Fresh Juice Cleanse

Last week I embarked on a week long fall juice cleanse. It was quite the journey. To be quite honest, it wasn't quite the roller coaster I expected. No huge fluctuations in energy, crazy cravings or bouts of hunger. A few times I felt like I was dragging a little, and sometimes I would get that rumbling in my tummy, but for the most part it passed quickly and I went right on my merry way.

I like to do a cleanse when the seasons change, it helps clean out my systems and bring my body back into equilibrium so it can embrace the next season and the changing ingredients that come along with it. It allows the filtering organs (such as the kidneys, liver, gall bladder and colon) the chance to take and break, undergo a deep clean and recharge their batteries, resulting in better efficiency and less stagnant waste. It may seem like some hippy-dippy weirdo idea, but I guarantee it does make a difference and can benefit anyone, especially those fighting illness. Just ask Ghandi, he partook in cleansing fasts on a regular basis.

It has been a week now since I ended, but I have continued to make juices to supplement my diet all week in an effort to ease my way back. It is the perfect time of year for a cleanse, with the tomatoes bursting off their veins, fresh kale and chard shooting up and fall apples begging to be juiced. Just look at that collection of colors, not a bad lunch, right?? A week later, I am feeling light and springy, but happy to be reunited with warm soups and hot meals! I think that I might pick one day per week to do a mini-cleanse on a weekly basis though, to help maintain the benefits. Monday maybe?

During the cleanse, I usually did two juices at once, in order to save some time and energy. I have a heavy duty Champion juicer and I highly recommend it. Sometimes you can find good deals on used machines, and they are build to last so it is worth searching around. Sometimes I will just throw together anything I have on hand, but when I was planning it out last week I got into the habit of making a green and a red juice. They look so vibrant and appealing that way, which helps when juice is the only thing your taste buds have to look forward to!

Ingredients for red juice:

beets

carrots

tomatoes

red chard

apples

lemon

chili pepper

Ingredients for green juice:

celery

kale

yellow tomatoes

cilantro

parsley

ginger

mint

corn

grapes

cucumber

lime/lemon

Let me know if you get inspired and decide to go on a cleanse yourself! They recommend 6-10 days, as well as a few transition days focused on raw fruits and vegis on either end. I would love to answer any questions that come up if you feel like you might enjoy some support!

Relax. Eat Well.