Juicing treats your body with nutrients, vitamins, and raw enzymes that are easy to digest and enter your bloodstream immediately. How amazing to be able to give your body this gift!
There are myriad benefits of juicing:
- Feeling happier and having more balanced moods
- Improved sleep
- More energy
- Clearer skin and brighter eyes
- Better digestion and assimilation
- Weight loss
- Less belly bloat
- Feeling more powerful because you are taking control of your health
- Having a clearer mind and feeling more in tune with the universe
A juice cleanse can be done for any length of time, from one day up to 10 days. When done properly, it ensures you are getting adequate nutrients to support the regeneration of cells and organs while purging your body of toxic waste that can lead to a lack of vitality and disease.
A juice cleanse is ideal for:
- Jump starting the metabolism
- Weight loss
- Going deeper into cellular cleansing
- Supporting problematic digestion / inflamed intestines
- Healing a compromised immune system
A juice cleanse gives your digestion a break and a chance to completely rest. Juicing is different from drinking smoothies because you are having just the juice without any pulp. The body can easily consume up to 4 kilos of vegetables in juices, which would be very difficult to accomplish while eating vegetables with the fiber. This is ideal for people with IBS, leaky gut, candida, and even Crohn’s Disease. For those without hampered digestion, the combination of both methods – juicing and smoothies – can be very effective.
Juicing is also a powerful way to replenish and hydrate the body, for example: after exercising, to address health issues like exhaustion, or even during treatments such as chemotherapy.
A note on costs:
Buying freshly-squeezed juices can run up to $12 or LE30 per juice.
If you are going to make the life-changing commitment to juicing regularly, I would recommend empowering yourself by saving up to invest in a juicer. For a comparison of the various models available, refer to http://www.top10juicers.net
NOTE: In Cairo, you can find Hurom juicers here https://www.facebook.com/huromegypt/?fref=ts
What to expect:
The first day may seem difficult, which is why I have laid out a step-by-step plan for you. In addition to juice recipes for the next three days, I have included a recipe for a potassium broth in case you feel dehydrated and need a boost of potassium. You also have recipes for dairy-free nut milks. I encourage you to drink a portion of nut milk every evening during the cleanse to replenish your proteins and amino acids.
While some people enjoy a burst of energy during a cleanse, you may experience some of the following withdrawal symptoms as your body cleanses:
- Headaches
- Body aches
- Exhaustion
- Loose stools
- Mood changes
- Itchy skin
- Fatigue
To minimize withdrawal symptoms, be sure to start drinking plenty of water 2-3 days prior to cleansing to begin flushing the toxins from the body, and cut back on or eliminate processed foods, such as sugar, caffeine, dairy, and gluten.
During the cleanse
Drink five juices daily, 12-16 oz./.350-.500 liters each.
If you have candida overgrowth, diabetes or sugar imbalances, then
I encourage you to stick with green juices. Green juice is very powerful for alkalizing the body, and by only juicing greens you are consuming low glycemic juice.
Coming off of your juice cleanse
– Suggested meals for the 1-2 days following the juice cleanse.
UPON WAKING, drink 6 oz/.180 liters of warm lemon water with 1 tablespoon of raw or regular apple cider vinegar. Feel free to add a tablespoon of honey and/or a dash of cayenne or cinnamon.
BREAKFAST: Enjoy a wonderful smoothie or a beautiful bowl of fruit (apples, grapefruit, pineapple, or berries). You can add bee pollen or a dash of spirulina to your smoothie or bowl of fruit.
LUNCH: Have a simple salad (ex. spinach, sprouts, 1/2 an avocado, fresh parsley) and add lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and cultured vegetables. The cultured vegetables will enhance digestion and remove toxins and waste from the body while adding vital healthy bacteria.
DINNER: Make a warm bowl of vegetables with sunflower or pumpkin seeds. This salad will bring back vital minerals to your body after your cleanse.
If you feel you need to snack during your post cleanse, have a piece of fruit, a handful of seeds, soaked nuts, a smoothie, or coconut water.
Continue to stay hydrated and drink your nut milk at night if you wish, and juice during the day for hydration, cellular cleansing, and pure liquid energy.
Simple 1- to 3-day Juice Cleanse
DRINK THESE JUICES IN ORDER:
8:30-9am: Green Glory
11am: Cool Cucumber
1pm: Detoxville
3pm: Carrot Blast
6pm: Citrus Kiss
8pm: Protein Milk – consume 8oz/.240 liters, if needed
NOTE: If you cannot make the almond milk, look for unsweetened, store-bought brands with the least amount of additives. Or check on Granny’s on Facebook for homemade almond milk.
You can add the following to any protein milk for extra fiber:
3 tablespoons sunflower, flax or pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1-2 figs or dates, soaked, with the pits removed
1/2 cup berries
Blend the protein milk with any of the above and feel free to add one or more superfoods such as maca, lucuma, cacao, or shredded coconut, or delicious spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg.
HELPFUL JUICE CLEANSE HINTS:
- You need to be drinking at least one liter of water per day during your cleanse.
- For extra hydration, particularly if you feel lightheaded, you can drink coconut water (4-6 oz/.120-.180 liters) in between juices or make a natural Gatorade by adding 6 tablespoons of sea salt and 2 tablespoons of raw honey to your liter of water.
- If you feel hungry or low in energy, add an extra juice or steamed vegetables as needed or take 1 tablespoon of unrefined, cold-pressed coconut oil (available at Divine Coconut Oil on Facebook).
- If you feel tired, light-headed, cold, or constipated, you can have one to two cups of the potassium vegetable broth.
- If you feel you need a smoothie at night, you can make one with your choice of protein milk, adding seeds, alcohol-free vanilla, cinnamon, and raw honey for extra energy.
LIQUID ASSETS – THE JUICES
Directions: Juice all of the ingredients through a juicer; add a dash
of cinnamon or cayenne if you want to warm up your digestion.
All juices are made for 1-2 servings.
All juices must be made in a juicer, or use a Vitamix or other high-speed blender to blend and then strain the juice through cheesecloth.
If you have thyroid issues or are sensitive to foods that contain goitrogens, any of these greens can be substituted with parsley or lettuce, or you can lightly steam the dark leafy greens before using.
THE JUICES
GREEN GLORY
1 green apple
2 cucumbers
1 bunch Swiss chard (sal2)
1/2 cup strawberries
1 bunch parsley
juice of 1 lemon
COOL CUCUMBER
1 handful of spinach
1/2 head of romaine lettuce
2 cucumbers
1 handful of parsley
1 green apple
1 pear
juice of 1 lemon
CARROT BLAST
2 carrots
6 stalks celery
2 cucumbers
1 pear
1 handful of parsley
2-inch piece of ginger
DETOXVILLE
2 cucumbers
1 beet
3 celery stalks
1 handful of watercress or 3 dandelion leaves
1 handful of parsley
2 carrots
juice of 1 lemon
CITRUS KISS
1 handful of kale
1 handful of romaine
1 orange
1 cucumber
1 handful of mint or parsley
juice of 1 lemon
RECIPES
POTASSIUM VEGETABLE BROTH
(Makes 8 to 10 servings)
16 cups of water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
8 celery sticks, chopped
8 carrots, washed and unpeeled
1 bunch dark leafy greens (kale or collards)
1/2 bunch of parsley
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 1-inch slices of ginger root
START YOUR BROTH. Measure 16 cups of water into a large pot, then cover. Bring your water to a boil.
PREPARE YOUR VEGETABLES. While the water is coming to a boil, wash all your vegetables, and cut them in half so they will fit into the pot. When water is boiling, put all the ingredients into the water EXCEPT the ginger. Bring the broth to a boil with the lid on. Then turn down to simmer for 1 hour. Finally, add the ginger slices. Continue simmering with the lid on for 30 minutes.
FINISH YOUR SOUP. You have two choices: strain the vegetables into a large pot and serve the vegetables in a warm dish OR blend the liquid and vegetables with an immersion blender to make a thicker broth.
DAIRY-FREE MILKS
ALMOND MILK
(Makes 4 Cups)
1 cup raw almonds, soaked for 8 hours
4 cups water
liquid sweetener to taste (optional)
BLEND THE ALMONDS. Take your soaked almonds (throw away the soaking water), and place them in a blender. Add the 4 cups of fresh water. Blend for 1 to 2 minutes until the almonds are ground down.
SEPARATE THE ALMONDS FROM THE MILK. Pour your almond milk into a nut milk bag* over a large bowl. Squeeze the bag so that the milk flows through the bag and into the bowl. The almond pulp should be left inside the bag.
REFRIGERATE YOUR MILK. Sweeten your milk if desired. Place your milk into
a container, and place it in the coldest part of the refrigerator. The milk should last 2 to 3 days before spoiling.
*NOTE: If you do not have cheesecloth or a nut milk bag, try a clean, white T-shirt or the leg of a pair of nude pantyhose instead.
SUNFLOWER OR PUMPKIN SEED MILK
(Makes 4 Cups)
1 cup raw sunflower or pumpkin seeds, soaked for 8 hours
4 cups water
liquid sweetener to taste (optional)
BLEND THE SEEDS. Take your soaked seeds (throw away the soaking water), and place them in a blender. Add the 4 cups of fresh water. Blend for 1 to 2 minutes until the seeds are well ground.
SEPARATE THE SEEDS FROM THE MILK. Pour your sunflower seed milk into a nut milk bag* over a large bowl. Squeeze the bag so that the milk flows through the bag and into the bowl. The sunflower seed pulp should be left inside the bag and discarded.
REFRIGERATE YOUR MILK. Sweeten your milk if desired. Place your milk into a container, and place it in the coldest part of the refrigerator. The milk should last 2 to 3 days before spoiling.
*NOTE: If you do not have cheesecloth or a nut milk bag, try a clean, white
T-shirt or the leg of a pair of nude pantyhose instead.