How To Safely Use Juice Cleanses

A juice cleanse is a tempting prospect, but before you even consider embarking on one you should know how to do it safely. Preparation is the key. You might think you just dive into drinking only juice for two to three days, but there’s a lot more to it than that.

It’s important to start eliminating certain types of food in the run-up to your cleanse in order to reduce the withdrawal symptoms that you will experience. These foods include alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine, as well as refined sugar and beyond. It isn’t just about eliminating, you should also start to increase your intake of water, fruits, and vegetables before you start your juice cleanse.

The Cleanse

When you are in the cleanse you should enjoy a glass of juice every 2.5 hours or so. This will help fight the pangs of hunger and avoid temptation, as well as keep your body energized.

If you’re setting out to create your routine, it can look something like this:

• A glass of water (room temperature) with fresh lemon juice in it.
• You can enjoy a glass of predominantly green vegetable juice for breakfast (around 8 am).
• From there you can enjoy a juice every 2 hours or so. Don’t pick the same juice every time, otherwise, you will get bored and it will make everything else look so much better.

Remember, you can still drink water between juices and if you are overcome with hunger or the need to chew something then you can have a healthy snack, think a piece of fruit or vegetable sticks.

How To Do It Safely

It sounds so easy, so how can you be sure you’re doing it safely? Firstly, WebMD advises that you shouldn’t do a cleanse for any longer than three days at any one time.

• Exercise
Don’t start a new exercise routine while you’re on a juice cleanse. If you’re already an active person who follows a strict exercise plan then you can continue this provided you have the energy. If not, stick to a brisk walk. This is a great way to boost your circulation (this goes for anyone who doesn’t normally exercise, too). Another excellent tool to take advantage of during a juice cleanse is dry brushing and massage therapy.

• Wellness
A juice cleanse can create stress in some people, simply because we are all so accustomed to eating certain types of foods and having that restricted can be upsetting. Stress can have a negative impact on your attempts to detox, so make sure that you make time for quiet relaxation, whether that’s meditating, practicing yoga or just sitting quietly. It’s also important to rest well, so plan to a mid-afternoon nap.

• Normality
The biggest mistake people make when finishing the cleanse is giving their system too much at once. Slowly reintroduce solid foods to your diet as not to overwhelm your system.

• Nutrients
When choosing your juice recipes you should keep in mind what type of nutrients, your body needs. The biggest risk of cleansing is failing to give your body what it needs to perform.
No one should be looking to try a juice cleanse as a means of losing weight – you will shed water weight, however, as soon as you resume a normal diet you will regain that weight.

What a juice cleanse is good for is resetting your body and preparing you for a change in lifestyle. It’s the perfect springboard for a life of eating and living well. So, if your plan is to kick-start your diet with a cleanse, then go for it!