Though I am a self-proclaimed supplement and lifestyle experimenter, I’m not typically one for fads (though I do like to embarrass my children and nieces by doing the latest dance moves: Orange Justice and flossing). So I was a bit skeptical about the latest health fad: celery juicing. @medicalmedium has been touting this herb’s healing properties for years, saying that 16 oz (about one bunch juiced) daily on an empty stomach, about 15-30 minutes before your first meal of the day, can help with all sorts of issues: joint pain, digestive disorders, liver sluggishness, autoimmune problems, etc.
After about 3 weeks of juicing (with a 4-day break for vacation) here are my results:
1. I was craving it by the second day. Some people complain about the taste, but not me! I couldn’t wait to get back to it after my vacation.
2. The celery juice improved my chronic digestion, bloat, and gut issues almost instantaneously. I could feel it helping on day one, and I feel my digestion turn on within moments of drinking my juice daily.
3. I’m not sure if my problem was due to joint pain or an underlying autoimmune disorder, but I have a bunion that bothered me daily. After my second juice, the bunion was remarkably less swollen and painful. Several weeks in, I can fit into a smaller shoe size than I’ve been able to since pre-pregnancy over 6 years ago.
4. My skin is clearer and brighter
5. My energy is up! I am drinking coffee fewer days, and I’m more productive.
6. Celery juicing is decreasing my sensory issues. Usually I am as cozy as I can be when I don’t need to be dressed up for work – no jewelry, no shoes, and undergarments only when necessary. I usually don't even wear my wedding ring. Lately, I am in less of a hurry to remove those things when I get home.
I started out eating a 90%+ clean, mainly paleo diet. Though I know that juicing and eating other vegetables is still crucially important, and that there are health properties in all the leftover parts of the celery, I think that someday science will be able to explain why @medicalmedium is correct. We still eat veggies with almost every meal, and it has increased my cravings for other healthy things. (Also, I have to figure out what to do with all the celery fiber so it’s not being wasted – maybe I will start making soup!)
All in all - I name celery juicing as one of the top 5 things I've done for my health. That's a pretty big deal for a chronic health experimenter like me. It joins the ranks of chiropractic care, bone broth, yoga, and exercise as things that will stay in my routine to feel good and be healthy long term.
Need help trying juicing? Have questions? Send me an email! And as always, your nervous system needs to be working properly in order to receive maximum benefits from any health intervention.