Intro to Juice Cleansing
Juice fasting is the process of drinking nutrient dense juices from fresh fruits and vegetables in place of conventional meals. Cold pressed juices contain the same nutrients of the fresh fruits and vegetables in the juice because the process just removes the fibers making it easy to consume large quantities of nutrients with less digestive load.
Whether you are starting a weight loss journey, resetting your digestive system or doing a pattern interrupt to kick start you on a healthy eating plan, a juice cleanse will support you to meet your health goals. A Cold Pressed Juice Cleanse is designed to balance your body with a wide range of nutrients while cleansing and detoxing your body of toxins.
How does it work?
Toxins build up in your body from a huge number of sources. Think chemicals in processed foods, car fumes, pesticides, makeup, cleaning products, personal care products…. They also build up as a part of your normal cell metabolism. Your body has several major systems that cleanse toxins from your body. Your lungs, liver, intestines, lymphatic system and skin are some. Your body’s defence against built up toxins that it cannot expel is to store them in fat cells. Too much build up and illness and disease is a result.
A juice cleanse feeds your body nutrient dense liquids that are easily digested to give your body a chance to expel built up toxins. The nutrients give your cells a chance to recover and regenerate and as your fat is used by the body as an energy source, toxins are released and expelled by your normal body detoxing systems.
Over 5kg of fruits and vegetables are used to create 1 day’s worth of juice for your juice cleanse. That is a lot more vitamins and minerals in each bottle than most people would ever eat in one day.
How Long Should I Cleanse?
The length of time you cleanse really depends on what your cleanse goals are. For example, if you are looking for a quick reset, eat clean most of the time, drink limited alcohol and caffeine drinks and are thinking of cleansing regularly then 3 to 5 days would suit. If you have lived a pretty toxic life, drink large amounts of alcohol, caffeine drinks, sugary or diet drinks and eat lots of processed foods then you might want to start slowing with 2 to 3 days and build up to longer and regular cleanses once you have started to really get into a healthy eating lifestyle.
How does a 5 &2 Diet work?
When following an eating plan that is commonly known as the 5&2 diet, you pay less attention to the number of calories you consume each day and pay more attention to giving your body days of ‘feasting’ and ‘fasting’. The benefits of this include a less restrictive method to achieve weight loss and it has been shown that this diet is effective at reducing insulin levels and improving insulin sensitivity.
What about the sugar content of the juices?
Some people get concerned about the amount of sugar in fruit juices. Firstly, people do not get diabetes from fruit juices. People develop diabetes by eating highly processed foods that interfere with the absorption of sugar.
In a living cold pressed juice, you will consume all the necessary enzymes to easily digest the naturally occurring sugars. Including lots of different fruits and vegetables in juices keeps the sweetness down and increases the diversity of the nutrients in the juices so by drinking a rainbow of colours you will be feeding your body a huge number of vitamins, minerals and enzymes.
What about the people who say that Juice fasting is not good for you?
Then there are the arguments that detoxing is not a scientifically proven way to lose weight and improve health. This is just not true. The 2016 Nobel Prize winner, Yoshinori Ohsumi proved scientifically that fasting is good for health and is a mechanism for the body to clean itself. Another scientific study discovered that fasting for as little as 3 days can regenerate the body’s entire immune system by promoting stem cell production to produce white blood cells. Prolonged fasting can reduce the level of aging and cancer causing enzymes and hormones.
What about the argument that Fasting sends your body into starvation mode?
This is just not true. Body builders use fasting to reduce body fat and increase human growth hormone production for building muscle. A research report into fasting for weight loss has shown that fasting causes the body to activate fat burning enzymes, which not only increase the burning of fat cells but also does so at a greater rate than when not fasting.
What are some of the benefits of cleansing?
Increased energy
Brighter smoother skin
Better sleep
Improved immune system
Lose weight
What does a cleanse day look like?
First thing in the morning (This is whatever time you wake up) - As soon as you get up, stretch to get your lymphatic system working (this system cleanses toxins out of your body), drink 500ml of warm water (good quality filtered or alkaline) and dry brush your skin toward your heart. Then drink your Power Shot mixed with 500ml of warm water
The power shot has an alkalising effect on your body. This shot will help detox your liver, boost your immune system and balance your digestive system
Over 12 hours drink your juices at the rate of 1 every 1½ to 2 hours. In between each juice, fill your empty juice bottle with good filtered or alkaline water and drink 20mins before your next juice
The juices can be consumed in any order. If you ever feel uncomfortably hungry during your cleanse, try drinking a big glass of water and waiting for it to pass however, if you are still feeling uncomfortable, eat a small soft fruit or vegetable like a pear or ½ an avocado.
Before bed – drink a warm peppermint tea. This will relax your mind and body in preparation for sleep. Sipping this tea while soaking in a bath with Epsom salts will have you yearning for your bed as you totally relax your muscles and aid the expelling of toxins through your skin