Beauty is skin deep

The skin is particularly affected by sluggish digestion and overworked kidneys. If your kidneys can't cope with the amount of waste being generated by your daily intake of food and drink, the toxins will come out via your skin instead, sometimes causing blemishes to appear.
Fresh fruit and vegetable juices can help detoxify your body and stimulate the kidneys, and a whole range of juices can feed the skin with, yep you've guessed, those much needed vitamins and minerals.
The onset of lines and wrinkles might be delayed a little with a regular intake of juices containing the antioxidant nutrients: vitamins A, C, E, beta-carotene and the mineral selenium. These have the ability to quench the unstable molecules called free radicals which play a role in the ageing process.
For the best results in keeping your skin looking healthy combine juices made with beetroot, parsley and spinach (which stimulate the digestive system and kidneys) with ones that are high in vitamins C, E and beta-carotene, and the minerals zinc and potassium. For example why not try orange and strawberry, fennel, red cabbage and apple or carrot and celery (yes celery).
The existence of an elixir of eternal life and youth remains in the realms of myth, but scientists have recently discovered that everyday vitamins and minerals may combat premature ageing. The antioxidants beta-carotene (this one seems to come up a lot), vitamins C, E and the mineral selenium are thought to help delay the onset of lines and wrinkles. These nutrients also feed collagen, the vital substance that keeps skin elastic and flexible.
So try mixing-up some of these - Carrot and parsley; kale, apple and carrot; grapefruit and orange; peach, raspberries and guava.
Even acne can be helped by these wonder juices. Whether it's during your teenage years, or it continues into adult life, it is one of those conditions that is irritating and unsightly. It is either hereditary or caused by and imbalance of hormones. It causes the skin's sebum glands to produce too much grease, which then becomes infected by bacteria. Any fruit or veg rich in beta-carotene and zinc can be of benefit to suffers. For example; carrot and watercress; tomato and broccoli; apple, mango and raspberries; or apricots, cherries and nectarines. I don't like the vegetable juices but you have to be careful about your sugar intake when drinking these juices. Fruit has a lot of natural sugar and if you drink too much it can be bad for your health so I recommend having a fruit drink in the morning then something with some vegetables in during the day.k
They say you should practice what you preach so toady I tried apple and carrot for breakfast to give my skin a treat. Each recipe give specific amounts of fruit to use but I've never been one for following the rules so I just put in whatever I like and they usually taste ok. This drink was really sweet and very drinkable and wasn't too thick in consistency. It gets a thumbs up from me. Rating 4/5

Today's ratings (out of 5)

Energy: 4
Hassle: 4
Benefits: 3

Fibre - skin or no skin?

Studies show that most enzymes, vitamins and minerals lie just below the skins of fruits and vegetables, so it is best to leave them on whenever possible. You have to be careful however as this is also where most pesticide residues collect. The best thing to do is buy organic, but as a student this is far too expensive so generally it is safer to peel non-organic produce or wash the item thoroughly in warm water first.
The American Institute for Cancer Research in Washington D.C. has conducted some research that suggests juices aren't as good for you as eating fruit and veg in their 'whole' state. For example, one study reports that a whole orange contains up to five times more of one major antioxidant than a glass of orange juice. The antioxidant is found in the white pulp and membranes that separate the orange segments from each other.

Solid fruits and vegetables also provide dietary fibre not found in juice. Bacteria in our colon break down soluble fibre, producing fatty acids that some studies suggest protects our colon against cancer-causing influences. Overall, studies have produced conflicting results on the significance of fibre for cancer prevention, but it is far too early to dismiss.

Eating solid fruits and vegetables can also lower risk of cancer and heart disease by helping you reach and maintain a healthy weight. Juice does not offer the same weight control benefits. Fruit juice is a more concentrated source of calories than solid fruits and vegetables. A one-half cup serving of most vegetables and fruit contains from 25 to 70 calories. Even a modest serving of most fruit juice six ounces contains 70 to 105 calories. (Tomato-based juices are the low-calorie exception.) Furthermore, numerous studies show that we don't tend to make up for calories we drink by eating any less. When we eat fiber-rich food like fruits and vegetables, however, we tend to feel full and thus, eat fewer calories. This I can say is true, although my breakfast juice will has been keeping me full until lunch, there is no way I could just have another one for lunch and I find I am eating more!

I am left slightly discouraged by this information but I will carry on, if only to prove the experts wrong!

Breakfast today had to again be prepared the night before as there is no way I'm getting out of bed earlier just to make them. I had the aptly named 'strawberry and kiwifruit' which was exactly that. This one again was full of flavour although not quite sweet enough for me. Rating 4/5

I seem to be picking bad mixes for my 2nd juice of the day. If you are reading this and want to give the juicelife a try please heed this advice - never try the ones with beetroot in! Apart from staining everything in sight (my hands included) the flavour of this particular vegetable over powers anything else you include in the juice!

'beetnik';

2 small beetroot

50g grapes

1 orange

This drink was blood red and I should have saved myself the hassle of juicing the ingredients and just eat the beetroot as that was all I could taste. Luckily this recipe doesn't make that much actual juice so I managed to gulp it down in a few mouthfuls. Here's to good health! Rating 1/5

With regard to the cost I have only spent another £8 on ingredients and I've got more than enough to last me until next week. If you stick to just 2-a-day your weekly shopping bill should, in fact, become less, as generally speaking fruit and vegetables don't cost as much as you might think.

Today's ratings (out of 5)

Energy: 4

Hassle: 5

Benefits: 2