Do you want to start a juice cleanse but aren’t really sure what that looks like? Here are 11 tips for how you can have a safe Juice cleanse experience.
Why Juice Cleanse?
Before you embark on your cleansing journey, it is critical to have a clear vision of why you are doing a juice cleanse. Honestly, it can get pretty hard, so it is nice to have a reminder of what your goal is.
Digesting food takes about over 68% of your body’s daily energy. A juice cleanse allows your body to restore energy and bring these other benefits.
- Improve skin tone
- Remove toxins
- Reduce inflammation
- Start healthy eating habits
- Determine sensitivities to food
Before You Cleanse
You should not start cold. While for some people, this may be okay, for others, it could lead to sickness and a lack of desire to complete the cleanse or ever try it again. Here are a few tips for the weeks leading up to your juice cleanse.
1. Eliminate Certain Foods
The standard American does not have a very healthy diet. It typically includes processed foods, red meat, sugar, alcohol, and gluten. To experience the full benefits of detoxification, you should begin cutting out these foods two weeks before starting your cleanse. You should also cut out white flour, dairy, and caffeine.
2. Get Into the Habit of Hydrating
Staying hydrated throughout your cleanse is critical. Your body needs the appropriate amount of water to effectively flush out all unwanted toxins. So get ahead on this.
3. Eat Smaller Portions
Going from three large meals a day to six bottles of juice could be a pretty stark change for most people. To help ease the blow, start getting your body accustomed to taking in less food at a time. This can be done by eating and chewing slower and stopping when your hunger is satisfied.
4. Exercise
It is crucial to exercise throughout your cleanse. So, go ahead and get in a rhythm of exercising before you start so that it will be easier to get up and exercise while cleansing.
During Your Cleanse
Now that you know how to properly prepare your body for a juice cleanse. It is time to dive into what you should do while actually cleansing. This is where all the fun begins.
5. Choose the Cleanse That’s Right For You
First thing’s first. You need to choose a cleanse that is right for you. If you are new to cleansing, you should start with a signature juice cleanse. This is the standard choice that will do the trick for anyone. After your first cleanse, you may want to branch out and try other, more specific, cleanses.
6. Healthy Snack Options
During your cleanse, whether 3, 5, or 7 days, you should only drink juice. This can be very difficult for many people, so if you must snack, snack on healthy foods. Foods like raw veggies, cucumbers, and jicama are great for staying true to your cleanse and getting a little more food in your belly.
7. Exercise With Caution
It is important to exercise while on a cleanse because sweating is one of your body’s primary ways to remove toxins and heavy metals. Just make sure that you don’t overdo it. Your body is going through a drastic change that will have unknown effects on you, so if you aren’t feeling great when you exercise, take it easy.
8. Stay Hydrated
It can’t be stressed enough. Drink water and stay hydrated. Your body needs it for the cleanse to work as well as you want it to.
After Your Cleanse
Now that you have completed the cleanse, you are not out of the woods yet. Here are a few tips to help you safely come out of your juice cleanse.
9. Ease Back Into Food
Once your juice cleanse is all said and done, you may feel the urge to grab the first salty or greasy food you see and scarf it down. You are not alone in this. However, it is critical to ease back into foods and continue eating healthier foods than you were before the cleanse. If you come back the first day out of your cleanse, and eat three full meals, you likely won’t keep them very long.
So, take it easy and start with a few smoothies or eggs. Definitely wait a while before introducing any red meat or whole grains.
10. Keep Juice in Your Regular Diet
Whether you absolutely loved every juice or not, odds are you probably found one of the flavors to be tolerable or even enjoyable. If so, it would be great practice to continue keeping juice a part of your regular diet. Many people like to make it their first or last meal of the day. Either way, it is great for giving your digestive system a break and fueling you with energy.
The Takeaway
A juice cleanse is a great way to reset your diet and your body, but you can’t just start and stop it on a dime. You need to take the time to prepare your body for it, take the right steps during it, and ease out of it once you’re done. Following these tips should result in a happy and healthy juice cleanse. Best of luck on your healthy journey!
