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9.14.15

A Guide To Juicing For Organ Health

You know that juicing does a body good. But we’re dialing deep and calling out juice ingredients for each organ in your body. Holistic nutritionist Melissa Rousseau is breaking down fruits and veggies that will help your body to function optimally, whatever your concern…

Drinking greens daily in juice or smoothie form can have profound affects on our overall health and well-being. Green juices and smoothies have been my fundamental medicine for years. Regular consumption has radiant effects on everything from mood to energy levels, brain function, maintaining ideal weight, skin tone, hormone balance, better sleep and warding off disease… The list goes on and on. If you’ve got your everyday concoction firmly established in your invigorating routine, it might be time to take it one step further and think about specific nourishment for each of your organs.

Here is my guide to the fruits and vegetables that are most beneficial in supporting and detoxing some of our main organs.

A Guide To Juicing For Organ Health

BRAIN

Celery: It’s rich in luteolin, which helps to block molecules in the brain that trigger inflammation. Also high in luteolin are carrots, peppers, dandelion greens, spinach and parsley.

Tomato: It’s high in lycopene, a powerful free-radical-combating antioxidant that also helps to maintain brain function and prevent damage. If you are not a tomato fan, small amounts of lycopene can also be found in guava, watermelon and pink grapefruit.

SKIN

Aloe vera: It’s hugely hydrating and healing internally, which leads to a vibrant outer layer. It’s also high in vitamin C and enzymes for promoting good circulation and rejuvenation of aged tissue.

Beet: A clogged liver can lead to acne. Beets are amazing blood and liver cleansers to keep skin nourished and glowing.

Carrot: It’s high in vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene, which is a powerful antioxidant that prevents cell degeneration and helps to slow the aging process. It’s high in vitamin C, which is key in helping the body produce collagen. Potassium is also found in carrot, which promotes the growth of new skin cells.

Celery: It’s wonderful at purifying the blood and reducing inflammation, all of which are reflected on our outer layer.

Cucumber: Since they are 90% water, they provide wonderful internal hydration, key for external radiance. They are also naturally cooling and can help tame inflammation-caused redness.

Ginger: It helps reduce inflammation and is packed with anti-aging antioxidants.

Kale: It’s an anti-inflammatory, nutrition-rich and vitamin-rich powerhouse packed with vitamins A, C, K, E, calcium and beta-carotene that all help repair skin damage. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids amp up its anti-inflammatory properties even more.

Lemon: It’s packed with vitamin C and B vitamins, another blood purifier, which also helps to eliminate toxins that lead to a brighter complexion.

Parsley: It’s a wonderful herb for cleansing the liver and kidneys, which is key for glowing skin. It also contains excellent levels of vitamin K, which can both improve skin elasticity and speed up the wound-healing process.

Turmeric: It’s antibacterial, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory. Turmeric is super rich in antioxidants, helping to protect and rejuvenate cellular tissue.

Watercress: Another brilliant blood purifier, it’s wonderful for healing the skin.

THYROID

Celery: It helps to balance hormones with its high magnesium content.

Coconut: It’s packed with wonderful fats needed to support thyroid health.

Dandelion greens: They’re a complete amino acid and high in protein helpful in supporting the thyroid.

Ginger: It’s supportive, as it is an anti-inflammatory.

Lemon: It has healing alkalizing properties.

Parsley: It’s high in immune boosting vitamin C, along with supportive vitamin A and folate.

Watercress: It’s high in iodine that can help to support and improve hypothyroidism condition. It’s also anti-inflammatory and a wonderful antioxidant. ***Not recommended for individuals with hyperthyroidism***

HEART

Beet: It helps to reduce blood pressure. Beet juice produces nitric oxide, which helps to widen the arteries and blood vessels.

Celery: It’s an excellent blood purifier.

Garlic:
 
It contains a substance which keep the blood platelets from sticking, improving circulation, and helping to reduce the threat of blood clots.

Pomegranate:
 
The juice from pomegranates also contains nitric oxide. See beet above.

Wheatgrass: It contains the essential enzyme transhydrogenase, which strengthens the heart muscle. It also helps to build red blood cells which carry oxygen to every cell.

LUNGS

Daikon: It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for healing lung ailments. It cleanses mucous from the lungs and the entire body, along with moving stagnant chi downward and out.

Ginger: It’s warming in nature and acts as a circulatory stimulant, and can help alleviate congestion and reduce inflammation.

Garlic: It contains anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties. A wonderful addition to your green juice to ward off a cold as it helps to reduce congestion, inflammation and fights infection.

Mint: It’s anti-inflammatory and helps to open up the airways.

Watercress: It has antibiotic properties, along with acting as an anti-inflammatory and expectorant to help break up excess mucus.

LIVER

Apple: The malic acid in apples helps to soften gallstones for smooth passage in liver cleansing.

Beet: It’s rich in phytonutrients that have strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The nutrient betaine found in beets promotes the flow of bile for better digestion. Beets are also wonderfully detoxifying and blood purifying.

Burdock: It’s a powerful blood purifier that supports the liver in filtering blood.

Cabbage: It stimulates liver-detoxifying enzymes.

Dandelion greens: They support the cleansing of the liver and increase bile production.

Ginger: It helps to stimulate better digestion and may help protect the liver from oxidative damage.

PANCREAS

Aloe vera: It can be very soothing to an inflamed pancreas. Also packed with antioxidants.

Brussels sprouts: They provide alkalizing support.

Dandelion greens: They can help improve digestion of fats as well as increase bile production, relieving stress on the pancreas. They’re also an excellent anti-inflammatory.

Spinach and kale: Dark, leafy vegetables can decrease the risk of pancreatic cancer.

Papaya: It’s a rich source of valuable enzymes that can greatly aid in the digestive process.

String bean: It’s rich in potassium and helps to alkalize the pancreas.

KIDNEYS AND BLADDER

Asparagus: It’s super rich in antioxidants and contains high levels of glutathione, which combats free radicals. It acts as a diuretic, dissolving excess uric acid. It can be quite helpful in dissolving kidney stones.

Carrot: It’s supportive to the kidneys by helping to flush out excess uric acid and excess toxins.

Celery: It’s detoxifying and helpful with eliminating toxins.

Cranberry: It supports urinary tract health and helps to clear up urinary tract infections by flushing the bacteria out.

Cucumber: It’s hydrating, and also a wonderful flusher of toxins.

Fennel: It’s a natural diuretic.

Radish: It’s detoxifying and high in anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties. It helps to flush toxins and to dissolve kidney stones.

Watermelon flesh: It helps to flush kidneys, a great source of potassium, which can also be helpful in dissolving kidney stones.

Watermelon rind: It’s anti-inflammatory, extremely hydrating, alkalizing, detoxifying. Rinds contain citrulline, an amino acid that is helpful in removing nitrogen from the blood and converting it to urine. It also helps with circulation and blood vessel dilation.

STOMACH AND INTESTINES

Aloe vera: It supports the digestive process and helps to balance stomach acidity. It is soothing to the mucus membranes of bowels, stomach, intestines and urinary tract. It helps to increase absorption of nutrients.

Apple: It’s helpful with constipation and removes toxins from the intestines. It’s also rich in pectin, a type of fiber that binds to toxins in your intestines as they are digested so they can be eliminated from the body.

Cucumber: It’s an anti-inflammatory and can help to relieve stomach acid.

Ginger: It can help to soothe an upset stomach and stimulate better digestion.

Lemon: It helps to stimulate the digestive process.

Mint: It aids digestion and can help to relieve indigestion and heartburn. It can also assist with relaxing intestinal muscles.

Wheatgrass: It contains the essential enzymes protease and amylase, which assist in protein digestion and facilitate general digestion.

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Comments


  1. This is so helpful!

    Anna E. Lee - Interior Design | 10.16.2015 | Reply
  2. Very helpful.

    Gail Wilson | 01.11.2024 | Reply

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