Why a Juice Detox Retreat?

Health experts have been telling us for years that we all need to up our daily intake of fresh fruit and vegetables.

A UK-based report released last year said the government’s health target of at least five-a-day isn’t enough and we should all bolster our intake to seven, if not 10, daily portions to significantly decrease the risk of dying prematurely. Cramming 10 portions a day into an already hectic lifestyle isn’t easy, but help is at hand through juicing.

Kate Tyler of Platinum Healing runs luxurious juice detox and yoga retreats to help those wanting kick-start a healthier lifestyle. From weight loss to quitting smoking, inner child healing to pre-conception optimization, each retreat is specially adapted to individual needs.

Kate explained: “Juicing is a great way to extract all the goodness from fresh fruit and vegetables to leave a delicious drink packed with vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that the body can easily absorb.

“Phytonutrients, or plant chemicals, are at the cutting-edge of nutritional research and hold the key to helping prevent many diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and other conditions such as asthma and allergies.

“By juicing our fresh fruit and vegetables we can all easily exceed the five-a-day in just one small 250ml glass.”

Juicing our food also gives the digestive system a break allowing it to focus on metabolism and breaking down old undigested matter in our guts. It also helps expel toxins and heavy metals hidden in our bodies while also boosting our immune system and aids weight loss.

But believe it or not, there is method behind the process of juicing. Randomly throwing fruit and veg into a juicer is more likely to result in a sludge-coloured mess which could put you off for life!

A great way to discover how to get the best out of juicing is on a retreat. On a Platinum Healing residential, all juices, support supplements and cleansers are provided so all you need to do is sit back, relax and enjoy the journey.

Included are daily yoga and meditation sessions and a team of on-site mind and body therapists to tailor your treatments to your individual needs. Education talks and inspirational movies are provided to help provide the knowledge and know-how about juicing for health, the detox process and, importantly, how to keep up the good work post-retreat.

Kate said: “Our guests repeatedly tell us truly inspirational stories of how their individual journeys have changed their lives for the better.

“If you want to feel deeply relaxed, clear-headed, lose a few pounds and totally reboot your digestive system, from your tummy to your taste buds, then you should seriously think about a juice retreat.”

Get the best out of juicing

Feeling transformed and cleansed from top to toe, most people leave a retreat keen to keep up the good work back home.

With a little planning, a well-prepared shopping list, recipe handouts and new-found education of juicing, you are all set to make juicing an integral part of your new, healthier lifestyle.

To ensure you get the best of juicing, Kate has put together her top tips:

• When buying a juicer think of what is best suited to you and your family. Ask yourself is it quick, efficient, provide good nutritional juice, versatile (i.e. can it juice wheatgrass, blend nuts)? Look at the cost, length of warranty, ease of cleaning, noise levels, size and appearance? Masticating juicers are great in terms of juice quality, quantity, versatility and ease of juicing
• Aim for one green alkalizing juice a day – stick to the 80 20 rule of 80% vegetable and 20% fruit
• Buy organic where possible. Not only is it better for the environment but you will not be ingesting the harmful toxins that can be found in non-organic produce such as pesticides and herbicides
• Use ripe and pure (in Ayurveda this is known as Satvic) fresh fruit and vegetables within their use by date. Foods are most high in Prana (life-force) when they are ripe. The energetic quality diminishes when food starts to deteriorate
• Drink your juice ideally immediately or within 20 minutes of making to retain nutrients. If you are unable to do this ensure that you store in a tight glass bottle
• Always de-core apples as the seeds in the core are poisonous
• My motto is ‘Chew your juice and juice your food’! Swishing your juice around in your mouth before swallowing ensures that saliva will aid digestion
• Keep your juicer on your kitchen counter. Stored away, you’ll be less likely to use it
• Drink vegetable juices as well as the more appealing fruit juices to avoid consuming too much sugar
• Don’t forget herbs as they contain a whole host of goodness

Top 10 ingredients for juicing – by Platinum Healing founder Kate Tyler

• Spinach – helps increase serotonin levels naturally, great for boosting mood and energy. Nourishes the skin and eyes and helps build bones
• Celery – promotes a calming effect on the nervous system, a good tonic for insomnia. High in potassium, calcium, vitamin K and folate (also known vitamin B9) that helps the body break down and use proteins
• Kale – packed with carotenoids and flavonoids, powerful antioxidants that protect cells from free radicals
• Beetroot – helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol. This super food is great for a strong heart.
• Carrot – helps balance blood acidity and blood sugars while boosting the immune system. Cleanses the liver, so effective for acne caused by toxicity of the blood. Its anti-inflammatory effect helps reduce arthritis, rheumatism, gout and other inflammations
• Apples – contain high quantities of vitamin C, a powerful natural antioxidant, and beta-carotene
• Coriander – rich in iron and magnesium to help the nervous system function and strengthen bones. Coriander juice is also a good source of vitamins A, B and C – and is a well-known aphrodisiac!
• Garlic – garlic is a wonderful juicing ingredient used in moderation. It is a blood purifier with anti-parasitic properties
• Fennel – aids the stomach in the formation of bile and other digestive juices promoting proper digestion. It also has anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic properties so great for IBS and menstrual cramps
• Watermelon – one of the most alkalizing fruits there is. High in a host of minerals and vitamins including B vitamins, great for boosting energy levels

Two juices to kick-start your regime

Kate’s motto is ‘start green and stay green’ and here are two easy juicing recipes to get you started.

Morning Juice

¼ small pineapple

½ celery stick

2 green apples

1 inch cucumber

1 small handful baby spinach leaves

1 small piece of peeled lime

Juice together and serve cold.

Afternoon pick me up

If you’ve been eating ‘green and serene’ you probably won’t need a mid-afternoon pick me up, but just in case, this juice comes to the rescue.

Juice the following:

2 apples

½ beetroot

2 small parsnips

1 small handful of mint

Then blend in 1 tsp organic spirulina powder and serve cold.

Further information on Platinum Healing Retreats can be found here.

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