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OREM — It seems like each new year brings a new health trend with it. And 2019 has people on the internet talking about how they can't find celery in stock at their local grocer anymore.
If you've been on social media the last month, you've likely seen pictures of people drinking celery juice and sharing their testimonies of the accompanying health benefits.
Sharee Snyder jumped on board last November. She said she goes through about 21 bunches a week. “It’s a lot of celery. It really is almost truly a case a week,” Snyder said.
Every morning, Sharee Snyder drinks 32 ounces of pure celery juice before eating breakfast and resuming her normal diet. She said it’s a little salty, but worth it.
She was diagnosed with Epstein-Barr virus and always felt exhausted. “I don’t want to get out of bed. I don't have the energy to talk. I'm too tired to chew," she explained.
Snyder and her daughter, Eliza Snyder, were skeptical at first. “I was like, ‘That is crazy,” Eliza Snyder said.
After drinking celery juice regularly for a few months, Sharee Snyder said her sleep, focus, energy and inflammation levels have all improved. "My mental clarity is so much better. Brain fog is pretty much gone," she said. “It’s working, it’s working!”
Eliza Snyder said it's also improved her depression and anxiety. She said celery juice, in addition to going to therapy, has been really helpful. She added that it’s helped her feel not so overwhelmed.
She admitted all her friends think she is crazy. “But I tell them all to drink it. If they're having problems I’m like, ‘Just drink some celery juice. I'll bring you some,’” Eliza Snyder said.
Dr. Tara Finnerty, a registered dietician at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital, said if the regimen encourages people to eat more veggies, she supports it. "Well, if it works, it works. Do it, I have nothing against it," she said.
However, Finnerty encourages people to study the science behind any new trend. "Is there really a legit mechanism that's helping people feel better? And if there is, and it's not doing harm, I'm all for it," she said.
Finnerty also encourages people to eat a wide variety of whole vegetables too. "If you're drinking that and just eating processed foods, I don't know if you're going to feel much of a benefit," Finnerty said.
She said celery does have anti-inflammatory properties, but she also encourages people to eat cruciferous veggies like broccoli and Brussels sprouts which are loaded with nutrients.
Although there is limited research, Sharee Synder said she is happy with the results so far.
"(I) truly feel really good, like I'm back on my bike. I'm training again," she said. “I can live the life that I want.”
