Juicing Book

I love juicing but how long should I wait to eat my cereal/fruit after I have had my glass of veggie juice?

How long should you wait after juicing before eating? Well, this question has a multitude of answers depending on one's point of view especially when one also considers what one juiced and what one plans to eat.

As an example, if you were to eat foods after juicing that were in harmony with the vegetables you juiced based on the principles of food combining, then one could argue that you can eat immediately after juicing. Why? Because the foods you ate would not affect digestion negatively thus not reducing your body's ability to absorb the nutrients of the juice.

If on the other hand, you are having something like cereal with cow's milk after juicing, then the milk would reduce your body's ability to properly digest the nutrients in the juice. Thus, 15 to 30 minutes should be provided before eating cereal with milk so as not to negatively effect the body's ability to absorb the nutrients of the juice.

If you were having cereal with something like brown rice milk, soy milk, almond milk, etc instead of cow's milk, then one could also argue that no time is needed because these foods are in harmony based on the principles of food combining.

On the other hand, one might also say that some time is needed after juicing because the milk added to the cereal is usually cold from the fridge. The coldness of the milk can slow down digestion also. Any food that is cold or cool must be heated by the body before digestion can begin. This is because enzymes need heat to work properly. Thus if the food is cold or cool, the enzymes cannot do their job. Hence the reason why many feel like they have a stomach ache after eating ice cream.

Of course, a hot cereal such as oatmeal can be eaten almost immediately after juicing.

Some will also argue that since juice is a liquid, the liquid in the juice will weaken (or thin) the digestive juices needed to digest food. Thus some will argue that regardless of what one is eating, there should be a 15 to 30 minutes break between juicing and eating food. This ensures that when you do eat the food, your digestive juices are not weakened (or thinned) by the juice so you have full and proper digestion.

You will often hear people say do not drink while eating because juice, tea, water, coffee, soda (if you drink that), etc are all liquids that thin your digestive juices while eating. Some water while drinking is okay, as an example, but if you drink too much of any liquid while eating then your digestive juices become so weak and you can really notice a difference in your digestion. Of course, a lot of people go to fast food restaurants and get super sized drinks. These people definitely have bad digestion.

Another reason why people say not to drink water while eating is because water should be alkaline for the body. In other words, you should be drinking alkaline water. Yet, digestion is acidic. So if you drink alkaline water while eating, then the alkalinity works to neutralize the acidity created during digestion. This is also why some water purifiers have both alkaline and acidic capabilities... so you can drink small amounts of acidic water while eating (if needed) and drink your alkaline water in between meals.

Back to juicing though... some people will say that as long as the foods you are eating are healthy, wholesome and are balanced based on the laws of food combining, that eating some food immediately after juicing helps release the nutrients of the juice into the bloodstream more slowly. In fact, it doesn't hurt to add some of the pulp from the vegetables back to the juice for this very reason (read more of my juicing tips).

So as you can see, there are a few factors that one can and should consider. However, saying all of this, when in doubt I would wait 15 to 30 minutes. At the same time, if one observes their body then their body will give them clues as to what works and what does not. You can notice the difference in your digestion if you pay careful attention. Also too, you will notice a difference in digestion if you first experience what good digestion should be allowing you to more easily recognize bad digestion.

Realizing that once one knows what good digestion is so they can know when they are experiencing bad digestion, what I usually suggest to people is they first start off with a 15 to 30 minute break between juicing and eating. Try this and take note of how you feel.

Then, once you are confident that you are experiencing good digestion, try eating soon after juicing and if you feel that the digestion is good, then that's great. If the digestion feels bad, then you know you need a break between juicing and eating.

Digestion is one of the major keys to good health. Good digestion will do wonders for your health. This applies beyond juicing and into the meals you eat. Many people, as they enter their 30's begin to need hydrochloric acid, as a supplement in their diet. As you get older, the need for hydrochloric acid increases even more. Once you are in your 60's, it's almost guaranteed you need hydrochloric acid to aid digestion.

Many people will begin to notice a huge difference in digestion when they take supplemental hydrochloric acid. Of course, if you are still in your 20's or younger, your body is still producing enough hydrochloric acid. But as you get older, this little supplement can play a huge role in digestion... digestion, a major key to good health.

Saying all of this, remember the most important thing to do upon arising in the morning is to drink water. Your body needs water first, juice second.

Have you been wanting to do hatha yoga (stretching) but have found it either too difficult or you are not that flexible? If yes, and even if no, watch Jesse do some pure hatha yoga routines.

Unlike flow yoga, each pose in pure or traditional hatha yoga is held for a few minutes. While holding the pose, you focus the mind on the stretch. When you focus the mind, that's when you find silence.

Jesse is not flexible — never has been and probably never will be flexible like others. But it doesn't matter. In pure hatha yoga, how flexible you are makes no difference. It's all about loving the pose and focussing the mind on the stretch.

If you want to learn pure hatha yoga, now you can by following Jesse on a series of hatha yoga routines.

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