Is Juicing Healthy For You?By Julie T. Chen, MD Juicing is very quickly becoming one of the hottest topics we address in my clinic of integrative medicine. Because most of my patients are self-motivated in becoming healthier, they are quick to jump on the band wagon of some of the latest health trends. The great thing though is that they are at least willing to ask for some medical advice on the topic before they jump all the way in...and I would highly recommend all readers to do the same with your physicians because that's the safest way to ensure the health and safety of you and your loved ones. Getting back to the topic of Juicing...should you do it or not? Well, that depends. I know, I know, this answer is frustrating...but it really truly does depend on the individual and how they are juicing and whether they have sugar problems and what they are putting in the juice. There are a few key important points to address when it comes to juicing:
The pros of juicing is that if you can't regularly get in as many vegetables as you want, then having a green juice or vegetable juice once daily will definitely help you get more nutrients and energy and improve your health. So, while I prefer real whole foods, juicing can be beneficial if you are doing it right with a recipe that is going to help your health instead of hurt it...and to ensure you're doing it right, you should definitely see your doctor about your juicing recipe or a registered dietitian. Dr. Julie T. Chen is board-certified in internal medicine and fellowship-trained and board-certified in integrative medicine. She has her own medical practice in San Jose, Calif. She is the medical director of corporation wellness at several Silicon Valley-based corporations, is on several medical expert panels of Web sites and nonprofit organizations, is a recurring monthly columnist for several national magazines, and has been featured in radio, newspaper, and magazine interviews. She incorporates various healing modalities into her practice including, but is not limited to, medical acupuncture, Chinese scalp acupuncture, clinical hypnotherapy, strain-counterstrain osteopathic manipulations, and biofeedback. To learn more, visit www.makinghealthyez.com. |