There are many benefits associated with juicing and the nutrients it provides. It allows your body to get a lot of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and antioxidants. It can help your body repair damage, lower cholesterol, reduce blood pressure and help to balance blood sugar.
But there is another benefit to juicing which kicks in when you drink nothing but juice. That benefit is detoxification.
Many people go on detoxification diets which work by restricting the foods you consume over a period of time which may be several days to several weeks. On a juice detox you consume nothing but freshly made fruit and vegetable juice. This gives your body a chance to rid itself of accumulated toxins which are found in abundance in many modern foods as well as in some naturally occurring foods.
When performing a juice detox it’s important to drink plenty of water to flush out all the toxins. It’s also important to realize that switching to a pure juice diet may have some unexpected side effects. Many people experience headaches which are common when removing caffeine and processed sugars from the diet. Some people may also experience nausea, upset stomach, loose stools and skin rashes. These symptoms only usually persist for a few days.
You can lessen these unpleasant effects by gradually switching over to juice and not simply stopping your current lifestyle to immediately juice. If you add in juice gradually and slowly reduce the amount of caffeine and processed sugars in your diet your body will have an easier time adjusting.
Many people who juice to detoxify will also lose weight. This is an added bonus for most people but if you return to your usual diet after detoxing you are likely to regain any lost weight back. So if you would like to keep that weight off it’s a good idea to keep juicing even if you use it as a meal replacement to reduce your calorie intake.
When planning a detox it is important to consult a doctor. Most healthy people will experience no problems but it’s always better to be safe than sorry. If you have any existing conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure or impaired thyroid function it is especially important that you see a doctor before juicing. You should also continue to take all prescribed medications while doing a juice detox unless told otherwise by your doctor.
If juicing longer than three days you should also make sure you are getting proper amounts of essential nutrients. This can be achieved by consuming a wide variety of fruits and vegetables but should not be overlooked. Consult with your doctor or nutritionist if you are uncertain about proper nutrition.
A juice detox is not something to undertake lightly. You really need to do proper research and consult with a licensed physician to make sure you aren’t doing more harm than good.
But with all those warnings aside, juicing to detoxify your body is a great way to reboot your body and give it a really good spring clean. Your body and liver will thank you in the long run and you might even end up juicing as part of your new lifestyle. The benefits of juicing are quite literally amazing. It’s logical if you think about it. Your body is designed to consume natural foods and works best when consuming fresh fruits and vegetables. A juice detox is a great way to refresh your body and gain an insight to what life could be like with a healthier natural diet.
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