Two weeks ago I started “juicing” again. No, not steroids silly. Green juicing! My husband and I had done it most of the summer last year, but once winter approached and organic fruit/vegetables started getting harder to find, we kind of fell out of the routine. I hope to make it a way of life from now on, not just a phase. I also don’t use it as an excuse to eat bad the rest of the day though. I continue to strive to eat a healthy, conscious diet.

I love juicing for three main reasons:

1) To Detox My Body: Between eating more organic vegetables and hot yoga (which I don’t get to do nearly as often as I’d prefer, due to far proximity and rising gas prices), I feel I can detox my body naturally of any chemicals or built-up toxins daily.

2) To Balance My PH Levels: You may have read my earlier posts regarding the incredible benefits of eating alkaline-rich foods, which you can see here and here. Since I still believe in eating some acidic, yet organic, foods such as yogurt, meat, fish, and grains, I feel it necessary to make sure I’m eating just as much, if not more, plant based, alkaline foods.

3) To Get My Necessary Nutrition Naturally: I’m not sold on the idea of a young, “healthy” person having to take a multi-vitamin everyday just to be healthy. My “should voice” and some minor research has led me to believe God wouldn’t create us with the necessity to ingest man-made supplements, as long as we are treating our bodies with respect by only eating food from the Earth. Yes, we all have bad food days, and it wouldn’t hurt to take a natural multi-vitamin to help supplement on those days, but I don’t feel we should be relying on daily supplements either. I do realize some people unfortunately have health issues that require them to take supplements or medicine to be healthy. I always believe in a time and a place for modern medicine and science. Every living person on every single day is not the proper time and place though.

Not only do I feel healthier, but I also feel it starts my metabolism off right! I naturally want to eat small meals continuously throughout the day, instead of three large meals that are harder to digest. You can vary the recipe anyway you see fit for your own diet or preferences.

Anna Zoe’s Green Juice Recipe
Serving Size: 2

2 apples
2 carrots
1/2 inch of ginger
6 medium-sized broccoli florets
1 medium-sized cucumber
1 large handful of spinach or kale
2 tbsp. Wheatgrass powder
1 tbsp. coconut oil
1 tbsp. ground flaxseed
Juice of 1 lime
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup water
*Be sure to wash fruit/vegetable with veggie wash, and peel the skin off if it is not organic.
**You may also add yogurt and berries if you’d like. I prefer to eat a yogurt parfait an hour or two later once I get hungry again.

Blend all ingredients together and enjoy!