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I have been trying to write this blog for weeks. But as it turns out (and I should know this by now) planning for and packing for a 2,000 mile trip across country is a pretty stressful thing. My mind has been elsewhere, and it shows.
Did you know that 80% of your immunity is located in your digestive tract? As someone who has struggled with multiple digestive and immune disorders my entire life, the kind of stress I’ve been experiencing recently usually takes quite the toll on my gut health. But I have noticed quite the difference since I have started doing the following 1 of 2 things:
Drinking a glass of celery juice in the morning
Drinking a glass of Glutagenics each morning
Both operate essentially the same way – to reduce the swelling/bloating in your gut – and both are also entirely natural. (Glutagenics is made up of 3 ingredients: glutamine- an amino acid, licorice-processed to negate any adverse licorice effects, and aloe vera- with the laxative properties removed). Of course, celery juice is made up of just that… celery… and there’s something that feels a little bit more wholistic when you’re juicing your own vegetables, but jury’s still out on which works best for me yet – both have had a hugely positive impact on my life and health in general.
To be fair, both taste about the same, too – not gag enducing, but not great either 😂
Now let’s talk pricing:
Glutagenics ranges anywhere from $70-90 and will last for about 2 months if you take the recommended 1 scoop each morning.
You can buy a 5-pack of raw, fresh-pressed celery juice for about $45. This brings your monthly cost to about $180.
One bunch of celery usually costs about $2. You can make about 2 cups/bunch of celery, bringing your monthly cost to about $30.
Realistically, none of these options are overly cheap, but I personally believe that the cost to health benefits trade-off is huge!
How to Make Your Own Juice:
If you have a juicer, simply feed your celery through and voila – fresh juice! However, if you’re like me and wanted to test the process before investing in a juicer (my favorite now being this one from Hamilton Beach), have no fear!! There’s a few additional steps in the process involved, but the product turns out the same!
For juice by blender, you will need:
A blender
Whatever quantity of celery desired, keeping in mind 1 bunch = about 2 cups
Knife & cutting board
Start by cutting your celery into small, 1″ long chunks. I learned this lesson the hard way, adding them to the blender any larger isn’t nearly as effective and causes a lot of blade clogging. Also add about a half cup of water to the blender before starting to ensure a smooth pulp.
Continue to add celery and blend until your pulp looks something like the two photos above. After I fed through almost 2 full bunches of celery and saw how little the finished product looked at the bottom of the blender, I didn’t believe that this would ever create enough juice to last me for the week. But this is where your nut milk bag comes in to play!
Fill a glass/container of your choosing with your nut milk bag, and pour your pulp directly into the middle. Once full, squeeze the bag into the container, working from top to bottom, until only pulp remains in the bag. The finished product will look something like the photo on the right. It almost looks like green PlayDough and doubles as a fun toy for your children!! (I kid, I kid).
Pour over ice (as if this was some fancy cocktail), take a sip and let the healing powers of celery work their magic! 😏
I turned to celery juice because of my LoNg LiSt of stomach problems (allergy to gluten and wheat, stress-induced IBS, sugar sensitivity, leaky gut) and immune deficiency. I couldn’t believe the number of success stories I was reading online, and even had some friends from college and high school who had tried the juicing before me and swore by it. Typically, I roll my eyes at “juicing,” fad diets and anything of the like, but my research showed me over and over again the benefits of celery.
Celery has powerful anti-inflammatory effects, and these anti-inflammatory properties can help with acid reflux, bloating, IBS, constipation, acne, eczema, and other inflammation issues in the body. Celery is also high in Vitamin C, which is huge for those like me who have immune deficiencies. And, last but not least, drinking celery juice, rather than celery mixed into a smoothie, means low levels of added sugar, which is also a culprit of bloating for many people.
Science aside – many of you clicked on this link to find out how celery juice worked for me.
Total game changer. As I mentioned, I’ve been incredibly stressed this past month, but the bloating and crippling pain that usually comes with my stress, as well as my normal, day-to-day stomach pain, has subsided immensely, and even, dare I say it, some days disappeared completely. It’s funny to say, but I almost feel lighter, as if I’m not being weighed down by the foods I eat throughout the day. And last but not least, I feel more attentive. Less foggy, more with it, more ready to tackle my day.
If you’re on the fence about any of this, I recommend giving juicing a try. Borrow a friend or neighbor’s blender for a week, but a couple stalks of celery (I promise, this won’t set you back more than $10). See how you feel, and if it works for you like it’s worked for me, please let me know! I love to hear people’s health success stories!
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