Juicing can be a powerful nutritional tool to add to your life. I add juices into my day for a boost of energy and phytonutrients. Especially in the morning and the late afternoon, having green juice is a game changer for me. It helps me power through that mid-morning snack craving and the afternoon slump so I am energized and happy.
Fresh fruit and vegetable juices are delicious and can replace any sweet drink (like diet soda/lemonade/crystal light) that you may be used to drinking throughout the day. Instead of getting empty calories (or additional chemicals/toxins) from those drinks, you will get vast nutritional benefits from the juice. Try drinking a fresh juice if you are craving something sweet - it will curb that craving and give you lasting energy.
I will often recommend seasonal 1-5 day juice cleanses to my clients, because there are SO many benefits. Here are a few:
Adding phytonutrients to your diet. When you juice vegetables and fruits, you get the vitamins and nutrients of those plants without the fiber. It would be difficult to eat the same amount of vegetables that you juice, but just by juicing you receive the benefits of the nutrients in the food without having to digest the fiber. That leads to benefit #2…
Cleansing and detoxing your body. Each of your cells are being nourished by what you eat every day, and each cell has its own digestive process to eliminate the toxins that we invariably take in. With a juice fast, you are giving your body the nutrients it needs without any toxins, so your cells are able to break down the excess toxins that have been stored up over time. When drinking exclusively fresh juices, your digestive system is less occupied with breaking down the fiber in your food, and is able to fully dedicate itself to absorbing nutrients and eliminating toxins.
This helps to jumpstart your metabolism and supports all organ functioning! On a 3-7 day juice fast, your liver will cleanse itself, your cells will begin to process insulin properly again (which is the hormone that enables each cell to expel fat), your blood will cleanse itself of the toxins that have been stored there due to the liver being over loaded; and your kidneys will also experience cleansing so that the water that your body has retained to protect your cells from toxins will be expelled - bc the toxins are no longer present.
Weight loss is an immediate result. I think it goes without saying that a juice fast would produce significant weight loss. But the reason is not because you have starved yourself, but because you have nourished yourself. Your body will be able to properly digest food because it is no longer bogged down with toxins and occupied with breaking down fiber. Any bloating or swelling will cease. Weight loss is not the goal of a juice cleanse, but it is a clear result. The advantage is that a short stint of juicing will produce such long reaching effects that will help you to continue down a healthy path!
It is smart to pair your juice cleanse with low impact exercise and extended stretching. This moves the lymph around your body and cleans your blood. Green juices (made with leafy vegetables) will then assist your body in better digestion, attaching to the toxins in your body and taking it out. This then leads to clearer skin, fewer wrinkles, and more vibrant appearance.
There are many more benefits of juicing that I hope to share with you!!
The way I have done extended juice fasts in the past is by drinking decaf tea when I wake up (I like Rooibos), followed by the energizing Elixir of Life for breakfast, anti-inflammatory Tropical Green juice for lunch, and Grounding Red Beet juice for dinner. I drink a lot of water and herbal tea in between. When on a juice fast, you will be more tired than usual, so it is nice to plan a few days with lesser activity so your body really can rest and digest. Day 2 of the fast you will be the grumpiest, so warn those closest to you and don’t be surprised at yourself. I end up going to sleep earlier, waking up feeling shockingly refreshed, and by day 3 I feel like I could just keep going!
After your fast is over, ease into eating whole foods by starting with an apple with almond butter, a light salad, or fresh or cooked veggies. I recommend taking another 2-4 days to follow your cleanse with a vegan meal plan to keep assisting your body’s digestion and cleansing, while gaining more energy. I have found that by doing this, my cravings totally change! What I would crave before the fast (cheese!! cake!!) no longer sounds appealing, but rather fresh plant food looks amazing :).
One of the programs I offer my clients is my CLEANSE CLUB. I will guide you through this powerful process with health and lifestyle coaching as well. Contact me for a free Health History consultation, and to see how to we can work together to discover the best way to eat for your body.