Dr
Jensen’s Nutrition Handbook:
A
Daily Regimen for Healthy Living
Dr
Jensen’s Juicing Therapy:
Nature’s Way to Better Health and a Longer Life
by Dr Bernard Jensen
Published by Keats Publishing. 2000. £12.99 each. Paperback.
ISBN 0-658-00278-3; ISBN 0-658-00279-1
Reviewed by June Butlin, Ph.D.
About
the Reviewer
June M Butlin is a trained teacher, nutritionist, kinesiologist, aromatherapist,
fitness trainer and sports therapist. She is a writer, health researcher
and lecturer and is committed to helping people achieve their optimum
level of health. She runs a private practice in Wiltshire. June can be
contacted on 01225 754924. nutexcel@zoom.co.uk
Dr
Jensen’s Nutrition Handbook
This book is written by Dr Bernard Jensen
who has 70 years experience in studying foods, healing, and nutrition.
It offers a practical step-by-step programme to educate people to meet
their nutritional requirements and achieve a healthy lifestyle.
However, the advice presented is more appropriate
for those who are healthy, under par, convalescing, or just wanting to
prevent ill health rather than those who are suffering from specific conditions
or degenerative diseases. Neither does the book take into account biochemical
individuality and therefore will meet the needs of many, but not all people.
Dr Jensen shows how the body’s biochemistry
is affected by the kinds of foods we choose to eat and the importance
of our children’s nutrition. He believes that ill health derives from
inherent weaknesses passed to us from our parents, toxic substances we
accumulate in our bodies from environmental pollution etc, and chemical
deficiencies due to an inadequate diet or digestive problem. To counteract
these he advocates food laws based on a wide variety of quality, organic,
wholefoods, high in fibre and alkalizing vegetables and fruits, with a
large percentage of raw foods or foods cooked on a very low heat. One
of the food laws is to separate starch and protein, which may be advantageous
for many, but detrimental for others, particularly those with poor glucose
control including diabetics and sufferers of syndrome X and hypoglycaemia.
He lists rules for eating and rules for
getting well and provides suggested breakfast, lunch and dinner menus
as well as preparation tips. Most of the ingredients seem fairly easy
to obtain apart from his recommendations for ‘oat straw’ and ‘shave grass’
teas. The section on milk substitute drinks and how to make them is useful
for those avoiding cow’s milk products. And he makes a good argument for
taking nutritional supplements, which is useful if you are unsure of whether
to take them or not. His chapter on ‘The Four Missing Chemical Elements’
referring to calcium, sodium, iodine and silicon may mislead some people,
as he feels these nutrients are missing in practically every patient and
recommends adding more in the diet or through supplementation. Many of
our diets are already high in sodium and calcium and extra could be detrimental
to the body, so seek further advice before considering this option.
My favourite chapter in the book is entitled
‘The four elimination channels and the lymph drainage system’, which I
think encompasses Dr Jensen’s huge wisdom and knowledge. He gives excellent,
specific recommendations for the bowel, kidneys, lungs, skin and lymphatic
system including foods, drinks, vitamins, minerals and herbs. He follows
with recommendations for exercise and a healthy mind to encompass his
truly holistic approach to healing.
Finally, he concludes that all worthwhile
or complete treatments should include nutrition. He also suggests that
without the proper balance of a good variety of nutrient rich foods on
a continuing basis good health cannot be achieved and maintained. I wholeheartedly
agree with this!
Dr
Jensen’s Juicing Therapy
This is an update of Dr Jensen’s classic
work on the healing power of fruit and vegetable juices. They contain
very high levels of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, bioflavonoids, phytochemicals
and carotenoids, which activate the body’s ability to heal. He cites stories
to prove this. One is of a 31-year-old woman with 13 leg ulcers who had
undergone allopathic treatment for 3 years without success. He healed
her in just three weeks through green leafy vegetable juices high in chlorophyll.
Another is a patient in the final stages of bowel cancer. He took carrot
juice and liquid chlorophyll for a year and was reported to be absolutely
free of cancer when he attended the hospital.
Dr Jensen advocates juice fasting on certain
occasions for specific physical ailments and conditions. Otherwise he
emphasizes that juices should be taken in addition to the diet, as we
need fibre foods for bowel tone, proper elimination and for protein. Therefore,
a variety of juice snacks taken twice daily would give us health and vitality
and prevent disease. Specifically juices cleanse the blood, lymph and
intracellular fluid, counteract toxins, repair tissue integrity and restore
energy and alertness.
The book makes it clear that nutrients in
the juices are only as good as the soil they are grown in and that the
label organic does not guarantee that it has been grown on mineral rich
soil.
There is a comprehensive analytical food
guide to help the reader to make the best choices of foods to juice and
over 100 delicious, easy-to-make recipes for adults, babies and children.
He supplies useful information on blending and ways of juicing without
having a juicing machine.
The book is definitely worth reading as
juicing is a valuable tool for healing. All the nutritional therapies
for degenerative diseases include fresh raw juices such as those advocated
by Anne Wigmore, Dr Bircher-Benner and Dr Max Gerson. That Dr Jenson is
a healthy 91 year old speaks for itself!