you use celery leaves the proportion should be changed to 10 oz. of carrot and 6 oz. of celery. Or
• Carrot juice – 16 oz.
Or
• Cabbage juice – 16 oz.
Or
• Celery juice – 16 oz.

For gallbladder disease and gallbladder stones

• Carrot juice – 9 oz.
• Celery juice – 5 oz.
• Parsley juice – 2 oz.
Or
• Carrot juice – 11 oz.
• Beet juice – 3 oz.
• Coconut juice – 2 oz.
Or
• 1 lemon in a glass of hot water.