An easy and trendy way to start incorporating fruits and vegetables into the diet is by drinking juices or smoothies. Juices and smoothies should be made with various fruits and vegetables so many nutrients and vitamins can be consumed simultaneously.
Drinking raw juice made from fruits and vegetables is a healthy way to upgrade your diet and can be added to any meal or consumed as a meal replacement. A juice cleanse can take it further and rejuvenate your body with crucial nutrients.
Use the juice cleanse 101 information to jump-start your health with the best juice cleanse for your body.
Juice cleansing can be done monthly or a few times yearly to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Juice cleanses can also be done one day per week to keep up with the cleansing process as a form of intermittent fasting. This will give the body one day per week of rest and extend the cleanse to create long-term benefits.
What Are The Benefits Of A Juice Cleanse?
Food can be medicine for the body, or it can be harmful. Choosing healthy foods and participating in cleanses is a great way to bring balance back to the system.
What Is Cleansing In Traditional Medicine?
Modern Western Medicine
We live in a modern age when the majority of people are experiencing illness or have experienced some health trauma in their lifetime. The Western medical system is a modernized and technology-based system that is great for emergency medical care and treating severe conditions.
Western medicine has saved many lives and is credited with an incredible and miraculous recovery. But the Western medical paradigm is only one form of medical care and treatment. In terms of medical prevention and healthcare, there are many roles we can take on individuals to participate in preventative medicine.
Preventative medicine has yet to be emphasized in most modern societies, as we rely on doctors and hospitals only when we are sick. Still, people must catch up with their yearly checkups and other consistent care. This is one of the ways that Western society has short-changed when it comes to health.
Traditional Or Alternative Medicine
Traditional medicine practices, also referred to as alternative medicine, have been practiced for thousands of years. They are often touted as amateur or novice medicines even though they have been practiced for thousands of years compared to the couple hundred years of Westernized medicine. Additionally, traditional medicines tend to focus equally on prevention and treatment.
Fasting and cleansing are essential elements in traditional medicine, including Ancient Chinese Medicine, Ayurvedic Medicine, and other traditions.
In modern times, cleansing and fasting have become popular approaches to health and detoxification. One of the most popular forms of cleansing is juice cleansing or juice fasting. This practice has gained popularity and can be done through various methods, including making fresh juice at home or purchasing an entire cleanse.
About Juice Cleanses
Participating in a juice cleanse takes dedication and commitment to health. Juice cleanses will often last between 1-3 days and include a pre- and post-cleanse phase.
A juice fast is a great way to give the digestive organs a break and allow the liver to process fewer toxins.
It also allows the digestive system to rest because foods are already broken down and are separated from the fiber of fruits and vegetables.
Drinking juice is believed to flood the body with healthy nourishment. Juicing also facilitates the flushing of toxins and chemicals from the body.
What To Use And What To Exclude For Your Juice Cleanse?
There are many ways to do a juice cleanse, but you should choose your juices wisely.
Some juice cleanses involve making homemade juice with raw fruits and vegetables using a juicer. With your own juices, you know what you put in, and you can follow the recommended ratio range of using 20% fruits and 80% vegetables.
Other juice cleanses involve buying pre-made juices from stores or from online suppliers with a webshop. However, you should check the ingredients and avoid juices with too many sweet fruits or added sugar.
Juices can include other liquids, including water and clear broths, during the diet to stay hydrated and satisfied for the cleanse.
You should also eliminate allergenic and inflammatory foods from the diet to create a healthier system. Foods to be eliminated during the juice detox include sugar, caffeine, refined foods, eggs, dairy, or other inflammatory foods.
These foods give a false sense of energy and often bring about a crash in blood sugar levels and stamina. Foods that do not contain proper nutrients and vitamins will not give the body sustained energy.
How To Do A Juice Cleanse?
When deciding to participate in a juice cleanse, the experience can be both exciting and overwhelming. Luckily, juice cleansing is one of the most straightforward ways to cleanse the body.
You want to determine how long you would like to do the cleanse. This can always be adjusted as you participate in the experience and choose what works best. Still, it is good to have a goal in mind of how many days you would like to cleanse.
For the first time, you can start with a one-day juice detox or, as many people do, a 3 or 5 days juice cleanse.
Make A Juice Cleanse Plan
It would help if you made a juice cleanse plan and prepared everything you need to relax and enjoy the process.
The first decision to make about juice cleansing is whether you want to purchase juice or a set cleanse program, or you would like to make the juice.
If you purchase a particular juice cleanse, you will want to be sure you are including a variety of juices. By drinking various nutrients, you can keep the body properly fueled.
Joining a fasting program is most convenient because it contains pre-made juices that can be picked up or even delivered to your door. These will usually include instructional materials and may include other cleansing elements, like suggestions for activities or practices related to cleansing.
Making juice will be a significantly more significant time investment. Still, it will likely be cheaper than purchasing a set of juices. You also get to drink freshly made juice, which is the best way to enjoy it.
You may also join a collective or group that is all cleansing simultaneously in a supportive setting. If it is your first cleanse, it may be an easy way to participate in a juice cleanse with guidance and without overwhelm.
You will need a juicing machine or a blender (it will make thicker, more smoothie-like drinks).
Choose organic fruits and vegetables if available.
Ensure to wash all produce before juicing to remove any dirt or oil-based pesticides that stick to foods.
Schedule Your Daily Juice Intake
First, drink a glass of warm water with lemon upon waking. Lemon water stimulates the liver and promotes healthy digestion. Drink lemon water regularly throughout the day or at least mineral water without gas.
Aim to drink juice every 2 to 2 and ½ hours. Spread the juice over 12 hours and drink the last juice about 2 hours before bedtime. In total, 5-6 glasses of liquid per day.
Even if you do not feel hungry, your body needs the nutrients, and you want to avoid blood sugar crashes.
It would be best if you varied your juices throughout the day, even though it's more work to prepare them. This way, you get a more comprehensive range of nutrients.
If you don't like to prepare different juices in the morning, you can prepare the juices for 2-3 days, but freshly made juices are the better option. At least you can prepare the fruits and vegetables and keep them in the fridge, so it's much faster to make the juices in the morning.
Alternatively, you can make just one juice and drink the same juice all day, then change the drink the next day for your juice fast.
Good Juice Cleanse Ingredients
Basic Vegetable Juice Ingredients
Basic Fruit Juice Ingredients
Healthy Juice Add Ins
For more information you can visit the following sources:
https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/aloe-vera-juice-benefits
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-chlorella
https://www.medicinenet.com/10_natural_remedies_for_colon_cleansing/article.htm
Prepare For Other Dietary Intake
When completing a juice cleanse, substitute juice for some meals as needed.
The cleanse can be 100% juice or some healthy snacks, including raw veggies, broth, water or lemon water, or light rice crackers.
What To Do Before, During, And After The Juice Cleanse?
3-5 Days Before The Juice Cleanse
During The Juice Cleansing
If you feel ill, uncomfortable, or dizzy during the cleanse, notify a healthcare professional.
Recommended Activities During The Cleanse
- 1Partake in gentle physical activity. It is ideal for relaxing and engaging in walking, yoga, stretching, or other mellow activities. Staying active will help to improve blood flow and lymphatic circulation.
- 2Enjoy a massage. Getting a massage also helps to drain the lymphatic system. Skin brushing is another great way to move the lymph, as well as hot/cold contrasting showers which boost immunity.
- 3Meditate or Practice Mindfulness. When we are caught up in our thoughts, it can be hard to focus, and we may become stressed or ill. Instead of allowing our mind to run our experience, we can practice mindful breathing, relaxation techniques, or other practices. Be sure to get plenty of rest and take naps whenever possible to allow the body time to relax and regenerate.
- 4Be Emotionally Aware. Prepare to be comfortable with arising emotions, including anger, fear, sadness, or other frustrations or issues. In traditional medicine, anytime we cleanse the body, feelings can arise that may be upsetting. Be sure to have a plan in place to process emotions.
- 5Distract yourself. Listen to music, stretch, walk, or talk with a friend or a professional therapist.
- 6Take an infrared sauna session. Infrared saunas are a unique type of sauna that uses infrared healing to stimulate the cells and eliminate toxins. The skin is the body's largest organ, and it can participate in the detoxification process.
Infrared saunas heat the body from the inside out using infrared wave technology. Be sure to stay hydrated when using the sauna, as you will release a lot of sweat.
After The Juice Fast
Health Considerations And Precautions
Juice cleanses can improve health, increase energy levels, and eliminate toxins. Cleansing can also lead to improved digestion.
Drinking juice for the cleanse period is an excellent way to hit the reset button on health and wellness, but there are necessary precautions to consider.