Sunday, May 30, 2010

A Wheat Grass Juicer is Best for Juicing Grasses and Greens

Why buy a wheatgrass juicer? Because one shot of wheat grass juice is the equivalent to about eight servings of vegetables. You will notice a difference when you drink it. Your body will say thank you. There are many more greens that should become part of a high quality green drink. It takes a wheat grass juicer to really get the most good out of greens. Not just any juicer will do the job. To juice leafy greens and wheat grass you do need a wheat grass juicer. There are two problems with trying to use a fast centrifugal juicer to juice wheat grass and other greens. The wheat grass will clog the juicer because it has so much fiber that can not be grated easily in the centrifugal juicer. The high speed of the juicer will destroy the enzymes in the wheat grass.

Many wheat grass juicers will juice other fruits and vegetables and even make nut butters but other juicers can not juice wheatgrass. A manual wheat grass juicer made of stainless steel will last longer and do a better job than steel or plastic. The manual wheat grass juicer slowly presses the juice out of the grass as you turn the handle. This is a slower process than using an electric juicer, but they mount to a counter or table and you can take them anywhere with you. The manual wheat grass juicer is a good option for those who have a high speed electric juicer to juice other fruits and vegetables.

Greens are great for your health. Not everyone likes the taste of juiced wheat grass. We like it, but it is very strong and we don’t think it smells one bit good. For most people to drink 4oz. of wheat grass juice on an empty stomach without a bottle of water handy to wash it down with is uncomfortable. It is intensely energizing. After drinking a shot of fresh wheat grass juice, you can feel the nutrition course through your system. The energy experienced afterward is subtle, not jittery. We have grown wheatgrass and juiced it in our wheat grass juicer for family and friends. It is one of the healthiest things we have ever done.

A few years ago our son was serving with the National Guard in Iraq. He always has such a hard time running to pass his physical that when we read an article of how a marathon runner was helped in his stamina and endurance by drinking wheatgrass juice, we sent him a copy of the story. He immediately asked for a wheatgrass juicer and wheat so he could grow his own wheatgrass and juice it. A manual wheatgrass juicer and plenty of seeds were sent immediately. His running ability greatly improved when he drank the wheatgrass juice regularly.

The best, most alkalizing juice is made of mostly leafy green vegetables and grasses. Wheat grass juicers are essential for this. All of the benefits of vegetables and grasses can be made better simply by juicing them. Juicing with wheat grass juicers makes the nutrients more concentrated and available to the body quicker and easier. Losing the fiber is what frees the nutrients. Chewing does the same thing, but juicing is more efficient. It is much easier to drink the juice than chew the grass.

You do need fiber, so you won’t want all of your vegetables and fruits juiced, but when you “drink your vegetables,” your body is getting a larger concentration of quickly usable alkaline salts, vitamins, minerals, chlorophyll, and enzymes. This all helps clean the intestines and give relief to the digestive organs. Buy a wheatgrass juicer today and get started on your road to better health. You can grow wheatgrass indoors or out. With your wheatgrass juicer you are only a few days away from wholesome nutritious juice.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Great Green Juice to Start the Day


I juiced for breakfast this morning. It was so good. My barley grass is growing better than it ever has and so is the wheat grass. I juiced 2 apples and a handful of baby carrots with the grasses. It was great. I am so glad I have some wheat and barley grass growing right now. We haven't had much milk on hand lately and I have been getting cramps in my one leg all spring. Well, the grasses must be helping because the cramps haven't been around this week.

Four of the things I like about drinking the grass juices are:

1. I get enough magnesium that I don't have to worry about an irregular heart beat.
2. I get enough magnesium that I don't have to worry about being constipated.
3. I can get to sleep at night and sleep well.
4. I have energy to exercise and it doesn’t take my energy away to do it.

I was hoping that my one planting of wheat grass and barley grass seeds would keep me in grass for a while. It is actually re growing in the bins outside so fast that I think I will have continual grass. I soaked 2 cups of wheat and 1 cup of barley for three days and then planted them in the soil outside in some two 30 gallon plastic storage bins that I had half full of my potting soil mix. I like to put a lot of Azomite in the mix so the soil will have plenty of balanced trace minerals. That is how I have grown the grass before, except for having it in the big bins. I like this method better because they keep it up off the ground and it is easier to reach and cut.

Growing the grass outdoors makes better grass because of the larger amount of sunlight, and air movement. You can grow it indoors, but you need grow lights or a sun room with lots of window space. Inside you also need a way to move the air. Air movement helps keep the plants healthy and pest and mold free.

I just cut part of the bin of grass each day to make enough juice for myself and my husband. I actually don't mind drinking the grass juice plain, but my husband likes it so much better with the apple and carrots that it is worth the effort to add them so I can share with him.

I have a masticating juicer made for wheat grass juicing that I used to juice the grass, apples and carrots today. I have had the juicer for many years and it works as good today as it did when I got it. I have shared my juice with many friends and family because of the health benefits. The juicer is easy to clean and requires only a minute to put it back together.

If you are struggling with your health, or want to get an extra boost of energy, getting a wheat grass juicer and juicing the grasses will be a huge benefit to you. If you have heart issues or blood issues, the grass juice will help. If you want to run marathons, climb the mountains effortlessly and have energy to function the next day, get a wheat grass juicer and start your own wheat grass juice habit.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Wheatgrass Juice this morning

Now I remember why I like to juice wheat grass. It surely isn't for the taste or after taste, but it makes me feel better. About 10 days ago I decided to plant wheat and barley in some bins of dirt I have outside. I juiced it for the first time today. I combined the grasses and juiced a couple of apples with it. Wow, it was much better than the straight grass juice and I like it a lot. I like growing it out of doors. When winter comes I'll grow it inside but as long as i can grow it out there, why not. I know it is a great way to get the nutrients I need and juicers aren't that expensive. I will keep juicing wheat grass as long as I can grow it.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Doctor Prepper

I had the opportunity to be a guest on the Doctor Prepper internet radio show last Friday. You can listen to the show by clicking on my name on this site: http://doctorprepper.com/ go over to the right side about half way down and click on the May 14 podcast with Lee Ann Orton.

We talked about juicing and why you would want to do it. It is a very healthy thing to do. You need lots of fruits and vegetables in your body and juicing is a very good way to get those nutrients.

Doctor Prepper has written a book about being prepared for whatever situation you may find yourself in. Being prepared includes having the right tools to do the job and living safe with the elements.

You will find a lot of useful information on his site. Check it out. You will be glad you did.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Homemade Tomato Juice – How to Do It Right


The biggest problem I have run into in making and bottling my own tomato juice is how to get the juice to not separate in the bottles. If you have ever bottled tomato juice or other puree juices, you will know what I am talking about. The thick part of the juice seems to separate from the watery part. So, how do you keep it from doing that? It can seem to be a little tricky, but it is possible. First, let’s talk a little bit about tomatoes.

Tomato plants used to be more acid. Over the years, seed growers have cross bred the tomatoes to create sweeter varieties. This has caused us to need to change the way we preserve the tomatoes so they will be safe to eat. There are different ways of preserving food that is on different parts of the acid-base scale. The more acid foods can be boiling water bath processed safely and the food will keep well in the bottles and be safe. The more alkaline foods need to be preserved in a pressure cooker if you are bottling them. Tomatoes have moved from more acid toward neutral and because of this they must be acidified when they are bottled.

It takes a lot of time and money to conduct the tests to set the processing times and methods for each food. For this reason, the Agriculture Extension Service has recommended that we acidify the tomatoes back to near what they used to be and also cook them for longer periods of time or at higher heat so they will be safe to eat right from the bottles. Many people do not heat tomatoes up right out of the bottle, and because of this they must be processed long enough to kill potential botulism spores that may be in them. Botulism toxin is odorless, tasteless, and can be deadly if ingested. If we simmer bottled food for 20 minutes after opening the bottles the toxins will be destroyed and the food will be safe to eat.

Making tomato juice will be easier if you use a food strainer sauce maker to puree the tomatoes. There are several on the market that are good and there are extra screens and spirals you can purchase to puree berries, pumpkin, and make salsa. You will also need a heavy stock pot or pan to cook your tomatoes before you puree them. Along with the sauce maker and stock pot, you will need a container to catch the tomato juice as it comes out of the sauce maker, long handled instruments for stirring, a few scrapers, and a cup or small pan to transfer the cooked tomatoes to the food strainer. To cut down on the kitchen and house mess, I like to do my juicing on my patio where I can hose it down when I am done. That way I don’t have to be so careful, but I have done it all in my kitchen in the past.

The first thing you will want to do with your ripe tomatoes is wash them. You don’t need to core them or cut them if they are small, but check them over and make sure they have no bad spots on them. The juice will only be as good as the produce you use to make it from. They key to making juice that will not separate is to get the tomatoes from the whole, raw state to the cooked state as quickly as possible. When you cut through the cells of the tomato it crushes the cell walls and starts the separation process of the juice from the pulp. The less you can cut it and the faster you heat it the better the juice will be. I begin to cook a few tomatoes in the pan while I am cutting the larger ones and I just keep adding and stirring them as I cut. You don’t want to crush by stirring too much, but you also don’t want the tomatoes to stick on the pan and burn. Cook the tomatoes until they are soft clear through. You don’t need to take the skins or cores out because they will be separated when you put them through the food strainer. Now it is time to put them through the food strainer sauce maker. When this is complete, bring your juice back to a boil, ladle it into the clean, hot bottles, add your acid and salt or other flavorings, clean the lip of the bottle and put the hot canning lid and ring on and twist on tight. You are now ready to process your tomato juice. Check with your local Agriculture extension agent for recommended amounts of acid, times and methods of processing at your altitude.. To acidify you can use citric acid or lemon juice.

Homemade tomato juice is one of my favorites. If you garden, you will want to know how to preserve those extra tomatoes for use during the cold or hot season when you can’t grow the fresh ones. Tomatoes are one of the few foods that have healthy nutrients in them that are better for you when cooked. Enjoy your glass of tomato juice or tomato soup knowing you are getting good nutrition.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Chlorophyll, Why It Is Important To Us

Chlorophyll has been called the blood of plants. It is the green pigment found in plants, algae, and cyanobacteria. The name chlorophyll comes from two Greek words, chloros meaning green and phyllon meaning leaf. Chlorophyll absorbs light and is what allows the plants to obtain energy from that light. The Chlorophyll appears to be green because of the wavelength of the light it absorbs. Simply put, the different components of chlorophyll, through transfers of electrons, take CO2 or carbon dioxide and produce sugar and take water and through oxidation, produce O2 gas and H+ gas. Most plants grown in the dark are pale because there is no light be absorbed by the chlorophyll. There are some non-vascular plants and green algae which have a light-independent enzyme that produces the green in the darkness.

Chlorophyll is bound to proteins and can transfer the absorbed energy through these proteins. Scientists have found that chlorophyll has the same chemical structure as the human blood and this is why we get such health-promoting benefits from it. Although they are put together the same way, the center molecule in the blood structure is iron, and the center molecule in chlorophyll is magnesium. The juice of plants is quickly absorbed within our bodies and carries valuable nutrients through the blood to the cells of our bodies. It is great for the immune system and a powerful natural detoxifier.

Chlorophyll was first isolated by Joseph Bienaime Caventou and Pierre Joseph Pelletier in 1817. Chlorophyll is not water soluble and is unstable when extracted from plants, making it important to drink the juice quickly after extracting it. In 1997, Frank S. and Lisa Sagliano first freeze dried the liquid chlorophyll at the University of Florida, making it possible to preserve it as a powder for future use.

Back in the 1700’s it was discovered that plants would clean the dirty air just by being present in the places where the dirty air was. It is the chlorophyll in the plants that performs this miracle and it does it while turning light, carbon dioxide and water into sugars, oxygen and hydrogen.

When green vegetables are cooked, the magnesium in the center of the chlorophyll molecule is replaced by hydrogen. If we cook it until the bright green color is gone and the color is gray green, we can be assured that most of the chlorophyll has been changed and is no longer chlorophyll.

There is much ongoing research into the healing benefits of chlorophyll in the areas of cancer especially. It will be interesting to follow this and see if healing is possible through this interesting chemical.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

The Super Power of Wheat Grass Juice

Hippocrates, considered the father of western medicine, taught that true health comes from the diet, which is the best drug. Dr. Ann Wigmore, who was born in Lithuania in 1909 and raised by her grandmother, a natural healer, eventually immigrated to the United States where she spent her life promoting wellness through living foods. Ann studied more than 4700 varieties of grasses through out the world and concluded that wheat grass was the most nutritious of them all. While all grasses are healing and will give you a wealth of nutrients, according to Dr. Wigmore, wheat grass will supply more of what the body needs than the others. Analysis in labs tells the same story. Wheat grass comes out on top or close to the top in every category of nutrition per ounce. (Dr. Ann Wigmore’s Recipes for Longer Life)

A few years ago, Bruce McVay had some astonishing results in two races he ran, during which he refreshed himself with wheat and barley grass mixed into fresh apple juice. Here is the story in his words:

Being an ultradistance runner for 5 years (races from 30 to 100 miles or more), I tried nearly every physically enhancing supplement and natural food source to improve my health, stamina, and oxygenation process. One and one-half years ago, I began juicing 1 to 6 ounces of grass daily. After 1 to 2 months of cleansing (which consisted of a few headaches and itching) I began to notice tremendous changes in my performance, energy, stamina, etc.. Always in the past I was a middle to rear of the pack racer. Wheatgrass changed that.
This year I ran a 26 mile race in the Teton Mountains and won by half an hour. The race was in top of the Tetons, 12,000 to 13,000 feet high, and down to Jackson Hole Wyoming. Ultra distance runners from all over the United States participated. At the 18 mile checkpoint some people with twice the amount of training as I, quit the race. Two or three finished. Something I noticed was that I never hit the wall (nausea, etc.) like I had sometimes in previous races. I was exhilarated all the way to the end of the race.
On June 5th, of this year I participated in 11.5 hour run-a-thon at the Utah State Prison. I ran over 62 miles eating primarily wheat-barley grass juice mixed into fresh apple juice. During this time I expended over 6500 calories. My nearest competitor was over 10 miles behind. These are factual examples, but the best result is the way I feel all the time, as well as during the race...i.e. very comfortable under physical and mental stress.
Some people would think that I increased my training or trained long and hard for these races, but in reality, I cut my training in half during this period of time. I had cut my milage from 60-90 miles per week to 30-40 miles per week. Imagine, less training, but better performances in training and in races! I have broken most of my own personal records. Another thing that amazed me about the prison race, was that my laps at the last of the race were as fast as the laps at the beginning.” (McVay Wins Utah Prison Race, by Bruce McVay)

Having juiced and experienced the nutrition high from wheat grass juice, I can report the same kind of health that Mr. McVay reported with his experience. I cannot say I love drinking it, but I do feel an increase in health when I do.

Having grown up with a little bit of land to plant seeds, I didn’t really relate to those who do not have this treasure in their lives until I experienced it. There really is value in having the opportunity to have fresh food. The closer one can get to the source of your food the more you will know about the process and the health you are getting from the plants. In this day of chemicals for killing weeds and bugs, chemicals for thinning fruit on trees and chemicals to prevent spoilage or preserve the food, you really don’t know what you are getting when you aren’t close to the growing source.
If you rely alone on your knowledge, the best way to get nutritious food is to grow it yourself or know the grower and all his methods. What does all of this have to do with growing wheat grass and juicing it? It is so easy to grow it in your own home and to juice it to get that wealth of nutrition, without a little bit of land to plant seeds. It takes 10 days from start to cutting and juicing. In days when I was growing it for friends and would start 2 or 3 trays a day it sometimes got a little overwhelming, but the rush of nutrition was worth it.

Why would I want to grow and juice and drink something that doesn’t appeal to me that much? That is easy to answer. It is for the nutrients. Wheat grass juice is primarily chlorophyll. It provides high amounts of magnesium and is a blood cleaner and builder. It can dissolve scars, remove heavy metals, neutralize toxins, strengthen circulatory, reproductive, digestive and respiratory systems, and is an excellent skin cleanser. It is high in enzymes used in every system of the body. It keeps the hair from graying, helps heal skin problems and improves blood sugar problems. Because of the high concentration of minerals in the chlorophyll of wheat grass juice, if consumed consistently over time, it will turn a sickly body into a healthy one. It is important to drink the juice while it is fresh, within 15 minutes or less of juicing it to obtain optimal good from the juice. Fifteen pounds of wheatgrass is equal in nutrients to 350 pounds of carrot, lettuce, celery and so forth. It is not expensive to start a wheat grass habit. Get yourself a juicer and start one today.

Vegetables for Juicing-part 6 Vegetables P to W

The very soluble minerals that are found in vegetables, like calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, copper, and potassium maintain the acid base balance of the body tissues. They help the absorption of vitamins, proteins, fats and carbohydrates in food. They also help the body to eliminate wastes, liquids, and salts. Here are the final vegetables in this six part series on Vegetables for Juicing.

PUMPKINS are rich in sodium, potassium, magnesium, iron, chlorine and phosphorus. They are laxative in action and diuretic while they do not irritate the kidneys. Raw pumpkin is delicious, as is juiced pumpkin. It is low in carbohydrates. SQUASH and pumpkin are members of the melon family. They are similar in nutrients and uses in the body.

RADISHES may be discussed as 1. large, or 2. small. The large ones have half the mineral content that the smaller ones do. The small ones are high in potassium, sodium, calcium, chlorine, phosphorus and sulphur. The large radishes are high in silicon. Radishes contain volatile ether that acts as a solvent for mucus or phlegm. They also have enzymes that help the secretion of digestive juices. Because they are a diuretic they are valuable in cleaning the kidneys and bladder. The juices of radishes and carrot are an aid to clean and heal the digestive system and the respiratory organs.

RUTABAGAS are high in potassium, Vitamins B, C, and some A. They are like Turnips.

SPINACH is a valuable leafy vegetable. It has high organic iron, sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Fresh raw spinach juice will aid in digestion and elimination in the body. Spinach juice nourishes cells, tissues, and nerves, that help with normal elimination. If you combine Carrot and Spinach juice it will reestablish the muscle tone of the intestines. The organic oxalic acid in raw spinach is helpful to stimulate the peristaltic action of the intestines. When spinach is cooked it changes the oxalic acid to inorganic which can form into crystals in the kidneys.

TURNIPS come in white and yellow varieties. The yellow turnip has a much stronger flavor than the white. They are high in potassium. The leaves are high in calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium. It is nutritious to juice the tops and the roots. They help the bones and cartilage. Combine the juice of turnip leaves with carrot and dandelion for a great food aid for teeth, bones and cartilage in all ages.

WATERCRESS is high in sulphur, potassium, calcium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus and chlorine. It is a powerful cleanser. Raw watercress juice freshly made is too potent to drink alone. Combine with carrot, spinach and turnip leaves juice for a blood cleanser. It has been used to dissolve the coagulated fibrin in the blood vessels which cause hemorrhoids and other tumors.

Harvey C. Lisle said "There has been more research work done on vitamins than any other component of food, and yet the basic facts of vitamins are almost lost upon both researchers and laymen." Whole foods are a greater source of healing than each of the components combined. The main source of live foods is the sun. Without that we don't have life. All of the components that go into growing living foods will destroy them after they are harvested. This is a powerful reason for using fresh fruits and vegetables soon after they are harvested. We can have health from live foods as we learn to harvest and use their essential nutrients.

Vegetables for Juicing-part 5 Vegetables O to P

Vegetable juice from fresh raw vegetables is good for all cells and tissues of the body to give you enzymes and elements that are needed. When you drink fresh vegetable juices you will give your body the nutrients in the most easily digested and assimilated form. For making up a vitamin and mineral deficiency you cannot beat this method of getting what you need. Here you will find more vegetables for good health:

ONIONS are beneficial to the mucous membrane. They are rich in carbohydrates, potassium, calcium, silicon, phosphorus and iron.

PARSLEY is one of the most potent foods of the common vegetable kingdom. It is rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium and chlorine. Parsley is so fibrous it is difficult to extract all the nutrients from the fibers. The juice is good for the optic system, kidneys, bladder, urethra and genital organs. It should be consumed with meat to help rid the body of the uric acid produced in the digestion of the meat. It is also helpful for swollen glands, swollen breasts and to dry up milk.

PARSNIPS contain potassium, silicon, phosphorus, sulphur and chlorine. Parsnips actively help the urinary system, bladder, and provide relief for kidney stones. The tops are rich in mineral elements, but can be mistaken for the wild variety which contains poisons very detrimental to the body. The whole cultivated parsnips plant can be used for eating. Raw is very good for you. Try juicing, chopping or grinding parsnips.

PEAS eaten fresh are very good for you. They are high in potassium and magnesium. Young fresh peas with the pods are good juiced or in salads but be sure to remove the stem and string them. Fresh peas juiced with their pods will be good for the pancreases.

PEPPERS, the sweet ones, whether green, red, yellow, or another color are high in silicon and fluorine which help the skin, nails and hair. The juice can be added to carrot juice to make a nourishing drink. Hot peppers are different and care must be taken when using and handling them as they can irritate body membranes. Cayenne peppers, fresh or ground are so good for many things. They can do everything from killing cancer cells in the prostate, lungs, and pancreas to immediately stopping a heart attack within 30 seconds and much more. Cayenne is best used in small doses.

POTATOES are very rich in potassium, and vitamins A, B and C. Not very many vegetables have as much vitamin C as raw potatoes. I don’t much like potato juice but it is purported to be the best thing for pneumonia. Although we all like our potatoes cooked, they aren’t nearly as good for us because cooking creates an acid product for the body. It is not good to combine them cooked with meat proteins. Fried is really bad for the liver and gall bladder. Sweet potatoes contain 20% more carbohydrates than the Irish variety, lower potassium and higher sodium, calcium, silicon and chlorine. They also are much better for you eaten raw.

There is one more section to this information about vegetables for juicing with information about the vegetables at the end of the alphabet. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, taught that living food could restore and maintain vibrant health. The more we learn about the nutrients in foods and practice what we know in our food preparation and consumption, the closer we can come to having that vibrant health he talked about. When we consume living foods, it takes far less food to keep us alive and healthy.