Juice cleanses have been around for a long time. Most people are familiar with the classic water, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, and maple syrup detox. Currently, juice cleanses are in trend and there are many to choose from. The most popular type of healthy juicing seems to be a combo of greens, generally including kale. Some people go DIY and make the juice at home while others hop on board one of the many cleansing programs available. Juicing in itself is not a bad thing. After all, vegetables and fruits are good for you and provide many of the vitamins, nutrients, and proteins you need in your daily diet. However, some of the information and advice out there that pertains to juice cleanses is misleading and dangerous.
Some of the cleansing programs suggest that going through periods of eating fatty comfort foods is A-ok, as long as you spread it out with some periods of juicing in between. Other information out there suggests that juicing is a quick and easy way to lose weight and rid your body of toxins. The problem with this outlook is that many people are developing unhealthy habits. If you binge unhealthy food, then spend a week to 10 ten days “detoxing” with a juice cleanse, you’re in danger of harming your body and slowing down your metabolism. This isn’t a sustainable way to keep weight off. Eating healthy overall, combined with juice cleanses once in awhile is a better option. Otherwise you are just continuing to live an unhealthy lifestyle with doses of “healthiness” thrown in to make yourself feel better.
Juicing can be healthy and it does feel and taste great. This can create a natural high and cause some people to feel that they’re changing and improving their body instantly. This feeling can become addictive, causing a habit of cutting out many foods entirely and sticking to the juice alone. It’s a dangerous train of thought that may cause eating disorders or perpetuate one that already exists. These cleanses are often a good cover-up for people suffering from eating disorders because they can present an image of good health. Of course not everyone will fall into this mentality or pattern, but it’s an important thing to consider before welcoming a juice cleanse into your life.
Make sure to do your own thorough research before starting a cleanse, and remember that advice that suggests cutting out entire food groups from your diet is often bad advice. Also consider the source: is it a marketing ploy designed to make money? Does this person care about the health of others?
Stick to an overall balanced and healthy way of eating and avoid diet trends and temporary fixes. That is the only true and tried way to keep weight off and stay healthy.
