I like to think I live a pretty healthy lifestyle. I eat an all organic and paleo diet and work out around five days per week. I support different types of diets whether it's Ketogenic, Vegan or Macrobiotic, as long as you ensure it is the right diet for your body. However, the one "trend" I find hard to support is a juice cleanse. Sorry, but I frankly have no patience for something that deprives our body of nutrients.
Recently, I watched one of my favorite vloggers, Lucie Fink document her journey on a juice cleanses. This video blogger works for Refiner 29, publishing videos every week titled Try Living with Lucie where she goes five days trying something new. This was the only challenge she was unable to complete. By the middle of the first day, Lucie's blood sugar fell so low she almost passed out. Reading the comments in her video demonstrated her reaction is not an uncommon occurrence. One girl did a 20-day juice cleanse and she was almost fired from her job due to her lack of energy and irritable behavior. It is also important to note that after the cleanse, this woman gained an additional 30 pounds.
Most people use cleanses to start their weight loss journey. However, juice detoxes often spark controversy because they fall severely short of the recommended caloric intake. People are only consuming juices, meaning your body is lacking the required protein and breaks down muscle instead of fat. This also puts your body into starvation mode, which creates a physiological response to retain every calorie. Although people do eventually lose weight, there is often a rebound effect when the cleanse ends since people return to their traditional diet.
Those who support this juicing trend say it is a great way to detox, however, your liver and kidneys already do this naturally. We seem to have this misconception that our liver and kidneys get clogged up with toxic muck, but this is not the case. Juice won't do anything to speed up your body's natural detoxification.
It is important to note that many juices lack the fiber needed to help aid digestion. Instead, your body is being overloaded with sugar, you might as well be drinking a can of soda. Yes, drinking your vegetables is a nice option in an emergency, but to have the full benefit of vegetables, you should really eat them whole and cooked in order to digest the fiber. Juices can also be extremely expensive for the amount of food used to make them. If you really want to try this cleanse while being cost-effective, try going to the grocery store and shopping for the essentials. You will save a significant amount if you make these drinks yourself. I also recommend saving the pulp, you can then bake them in the oven for additional fiber and snacks.
Instead of traditional juice cleanses, you can always opt for unconventional detoxes. If you want to remove sugar from your body, try going a week without processed foods; focusing on eating clean and organic fresh food. If you feel overwhelmed, try a social media detox, removing yourself from the online world. Instead, I recommend using this time to reconnect with nature.
Ultimately, it is your body, your life, and your choice. One of my biggest pet peeves includes people telling me what I should or should not eat. Please remember, I am not a doctor, although I was raised by one. I am one girl offering her opinion of what I have observed and read. If you are someone considering going on a juice cleanse, or any detox, please seek a medical expert beforehand so you can properly prepare and make sure you are being safe.
