Cleanses are all the rage. From detoxification to weight loss and the promise of glowing skin, there are many reasons why people opt to undergo a cleanse. There are many options for doing a cleanse. You can purchase pre-packaged foods for any specified period of time, juices, supplements, follow elimination diet plans and more. How do you determine which cleanse is right for you? It’s important to consider what will be realistic given your schedule and motivation. If too severe or restrictive, you might not be successful for the duration of the cleanse. Be sure to have the time needed if a significant amount of prep is required for the food or juice you will consume. While doing the prep yourself can help save money, if you’re not going to have the time needed to be successful, consider investing in a cleanse where the juice and/or food is delivered to your home. Here we outline some of the most common cleanses …
Juice Cleanse
A new juice cleanse seems to be popping up daily, with slick bottles of organic juice that can be shipped to your home. These sleek bottles are typically available in a 3, 7, 15 or 21day supply and can be terribly costly. There are many resources online with recipes for making your own juice. If you have a proper juicer as well as the time needed to prepare your juice for each day, consider doing it yourself. The majority of juice cleanses permit you to eat/drink nothing more than the juice and water. While some people report feeling nauseas and foggy in the head after several days, others experience clarity and feel well. Everyone will respond differently to a juice cleanse. So before you invest in a 21 day supply, consider doing a 3 day cleanse to ensure a longer duration will be realistic for you. Popular juice cleanses include the Blueprint Cleanse and Urban Remedy. Some extreme forms of “juice” cleanses include the Master Cleanse, where you drink nothing more than a concoction made from water, lemon, cayenne pepper and maple syrup.
Detox Diets
There are many detox diets available. Some are in the form of modified/restrictive diets where you eliminate certain allergens like gluten, dairy, eggs and more. The idea behind these detox diets is to give your body a rest from having to digest difficult allergens. By eating a cleaner, more wholesome diet, your body is able to rest and exert energy on detoxifying your organs. Some people specifically target a liver detox or colon cleanse. There is quite a bit of controversy over the idea of “detoxification.” Many experts argue that your body undergoes its own detoxification on a regular basis and there is no need to put your body through any kind of trauma in order to force the process. Cleanses like the Whole Food 30 Day Cleanse are much more moderate and easier to follow. With this kind of cleanse you will eliminate alcohol, gluten, dairy and more, and stick to a diet comprised of wholesome foods like vegetables and organic meats. More severe forms of detox diets include raw food cleanses, where you consume nothing more than “raw” foods. With this diet you will consume only fresh foods, nothing processed and nothing cooked. This kind of diet involves a lot of fruits and vegetables and perhaps some sprouted grains.
Determining which cleanse is right for you is largely dependent upon the time you have for preparation and what your goal and motivation is. While cleanses can help you achieve weight loss in a shortened amount of time, it’s important to remember that severe changes in diet will wreak havoc on your metabolism and when you return to eating normally after your cleanse, you could end up gaining the weight you lost and some.
