Why celery juice may be a good idea for reducing Rosacea

The Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians used the bitter leaves and aromatic seeds of the celery plant as medicine, as a condiment and in rituals yet today celery is known more than anything for its ability to transform soup, stews and other dishes with its flavour and texture.

So can it really fair well at promoting beautifully radiant skin, is it really a youth promoting skin elixir and can juicing celery stalks reduce rosacea?

Made up of 95% water, at first glance Celery is not much to write home about aside from being super hydrating! Hold on that is SOMETHING to write home about when it comes to good skin, hydration is key!

Delve a bit deeper and we begin to learn that the remaining 5% is a powerful, dense mix of phytonutrients. At around 10 calories a stalk, Celery is also credited as being one of the only foods that cause you to burn more calories than you take in - something known as the thermic effect of food.

Organically grown celery is the preferable source, as we must note that celery is listed among the top 10 fruits and vegetables that frequently have the highest pesticide residue. According to the Environmental Working Group’s annually published research on detectable pesticide residues on fresh produce, more than 95% of samples of conventionally grown celery tested positive for pesticides. Some good news though, washed in sea salt water and sodium bicarbonate can go some way in removing these but organic is preferable. In fact it can be grown easily at home if you retain the celery top (watch this video after reading the rest of this post).

Celery provides a source of vitamin K, vitamin C, potassium, folate, manganese, calcium, riboflavin, magnesium and vitamin B6, which are all essential vitamins and minerals for a balanced diet. Rich in antioxidants with at least twelve known antioxidant compounds including caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, and ferulic acid, these all help the body to remove cancer-promoting free radicals in the body. Celery extract in fact has been studied for two potential anticancer compounds: apigenin, and luteolin. According to the authors of a 2016 study lab tests have shown that apigenin may contribute to apoptosis, a kind of programmed cell death, which could make it useful as a cancer treatment.  A 2017 study looked at whether luteolin could reduce inflammation and lower allergic responses in mice with asthma. Results went on to show that giving the mice luteolin half an hour before exposing them to an allergen, significantly reduced the levels of inflammation within their lungs and nasal passages. More on its antioxidant properties here.

Celery is a good source of protective plant compounds called flavonoids, which have anti-inflammatory and protective effects on the cardiovascular system. The anti-inflammatory action can help reduce inflammation in the body which is the number one cause of underlying chronic disease.  Celery is a cooling vegetable, Celery’s high water content and naturally present electrolytes help to regulate body temperature by both hydrating and cooling the body down this in turn (along with the potassium) can promote a good night’s sleep. Everyone needs electrolytes to survive. Many automatic processes in the body rely on a small electric current to function, and electrolytes provide this charge.

There are three key reasons Celery juice works wonders on the skin - coumarins, vitamin C, and sodium cluster salts. Celery's vitamins and nutrients, including silicon, salt, calcium, magnesium and are natural anti-inflammatories.

The cluster salts released from the fibre take on an antiseptic and antibacterial role in the body by starving pathogens and reversing inflammation that can help rosacea patients reduce skin redness and irritation.

Celery is a natural diuretic that helps the body remove toxins. It can also help avoid clogged pores, which can lead to acne pimples and rosacea papules. Alongside its natural healing benefits for inflammatory skin conditions, consuming celery juices promotes an alkaline environment within the body which makes it a great choice to add to foods or to drink in a juiced form to balance acidic foods. There's a compound present in Celery known as coumarin which aids the vascular system. Celery like all high alkaline content foods, purifies the bloodstream, is a natural stress reliever, helps reduce blood pressure and aids in balancing and maintaining our digestive system. 

In addition, many health practitioners believe that skin conditions are a result of a leaky gut which is an increased intestinal permeability; a digestive condition in which bacteria and toxins are able to “leak” through the intestinal wall. Celery Juice heals and activates the gut by restoring levels of hydrochloric acid - this helps us digest things faster and more efficiently. Celery juice helps raise stomach acid, which is necessary to help break down food, especially protein. This is turn reduces stress, improves mood, and brightens skin. Improving the gut lining can only better support the health and outward condition of skin. 

Who's up for a 7 day eating and or drinking of celery? It tastes great with peanut butter! Send me an email if you have anything remarkable to feedback and I will do the same in my weekly Wellness Wednesday email. 

 

🌿The Skin Elixir blog is in the top 20 UK Skin Care Blogs. https://blog.feedspot.com/uk_skin_care_blogs/

 

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