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Wheatgrass Cleansing Article- By Richie Coutts

Wheatgrass - The Natural Cleanser

Every day our bodies accumulate internal waste and harmful toxins from eating processed and chemically grown food, breathing polluted air and drinking impure water. If we don't rid the body of toxins they can cause long term damage and disease.

One of the fastest and surest ways to cleanse our bodies of environmental pollutants is wheatgrass juice. Its high levels of enzymes and amino acids work like a natural detergent to detoxify the liver, eliminate toxic heavy metals from the blood stream, rid the body of waste matter and help to strengthen the body's immune system.
This allows valuable nutrients to then be distributed more efficiently throughout the body, along with stimulating healthy tissue cell growth.
Wheatgrass juice also has a dilating effect on the body's blood vessels which allows blood to flow more easily.

Keep it Organic and Fresh

If you are drinking wheatgrass or other juices for the healthy benefits that juicing can give you, why would you not use organic ingredients? (Certified organic that is!) There are so many reasons to go organic.
Health reasons - no synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms).
Environmental reasons - grown using sustainable methods, recycling, composting etc. It also tastes better and is nutritionally better for you.
Fresh is best! All fresh juices should be consumed as soon as possible, before they lose their natural potency. If you cut an apple in half, it will slowly go brown on the newly cut side. This is a process known as oxidization which occurs because it is exposed to the air and vitamins, minerals and enzymes are lost if left for too long. The same will happen with your juice.
For maximum goodness, any juice should be drunk immediately after it is prepared. Try not to leave it longer than 15 minutes if possible.
* *Note: Cold press juice machines (slow turning juicers) do much less damage to juice than centrifugal juicers (fast turning juicers) and therefore allow you to keep juice for a longer time. (Sometimes up to 48hrs covered in the fridge). Even so, it is still best to drink juice straight away.

Best on an empty stomach!

It is best to drink juice on an empty stomach, either first thing in the morning or ½ an hour before a meal as juices are digested immediately and begin cleansing and healing long before the same whole foods can begin to work.
If you combine juices with whole foods, the concentrated sugars and starches in juices can ferment in the digestive tract while waiting for the whole foods to be broken down.

Juicing to detoxify

(Juice recipes to help cleanse)
Here are some fruit and vegetables which have strong cleansing properties:

The best cleansing juices are "green drinks". Juiced in a cold press juicer (slow-turning juicer) they have a cleansing and alkalinizing effect upon the body, they are an exceptional source of chlorophyll and also provide a large amount of the daily protein that the body needs.
  • Wheatgrass -
    One of the strongest toxic cleansers. Detoxifies digestive system, liver, kidneys, and helps cleanse the blood. It is high in selenium which helps remove heavy metals from the body. There are of course many more fantastic health benefits of wheatgrass. More info
  • Apple -
    has a diverse range of health-promoting qualities including lowering blood-cholesterol levels, helps control blood pressure and blood-sugar levels. The fruit acids of the apple stimulate the digestion process and assist in the assimilation of nutrients. Also one of the best tasting juices (in my opinion), and is a great mixer. Apple juice can perhaps hide the taste of some of the "harder to swallow" juices.
  • Beetroot -
    excellent for cleansing and blood-building, and can be used for constipation, kidney and bladder disorders, anaemia.
  • Carrot -
    is regarded as a digestion stimulant, a mild diuretic and a liver cleanser. Helps break down excess fats and cholesterol in the liver.
  • Celery -
    a natural diuretic which helps to cleanse and flush the body of toxic wastes. Has high levels of organic sodium which makes celery an excellent stress-reducing or calming juice.
  • Cucumber -
    Another excellent natural diuretic, high in water content which helps to eliminate toxic wastes and excess fluid through urine flow.
  • Lettuce -
    Have you ever wondered what to do with the left over lettuce in the fridge that you'll never use up? Lettuce is high in calcium, chlorophyll, iron, potassium, silicon, Vitamins A and E and is a natural body cleanser (Higher levels in dark green lettuce).
  • Parsley -
    high in chlorophyll, regarded as a blood toner and body cleanser, also high in a number of vitamins (especially A and C) and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and sulphur. Very potent - 20ml is usually sufficient. Good to add with other juices.
A great cleansing combo
(All of the above ingredients can of course be taken separately or in any combination, but here is one of our favorites at the moment)

Fresh start cleanser
30mls wheatgrass Followed by:
2 carrots
2 apples
1 stalk celery
1 thin slice beetroot (finger size)
¼ medium size cucumber
1 small piece ginger (10 cent piece)
Try this recipe every day first thing in the morning for two weeks and feel the difference!

Other recipes (for those who find wheatgrass a little hard to swallow)

Wheatgrass refresher
30mls wheatgrass
Watermelon (enough for 1 glass)
A great refreshing summer combination that disguises the taste of wheat grass

Pineapple/wheatgrass favorite
30mls wheatgrass
¼ medium pineapple
1 handful fresh mint leaves
Can be served with ice.
You'll love the minty touch!

Simple apples
30mls wheatgrass 2 medium apples
Perfect for when the apples are plentiful and cheap!

Resources and Suggested Reading
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