From the March 2001 Idaho Observer:

Fresh Raw Vegetable Juices -

The Missing Link to Vibrant Health

By Ingri Harkins

It is well known among health enthusiasts that the optimal diet consists of 70 to 80 percent raw foods or foods that have never been heated beyond 120 degrees. The reason given is that the "enzymes" are destroyed at temperatures above 120 degrees. So what are enzymes?

Enzymes are the elements that enable the body to be nourished and is the life principle hidden within all seeds of plants. It has mistakenly been referred to as a protein molecule. In reality it is the life force contained in the protein molecule itself. For clarity, the protein molecule is the carrier of the enzyme activity much the same as a light bulb is the carrier of electrical current.

Enzymes enable us to digest our food and absorb the nutrients into our blood. There are three major classes of enzymes: metabolic enzymes which work in blood, tissue and organs; food enzymes from raw food; and digestive enzymes. Since 1968, 1,300 enzymes have been identified. A shortage of these enzymes can lead to serious health problems. In fact, specific enzymes have actually been used to dissolve cancerous tumors.

Due to our insistence on eating cooked food, our bodies' enzyme stores are depleted in the process of digesting food that is devoid of enzymes. This gradual depletion of our body's enzyme reserves can lead to the proliferation of anaerobic bacteria, viruses and parasites. This is also a key factor in the aging process.

Juice

So what is the easiest way to get a quantity of life-giving enzymes into our body while also providing our bodies with easily assimilable nutrients? Drinking freshly pressed, organic vegetable juices on a daily basis is the key. Dr. Norman Walker pioneered the value of fresh, raw vegetable juices over 60 years ago and recounted his experiences in his book, "Fresh Vegetable and Fruit Juices." The fact that he lived until the ripe old age of 121 is living proof of the value of this practice.

Of all the numerous vegetable and fruit juices he discusses in his book, the most valuable is carrot juice. According to Dr. Walker, the carrot juice molecule is analogous to that of our own blood. It is well known as a blood purifier and liver cleanser. It the richest assimilable source of vitamin A and also contains generous amounts of vitamins B, C, D, E and K as well as calcium, magnesium and many other trace minerals. Drinking one pint of freshly pressed, organic carrot juice daily will provide the body with more bio-available calcium than 10 jars of calcium tablets.

Due to the large amount of vitamin A contained in carrot juice, many mistakenly think that you can drink too much carrot juice and this can lead to the skin having a yellowish tint. The fact is that the variety of vitamin A in carrot juice, carotene, does not cause a yellowish tint to the skin anymore than cow who munches quantities of alfalfa will turn green. The jaundiced look from drinking quantities of carrot juice on a daily basis is due to the bile being stirred up as the liver and gall bladder are eliminating toxins. This "jaundiced-look" will continue while drinking one to two quarts of carrot juice daily until the congealed bile in the liver and gall bladder is dissolved and these organs are thoroughly cleansed.

My favorite juice drink that provides loads of valuable enzymes while cleansing the blood and liver (therefore boosting the immune system) is made with carrots, beets, apples and ginger root.

Take 10 to 12 medium to large organic carrots, one medium size beet, 1-2 apples and a 3/4 inch slice of fresh ginger root. Wash and cut ingredients before processing in your juicer. Makes about one quart of juice. If you have access to beets that still have the greens attached, these can be added for an even more healthful drink. This particular juice blend is a delicious way to nourish your body and immediately feel your old youthful vitality being restored.