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detox/juice cleanse
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Now that I'm in off season, I'm thinking about doing a juice cleanse. I'm still doing some off season training so I don't want to be completely wiped out, but with the hoidays coming up I want to be able to resist the urge to eat all the sweets. (I currently have a bag of candy corn in the cabinet calling my name. I just can't resist).

So I've done a little research and talked to many friends and I feel like I'm back at square one. So many opinions.

My purpose for the cleanse:
1. Clear my mind
2. Resist sweet cravings
3. Gain energy
4. Remove toxins

Any books, website, product suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

-Marsha
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Re: detox/juice cleanse [Mars11] [ In reply to ]
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I'm going to ask you to reconsider. The body doesn't need cleansing by starvation. I think it is a myth. The body is designed to take care of itself. It is only when we pump it full of chemicals and crap that things start to fail. Get rid of the chemicals and the body will heal itself.

My suggestion is to eat 100% clean for a week. Only organic fruits and veggies. Little meat and if you do eat it, organic local butcher so you know its source. Beans, grains such as quinoi which has good protein. Nuts.

And just stop eating sugar. Cleansing won't make it any easier.

Get the chemicals out of your diet by not eating them.

I only say all of this because I did a lot of reading into it as well. Drinking only juice for a couple days will starve yourself and when your body is starving it doesn't care about cleansing toxins, it just wants food!

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce
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Re: detox/juice cleanse [Mars11] [ In reply to ]
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We bought a juicer a few months ago after watching the documentary Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. It was a very interesting film and is on Netflix. They film maker has a web site, just google Reboot and it should pop up.

I was able to do all juice along with eating fruits and veggies for 4 days. Now we just juice pretty much everyday for breakfast and sometimes dinner. What I like about juicing is being able to get a ton of nutrients in one glass. We put spinach and kale in almost every juice we make and it really has no flavor. The fruit flavors are what really come out. The one thing I don't care for juiced is beets. I love to eat them, but they make the juice tast really earthy and you pee and poo red for a few days which is kind of freaky.
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Re: detox/juice cleanse [QRgirl] [ In reply to ]
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Go throw the candy corn in the garbage.
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Re: detox/juice cleanse [QRgirl] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks for the input. Our family does eat mostly organic fruits and veggies as well as grass fed meat.

I consider our diet to be pretty balanced. I even had a nutritionist take a look at my intake for 3 days, and she really didn't have much to add/change from what I was already doing (more nuts for protein). Granted that was mid-season when I was more conscience of my eating habits.

I guess the reason I'm considering a cleanse is because I have friends that SWEAR by it. I'm not completely sold yet.

Any more opinions out there?
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Re: detox/juice cleanse [Mars11] [ In reply to ]
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If you're concerned about stool "buildup" caking the walls of your colon...worry no more. I've been a radiologist for 15 years and have never seen that...on any CT scan I have read. Yes, people get constipated from time to time, but there is not a buildup along the colon walls, or I'm sure I would have seen it by now. Thickened walls related to inflammatory disease or cancer, yes. Thickened from a layer of poop...no.

Cleanses are great...for the people writing the books and selling the supplements.
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Re: detox/juice cleanse [Mars11] [ In reply to ]
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I haven't done a full-on cleanse, but my hubby and I followed the first phase of the Clean diet for three weeks (after reading the book by Alejandro Junger.) It's not so much a detox program as a diet that eliminates anything that might be an allergen and gives the system a break. You basically eliminate wheat, eggs, white rice, soy, dairy, caffeine, alcohol, most red meat and nightshades (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, etc.) which gives you a diet very much like JenHS suggests: organic fruits and veggies, beans, lentils, quinoa, brown rice, small amounts of organic meat/fish.

I agree with the other posters that the body doesn't need a detox and phrases like "toxins" and "cleansing" give me the heebie-jeebies. But reading that book did make me want to give my diet an overhaul and instill some new habits. It was a very interesting experiment and I was surprised at how relatively easy it was to give up coffee/Diet Coke/sweets, etc. My eating habits are definitely better as a result and my sweet tooth is greatly reduced.

If you do decide to embark on something like this, just know that your energy levels will take a hit initially. I definitely felt the effects on my training and had to cut the intensity back somewhat. It got better, but I still didn't feel 100% until the diet was over.

M

------------------------------------------------------------
The beatings will continue until morale improves
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Re: detox/juice cleanse [mdraegerpnw] [ In reply to ]
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As someone who actually did the Master CLeanse for a week (confession!) during a time when injured and could not train, I don;t recommend a fast like that...actually a good thing was ai did lose 10 lbs and when I ate again regained just half, so it was a good way in that sense to not gain weight while off, and gave me a bit of a psychological boost to eat well when better...but, I was not really happy and I am sure this was not the best way to nourish my body while off.

What I've done since that made me feel great was as mentioned-try a week NO alcohol, caffeine and if you can't do no caffeine then maybe try green tea, but definitely NO sugar, NOTHING processed, no artificial sweetners...vegetable based...and yes, throw out the candy corn!

I know people that have done the Clean diet and swear by it, but its hard to manage going out to social events, dinners etc if following to the letter
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Re: detox/juice cleanse [JenHS] [ In reply to ]
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Get the chemicals out of your diet by not eating them.

x2

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Re: detox/juice cleanse [Mars11] [ In reply to ]
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In Reply To:
I guess the reason I'm considering a cleanse is because I have friends that SWEAR by it


are they athletes? just curious.

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD
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Re: detox/juice cleanse [tigerchik] [ In reply to ]
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tigerchik wrote:
In Reply To:
I guess the reason I'm considering a cleanse is because I have friends that SWEAR by it


are they athletes? just curious.

Good question. No, they are NOT athletes.

And I don't drink caffeine and hardly ever drink alcohol. I don't need to lose weight. It's just the sugar cravings that I really struggle with.

Guess I just need to make it a priority to make better choices is what it comes down to and not bother with all this nonsense.

I struggle with having a clear mind. I lose words and train of thought (as if I'm pregnant). Thought maybe I needed to reboot the system.




In Reply To:
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Re: detox/juice cleanse [Mars11] [ In reply to ]
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If you have sugar cravings, go 2 weeks with NO sugar. No candy, no diet soda or regular soda, no pastries, no desserts. The cravings will lessen after 3 days. After 2 weeks they'll be gone completely.

I also get major sugar cravings (I just ate two of those big toosie rolls - LOL) and when I need to cut out sugar, that's what my dietician recommends. 2 weeks no sugar.

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD
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Re: detox/juice cleanse [Mars11] [ In reply to ]
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I had a terrible year of migraines and stomach problems so my doctor suggested the elimination diet (along with blood tests etc..). She suggested a book I follow and I missed the part where she said don't do the 2-3 day cleanse at the beginning.

I started the diet 3 times with the cleanse and it was AWFUL. I had zero energy and my migraines were worse. I tried to do it the final time during a week when I had an intensive class every night of the week Despite getting 10 hours of sleep a day I couldn't concentrate and could barely stay awake. I finally threw in the towel and started eating food again and it was 100% better.

Just cut out the things you don't want in your diet. After 10 days or so you'll be past the cravings. I don't suggest cutting them all out at once though. Your body will remove toxins naturally. That's what it does. You don't need to rush the process with something that will empty your bowels unnaturally fast. That's not normal for your body to do and it will compensate for having to do this.
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Re: detox/juice cleanse [tigerchik] [ In reply to ]
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tigerchik wrote:
If you have sugar cravings, go 2 weeks with NO sugar. No candy, no diet soda or regular soda, no pastries, no desserts. The cravings will lessen after 3 days. After 2 weeks they'll be gone completely.

I also get major sugar cravings (I just ate two of those big toosie rolls - LOL) and when I need to cut out sugar, that's what my dietician recommends. 2 weeks no sugar.

X2. I do that (6 weeks sugar free currently) and when I do I let friends and loved ones know so they realized why I'm a crabby cow for about days 5-10.
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Re: detox/juice cleanse [peaches] [ In reply to ]
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sugar cravings! my BF is wonderful--BUT during 'that time of the month' he always brings me chocolate, which I think nice of him, but I think he is really trying to 'tame the monster' :)
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Re: detox/juice cleanse [GhiaGirl] [ In reply to ]
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Something my neurologist mentioned to me and which I have found to be true--when I let my blood sugar drop this is one of my migraine triggers.
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Re: detox/juice cleanse [Mars11] [ In reply to ]
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I did a juice cleanse through a health food store/fresh juice store around this time last year. On the whole, it sounds like your diet is healthier than mine :) but thought I would give you my 2 cents. For three days, I ate nothing but fresh fruit and raw vegetables, then had 3 days of the juice which was prepackaged and labeled through the health food store, then ate fresh fruit and the raw veggies again for three days. Overall, it didn't do me much good. On the juice days, I had zero energy. I could do a slight weightlifting workout but had no pep for anything cardio. I felt it was a lot of effort and persistence in 'sticking with it' and I couldn't feel or see any results. Since this cleanse, I have practiced eating fruits and raw veg supplemented with juice for 5 days instead of the whole juice shebang; its not hard to stick with, I have energy to do workouts, and I really do feel clean and refreshed from the inside out. Also, and maybe because this was a dedicated cleanse from a health food store, it was more money for 3 days of juice and for the same amount of money, I could buy freshest produce that would last me a week.
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Re: detox/juice cleanse [QRgirl] [ In reply to ]
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QRgirl wrote:
We bought a juicer a few months ago after watching the documentary Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. It was a very interesting film and is on Netflix. They film maker has a web site, just google Reboot and it should pop up.


Thanks for recommending the show. You can watch it free on Hulu. Interesting.... probably not so much surprise information for many on this forum, but I have asked my less healthy family to watch it.
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Re: detox/juice cleanse [FlipFlopGirl] [ In reply to ]
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Just watched it-thanks for mentioning free on hulu...I'm inspired to dust off the unused juicer I bought a while back now!
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Re: detox/juice cleanse [Mars11] [ In reply to ]
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marsha, you should check out blueprintcleanse. i'm a personal trainer and their cleanse doesn't deprive me of the claories i need to stay active. if you are still worried about energy, they also supply a "cheat sheet" of foods you can incorporate during the cleanse that wont interfere with all the good stuff you are doing for your body (i only used a cheat on day1 of my 3day cleanse, and in retrospect, i don't even think i needed it.) i have used blueprint a few times now (they deliver) and have referred them to my clients, who have all had really great experiences. if you are not able to have the cleanse delivered to you, the founders wrote a book featuring recipes. it is also a great source for "all-things-detox." if you are in need of mental clairty and focus, energy, sleeping better, and inspiration to maintain healthy habits, i really recommend it. i always have a great experience.
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Re: detox/juice cleanse [QRgirl] [ In reply to ]
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this is such a great movie!!!!!
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Re: detox/juice cleanse [QRgirl] [ In reply to ]
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I watched this movie this am on my trainer (can't find my helmet so I couldn't hit the roads). Good movie. Recommended it to a lot of my friends too.

I LOVE beet juice. or beets in a smoothie. I can't eat beets straight up though.

Found a great recipe for beet and black bean burger and they've replaced the store bought black bean burgers in my freezer.
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Re: detox/juice cleanse [Mars11] [ In reply to ]
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Mars11, I hope you don't mind me asking another question on your thread! :-)

Just curious for everyone who juices: what juicer do you use? I saw a Breville in a store a couple of weeks ago and was shocked at how expensive it was.
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Re: detox/juice cleanse [eisenhund] [ In reply to ]
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it's probably worth it. I bought a Jack Lalane juicer for $50 from GNC. It broke within 2 months. I just ordered a $200 Breville juicer to replace it.
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Re: detox/juice cleanse [Mars11] [ In reply to ]
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I added daily juicing to the mix about 6 months ago. While there are documented pros and cons to doing a juice fast, I believe that you could go a more moderate route and still have success. I'm not saying that you're not disciplined; it's just that I think you would have some tremendous results if you added one or two freshly squeezed; mostly green juices a day; cut out sugar and refined carbohydrates and ate a ton of fresh fruits and vegetables. The whole grains, lean meats and nuts can fill in the holes. I dropped 10 lbs (gained due to running injury and testing cupcakes for a bakery opening for 3 months) by incorporating 1-2 16 ounces juice a day (on average 10 a week); eating a ginormous salad and snacking on carrots and cucumbers (esp when sitting in front of the computer). I bought a Breville 900 juicer about 4 months ago as I was sick of spending $6-$7 on a juice (complete with plastic cup to add to area landfill) and couldn't be happier--super easy to clean.

My latest favorite is
  • 1 cucumber (keeps it mellow and adds volume)
  • 1 broccoli stem (great use for stems-you can save florets for something else)
  • 1 lemon, skin on (super alkalizing and balances the green)
  • 4 leaves kale
  • 1 apple (balances the green)
  • 1 small knob of ginger (anti inflammatory)


Another added bonus is that my skin is clearer and I have less wrinkles. Sugar creates a lot of those, IMO.

Try just adding juices and eating whole foods as opposed to doing a radical diet and I believe you will get the results that you are looking for.
Good Luck

leslie myers
http://www.foodsensenow.com
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