Bernadette Bohan’s The Choice: The Programme: The simple health plan that saved Bernadette’s life – and could help save yours too. Bernadette Bohan

guarantee you will see positive results.

      With just two glasses of juice per day you can consume large quantities of fruits and vegetables, and the recommended daily amounts can be easily reached. For two 8-ounce glasses of juice per day you will need 6-8 portions of fruits and vegetables, whereas it would take the entire afternoon to chew your way through that many pieces. The point of increasing our intake is to provide our bodies with enough vitamins, minerals, enzymes and trace elements to support a healthy body and give sustained energy levels. A well-hydrated body is essential for good skin and enhanced vitality. If you find drinking large amounts of water difficult, these delicious drinks can easily increase your fluid intake. Juices are also an enjoyable way of increasing fluid levels after a work-out. Your shopping list will change, but you will gradually get a feel for the extra amounts of fruit and vegetable shopping required.

      Because these juices are uncooked, they are loaded with enzymes, vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Enzymes are the catalysts for the breakdown of our foods, and I cannot stress their importance highly enough. You will find them mentioned throughout this book. The large amounts of phytonutrients in these juices are amazing for boosting energy levels and good looks. They help maximize our ability to fight disease and boost our capacity for self-healing.

      At one point I was juicing large amounts of carrots, as they are rich in carotinoids such as beta-carotene. It was no surprise that I noticed my eyesight improve, as beta-carotene is fantastic at enhancing eyesight. Juices are also a wonderful short-term antidote to a lack of energy or a sluggish metabolism, and you can increase your intake of these vital nutrients without any artificial colourings, flavours or preservatives.

      There is unquestionably a new proliferation of juice bars sweeping the country at present. Indeed, in the quest for health we have taken to the juicing habit superbly. The growth in this particular market shows that consumers have definitely become more aware of the connection between diet and health. A rock festival recently attended by my daughter Sarah had queues a mile long at the juice bar. All I can say is ‘great’ – I am delighted to see young people embracing this change for the better.

      One question I am asked repeatedly is if I use organic fruit and vegetables. My reply is always the same: absolutely. If you took an apple from a tree in your garden and then sprayed it with a chemical, would you then eat this apple or hand it to your child to eat? I think not. Remember, where there are commercial interests we, the consuming public, are not always given the correct information. Now that the consumer has become better informed and is more aware of the benefits of eating organically-grown produce, it has become much more widely available in the marketplace. There is no doubt that ‘eating organic’ is definitely catching on and is our only guarantee of purity.

      The organic end of the market is now becoming an expanding and lucrative business. You might wonder why. The reason certainly seems to be in direct response to the growing interest and demands of consumers for superior products – superior both in terms of having a better flavour and better nutritional value. Many of the producers now enthusiastically display their certification that will assure you of the authenticity of their organically-grown products. Organic classification ensures that the products are approved and inspected regularly by an independent organization that checks for compliance with all regulations and specifications. With the influx of chemicals into the food chain, exposure to pesticides, insecticides, fungicides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers can now have far-reaching consequences. You should be fully aware of these chemically-laden foods, as you may get a little bit more than you bargained for in your shopping basket.

      It is no longer difficult to locate organic foods, but if you are unable to obtain organic produce, peeling off the top layer of skin from the fruit and vegetables you buy will generally remove any surface residues of chemicals. However, peeling is not the ideal solution, as many of the important nutrients in fruit and vegetables are contained directly under the skin.

      Along with the benefits of not exposing ourselves to absorbing foods that are irradiated and sprayed with pesticides, there is the added benefit of the sheer taste of these fruits and vegetables. In comparison, the conventionally grown chemically-sprayed varieties with their long sell-by dates are tasteless imitations of the real thing. These foods may essentially look perfect, but don’t be fooled as they offer little in the way of true flavour or nourishment.

      Does it cost more? Well yes, of course it commands a higher price due to the fact that the growing and harvesting of these crops is much more labour intensive. Although this is not always strictly the case, as I have on occasion bought cheaper organic produce than the chemically sprayed variety. It roughly costs about one-third more to buy organic foods…but it’s worth it. What with these harmful chemicals infiltrating our everyday diet, choosing organic foods may be your only option if you don’t want to bite off more then you can chew.

      With organic juices you are guaranteed freshness and they are so much tastier than packaged concentrates and cordials. Many of these packaged juices are full of sugar and are devoid of enzymes, as they are pasteurized and heat treated. I don’t find juicing time-consuming; I think it’s more about deciding to do it and then carrying it through. It takes about five minutes to make a juice and five minutes to clean up after, and I consider this time well spent. Juices are always better consumed within 15 minutes of preparation while the enzymes and nutrients are at their best. Don’t be tempted to make large batches to last for a few days, as oxidation will occur and this will rapidly diminish the nutrients in the juice. Another tip is that if you are going out and you decide to take a juice with you, store it in a stainless-steel vacuum flask with ice to slow down oxidation. This will definitely be better for you than a cup of coffee.

       The Right Juicing Equipment

      If ever there was a piece of equipment worthy of a place in your kitchen, it has got to be a juicer. It is important to spend a bit of time choosing the correct machine for your needs. There are so many brands on the market today that you could be forgiven for not knowing which one is best. I myself survived for some time with the centrifugal type of juicer, which is of the less expensive variety readily available in the high street. I use the word survived because I found it fiddly and difficult juicing daily with this type of machine. The reasons for this were:

      

Centrifugal machines are difficult to clean. Be sure to check this out before purchasing a juicer. It is an extremely important point to remember, as cleaning can be time-consuming especially if you’re trying to fit making juices into an already full and busy schedule.

      

They are wasteful as they produce a lot of pulp, which is not very cost effective.

      

They mainly extract the water from the fruit and vegetables. You will notice this as the juice separates after a very short time.

      

They can also destroy the nutrients in the juice, as these machines operate at very high speeds (about 3,000 revs per minute).

      The juicer I now use is a masticating juicer. I carried out a lot of research on many different machines before I discovered the machine I wanted. (You will find addresses in the Resources section to help you if you wish to purchase a masticating juicer). My trusty juicer will juice anything you throw at it. I have had trouble-free use of this robust machine for the past six years.

      Juicing is not the only thing I use this machine for; it has many other uses and I have found it to be an effortless way of making cookies and crackers. I feel sure I haven’t yet explored its full potential. Many of my students amaze me when they tell me of the wonderful foods they have managed to make with this machine. Natural healing centres throughout the world have been using these masticating machines for many years. They grind and crush the fruits and vegetables slowly,