How, Why, The Effects And Benefits
Juice fasting or cleansing has become a bit of a trend in recent years and is something I have been incorporating into my lifestyle for over 15 years. I began Juice Fasting to see if it could help with painful IBS and unexplained digestive pain and over time also discovered there were many other health benefits, both physical and mental. For me, this has been life-changing and has become something I do and enjoy regularly.
A 3-day juice fast is a good way to de-bloat and lose weight to kickstart a healthy lifestyle change or look good for an event you may have coming up. It can also be a good way to reset your body when you think you may have food intolerances, as it eliminates the major food groups responsible for most allergies. You can then reintroduce the food groups one at a time to discover what food you may be intolerant to.
COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT JUICE FASTING
JUICING VS BLENDING
A juicer squeezes the juice out of the food pulp and the juice is separated from the pulp. This removes the insoluble fibre but the soluble fibre remains in your juice. The soluble fibre absorbs water in the intestines and forms a get that helps slow the transit of food through your digestive tract and also acts as a prebiotic to support healthy bacteria in the gut.
A blender pulverizes the food, keeping all the fibre and pulp making it thicker. The Insoluble fibre makes you feel full because it takes up more room in your stomach and helps keep you regular. Your body doesn’t absorb much of it so it also adds bulk to your stool.
WHICH ONE SHOULD I CHOOSE?
This depends on your goals. If you want to maintain weight and incorporate more nutrition into your diet then both can be combined with healthy meals. If you want to lose weight then juicing reduces your daily calorie intake while flooding your body with vitamins and minerals.
HOW MUCH WEIGHT WILL I LOSE?
This depends on a few things. Generally, the more weight you have to lose, the more you will lose. Your activity level, calorie intake and metabolic rate will determine how much weight you will lose. Although it is very dependent on the individual, on a low-sugar juice fast, you can lose around a pound a day (just over a kilo in 3 days). Juice fasting is a healthy way to eliminate bloating and lose weight quickly.
WILL I PUT THE WEIGHT BACK ON?
As you will have de-bloated by losing fluid from your cells during your juice fast, you will put on a minimal amount of weight as your body starts to store a normal amount of fluid in its cells. If you eat healthily and exercise you should not put extra weight back on. If you revert to old, unhealthy eating habits, then you will of course put weight back on.
HOW LONG SHOULD I JUICE FOR?
A good kickstart is a 3-day juice fast. 1 day a week can also be very beneficial. You can juice fast for longer and 7-10 retreats are very popular. I would recommend longer fasts are done alongside professional advice or under supervision, especially if you are new to juice fasting. Also if you have any underlying health concerns, speak to your doctor or nutritionist before beginning anything over 3 days.
WHAT SHOULD I HAVE IN MY JUICES?
Be careful of fruit as some can contain high amounts of sugar. Stick to vegetables, especially green ones and low-sugar ingredients like kale, spinach, cabbage, broccoli, parsley, cucumber, swiss chard, wheatgrass, celery etc. For flavour and sweetness, you can add apple, pear, carrot, ginger, lemon, lime, and cayenne. Try flavours you like as you are more likely to stick to them. Keep the fruit content low to keep the calorie content down.
HOW WILL IT EFFECT MY BOWEL MOVEMENTS?
This is very individual. Due to the high amounts of liquids you are consuming, you may find you need to go more often and most people feel like they are emptying their bowls more than usual despite not eating anything. This is normal and your body clearing out what is already there!
WILL IT SLOW DOWN MY METABOLISM?
Your metabolism is unlikely to slow down after a 3-day juice fast as you are still taking in calories, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. What slows down is your digestive system as there is less to digest, but this returns to normal as soon as you start eating again.
WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS?
You may feel hungry, especially on the first day, so it's important to follow the juice plan and not forget to drink them at regular times. You will feel less hungry as the days go by and your body adjusts. You may feel annoyed, tired, have headaches or become irritable, this can be the result of caffeine or sugar withdrawals, but these should all subside.
CAN I EXERCISE?
Gentle exercise is usually OK for most people on a juice cleanse like walking or yoga. Only do what you feel like doing, listen to your body.
Juice fasting is a great and healthy way to lose weight quickly, debloat and flood your body with nutrients. It can also be beneficial to your health long term. However, there is no substitution for a balanced, healthy diet and lifestyle.
BENEFITS CAN INCLUDE
Power Packed Nutrition, Anti Ageing, Chlorophyll (oxygenates the body), Weight Loss, Deeper Sleep, Focus & Mental Clarity, Bone & Joint Function, Immune System, Digestion, Healthier Hair, Skin & Nails, Energy, Decreased Need for Medication, Physical & Emotional Healing, Brain Power.