My favourite healing juices for glowing, clear skin

Drink your way to clear skin

Nicole Richie has declared herself a ‘juice fanatic’, Colin Farrell is often papped with his green smoothie in hand and rumour has it blended greens were the secret behind Kate Middleton’s pre-wedding diet. But before you dismiss liquid kale as simply the latest bikini body trend, it’s worth exploring the true benefits of juicing, which extend far beyond weight loss.

The incredible advantages of extracting liquid nutrients from specific fruit, veg and herbs, are the very precise health complaints the process can target. Struggling with insomnia? Add a few sprigs of tarragon to your favourite juice, it helps relax the nerves and regulates the circulatory system inducing a restful nights sleep. Juicing ginger can settle an upset stomach and relieve the pain of PMT. And starting the day with a green, alkaline juice, rich in dark, leafy vegetables can have a miraculous affect on your skin.

Internal inflammation is so often the common denominator in skin complaints. Whether you’re suffering from acne, eczema or psoriasis, there are some important foods to include and exclude from your diet which could prompt dramatic remission. Target the underlying cause rather than the symptom and you’re kick starting a process of true healing from within. Juicing floods your body with a ton of nutrients whilst requiring little assistance from your major digestive organs. This allows your body to rest, inflammation to cool and in turn your skin to heal.

REDUCE

Nightshade foods - including tomatoes, potatoes, chillies and peppers
Dairy
Refined Sugar
Alcohol

INCREASE

Water consumption - squeeze a fresh lemon in to still water to alkalise it
Green leafy vegetables - add in to juices and salads
Avocado - a brilliant plant source of healthy omega oils
Brazil nuts - their selenium content is fantastic and super beneficial for skin

Psoriasis

This autoimmune illness is a skin condition close to my heart. I struggled with psoriasis from being fifteen years old. Twenty years on, having tried steroid creams, tars and light treatments, I finally found my answer in juicing. This is my favourite combination for healing psoriasis.

A perfect little skin cleanser which combines five cooling, alkaline fruit & veg, each providing a powerful vitamin boost. With the magnesium in spinach designed to promote rest, the ability of celery, cucumber and avocado to help prevent unwanted inflammation and the pectin in apples to coat the gut, this all-round cooling juice will alkalise the body, calm the internal heat and reduce skin redness and itching.

High 5 - Gimme Some Skin!

• 1⁄2 Cucumber
• 2 x Stick Celery
• 3 x Apples
• Handful of Spinach 
• 1⁄2 avocado
• Lecithin granules
• Run everything except the avocado through the juicer. Add to your blender with the avocado, a tablespoon of lecithin granules and some ice. Blend until smooth. Drink.

Eczema

I went through a really painful phase of having eczema around my mouth and across my eyelids last year. Reducing dairy products and switching from regular milk to almond milk can begin calming eczema very quickly. Oranges and strawberries are two fruit which also seemed to cause a real problem for me. Strawberries are often sprayed with a ton of pesticides and the little seeds you see in their skin can prove to be an irritant causing inflammation which often manifests itself a skin complaint.

Apples are anti everything! Antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti allergy. Lemons have immune-boosting powers and are excellent as a digestive aid and liver cleanser. Asparagus contains high levels of the amino acid asparagine, which acts as a natural diuretic. Increased urination not only releases fluid but helps rid the body of excess salts. Celery with its high water content will continue hydrating your body and mint acts as an excellent skin cleanser, soothing your skin, and helping to cure infections and itchiness.

A Proper Skinful

• 6 x Small asparagus spears 
• 2 x Stick Celery
• 2 x Apples
• A few sprigs of Mint
• Small chunk of Lemon
• Run everything through the juicer. Add to your blender with the some ice. Blend until smooth. Drink.

 Acne

I had a huge problem with spots as a teenager and in recent years I started suffering from jawline acne outbreaks which are more commonly associated with hormones changes. Drinking beet juice regularly may be beneficial in the prevention and cure of skin inflammation like acne. This juice helps eliminate blemishes and promotes healthy hair.

It would be easier to list the things beetroot doesn’t do! Not only is it great for boosting stamina and making muscles work harder, the high content of nitrates mean its awesome for widening blood vessels, in turn lowering blood pressure. It also contains potassium, an essential stress busting nutrient. Plus magnesium, iron, vitamins A, B6 and C, AND folic acid ... phew! Coriander calms the mood & aids sleep, this clever plant is full of zinc and binds to heavy metals in the body helping to expel them as toxins. The chemical compound quercetin is especially prevalent in red apples and mostly in their skins, with specific immune-modulatory properties these sweet little additions are perfect for regulating autoimmune disorders.

Just Beet It

• 1 x Small Beetroot
• 2 x Stick Celery
• 2 x Red Apples
• A few sprigs of Coriander (cilantro USA)
• Small chunk of Lemon
• Run everything through the juicer. Add to your blender with the some ice. Blend until smooth. Drink.