How to Survive a Juice Cleanse, & How it Helps

[dropshadowbox align=”none” effect=”raised” width=”auto” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]I received complimentary juices from Jugo Fresh, but was not asked to write about it. I just loved it so much I had to share. So yeah, all opinions are my own, and I’m full of them![/dropshadowbox]Have you ever tried a juice cleanse? I’ve wanted to do a two or three day cleanse for ages, but usually get stuck around 3:00 PM on the first day and am dying of hunger. It’s something I’ve felt I needed to do, to help reset my body and get me back on track for healing, but could never make it an entire day. 

For years I’ve struggled with stage four endometriosis, infertility, and premature ovarian failure which put me into perimenopause. At 34 years old, with a new baby, I went into menopause. Since then I’ve tried every hormone replacement therapy known to man, and have settled on Bioidenticals, for now. But I believe that we have the power to truly heal our disorders and body, and for me food has always been the missing link. An autoimmune Paleo protocol is perfect for my condition, but it’s been very hard for me to stick with. 

I like most, am an emotional eater. I snack at night and love to bake, so cutting wheat, dairy, and sugar felt impossible and wasn’t something I was able to sustain. Add in the caffeine and I wasn’t helping my adrenal fatigue and hot flashes. So when I found out Whole Foods in Davie, FL was adding Jugo Fresh to the mix, it was fate!

Rachel Novetsky, the Holistic Health Coach at Jugo Fresh says,

“Juice cleanses are a nice way to give your digestive system a break. without seriously compromising on calories the body can focus on healing in areas that may be otherwise slower to heal, due to constant strain and work load on the digestive track. Cleansing isn’t necessary, it’s an intuitive choice to slow down and your your body and mind a pause. We start to tap into true feelings of thirst and hunger and tune inwards to what the body really needs. Often time we are eating for many more reasons than just being hungry.”

And that’s exactly what I did. I worked with Jugo Fresh to design a plan which included six juices each day, and prepared my body for the cleanse. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, after failing Isagenix cleanse days multiple times, and only lasting one day on the Blueprint juice cleanse, but this time I was mentally prepared. 

So how does one survive a juice cleanse? Here are some tips to help you get through in case you decide to try this too!

tips for surviving a juice cleanse

1. Prepare for the juice cleanse a few days in advance. Limit or cut caffeine if you can, hydrate with water, and eat minimally processed food. 
2. Choose a time to cleanse when you will be doing minimal activity. I chose the weekend when I didn’t have to work. 
3. Limit physical activity. No need for hard workouts when your body is detoxing. If you really want to move, try gentle exercise like walking or yoga.
4. Have support! My husband was great about cheering me on, tasting each juice, and just knowing I could count on him make a world of difference.
5. Drink mucho water! Water in between juices really helped curb my appetite. As did a decaf cup of tea!
6. Stay away from food! If you have kids, let your spouse take them out for dinner. 3pm – 6pm was the hardest time for me, so not smelling food cooking really propelled me through the juice cleanse.

No food for two days sounds intense right? Well I made it! And feel so much better. Sure the first day of no caffeine was tough, and I had headaches, but I was surprised that I wasn’t even hungry the morning of day two. Here’s what I’ve noticed since the juice cleanse:

• I lost a little weight, five pounds in two days. That wasn’t a goal, but a nice side effect!
• I have totally kicked the coffee habit, and all the chemical and sugar laden creamers I poured into it. (Bye bye International Delight’s Amaretto creamer, gone but never forgotten. Sniff, sniff)
• I am sleeping so SO much better, my body instinctively gets tired and I fall asleep faster.
• I no longer crave carbs and sugar, and have stayed on my Paleo diet for almost an entire week without any processed foods. 

I have to give major props to Jugo Fresh for being super helpful and letting me try all the juices beforehand. My favorites by the way are Manana Manzana (green juice), Sun Up (Roots & Life), Mylk Shake (Milk) and the smoothie Sueno. (Here’s the juice menu!) I loved these three so much I went back and bought more, my body is craving the fresh green juices! And the staff was so supportive, they allowed me to come in and switch flavors, and offered suggestions of what I could eat if I needed to. I was so pleased with their service and kindness! Thanks Lizzie and Chrystine for your help and encouragement.

If you are you feeling blah with your health, and know you need to make a change, a juice cleanse is a great way to detox and prepare your body for a healthier lifestyle. I’m so glad I finally stuck with it and am on the path to healing. Good luck!

Want more healthy living tips? Please follow along on Facebook! And don’t forget to say hi to my new friends at Jugo Fresh!