Beetroot juice for lactic acid in muscles

[Sasha]

I've just had a very physically demanding (for me) three days due to having to visit a distant hospital for a consultation and then having a family visit and being taken out for the afternoon yesterday. I must admit I pushed it - I hadn't been out of town since Xmas and couldn't resist just walking a bit further and a bit further to explore...

Anyway, I took advantage of the family visit to get them to chop lots of fruit and vegetables up so that I could try out my new juicer, which they kindly did, and I took a small glass of the juice this morning - a mix of beet, apple, carrot, cabbage and ginger.

We then went out for a coffee and I was surprised that I was able to keep going longer than normal, even with what I'd been doing over the last few days. I'm still waiting to get wiped out from yesterday's trip (you all know how the delayed fatigue works).

It occurred to me to look online for the benefits of beet juice and apparently, there is evidence that it increases stamina (and decreases BP, which I don't want) but at least anecdotally it seems to prevent lactic acid build-up:

http://tjbfs.com/2009/08/29/beetroot-juice-for-runners-yes-it-works/

Anybody else tried this/know anything about it?

Just going to have some more! Expect I will end up looking like this:

 

[Plum]

Lol! I got into juicing a while back. Beets help your liver detox. I actually got rid of fibromyalgia before by juicing 2 litres per day and a very clean diet. I know beets also nourish your blood. I enjoy them juiced with oranges.

You know there's a Phillips juicer that takes whole fruit? I have a brush to help wash my fruit and veg and then big things I chop in half or 1/4.

 

[Sasha]

I actually got rid of fibromyalgia before by juicing 2 litres per day and a very clean diet.

Wow! What juices did you take?

You know there's a Phillips juicer that takes whole fruit? I have a brush to help wash my fruit and veg and then big things I chop in half or 1/4.

I've just bought a Matstone 6-in-1 juice that's a masticating rather than centrifugal juicer and I'm very pleased with it. It works by crushing the stuff and it has a very high yield (just as well, since it was a bit expensive), is very quiet and (importantly) very easy to clean.

 

[Plum]

Wow! What juices did you take?



I've just bought a Matstone 6-in-1 juice that's a masticating rather than centrifugal juicer and I'm very pleased with it. It works by crushing the stuff and it has a very high yield (just as well, since it was a bit expensive), is very quiet and (importantly) very easy to clean.

Yeah I know the type you mean. I don't personally buy into the masticating juicers and I don't have the money for one. But I know they are viewed as the best kind. I also think they're too labour intensive. I wouldn't juice if I had to chop stuff up really small.

I did 2 litres of juice a day. Carrot and apple 1 litre and then beets with orange, celery and some kale. When I'm off the juices for a while the pain comes back. I find eating clean helps though.

Look into Gerson Therapy if yr interested in the therapeutics of juicing. I don't agree with everything they say but it's a good place to learn about juicing.

 

[Purple]

I confirm the effect of juicing on pain - much less pain since I have been juicing and having smoothies regularly. I am assuming it's because of the antioxidants and enzymes raw fruits and veggies contain. I also have a masticating juicer, excellent yield for leafy vegetables and wheatgrass.

But I also have lots of smoothies because I hate the waste from juicing and like to have the fibre too. We use a cheap(ish) Kenwood smoothie maker - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Compact-Smoothie-Speeds-2x0-5L-Travel/dp/B004Z3MPLA/ It does the job well, is super easy to clean and comes with two storage containers and things don't have to be cut too small. My smoothies tend to be baby food consistency so I eat them with a spoon.

My juices and/or smoothies usually contain at least 10 ingredients, including fresh herbs and coconut water. Incl. beets as I too have read they are good for the liver and even help to dissolve gall stones (though I would like to see references for this). It's good to have beetroot juice if you can stomach the taste!

 

[Sasha]

Yeah I know the type you mean. I don't personally buy into the masticating juicers and I don't have the money for one. But I know they are viewed as the best kind. I also think they're too labour intensive. I wouldn't juice if I had to chop stuff up really small.

Actually I've just this hour ordered an electric chopper!

I did 2 litres of juice a day. Carrot and apple 1 litre and then beets with orange, celery and some kale. When I'm off the juices for a while the pain comes back. I find eating clean helps though.

It's interesting that you were drinking so much. I have trouble keeping my weight down because I'm so immobile. I think I'd get hungry if I just swapped out solid food for juice because there wouldn't be the bulk in my stomach and because the fructose without the fibre to slow its absorption would give me a sugar spike. So I'm thinking of just adding it to my existing diet and just putting up with a bit of weight gain but 2 litres would be quite a few calories, I'd have thought.

I'm very interested in Joe Cross's (Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead documentary guy) experience of being on a juice fast for three months and curing himself of his urticaria (an autoimmune disease). If ME has an autoimmune component, I wonder if that's something that would help and he must have been drinking the stuff by the bucketload, like you did.

Did you just add that 2 litres of juice to a normal (but organic? is that what you mean by 'clean'?) diet?

Look into Gerson Therapy if yr interested in the therapeutics of juicing. I don't agree with everything they say but it's a good place to learn about juicing.

Thanks - I've read some stuff on juicing but I'm always up for more info.

 

[Sasha]

I confirm the effect of juicing on pain - much less pain since I have been juicing and having smoothies regularly. I am assuming it's because of the antioxidants and enzymes raw fruits and veggies contain. I also have a masticating juicer, excellent yield for leafy vegetables and wheatgrass.

But I also have lots of smoothies because I hate the waste from juicing and like to have the fibre too. We use a cheap(ish) Kenwood smoothie maker - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Compact-Smoothie-Speeds-2x0-5L-Travel/dp/B004Z3MPLA/ It does the job well, is super easy to clean and comes with two storage containers and things don't have to be cut too small. My smoothies tend to be baby food consistency so I eat them with a spoon.

My juices and/or smoothies usually contain at least 10 ingredients, including fresh herbs and coconut water. Incl. beets as I too have read they are good for the liver and even help to dissolve gall stones (though I would like to see references for this). It's good to have beetroot juice if you can stomach the taste!

I was trying green smoothies for a while but just found them too unpleasant to drink. There seems to be some sort of rule for how to put stuff together so you don't just get a load of horrible scum rather than a uniform, smooth suspension but I couldn't figure it out and I made quite a few truly disgusting ones, using recipes that people said were delicious. We all have different tastebuds, of course - I suspect I'm a 'supertaster' and find some foods bitter that others might not. I agree it would be better to have the fibre.

Also great to have lots of ingredients!

I'm fortunate that I like the taste of beetroot juice.

 

[Plum]

Sasha - yes I just added the juice to my diet although I eat Paleo and now only veges and meat, nothing else.

Depending on how you eat, juicing (as long as it's mainly veg), is not something you need to worry about calories wise. It's so nutrient dense and that's what we really need. It's the empty calories and toxins in my opinion that cause weight gain.

Eating Paleo seems helpful to a lot of people with ME and I find it impossible to over eat.

 

[Sasha]

Sasha - yes I just added the juice to my diet although I eat Paleo and now only veges and meat, nothing else.

Depending on how you eat, juicing (as long as it's mainly veg), is not something you need to worry about calories wise. It's so nutrient dense and that's what we really need. It's the empty calories and toxins in my opinion that cause weight gain.

Eating Paleo seems helpful to a lot of people with ME and I find it impossible to over eat.

Hope you're right about the weight gain! I'm going to do it anyway. If I make a miraculous recovery I can always burn it off!

 

[Plum]

Hope you're right about the weight gain! I'm going to do it anyway. If I make a miraculous recovery I can always burn it off!

You should look into healing with juicing. I gained a lot of weight since becoming ill and when it first started happening I was hungry all the time and didn't realise why. My body was starving for nutrients.

Now I don't eat any empty calories. I don't eat any grains as I don't digest them well. I cook everything myself. Have I gained weight? Only when trying to force my body to detox and it couldn't cope with the process - our bodies store toxins it can't deal with in fat cells as they're safe there.

Have I lost any weight? Yes when eating a very nutrient dense diet and juicing. For me my body has been best when I've eaten really well.

I think juicing a lot of fruit would create a big problem though. 4 carrots and 1 apple works well for me.

 

[Sasha]

You should look into healing with juicing. I gained a lot of weight since becoming ill and when it first started happening I was hungry all the time and didn't realise why. My body was starving for nutrients.

Now I don't eat any empty calories. I don't eat any grains as I don't digest them well. I cook everything myself. Have I gained weight? Only when trying to force my body to detox and it couldn't cope with the process - our bodies store toxins it can't deal with in fat cells as they're safe there.

Have I lost any weight? Yes when eating a very nutrient dense diet and juicing. For me my body has been best when I've eaten really well.

I think juicing a lot of fruit would create a big problem though. 4 carrots and 1 apple works well for me.

This is all very interesting. I'm eating mostly organic lately and am gluten-free, dairy-free vegan (with some more exclusions that I'm testing) so I'm hoping my diet is nutrient-dense but juicing would certainly make it more so.

Good tip about the carrots/apple ratio - thanks!

 

[Plum]

How come you don't eat meat? Are you eating grains? Beans? etc?

 

[Sasha]

How come you don't eat meat? Are you eating grains? Beans? etc?

I read the China Study and it convinced me to give vegan a try. I'm eating grains (well, seeds, technically - just quinoa and buckwheat) and pulses, nuts, fruit, veg..

 

[Purple]

I was trying green smoothies for a while but just found them too unpleasant to drink. There seems to be some sort of rule for how to put stuff together so you don't just get a load of horrible scum rather than a uniform, smooth suspension but I couldn't figure it out and I made quite a few truly disgusting ones, using recipes that people said were delicious. We all have different tastebuds, of course - I suspect I'm a 'supertaster' and find some foods bitter that others might not. I agree it would be better to have the fibre.

Also great to have lots of ingredients!

I'm fortunate that I like the taste of beetroot juice.

I wouldn't say my smoothies are just green - in fact, they look like a brown mess which I probably wouldn't consume if I didn't know all the goodness that I witnessed going into it! This is an example of one I had recently:
1 small apple
1 carrot
1 kiwi fruit (not too ripe)
blueberries
large handful of spinach leaves
1 leaf of kale (cavelo nero variety)
2 large Swiss chard leaves
2 celery stalks
half a small red onion
coriander
parsley
basil leaf or two
lemon juice
coconut water
2 spoons of coconut milk yoghurt

Sounds awful but funnily enough, nothing really overpowers everything else (but best to be careful with the kale - that can be very bitter). All the tastes come through but not very strongly, the overall taste is refreshing (due to the lemon juice) and slightly aromatic (due to the onion and herbs) and not too sweet (due to the apple being the only really sweet thing in it). I don't mind the taste - but of course, I have tasted better things in my life! We don't follow recipes but just chuck everything in.

 

[Sasha]

I wouldn't say my smoothies are just green - in fact, they look like a brown mess which I probably wouldn't consume if I didn't know all the goodness that I witnessed going into it!

Yes, mine were all brown!

Sounds awful but funnily enough, nothing really overpowers everything else (but best to be careful with the kale - that can be very bitter). All the tastes come through but not very strongly, the overall taste is refreshing (due to the lemon juice) and slightly aromatic (due to the onion and herbs) and not too sweet (due to the apple being the only really sweet thing in it). I don't mind the taste - but of course, I have tasted better things in my life! We don't follow recipes but just chuck everything in.

Good tip on the lemon juice, and thanks for the recipe. Some surprising things (onion!) in there. Maybe I'll have another go sometime - I got a good blender and it seems a shame to waste it. I'm not well enough for the amount of food prep that a very-multi-ingredient thing would need and live on my own so have to be careful not to buy more than can go in my small fridge and that I can get through myself, but I like the idea of something you eat with a teaspoon rather than try to drink. I don't think some of these things are pleasant as drinks.

 

[Purple]

Some surprising things (onion!)

That's in there for its antimicrobial properties (and sulphur) I saw an Indian cookery TV programme and they said that in the olden days, a local doctor (ayurvedic) would say what ingredients should go into meals to be as healing and medicinal as possible and it was the job of the chef to make an edible meal/recipe out of the ingredients. I thought that was quite sensible - hence some unexpected ingredients in my smoothies

 

[xchocoholic]

I've consistently found that juicing will energize me for the first couple of days then the party's
over. I tried varying the ingredients only to hit the same wall. I still do this from time to time tho.
I'm assuming since I get an energy boost I must need this. I'm on a red cabbage kick now.

Fwiw, I wanted to give you a heads up on juicing high oxalate and fibrous veggies. I only
have an el cheapo juicer so I get fiber but I ended up damaging my esophagus from these.
It's healed now but it took several months. High ox foods including beets, carrots, ginger, chard, etc are commonly
used in juicing.

I've never gotten the energy boost from smoothies (green and other) that I get from juice. I finally figured out that I need
to use 3 servings of rice protein to satisfy my hunger too. Otherwise I'm ready to eat a meal with
these. My fav right now is cilantro, banana, kiwi, rice protein and salt. I remove the seeds from the kiwi to lower
the oxalates.

I read that compression garments are also being used by athletes to remove lactic acid but I haven't tried these yet.
Tc ... X

 

[Sasha]

Fwiw, I wanted to give you a heads up on juicing high oxalate and fibrous veggies. I only have an el cheapo juicer so I get fiber but I ended up damaging my esophagus from these.
It's healed now but it took several months. High ox foods including beets, carrots, ginger, chard, etc are commonly
used in juicing.

[...]

I read that compression garments are also being used by athletes to remove lactic acid but I haven't tried these yet.
Tc ... X

That's interesting - when I drank quite a lot of juice many years ago I found that some of these drinks gave me a sore throat so maybe it was those oxalates. I'll watch out for that. Thanks!

I have a pair of compression tights for OI but they're such a draining physical effort to drag on that I can't manage them (the strain of getting them on gives me back pain!). I didn't realise that that was why athletes used compression garments - interesting!

 

[rosie26]

That was interesting xchocoholic I usually juice every 3 days apart as I don't like overdoing a good thing incase it may go the other way cause other problems, so I guess bit of everything in moderation ?

 

[ukxmrv]

Juicing really upsets my stomach and causes pain, vomiting and diarrhea. It seems too rich or dense somehow. Fruits, veges - all a disaster for me.

Beetroot I can eat in salads and cooked dishes so I'll pay more attention and see if I see any difference in muscle pain.