Juices... Cleans&Co.

I have always been a big fan of fresh juices.

A carrot, apple and lemon juice is the perfect vitamin cocktail to start the day.

I still remember an old school internal medicine doctor suggesting to his patients to prepare juice after they spent a few days in the hospital: "Have a juice everyday. That's the best thing you can do to prevent disease and to maintain your healthy, vibrant body".

Probably better than many prescriptions and multivitamins, the fresh pressed juices have now become a big fashion movement.

Stay healthy, cleanse yourself, give your skin a new shine, detox your body. In New York, like Florence and San Paulo, bars, health stores and coffee shops are finally selling them. There’s the classic, the energizer with Ginger, the green one, the one for the liver, and what about the one to boost your immune system? The last one I had in NY was perfect after my yoga class!

I personally love them and always tell patients and friends to drink them.

They are tasty, healthy and fulfilling. 1 serving (1 glass ) usually runs between 100 to 150 calories. That's the perfect calorie intake for a snack. Fruit and vegetables will offer you bio available vitamins.

Now the big movement seems to be the juice cleansing.

Companies sell juice programs online that are becoming more and more popular. For example Blueprint cleanse www.blueprintcleanse.com, IZo Cleanzewww.izocleanze.com and Organiz Avenuewww.organicavenue.com. These are kinder, gentler — and seemingly saner — alternatives. The new cleanses contain about 1,000 to 1,200 calories a day; there is generally a nut-milk component for fat and a little protein, and vegetable juices for vitamins, minerals, and live enzymes.

BUT be careful! This extreme juice detox program is not meant for all: many people are undiagnosed diabetics, and these cleanses can cause spikes and dangerously crash blood sugar levels. In addition, even if you have nothing wrong with you, this kind of cleansing can put a lot of stress on your body. Your body wants and expects food. And as with most crash diets, which is really what this is, your body thinks it’s starving. It doesn't know when it’s going to get more food so it lowers your metabolism. If you do this enough, it can lower your metabolism permanently. So, as with most things, juicing should be done in moderation. To lose and maintain your weight permanently you don't need to go to the extreme. If approached with balanced sensibility, drinking juices can help you to control your calories intake and keep you healthy!

Here one of my favorite:

1/2 cup Apple Juice Fresh Unsweetened

1/4 cup Raw Beet Juice

1tbs Ginger Juice (Naturally pressed)

1/4 cup Fresh carrot juice

1/2 whole yellow lemon fresh squeezed

Directions I used my home juicer. In order to get the amount specified, you need to juice approximately 2 small apples , 3 medium size carrots, 1/2 c canned small beets, an inch of ginger root and half of a lemon.

So get a juicer, buy some fruit and vegetables and.... use your fantasy or a juice recipe book and ENJOY!