Before you get started
An organic juice cleanse is not only about detoxing, but also about the journey. With years of juice cleansing experience, I am hoping that this can help guide you. Let us be the first to welcome you to the family! You have taken the first step of this adventure by committing to a healthier lifestyle but what is next?
First, evaluate your eating habits and establish an appropriate pre-cleanse diet length. This will prepare your body to fight against negative detox symptoms that include lack of energy, headaches, aches, irritation, anxiety, and diarrhea, among others. Simply put, plan, and reap all the benefits. Check some research before doing a healthy juice cleanse.
What Best Describes You and How to Prepare Your Body
Junk Food Addict
You are a sweet tooth whose diet consists of foods loaded with sugar; you indulge in fast food on a regular basis, and you catch yourself downing more soda than water.
I recommend a full week transition to avoid potential negative detox symptoms. Cut down on the junk and switch to salads for lunch and fruits for dessert.
The Classic American Diet
If you opt for a box of pasta, microwaved meals, and burgers and fries on a weekly basis aka pre-packaged and processed foods.
Dedicate 5 days for a transition by planning your meals in advance and incorporating as many fruits and veggies as possible.
Weekend Splurges
If you stick to a healthy diet during the week but once Friday hits, you like to partake in the happy hour specials, indulgent Saturday dinners, and the heavy Sunday brunches.
For 3-4 days eliminate processed foods and alcohol you consumed over the weekend. Choose a side salad instead of French fries and go for a glass of water instead of a mimosa.
Health Nut
You blend a mean green smoothie and hunt for the latest superfood trends. But you cheated on your low-cal oatmeal breakfast with waffles last week. Time to get back on track! Spend 1-2 days reminding your body what it feels like to eat clean.
Pre-Juice Cleanse Hit List
To bring your body down to a more alkaline state, cut out or significantly reduce the following acid forming foods:
- Alcohol
- Dairy
- Refined sugar
Including corn syrup, white, and powdered sugars
- Animal Products
Including bacon, red meats, jerky, sausages, etc. - Caffeine
Keep coffee intake to a minimum and eliminate all sodas - Processed foods
Any boxed, canned, and bagged foods containing artificial flavoring, preservatives, and additives are considered processed
So, clear your calendar accordingly. Choose the days or a week where extra work and social engagements will not distract you and tempt you during your cleanse. Just think of these days as a gift to yourself to nourish and heal.
During the juice cleanse
Below, we answer a few questions you may have during your cleanse.
I am not feeling so good, why?
You may have fallen victim to the nasty detox symptoms we mentioned earlier. These side effects include a decrease in energy, potential mood swings, and aches, among other things. Your body is working extremely hard to release the toxins built up inside. Not to mention, you are drinking a lot of fruits and veggies 6 times a day (something your body may not be used to). So do not panic if you start to feel any of these. The severity of the symptoms all depends on the amount of toxins inside your body.
But do not forget that everyone's body reacts differently, and you may or may not feel any of these symptoms during your cleanse. Getting enough sleep can help. If you suffer from insomnia or just have trouble getting to sleep, yoga and meditation can also help. Do not forget to drink up! Drinking up to 8 cups of water a day helps flush out the toxins faster and will get you back on track to feeling amazing.
Listen to your body! If your body is not responding well to the cleanse, add some food to balance out the organic juices. Be attuned to your body, only do what you can handle.
Can I eat anything during my cleanse?
Although food is not allowed during the cleanse, an exception is made for a handful of raw nuts or 1 serving of vegetables a day (any kind you like) with a touch of salt to balance out your sodium intake.
What about coffee, can I drink it?
Worried about caffeine withdrawals during your healthy juice cleanse? It is hard to break a coffee kick, we get it. So, coffee lovers can rest easy: drinking lesser amounts of black coffee is okay! And of course, water!
I am not hungry, but I just need to chew something, anything!
Stop for a moment and check in with yourself. Are you hungry or just craving the chewing sensation? If you are craving the chewing sensation, try to forget about it! You can do this! Occupy yourself as much as possible—drink water, start that new book on your desk, take a long walk—and surely enough, you will forget.
If your body is begging for food, check out the snacks mentioned above.
Can I exercise during the cleanse?
We do not recommend rigorous exercise during the cleanse because it is too much on the body. Try gentle exercise such as stretching and yoga to relax your body and mind.
After your finish cleansing
Time flies when you are having fun doing juice cleanses! Take a moment to congratulate yourself on a job well done! After you have rebuilt, reclaimed, and re-activated your health, the final stage of the journey is the transition back to your normal life and diet.
Take It Slow
As much as you may want to dig into a steak and red wine the first day back, remember to not overload your organs and body during this transition. This will undo all the internal balance you have earned. Because your body has not processed these foods in a while, it may cause negative side effects.
So do not rush back into your habitual life and foods—they are not going anywhere. Respect your body and the hard cleansing work it has done for you. Foods you should avoid include alcohol, dairy, red meat, fried and/or processed foods.
Transition Into a Healthy Lifestyle
Incorporate habits from your pre-cleanse and cleanse program to continue supporting your health—wean off the hit list, eat more fruits and vegetables, drink lots of water, and keep juicing.
Monitor Yourself
For those suffering from food allergens or sensitivities, this is the perfect opportunity for you to keep track and target what may be hurting you. This includes sensitivities to wheat, dairy, nuts, soy, etc. To identify whether any of these are triggers, systematically add them back into your diet one at a time. By doing so, you can accurately pinpoint the allergen. For example, if you reintroduce dairy into your diet and feel symptoms such as cramping, headaches, or diarrhea, you may be sensitive to dairy products.
Repeat
Regular detoxification is a wonderful way to maintain your health. Cleansing removes toxicity, layers at a time. The more you cleanse, the deeper it taps and addresses different areas of the body. After the 3-day cleanse, we recommend repeating the cleanse every couple of months.