The Power of Juicing for Detox: Everything You Need to Know
Have you ever felt sluggish, tired or just not on your A-game? If so, you may be suffering from a toxin build-up. With so many toxins and impurities in our environment, it can become increasingly difficult for our bodies to maintain its natural balance. When overtaxed with toxins we can't function at full capacity. To start feeling better we need to detoxify the body, which means cleansing the digestive tract as well as the liver and kidneys with fresh juice! Read this article for helpful tips and tricks that will help cleanse your system of unwanted toxins and leave you feeling cleaner than ever!
What is a detox diet?
Detox diets are often used to detoxify, or clean, the body and remove toxins. These can come in many forms, including pesticides, preservatives and chemicals found in household cleaners. Detoxing is also a great way to boost your immune system after an illness, especially if you are weakened by medication.
A detox diet is usually followed for a short period of time, typically between one and fourteen days. Some people might also do a "juice cleanse," where they only drink fruit or vegetable juice without any other food intake during the desired timeframe. Detoxing in this way can be a great way to boost your health.
Why do people go on detox diets?
One reason people go on a detox diet is after a holiday/vacation. Another reason might be after a heavy night out celebrating, eating and drinking unhealthy foods to excess. These foods can make the body more acidic. This can cause inflammation and illness. So a great reason to go on a detox juice cleanse is to make the body more alkaline.
When you are feeling tired and lack-lustre, it may be due to the build-up of poisonous substances in the body so detoxing provides an energy boost that helps clear up the mind, for better decision-making skills during stressful times in your life!
In order for a juice detox diet to be effective, it requires dedication but it is definitely worth the effort. To be as effective as possible, you should also remove sugar, caffeine, alcohol and food additives such as preservatives or artificial sweeteners. Your liver and kidneys are working to detox your body day in, day out. Juicing will not actually get rid of toxins. However, if you are drinking just juices there are less toxins coming in to your body. The liver has to work hard to remove these substances from the body so it deserves a rest now and again.
How does juice help with the detox process?
Juicing is a great way to clean the digestive system out. The process of juicing takes out all the tough, insoluble fibres, leaving behind only vitamins and minerals in liquid form. These can then be easily absorbed by our bodies. Juices also provide natural sugars, which help replenish the cells with energy very quickly.
Juicing recipes to try for your next cleanse
First of all, make sure that all the produce you are juicing is organic. This means there is no fertiliser or pesticide residue on it. If in doubt, make sure you wash them thoroughly.
Try this lovely rosy coloured juice for an immune system boost. Red apples are rich in antioxidants and help digestion; red grapes contain resveratrol which can improve heart health while adding sweetness to this drink. Add lemon for added detox benefits.
A great cleansing juice to try is ginger, beetroot pineapple and pear. Ginger is also great for reducing inflammation.
If you don't like the earthy taste of beetroot, swap it for cucumber for a really refreshing detox juice. You can also swap the ginger for the slightly milder taste of turmeric.
A lovely bright orange juice with carrots and orange creates an amazing tasting detox drink that leaves you feeling refreshed after drinking it. The best part? This recipe helps reduce blood pressure as well. It is also a great way to get rid of bad cholesterol that clogs up your arteries to help improve your heart health. This juice will also make your skin glow and your hair shiny.
When doing a juice cleanse, alternate juice drinks with a glass of fresh water for the best results. Water is the ultimate 'juice' that flushes out waste from your cells, improves digestion, improves sleep and boosts weight loss.
How long will it take to see results with a juice cleanse
For best results, you should have no solid food for the length of time you are on the cleanse. If you want to see results in your body, I recommend doing a one-day or three-day cleanse. Do not opt for any longer than this as the body needs protein and fat which juices do not provide. There is no harm in having a one day juice cleanse once a week or a three day detox once a month.
For the definitive detox try adding herbs to your juices. These are often used for healing for drug-free medication. The best ones to use are:
Rosemary which goes well with lots of fruit.
Sage which supports the liver to detox. It goes well with cucumber or apple.
Dandelions are often disregarded as weeds in the garden, but are full of anti-oxidants. Use 3 leaves in every half pint of juice. However, make sure you wash them thoroughly.
Basil goes really well with tomatoes in Italian cookery, so why not add it to your tomato juice. Basil is known to help relax your blood vessels, which gives them a much needed rest as well as your liver.
Thyme can be a little woody but is delicious with pineapple based juices.
And, finally, mint comes in lots of varieties and will boost the detox power of lots of juices especially those with apple juice in.
The bottom line is this: don't be distracted by other detox diets. There are many options, but you need to find the one that works best for your body and lifestyle. A juice fast can do wonders for your health and well-being. Just ask anyone who has done it!
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