Are You Wondering What A Juice Cleanse Is?
These days, many people are on a path to becoming more health-conscious and striving to adopt healthier lifestyles and diets.
A juice cleanse is a delicious, nutritious, all-natural, fun way to get you started on your healthy journey;
Some of the benefits of a juice cleanse include:
- Assisting in weight loss
- Detoxify your body
- Giving a boost of energy and nutrients
- Alleviating symptoms of common ailments such as indigestion and acne.
Juice cleanses are also an excellent tool with many benefits for those who already follow a diet and exercise plan and want to change things up.
But you may still be wondering, “What is a juice cleanse?”
With all of the buzz, you’ve likely heard of them, and maybe some of us have dismissed them as another health trend. However, I’m here to tell you all about the enormous health benefits of a juice cleanse and why you might consider giving it a try.
So what is a juice cleanse?
The purpose of a juice cleanse is to detoxify, hydrate, and nourish your body. It’s a great way to get in touch with your body’s needs.
Simply put, a juice cleanse is a fasting diet in which you consume juices made from raw fruits and/or veggies.
By removing many of the toxins and garbage from your diet and replacing them with loads of vitamins and minerals, your body will remove most of the toxins polluting your system and boost your nutrition levels, thus cleansing the garbage from your body and revitalizing it.
The benefits of a juice cleanse
A juice cleanse is an excellent way to get your body healthy.
Taking a break from excessive sugar, caffeine, junk food, and alcohol will give your body a rest and promote healing. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, curb cravings, or feel bloated and tired, mainly due to sugar and caffeine intake.
The health benefits are enormous. Juicers report numerous positive changes, such as:
- Weight loss
- Craving control
- Clearer skin
- Diminished acne
- Reduced pain
- More energy
- Improved heart health
The benefits of which can be attributed to the body getting rid of toxins and the hydrating effect of the cleanse, alleviation of aches and pains, likely due to the anti-inflammatory properties of fruits and vegetables, help with digestive problems, etc. Not to mention the massive dose of nutrients you’re giving your body. Your body will thank you.
You can experiment to figure out what juices work best for you and your body without sparing your taste buds. An excellent baseline for your cleanse is to strive to drink 6 to 8 juices per day.
Consistency is critical for managing hunger and getting results, so you’ll want to stick to a schedule. Aim to consume a juice every 2 hours to 2.5 hours.
Potential risks of a juice cleanse
While there are many benefits to performing a juice cleanse, there are also some potential risks.
To begin with, juice cleanses are usually very low on calories. With an eight oz. glass of juice typically containing only 110 calories, a typical juice cleanse day would be well under 1000 calories. Considering that the body naturally burns between 2,000 to 2,500 calories per day, you can see a significant deficit.
It is easy to see why weight loss is a shared experience. However, this lack of calories has been known to cause faintness, lack of energy, headaches, hunger, and sometimes dehydration.
Additionally, juice diets generally are low in proteins and good fats. These are crucial for good health. Eliminating these from a diet can cause malnourishment and many other health issues.
While overall, there are many benefits from a juice cleanse, these potential risks must be considered. Juice cleanses should never run longer than a week. Like with all major medical decisions, you should always talk to your doctor before a cleanse and not trust the general information provided here.
How to do a juice cleanse
Set yourself up to succeed. Go into this with a positive attitude, focus on the good you’re doing for your body, and get plenty of rest and light exercise.
Restricting your diet for 2 to 4 days before beginning the cleanse will help prepare your body and curb cravings you may encounter when starting the cleanse. If you’re a juicing newbie, it’s recommended that you follow the juicing diet for three days to see the benefits. However, if you’re a seasoned juicer, the diet can be followed for up to 5 days.
You can do a juice cleanse by purchasing ready-made juices or smoothies, or you can do your own juicing at home. A few options are available: juices made entirely from fruit, a mixture of fruits and veggies, and even juice with the addition of nuts for extra protein and other minerals and nutrients. Making your juice with fresh, whole fruits is the healthiest route because you’re also giving your body a dose of fiber and healthy fats that your body needs.
The right juice for you will also depend on your taste. One of the most popular juices to use is cranberry juice, but is cranberry juice good for you?
Cranberries are packed full of goodness. They are high in vitamin C, can help ward off plaque, provide relief from symptoms of a UTI, and are associated with the possible prevention of some types of cancer, believed to be due to their antioxidant effects.
After 3 to 5 days of the cleanse, you’ll want to re-introduce solid foods over three days gradually. Please make sure you take it slow as your digestive tract has been at rest. Avoid alcohol, dairy, red meat, and processed foods for a few days following your cleanse.
