Doctors typically recommend that cancer patients incorporate fruits and vegetables into their diets to benefit from their antioxidants and potential cancer-fighting properties. Many patients have difficulty eating, though, especially after undergoing treatment. Some may have difficulty swallowing, and others may be too nauseous or weak to consume whole foods.
Patients following the Gerson diet therapy drink about 13 cups of cancer-fighting juice daily! Gerson practitioners say that by juicing, patients can ingest the nutrients and enzymes of nearly 15 pounds of produce daily. In addition to providing amazing health benefits, natural juice for cancer patients is a simple way to digest and absorb nutrients.
Smoothies vs. Juice
A smoothie blends whole fruits and vegetables, keeping every part of them in the drink.
In contrast, juicing extracts the liquid from fruits and vegetables by removing their pulp and skin.
While you don’t get the benefits of fiber when you use a juicer, the resulting liquid can be easier to drink and digest than a smoothie. Plus, some cancer patients are on a low or no-fiber diet. Therefore, juicing can be an excellent way to incorporate fruits and vegetables without fiber.
People often add protein powder or a protein-rich liquid, like almond milk, to their smoothies to round out a full meal.
Make Cancer Fighting Juice
One concern with juicing is that the resulting juice is loaded with sugar. The best way to ensure that your cancer fighting juice doesn’t have too much sugar is to include more vegetables than fruits. Stick with just one portion of fruit to add sweetness, then fill the rest of your juice with vegetables and spices.
- 1. Fruits
Some great fruits to make your cancer fighting juice include apples, cantaloupe, pineapple, blueberries, and pears.
Pomegranate juice has polyphenols. This chemical compound has anti-inflammatory properties and can be used to suppress cancer.
* Grapefruit juice should be excluded! This is because it can interact with chemotherapy or other drugs.
- 2. Vegetables
Carrot juice is a popular choice. Carrot juice contains Beta-carotene that helps prevent certain side effects such as white spots, swelling, and ulcers. Here are a few other popular options for vegetables.
- Beets: Contain betalains (or plant nutrients) that are anti-inflammatory and high in antioxidants.
· Celery: Has tons of vitamins and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties
- Leafy greens: It is usually advised to go as green as you can—the darker, the better! Some examples are kale, Watercress, spinach, and collards.
- 3. Spices
Add spices for flavor and health benefits.
Ginger can help reduce inflammation and decrease cancer cell growth.
Turmeric has been shown to possess powerful anti-inflammatory properties and anti-cancer properties.
How to Store Your Fresh Juice
Juices are best if consumed right away after they have been pressed. The juice’s healing enzymes will decrease as it oxidizes. You may store your cancer fighting juice in mason jars filled to the top with juice so that there is no oxygen in them, and then place it in the refrigerator.
Easy Juicing Recipes for Cancer Patients
Here are a few basic recipes to try. These recipes will each make one serving. You can juice a larger batch, then store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
Carrot apple juice
- 3 Medium carrots
- 1 Granny Smith apple
- 1/2 Inch ginger knob, peeled
Green Goddess Juice
- 1 Large green apple
- 3 Cups of mixed leafy greens (kale, spinach, chard..)
- Parsley
- ½ Cucumber (English)
Cooling Cucumber Juice
- ¼ Cantaloupe (seeds removed)
- 2 Celery stalks
- ½ Cucumber (English)
- ¼ Lemon
- Small piece of ginger or turmeric
Create different combinations to see what tastes good.
Keep reading – Which Juicer is Best for You? >>
