Energizing “Prana” Juice Recipe

Many of you have probably heard the term “prana” if you go to yoga. Prana is taught in our Western culture to mean “breath.” But in the ancient Indian language, Sanskrit, one of the oldest languages in world dating back to 1,500 B.C., prana translates to “life-force.”

During my training at The Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center with Dr. Gabriel Cousens, we studied how eating a diet rich with live foods, also known as raw foods, provided life-force energy and affected our energy levels. After 3 months, I experienced an abundance of energy, as my cells were vibrating with life-force and in return, I felt joy and spirited.

Cousens said “the green of our garden, the algae in our water, the trees, grasses and herbs on our lands are the transforming agents that harvest the sun’s light via the process of photosynthesis. When we consume these foods, this stored sun energy is released into our bodies as electrons; it is then transformed into ATP, adenosine triphosphate, the biological energy necessary for all cellular function.”

The process of cooking can diminish the molecular structure of the water in the plants, and it is believed that this structure it what increases the ability to hold the energy that Cousens explained.

Juicing for Life-Force

A great way to increase your life-force energy is through enjoying a juice as a snack or as an addition to your breakfast. The raw fruits and vegetables used in juicing provide enzymes and the liquid nutrients create better digestion and absorption of the nutrients.

Juicing helped me release my addiction to coffee. I would depend on coffee and espresso to wake up in the morning and keep me going during my 3:00 pm energy “crash.” During my health food transformation, I discovered that skipping breakfast and replacing it with coffee and a banana increased the blood sugar spikes I was feeling mid-morning. I realized eating a breakfast with protein, healthy fat, and fiber from fruits and vegetables was nourishing and gave my body the energy I needed without having to grab the coffee or candy bar. Also, adding a juice mid-afternoon helped me feel vibrant, or drinking it first thing in the morning before breakfast helped energize my body and mind, while detoxifying my liver.

Often, I would wake early to juice, and I washed my veggies and fruits the night before so I would be ready to go in the a.m. I was able to completely let go of my coffee habit.

Juicing for Hormone Health

During the Follicular phase, we begin to feel very energetic and mentally stimulated as our Follicle Stimulating Hormone and Estrogen levels rise. Estrogen is responsible for the growth and development of the uterus and of the follicles that contain eggs during the first half of the monthly cycle, leading up to ovulation. The rise in these hormones creates an energetic feeling within you at this time, along with a surge of creativity and a detailed mind to plan out how to achieve your new ideas.

Juice, as a snack or breakfast (if you are sensitive to sugar, you may want to eat a healthy snack with protein and fat after the juice has been absorbed), is a great light and energy building drink to aid in your energetic feeling during this time of your monthly cycle. As you are ending menstruation, you may be feeling… well, a little blah…and juicing is a great way to provide your body with an abundance of nutrients to kick-start your system into your “spring phase” of your female monthly cycle.

This juice has liver detoxifying antioxidants like Vitamin C and beta-carotene from the carrots and oranges, and immune supporting cranberries. Cranberries prevent UTI’s, and if you are susceptible to these, chances for one can increase during menstruation, as vaginal pH levels are lower and more prone to infection.

Enjoy this juice, for the life-force energy it will bring into your system.