Jeanne Muchnick
I recently tried a juice cleanse, namely, the Salma Hayek Cooler Cleanse (http://coolercleanse.com) which consisted of six juices a day. It’s not for everyone, and certainly you should do your research (and maybe check with your doctor if you have health issues) before trying. I was in for the detox as well as the curiosity.
For some expert advice, I went to Cleansing Advocate Melanie Angelis, CEO of The Grecian Garden (www.thegreciangarden.com) who changed her eating habits after a life of allergies.
What cleanses are the best?
Juice cleansing can be as short as one day and up to 100, although I do not recommend any one juice for 100 days, but it has been done. For beginners, three to 10 days is beneficial as you are flooding your body with living enzymes that will help your cells detox old waste matter while simultaneously feeding them exactly what they need – nutrients in their simplest form.
When juicing fresh fruits and vegetables the juicer does all the work for you so your body again, does not use precious energy digesting but rather is focused on repairing and rebuilding areas of concern in the body. When juicing for more than one day, the person should have at least one enema per day because all the toxins are being sent to the colon and due to digestion slowing down so much you will not be having regular bowel movements (Note to BA50s: I did not do). Doing the enemas not only gets the toxins out quickly (which has a plus of reducing food cravings) but also puts less stress on the kidneys. After a juice fast be sure to take it slow when going back to regular solid food, opt for fresh fruit, or broth based soups.
How do you know what’s right for you?
You will know which cleanse is right for you based upon your current diet. Still on standard American? Go for a whole foods based cleanse. Already eating healthy? Opt for a juice fast.
What is healthy/not healthy?
What is not healthy with cleansing is any supplement, powder, or special formula designed to help you detox. These are all created for companies to make money, but actually our bodies know how to cleanse and heal themselves when given the right tools. I have seen the benefits of true cleansing first hand in my life as I healed my body of digestive problems, heart problems, extreme low energy, and a parasite all with the power of eating a real food diet and cleansing.
What to Expect:
Thinking you might try but still not sure? Here’s more words of advice on how to prepare for your cleanse from Dr. Vincent M. Pedre III, MD (http://www.pedremd.com), an Integrative Physician and a Board Certified Internist practicing in New York City:
1. Plan to be less active than usual when you start the cleanse
2. Plan to feel tired, foggy-headed and headachy on the first day or two of the cleanse
3. Make sure you’re drinking plenty of filtered water during the cleanse.
4. Be flexible. If the cleanse is too low in protein it may slow you down. Be ready to alter the cleanse if you’re feeling too slow.
5. Plan to do light to moderate exercise that moves all of your joints, like yoga to keep your lymphatic system flowing.