There are many different and creative ways to lose weight these days, and if you’re dedicated enough, some of the more unorthodox ways can even work. Juice detoxing, or a ‘juice cleanse’, isn’t so much a method of losing weight long term, but a three-day diet that allegedly flushes the toxins from your body.
The idea is that you sustain yourself purely on liquids for a set number of days, drinking only organic smoothies and juices made from fruit and/or vegetables. This is meant to relieve your body of the harmful side effects of consuming substances such as caffeine, sugar and artificial additives on a regular basis.
The nutritive value of fruits and vegetables keeps you going, and their antioxidants are easily absorbed by your body in liquid form, unobstructed by heavier meals. For people who require more energy, a vegan diet can be prescribed as well.
There are many aspects of a juice cleanse that may worry some, and interest others. For example, is it healthy? Does it actually work? And can it be inadvertently harmful to the body?
You may become less dependent on stimulants such as coffee and sugary foods, which contain kilocalories that lead to rapid weight gain and bloating. The detox is said to give you an almost ‘spiritual’ high in the middle of the diet, and if you find it leaving you feeling much better than you thought, it’s possible that cutting out meat, gluten, dairy and more has revealed an allergy. Many people are allergic to or intolerant of some common food, and if the cleanse has improved your general feeling of wellness, it is worth contacting your doctor about being tested for various allergies you might not have known about previously.
Improved Eating Habits
The diet could inspire better eating habits, allowing you to focus on a long term plan for healthy eating. Successfully completing the detox will also strengthen your willpower for such an undertaking, as it’s a tough slog for anyone to stick out all the way through. The lack of bloating and increased self-esteem due to completing the task could improve your libido and if that’s something which has spiked your interest then you might also want to check out our 10 Health Benefits of Keeping Sexually Active.
Higher Energy Levels
Your liver, stomach and intestines get a rest from absorbing and detoxifying all the refined foods, additives and other substances you send through your body each day. The detox may improve and increase your energy levels – depending entirely on the individual, the cleanse could give you a boost in productivity rather than the other way around.
The cravings that come in the first 24 hours of a juice cleanse can lead to mood swings and general irritability, which could be an issue if you have to work, go to college or do anything remotely interpersonal. Staying home alone will be difficult too, as it’ll take all your willpower not to cave the minute you lock eyes with a packet of biscuits (we all know the temptation!).
High Sugar = Light Head
If you typically don’t eat many carbohydrates, the sudden influx of natural sugars via the fruit juice could cause your blood sugar to drop. This will make you feel light-headed, and this uncomfortable sensation could last throughout the cleanse. Your energy level will inevitably dip, since you will be ingesting only half the calories your body is used to taking on a daily basis. Exercise should be restricted, although walking or light yoga is encouraged to increase blood flow and lymphatic circulation.
Regular Bathroom Breaks
Drinkers of tea, coffee and other beverages containing caffeine will suffer the worst during the cleanse as withdrawal sets in. Headaches and intense fatigue will likely result, with the more frequent drinkers suffering the worst symptoms. Foods high in protein and fibre slow the absorption of nutrients, and without these in your diet, you’ll be in and out of the bathroom far more often. This will give you the feeling of being truly cleansed, but it’s inconvenient and will require you to drink a lot more water during the day.
The hunger will cause restless sleep, as well as frequent jaunts to the toilet at night. A detox lasting longer than three days could become harmful to your health in the long term. Your muscles will begin to deteriorate, and brain function will become sluggish – both need protein and fat to operate.
There are numerous reasons to attempt a juice detox, as well as plenty of things to point to as reasons not to do one. Ultimately it comes down to what kind of a physical and mental change you’re looking for, if you’re seeking one at all. A juice detox can make you feel better and give you some hard-earned habits, but it comes with a lot of probable discomfort.
Any detox up to three days is safe, although you should check with your doctor to confirm this. Any longer could prove dangerous to the body – although it’s unlikely anyone could subsist on fruit juice for longer than absolutely necessary!
Lifestyle and entertainment writer with an interest in politics, despite the groans it incites at the dinner table. Sci-fi obsessive.
Comments are closed.
There are many different and creative ways to lose weight these days, and if you’re dedicated enough, some of the more unorthodox ways can even work. Juice detoxing, or a ‘juice cleanse’, isn’t so much a method of losing weight long term, but a three-day diet that allegedly flushes the toxins from your body.
The idea is that you sustain yourself purely on liquids for a set number of days, drinking only organic smoothies and juices made from fruit and/or vegetables. This is meant to relieve your body of the harmful side effects of consuming substances such as caffeine, sugar and artificial additives on a regular basis.
The nutritive value of fruits and vegetables keeps you going, and their antioxidants are easily absorbed by your body in liquid form, unobstructed by heavier meals. For people who require more energy, a vegan diet can be prescribed as well.
There are many aspects of a juice cleanse that may worry some, and interest others. For example, is it healthy? Does it actually work? And can it be inadvertently harmful to the body?
You may become less dependent on stimulants such as coffee and sugary foods, which contain kilocalories that lead to rapid weight gain and bloating. The detox is said to give you an almost ‘spiritual’ high in the middle of the diet, and if you find it leaving you feeling much better than you thought, it’s possible that cutting out meat, gluten, dairy and more has revealed an allergy. Many people are allergic to or intolerant of some common food, and if the cleanse has improved your general feeling of wellness, it is worth contacting your doctor about being tested for various allergies you might not have known about previously.
Improved Eating Habits
The diet could inspire better eating habits, allowing you to focus on a long term plan for healthy eating. Successfully completing the detox will also strengthen your willpower for such an undertaking, as it’s a tough slog for anyone to stick out all the way through. The lack of bloating and increased self-esteem due to completing the task could improve your libido and if that’s something which has spiked your interest then you might also want to check out our 10 Health Benefits of Keeping Sexually Active.
Higher Energy Levels
Your liver, stomach and intestines get a rest from absorbing and detoxifying all the refined foods, additives and other substances you send through your body each day. The detox may improve and increase your energy levels – depending entirely on the individual, the cleanse could give you a boost in productivity rather than the other way around.
The cravings that come in the first 24 hours of a juice cleanse can lead to mood swings and general irritability, which could be an issue if you have to work, go to college or do anything remotely interpersonal. Staying home alone will be difficult too, as it’ll take all your willpower not to cave the minute you lock eyes with a packet of biscuits (we all know the temptation!).
High Sugar = Light Head
If you typically don’t eat many carbohydrates, the sudden influx of natural sugars via the fruit juice could cause your blood sugar to drop. This will make you feel light-headed, and this uncomfortable sensation could last throughout the cleanse. Your energy level will inevitably dip, since you will be ingesting only half the calories your body is used to taking on a daily basis. Exercise should be restricted, although walking or light yoga is encouraged to increase blood flow and lymphatic circulation.
Regular Bathroom Breaks
Drinkers of tea, coffee and other beverages containing caffeine will suffer the worst during the cleanse as withdrawal sets in. Headaches and intense fatigue will likely result, with the more frequent drinkers suffering the worst symptoms. Foods high in protein and fibre slow the absorption of nutrients, and without these in your diet, you’ll be in and out of the bathroom far more often. This will give you the feeling of being truly cleansed, but it’s inconvenient and will require you to drink a lot more water during the day.
The hunger will cause restless sleep, as well as frequent jaunts to the toilet at night. A detox lasting longer than three days could become harmful to your health in the long term. Your muscles will begin to deteriorate, and brain function will become sluggish – both need protein and fat to operate.
There are numerous reasons to attempt a juice detox, as well as plenty of things to point to as reasons not to do one. Ultimately it comes down to what kind of a physical and mental change you’re looking for, if you’re seeking one at all. A juice detox can make you feel better and give you some hard-earned habits, but it comes with a lot of probable discomfort.
Any detox up to three days is safe, although you should check with your doctor to confirm this. Any longer could prove dangerous to the body – although it’s unlikely anyone could subsist on fruit juice for longer than absolutely necessary!
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Lifestyle and entertainment writer with an interest in politics, despite the groans it incites at the dinner table. Sci-fi obsessive.
Comments are closed.