I will never forget the first time I had a freshly squeezed juice – my boyfriend’s mum handed to me a glass full of very dark liquid and said “drink this” with no explanation whatsoever! The only response I could give was “ok.” I was a little apprehensive at first but, as I took a sip, I surprisingly found myself loving it!
Is Juicing Really Good For You?
I became fascinated to learn more about the benefits of a juice cleanse, so I began reading/researching and then received a juicer for Christmas along with a juicing book by Jason Vale which was super fun to read: informative and interesting, it led me to the decision to go on a juice cleanse week!
“Juice cleansing is a “detox” diet can last from a few days to several weeks in which a person consumes only fruit and vegetable juices to obtain nutrition while otherwise abstaining from eating food. Many people swear by cleanses and report an improvement in their health, mood, and appearance.”
A bit about me first though is that I am a busy person, I enjoy learning, exercising and traveling and so was inspired by two main benefits of juicing:
- The idea that cleansing on juice and restricting eating heavy foods allows the body to use extra energy on repairing body organs and flushing out toxins
- The clear thinking and higher energy levels which occur
What Happens to Your Body When You Do a Juice Cleanse
This is my very short account of my 7 day juice cleanse (the recipes timetable from the Jason Vale juice book)
Day 1:
- Enjoyed the juices, but the hard part is the habit of thinking “I want a meal” and something to chew on, but then you think “am I actually hungry though”
- I was hungry in the evening, where usually I end up enjoying an evening snack, so to sort this problem out I was drinking different flavored herbal teas, not only tasty but they fill you with lots of warm liquid
- An evening drink on the menu was fresh apple juice, warmed a little in the microwave and sprinkle with cinnamon, this does sound weird and doesn’t look the best, but the flavor is amazing!
Day 3:
- As the days go on I realize I wake up refreshed, and love having warm water with a squeeze of lemon in the morning
- I do get occasional headaches from cravings/withdrawal of foods which I have now cut out such as sugar and caffeine. From research headaches can also indicate the removal of build-up of bad toxins from my body (which is a good thing)
- Tough popping into town as everything smelt so good, plus some food shops were giving out free tasters..…I dashed passed quick before my brain had realized what happened!
Day 5:
- Had a great night sleep as I find by not eating a meal in the evening my body is not spending my energy the whole night trying to break down and digest food
- It is much easier to get things done when I know I am only having juice, and not preparing food or sit down for meals.
- I am feeling great, with heaps of energy, my mind is focused and concentration heightened
- Realising I need to do shopping as I am quickly running out of vital ingredients
Day 7:
- The last day and I feel amazing, my skin looks great, I have been sleeping remarkably well, I seem to have endless energy, no mid-afternoon slumps or tiredness and my mood is much improved
- Plus I look good as I seemed to have lost weight, my stomach is flatter and my legs are more toned as well
- I feel like I would like to carry this on for longer, I know some people who have done a 60-day juice cleanse, which is definitely a long time and I guess might need doctor supervision, but I can see the amazing benefits, and it can only help your body! Let it rebuild its self, fix any issues and not be overloaded with food
Next step is VERY important:
- The next thing is to have food again but to remember I have had only juice for seven days, so the first thing I should be thinking about eating is very healthy food, such as having a salad or a plate of vegetables.
- Then the second day of food, having some meat, eggs or heavier options, but definitely stay away from processed products, such as bread, pasta, cake, and candy.
- I have put so much effort, time and willpower into a full juice week, and feeling great and confident the last thing I want is to eat rubbish!
Conclusion…
- Keep busy, once you get bored you want to snack 😀
- Do a juice week when you have no social plans – sounds hilarious, but if you are meeting friends for lunch, drinks or coffees, it’s a large temptation to have a snack or alcoholic/sugary drink
- Going to bed on an empty stomach is the best thing for your body because as you sleep your body does not have to struggle to break down large plates of food and always able to wake up easier, awake and happy to jump out of bed and get the day started
- I gained an unbelievable amount of energy, so going for a run, swim or quick gym session was great fun, but must remember to not overexert your body
- My focus level increased, thoughts flowing like a rapid waterfall, which leads me to believe that by not having such large food portions our body is not exhausting itself trying to digest everything in one go, and in response our body is able to use it’s magical energies in other places..….in this case, the brain!
- I will definitely be doing this cleanse again next year