Page 122 - Tracy Anderson Magazine - Fall 2021

WEL C OME TO THE Fruits and vegetables are essential to health. Luckily, cold- Although certainly important to ensure the safety of con-

pressed juicing can help meet or even exceed the recom-
suming these products, the idea that they need further in-
JUICE L AB mended daily intake of these powerful foods. gredients for consumer protection goes against the intent of
a healthy and natural lifestyle approach. This bioprotective
culture is a consequence of the increasing amount of pack-
Numerous studies support the health benefits of juicing—
tremendous anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticar- aged, boxed, and bagged foods—decreasing our work bur-
Keep the powders in your cupboard and try these juices created by Ilene Ruhoy, MD, PhD. cinogenic effects among them. Whether you try it to reduce den but increasing our risk of poor health.
risk factors and treat symptoms of chronic illnesses—which
include cardiovascular disease, depression, headache disor- Why juices instead?
ders, diabetes, weight gain, or autoimmunity—or consume For every quart of juice we drink, we are consuming three
juices therapeutically, I believe juicing is an essential part of pounds of produce. Fresh and raw foods are rich in proteins,
a healthy lifestyle, and I have been juicing for years. carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, vitamins, enzymes, and
minerals—the most essential building blocks for our body.
I was trained in both pediatric and adult neurology at Seattle The sheer quantity of nutrition you obtain from 16 ounces of
Children’s Hospital and the University of Washington and juice is also remarkable.
have a Ph.D. in Environmental Toxicology, and I received ad-
ditional training in mitochondrial and neuromuscular med- I recommend true cold-pressed juice specifically: It is the very
icine. Five years after my fellowship in Integrative Medicine best juice because of the way the juice is extracted. Making
under the instruction of Andrew Weil, M.D., I opened my juice at home ensures that it is fresh, raw, and unpasteurized.
own practice to combine the best of Western and integra-
tive medicine—something I’m very passionate about. This No true “hacks” for health
integrative approach, plus a broader acceptance of food as Our busy world celebrates life “hacks,” and we understand
medicine and plant-based diets, makes me optimistic about why. The implication of a hack is that the real deal is burden-
lifestyle changes that have a positive impact on brain health, some and complicated, so why not try something that makes
including cognitive function, energy levels, depression, anx- the process easier? We wish these hacks were a perfect solu-
iety, and sleep. tion, but like with exercise, there are no true hacks for real
health. While it may be more convenient to use a dissolving
Replacing food with powders powder or capsule (especially for those who travel), they are
Powder supplements are all the rage right now. They are cap- not the same or as efficient as fresh fruits and vegetables.
sules or packets that can be dissolved in water to satisfy the
need for a particular nutrient. Companies create these for Environmental toxins
anything and everything, from more energy to more calm We are exposed to contaminants and toxicants daily. Expo-
to optimal health. sure to minute amounts of any chemical can be harmful, and
we are exposed to a multitude of chemicals, even in minute
How food is made into a powder amounts—parts per trillion (ppt)—over decades of life. This
The powdered fruits and vegetables often used as base in- creates a tremendous burden for our metabolic physiology
gredients for health-boosting packets start their journey and can contribute to inflammation, leading to disease and
as whole fresh fruits and vegetables. They then undergo a dysfunction over time. Unfortunately, we do not have direct
process of drying and pulverization, but unfortunately, the control over what is in our air, our water, and our soil. We
plentiful phytonutrients in these fruits and vegetables don’t can do our best with filters, etc., but we do have control over
all survive the process. Those that do appear in the final cap- some exposures, including the foods we choose to eat.
sule are highly concentrated. And while that may sound ben-
eficial, our physiology can only use so much at a time—the In celebration of this issue’s theme of “education,” I picked
benefit of that compound is not necessarily achieved, and six popular powders and put together six alternative nutri-
much of it ends up being excreted. tious and delicious juices and nut milks, along with an expla-
nation about these superfoods and their nutrients.
Preservatives for shelf life
To keep fine powders shelf-stable and make sure the ingre- A few notes about juicing: Every recipe I’ve included makes
dients will dissolve together smoothly, a variety of preser- one 16 oz serving. Green juice is best consumed within 24
vatives are added, such as silicon dioxide, corn syrup solids, hours of juicing; other juices last up to three days refrigerat-
pectin, stevia, and maltodextrin. Powders also contain ad- ed, stored in an airtight container filled to the top. All juices
ditives for food safety, such as sodium benzoate, potassium can be frozen for up to 30 days, preserving up to 90 percent
sorbate, lactic acid bacteria, and metabolites. of the total nutrition. All ingredients should be organic.

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