Raw Green Juice Recipe: Fen-Omenal!

Fen-omenal!

- Recipe by Angela Stokes-Monarch

In commemoration of our new juice cleanse program debuting next week, we’ve got another leafy yet lovely green juice recipe for you to slurp your way to vibrancy and health!

You’ll love the taste of fennel in this juice. It’s light, refreshing, and the lime and lemon juices in the recipe help to lift and sweeten the flavour a little too!

Whether you’re taking part in a juice cleanse or simply wanting to increase the amount of potently powerful greens in your diet, this Fen-omenal green juice recipe is certain to leave you feeling… phenomenal!

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Raw Green Juice Recipe: Cool as a Cucumber!

Cool as a Cucumber!

- Recipe by Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo

Guess what, Mom!? The Raw Divas has a NEW juice cleanse program starting NEXT WEEK! And to celebrate this momentous occasion, we’re gonna share some juicy recipes for you to sink your teeth straw into!

Fresh raw juices are a GREAT way to help beat the heat during a hot summer’s day, wouldn’t you say? And with this thirst-quenching (AND immune-boosting!) fresh and raw green juice recipe up your sleeve, you’re sure to stay cool… as a cucumber!

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The Top Detox Foods That Support Healthy Skin

The body is continuously working to stay in an alkaline state and the body’s acid-alkaline balance adjusts throughout the day depending on the types of foods you consume. In today’s fast paced society, we consume high amounts of refined foods that contain sugar, cow’s milk products, excess salt, alcohol, wheat as well as meats that contain high amounts of saturated fat. Over time these foods can cause increased inflammation in the body and can wreak havoc on the skin causing acne, psoriasis and eczema. Adding in detoxifying foods will not only keep your body in an alkaline state, but depending on which detox foods you include in your diet, will help to eliminate toxins that have accumulated over time.

Adding the following foods to your diet, will allow your body to detox naturally:

• Apple contains pectin which helps to excrete heavy metals and is cleansing for the liver and the kidneys.
• Artichoke increases bile production and purifies and protects the liver and has a diuretic effect on the kidneys.
• Asparagus is a great diuretic that helps to support and maintain restorative properties that promote good bacteria in the intestines.
• Cruciferous Vegetables (Broccoli, Sprouts, Cabbage and Cauliflower) increase levels of glutathione, a powerful antioxidant that supports the liver in releasing toxins.
• Fennel has strong diuretic properties that help eliminate fats from the body.
• Garlic known as nature’s pharmacy has powerful antioxidants properties that convert to sulphur based compounds which bind to mercury as well as food additives. It also activates liver enzymes that help to filter out refined foods.
• Ginger for some, is known as a panacea that relieves bloating and nausea, but also helps to stimulate digestive enzymes which supports healthy digestion.
• Lemon stimulates the release of enzymes and helps convert toxins into a water-soluble form that’s easily excreted from the body. Read more »

Kimchi

I’ve become great friends with Kimchi. Who’s she? some folks might be asking. Well, “she’s” a “native” of Korea and is known to be one of the healthiest in the world. She strongly promotes beneficial bacteria and inhibits unfriendly bacteria via the cabbage in “her” that is fermented. According to this article on TreeLight.com: “The top two ingredients for promoting the beneficial bacteria and inhibiting the unfriendly bacteria are cabbage and onions.”

I first learned about Kimchi during my course at the Living Foods Institute last June. There, we learned to make a less spicy version and called it Vege-Kraut. Because of its high health benefits, we were encouraged to add it to our meal every day for the 10 days we were there.

When I recently made a visit to Grassroots Natural Market near my home, I noticed they carried Sunja’s Kimchi, so I thought I’d try a bottle. Cabbage, carrots, red peppers, leeks, green onions, garlic, ginger, and sea salt, are the ingredients used in that version. It has a slightly spicy pep to it, but when I mixed it with a tasty raw tomato sauce I had made, I came upon a wonderful combination — and a fine meal for me for a few days!

After eating some Kimchi when I felt as if my body was trying to catch a cold (first time in a long time), my slightly stuffy nose seemed to have miraculously cleared up. Days later, I happened to come upon this information in the source mentioned above: “Any time your energy is low, or you think you might be fighting off a cold, pour out some of the kimchi juice that collects in the bottom of the jar and drink it — its a wonderful tonic for what ails you!”

Now that I’m partaking of Kimchi more regularly, I can also attest to more of its cleansing benefits.

According to the article mentioned: “Kimchi also works to clean out your system by feeding the lactobacteria and bifidobacteria that live in your intestines. These are the ‘friendly bacteria’ that we need to be healthy. Kimchi nourishes them so they can thrive and outnumber the ‘unfriendly bacteria’ that threaten our health from the inside.

“The bifidobacteria that are responsible for producing many of the B-vitamins we need, including the B-12 that is so frequently missing from vegetarian diets. Since the body cannot produce these vitamins for itself, these bacteria are essential for our health.

“The lactobacteria prevent flatulence and keep sticky, sludge-like waste matter from accumulating in the intestinal tract, adhering to the intestinal walls, and interfering with nutrient absorption. All in all, the lactobacteria and bifidobacteria are pretty good friends to have around!”

I’m happy to have made Kimchi my friend. I’m sure she’d love to be your friend, too.

Friends Always,

Penny & Kimchi

Photos: flickr.com by ianlove11 and David Nicholai