The Mama Edna Project

The cost of buying organic produce for cooking meals everyday can be expensive. Buying all the produce needed to juice on a daily basis can add up even more quickly. The decision to eat healthy and take on a juicing regimen, however, is a very important step to getting healthier, to building a stronger immune system and to fighting disease. Many organizations like The Gerson Institute, John Hopkins University, Hippocrates Health Institute, The American Cancer Society and many cancer-surviving celebrities like Kris Carr and Joan Lunden, authors like Rebecca Katz and Pat Crocker all have the organic produce theme in their lives, books and research. So how do you afford to juice organically on a budget.

First, consider the benefits to your body. Will you save money with fewer doctor’s visits, medications and procedures through healthier eating and juicing? Could juicing possibly give you a longer, healthier, more sustainable quality of life while you fight a disease like cancer? Only you and your doctors can really answer this question for you, but most professionals agree that eating organically and juicing organic produce can be a huge benefit.

Second, look for ways to tighten your budget in areas that may not be healthy. Cut out the daily wine or cocktail, for example, and only have them as a treat on occasion. Limit trips to restaurants and fast-food chains which are usually less than healthy anyway and more expensive. Eat less meat. Meat is very expensive on any budget. Healthy, grass-fed or organically raised meats are even more expensive. Choose to go meatless two days a week. You will never miss it. Choose a chick pea burger with pickled onions, cucumber and a dollop of organic Greek yogurt over a bed of arugula for a light, healthy dinner. When eating meat, limit the portion size. Most doctors agree that animal proteins should be limited to about a 4 ounce portion, about the size of your iPhone screen.

Third, focus your juicing on 3 to 5 ingredients instead of 7 to 10. Depending on why you are juicing, you need a minimum of 4 nutrient-packed ounces of juice a day or up to 32 ounces in the case of a regimen like The Gerson Therapy recommends for healing cancer. Here at The Mama Edna Project, we strongly suggest using carrots as a main staple in juicing. It’s the ingredient most prescribed by The Gerson Therapy and in many other therapies around the world. Carrots are by far the most bang for your buck, not only from an expense standpoint, but carrots are also one of the best cancer fighters according to many researchers because they are loaded with vitamins and antioxidants. Create a juice which is 50% carrots and add a quarter of a lemon, one inch of peeled ginger, a packed cup of greens or a few ounces of wheatgrass, and half an apple in a masticating juicer. A slow or masticating juicer may cost about $100 upfront, but the cost savings in produce will pay off after the initial expense (see our note on slow vs. fast juicers).

Fourth, when shopping, choose ingredients that store well. Carrots, sweet potatoes, celery, ginger, lemon and green apples have a longer shelf life than most other produce. For an occasional twist on your juice flavor and nutrient options, add a zucchini, cucumber, or beet to the mix, again limiting your ingredient list to only 3 to 5 total ingredients. Greens are always more challenging as their shelf life is much shorter. Buy greens 2 to 3 times weekly in small amounts to alleviate waste. Learn to grow your own wheatgrass for pennies a serving rather than pay $4 to $5 per serving at your local market (again, we have a note on growing wheatgrass: email us with specific questions). Another tip on buying produce is buying local. Organic farmers close by need your business. The produce is grown close by, thus the shelf life will be longer since it does not have to travel from across country or the world to get to your local grocery store.

Fifth, find ways to use your pulp. Make stocks with it, find or create recipes for baking healthy crackers, muffins or energy bars using various portions of the pulp. Juice ingredients in order and take out the pulp you want to use in a recipe. Or just dump it all into a stock pot with an onion and some garlic, black peppercorns and a bay leaf to create a stock for a soup. Find someone who needs the pulp to feed chickens. Trade the pulp for eggs. Or just compost the pulp in your garden to grow luscious produce during the warmer months.

I hope you find these tips useful. Whatever means it takes, strive to get some juice in your daily routine for better health, especially if you are battling with a life-threatening or debilitating disease such as cancer, lupus or other auto-immune related illness or leukemia. Get your juice on in 2016! Reach out to us if we can guide you in any way or find a medical resource to help with your journey.