Juicing for Alzheimer’s Prevention: Is it Possible?
The facts on Alzheimer’s can be truly terrifying.
Over five million Americans live with the disease with a person being newly diagnosed almost every minute.
If you’ve ever seen a loved one succumb to the disease, you know that it’s truly heartbreaking.
Alzheimer’s robs people of who they are, taking their memories and personality away.
With such stark statistics, you might feel powerless in the face of this disease.
Although there’s no set cure, we can take steps to minimize our chances of getting Alzheimer’s.
For example, in a recent Vanderbilt study, it was shown that drinking fresh fruit and vegetable juice can cut the risk of getting Alzheimer’s by 76%.
Isn’t that incredible? With stats like that, there’s no excuse to not give juicing for Alzheimer’s prevention a try.
Not sure where to get started? Follow along; we’ve got all the tips and tricks to make you a juicing pro!
Why Juicing? Here’s How It Works
Juicing has so many benefits and it’s much easier to get into than you might think.
First off, let’s examine how fruits and veggies protect your brain.
Plants are full of polyphenols, a type of antioxidant.
Antioxidants are chemicals that protect your cells and DNA from two sources of attack – radiation from the sun and aggressive pathogens.
With these wellness warriors, your body and brain arms themselves against diseases and general age-related deterioration.
Juice Vs. Whole Fruit
But why is juicing better than just eating a piece of fruit?
First off, it’s extremely convenient to have a glass of juice ready to go.
There’s no cooking or fussing with servings. Just dump a bunch of your favorite fruits and veggies in the juicer and make a big batch to sip all week long.
Juice is more easily digested since your body’s goal is to convert most digestible solids into liquids. By not having to do that work, your body saves some energy, too.
The best part about juicing? You can control what goes into your drink.
By using organic produce, you’re giving your body extra antioxidants than what’s found in the processed stuff on the shelf.
Which Fruits And Veggies Are Best For Juicing For Alzheimer’s Prevention?
You’re sold on juicing, invested in a juicer, and are ready to go.
Which fruits and vegetables should you start with?
Remember that saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”? There’s a good reason for it.
Apples are excellent for combating dementia-related illness – but that’s not all.
A study conducted at Florida State University showed that regular apple juice consumption led to lower levels of “bad” cholesterol and reduced inflammation.
Not only that, participants in the study shed a few pounds. Bonus!
Plain old apple juice with high quality, organic apples is a great way to start juicing for Alzheimer’s prevention.
Here’s a list of other great fruits and veggies to add to your shopping cart:
- Apples
- Beets
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Carrots
- Celery
- Cherries
- Cucumbers
- Grapes
- Grapefruit
- Kale
- Kiwis
- Lemon
- Oranges
- Pears
- Peaches
- Pineapple
- Plums
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Tomatoes
Remember to purchase organic produce. When juicing, you’ll want to keep the skin on since that’s where most of the antioxidants are.
Organic produce is grown with fewer harmful chemicals that stick to the skin of the fruits and vegetables.
Juicing Recipes That Are Easy And Delicious
It’s easy to start with juicing one fruit or vegetable, like making a nice, solid apple juice or a great savory tomato juice.
But it’s fun to be creative in the kitchen!
Expand your repertoire slowly by combining two or three items together.
Imagine a refreshing kale, cucumber and lemon juice on a hot summer day.
And who can go wrong with the classic (and antioxidant packed) berry blend?
If you don’t overdo it, you can even add a little high quality extra dark chocolate to the mix since it has antioxidant properties too.
Think about a cherry chocolate beverage; bet your mouth is watering now!
If you want to go all-in, consider the following recipes for a tall glass of disease-fighting deliciousness!
Brain Booster
This recipe is slightly sweet and full of dark, healthy veggies.
Take three medium-sized carrots, an apple, six to eight spinach leaves, and half a medium-sized beet, unpeeled.
If you have a juicer, drop them all in and press them out.
If you have a blender, blend thoroughly with some ice and then strain it through a cheesecloth.
Serve over ice.
Calcium Cocktail
Not only does your brain benefit from this recipe but so do your bones!
Take one medium apple, a red bell pepper, three medium carrots, a cup of chopped collard greens, four leaves of kale and a big handful of cilantro.
Juice it up and serve immediately.
The Juice That Went Bang
How can you go wrong with a name like that? This juice truly does it all!
Grab half a beetroot, 5-6 leaves of spinach, a quarter of a chunk of cabbage, and a stalk of broccoli.
Add in half a grapefruit, half a lemon, a whole orange, a kiwi, and top it off with two centimeters of ginger.
You’re going to have a lot of yummy juice on your hands; invite over a friend and protect your brain health together!
Juicing For Alzheimer’s Prevention And Beyond
You’ll be so glad you took these steps to build your brain up. You don’t have to stop there, though.
Check out Healthy Juicing to take a deeper dive into this exciting health movement.
It’s packed full of tons of easy and delicious free recipes and lots of insights from health professionals.
Not only will you discover more great Alzheimer’s-fighting fruit and veggie cocktails, but you’ll find great info on other health-related topics.
If you want to not just protect your brain but lose weight, shore up your cells, sip your way to glowing skin, and take care your heart, take a look around.
There’s no doubt that soon you’ll be a juicing pro and on your way to feeling healthy and energized.
Once your friends and family see how great you look and feel, they’ll be asking how they can fill up a glass with goodness, too.
Got a juicing recipe full of brain-boosting power? Share your delicious concoctions in the comments with our juicing community!
