The Juice Cleanse Upgrade

This is me riding a dolphin at Paradise Island, Bahamas. Please excuse the uber-unfashionable blue lifejacket!

Juicing can be an excellent way to get your recommended 10+ servings of vegetables daily.  However, if you’re going to juice for health, do it right.  Here’s what I call the “juice cleanse upgrade.”  For background information about the problem with consuming even moderate amounts of fructose (especially when devoid of dietary fiber), see the previous post.

Special note on juicing equipment: Use a miron glass water bottle for your kefir as well as your other cleanse drinks!  The opaque violet color of miron glass prevents UV light from damaging the mineral content of the juice and the structure of your mineral water.  Plastic water bottles leech xenoestrogens (estrogen mimickers) into your water, which can put you at risk for cancer and other hormone-related health problems.

The Mood Boost Elixir

• 16 oz. homemade coconut water kefir (Get your own kefir grains with instructions here.)

The Green Mineral Juice

• 32 oz. juiced cucumber, kale, celery, fennel, ginger
• 1 tbsp maca
• 1 tbsp colostrum
• liquid stevia (optional)
• 1 tsp probiotic powder

The Red Mineral Juice

• 32 oz. juiced spinach, celery, tomato, bell pepper
• cayenne pepper (to taste)
• 1 tbsp cacao powder (optional)
• 1 tsp probiotic powder
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Celtic sea salt

The Fat-Burning Lemonade

• 32 oz. mineral water
• cayenne pepper (to taste)
• cinnamon (to taste)
• fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• English toffee flavored liquid stevia
• branched chain amino acid powder (optional)

If you want to fully experience the best health benefits from your juice cleanse upgrade, I highly suggest taking proteolytic enzymes 3 times daily on an empty stomach.

The Benefits of Proteolytic Enzymes Include:

• Reducing inflammation: Inflammation is a natural response of the body to injury. However, excessive inflammation slows down the healing process. Proteolytic enzymes reduce inflammation by neutralizing the biochemicals of inflammation (i.e., bradykinins and pro-inflammatory eicosanoids) to levels at which the synthesis, repair and regeneration of injured tissues can take place.¹ Reducing inflammation can have immediate impact on improved heart health, cancer prevention and recovery, and Alzheimer’s prevention. It also helps speed up recovery from sprains, strains, fractures, bruises, contusions, surgery and arthritis. In one study, football players who suffered from ankle injuries found that proteolytic enzyme supplements accelerated healing and got the players back on the field twice as fast as athletes who received placebo tablets.² Other trials have shown that supplemental proteolytic enzymes can help reduce inflammation, speed healing of bruises and other tissue injuries (including fractures), and reduce overall recovery time when compared to athletes taking a placebo.^3,4 And even in patients recovering from facial and various reconstructive surgeries, treatment with proteolytic enzymes significantly reduced swelling, bruising and stiffness compared to placebo groups.^5,6,7
• Cleansing the blood of debris: Proteolytic enzymes are the primary tools the body uses to “digest” organic debris in the circulatory and lymph systems. Supplementing merely improves the effectiveness of the process.
• Dissolving fibrin in the blood, reducing the risk of clots: Certain specialized proteases such as nattokinase are extremely effective at improving the “quality” of blood cells, optimizing the ability of blood to flow through the circulatory system, and reducing the risk of clots.⁸ This is extremely important in reducing the risk of stroke. It also makes using proteolytic enzymes during long plane flights a no-brainer, as they minimize the potential of blood clots in the legs.
• Maximized immune system: The primary vehicle the immune system uses for destroying invaders is enzymes. Macrophages, for example, literally digest invaders with proteolytic enzymes. Supplementation significantly improves the ability of your immune system to do its job.
• Killing of bacteria, viruses, molds and fungi: Bacteria, viruses, molds and fungi are protein/amino acid-based. Proteolytic enzymes taken between meals literally go into the bloodstream and digest these invaders.
• Elimination of autoimmune diseases: Large undigested proteins make their way into the bloodstream and form circulating immune complexes (CICs), which trigger allergies and autoimmune diseases. Supplemental proteolytic enzymes clean CICs out of the body, thereby reducing allergies and autoimmune conditions. In addition, this helps with sinusitis and asthma.
• Dissolving of scar tissue: Scar tissue is made of protein. Proteolytic enzymes can effectively “digest” scar tissue – particularly in the circulatory system.
• Proteolytic enzymes can help reduce the symptoms of MS, get mucus and phlegm out of the lungs⁹ and aid in detoxification.

References

1. Miller. Proteolytic enzymes in inflammation: rationale for use. Postgrad Med. 1956 Jan;19(1):16-22.
2. Buck JE, Phillips N. Trial of Chymoral in professional footballers. Br J Clin Pract. 1970 Sep;24(9):375-7.
3. Craig RP. The quantitative evaluation of the use of oral proteolytic enzymes in the treatment of sprained ankles. Injury. 1975 May;6(4):313-6.
4. Fisher JD, Weeks RL, Curry WM, Hrinda ME, Rosen LL. Effects of an oral enzyme preparation, Chymoral, upon serum proteins associated with injury (acute phase reactants) in man. J Med. 1974;5(5):258-73.
5. Duskova M, Wald M. Orally administered proteases in aesthetic surgery. Aesthetic Plat Surg. 1999 Jan-Feb;23(1):41-4.
6. Hoemecke R, Doenicke A. Perioperative enzyme therapy. A significant supplement to postoperative pain therapy? Anaesthesist. 1993 Dec;42(12):856-61.
7. Lie KK, Larsen RD, Posch JL. Therapeutic value of oral proteolytic enzymes following hand surgery. Arch Surg. 1969 Jan;98(1):103-4.
8. Sumi H et al. Enhancement of the fibrinolytic activity in plasma by oral administration of Nattokinase. Acta Haematol 1990;84:139-143.
9. Braga PC, Moretti M et al. Effects of seaprose on the rheology of bronchial mucus in patients with chronic bronchitis. Int J Clin Pharmacol Res 1993;13(3):179-185.
10. Sumi H et al.
11. Bracale G, Selvetella L. Clinical study of the efficacy of and tolerance to seaprose S in inflammatory venous disease. Minerva Cardioangiol 1996;44(10):515-524.

The Absolute Best Proteolytic Enzyme Supplement for Optimal Health

Proteolytic Digestive Enzymes