MY ONE DAY JUICE CLEANSE: RECAP + TIPS
Honest truth…I like doing juice cleanses! I know that is hard for some people to believe, but I like how I feel after I’ve done one and I like having to use my mental willpower to get through each day. To me, a juice cleanse is a way to reset, refresh, and help the body find its way back to balance. It’s funny how only on my cleanse days will I long for a piece of avocado toast or a huge bowl of wheat pasta (neither of which I eat very often – for the most part wheat is not my thing).
I got back to Vancouver late last Saturday night after a 10-day trip to Europe with my family. For those of you who don’t know me, I tend to keep my calendar pretty full, so I’d given myself one day to get over my jet lag before starting the Restorative Yoga Teacher training at Semperviva with Tianne Allan.
Ideal? Probably not. Doable? Totally.
Side note: Tianne is such a lovely soul; a gifted teacher, and bodyworker, and was a huge motivation for me to take the restorative yoga training! She offers yoga therapy sessions at Elements Wellness Centre (which is how I met her) as well as teaches at various yoga studios in Vancouver.
ANYHOW, I mentioned earlier that I’m not exactly a big fan of wheat, and I meant it…I don’t usually eat bread as my body. However, I just got home from Spain where I ate a lot more bread than I usually do. I found the bread there didn’t affect me the same way as it does here–no bloating or achy joints–none of it. So I indulged…now I needed a reset. Thankfully, my go to place is Olive + Ruby Cafe, which conveniently is right down the street. They carry fresh, cold pressed, sexy juice(www.sexyjuice.ca).
Monday marked the New Moon in Aries, the beginning of a new zodiac year and the perfect time for a fresh start. That’s why I thought this would the perfect time to do a spring cleanse and reset my body after vacation! To prepare for a juice cleanse I always like to reduce my meal sizes and eat strictly vegan. I’m a vegetarian so this switch isn’t too difficult, but this time around it was even easier as my body was adjusting to the time change and I had much less of an appetite than usual.
Juice Cleanse Day
5:30am— I woke up and drank a large glass of filtered water. I consider myself a morning person but this is very early. I’ve got my Restorative Yoga teacher training today, so I am excited and ready to go.
7am – first juice–”Good Morning Sunshine” [Kale, parsley, celery, cucumber, green apple, lemon, and ginger]
Not only did I love the name, but I’m also a huge fan of green juice (my body seriously craves it), so this was right up my alley.
9am – second juice – “Cleansing Service”: [celery, carrot, orange, pear, lemon, ginger, turmeric, pepper]
Despite my 5:30am wake-up, I’m feeling pretty good so far, my mind is clear and I’ve got lots of energy. It’s pouring outside and everything feels damp, so I’m especially appreciative of the lemon-ginger-turmeric kick to this juice! Ginger has a medicinal value that dates back thousands of years and has a great warming property to it.
9:30am – drank a herbal tea (Rooibos with ginger) – We get a break from 9-11 am. Outside is cold and rainy….my body is craving a nice hot herbal tea, and, well, my body knows what’s up…because it was exactly what I needed!
11am – third juice – “Oma” [red cabbage, beet, celery, carrot, green apple, dill.]
Our class break is over and I drink this one as I’m getting ready to dive back into learning. The energy from the beets, carrot, and apple give me a nice boost and just like that, I’m back into study mode!
2:00am – fourth juice – “The Energizer” – [pineapple, green apple, coconut water, chia seeds.]
The 5:30am wake-up and the jetlag are starting to hit me. I see the word “Energizer” and breathe a sigh of relief. The course is great, the only part I’m having trouble with is actually getting myself out of the restorative poses–I feel like I could just stay in the sideline child’s pose forever! Sometimes the hardest thing to do is just honour where we are at the moment. I’m feeling so grateful that this course has such an easy going vibe and that I’m able to spend a few extra minutes in poses if I need to.
2-3pm – I drank even more filtered water
5pm – – fifth juice – “V Eight” [carrot, beet, green apple, celery, tomato, parsley, ginger, lemon, cayenne pepper, sea salt.]
It’s been a long day but I’m finally home and finishing up some work on my laptop, and I’ve got to be honest, this is the perfect time of day for this hearty juice! Our homework tonight was to move 10-15% slower than normal, this is the easiest homework I have ever done.
6pm – I drank the last bit of my filtered water. I wanted to get at least 2 litres in today and I think I am pretty close to hitting that. Drinking water is a great way to help flush out those toxins while you are on your cleanse.
7pm – sixth drink – “Vanilla” [almond, date, vanilla bean, sea salt, purified water.]
This was the perfect way to end the day…so, so good. I will definitely be getting this one again, I’m already a fan of Olive + Ruby’s nut mylk. I love stopping in for a matcha latte made with the housemade almond mylk and Whisk Matcha . I will definitely be getting this one again!!
9pm – The day is now officially over for me and I am getting ready to crawl into bed. This was my first time doing a “Sexy Juice” cleanse, and it’s getting two thumbs up.
I’m definitely not a first-time juicer, in fact, I start most of my mornings juicing, or I’ll pick one up if I’m in the mood for something to boost me up during the day. What I really liked about this cleanse was the convenience, taste and the variety of juices that were included! Anyone who owns a juicer can tell you, it is NOT fun to clean, not to mention the veggie prep process. Overall, I felt pretty good all day, a little tired, which is to be expected, but nothing crazy. Plus, I only had one avocado toast craving!
In all seriousness, though, juicing is a part of my everyday life–I love to start every morning with a shot of ginger and lemon, (sometimes I’ll add a sprinkle of cayenne if I’m feeling adventurous!) and then juice whatever I’ve got in my fridge. My fridge is usually always stocked full of fruits and veggies so I’ll just pull out what feels right for my body that day. I cannot stress this step enough, it is SO important to listen to what your body needs…before, during and after a cleanse! (AKA if you need to mix in some fresh veggies or a vegetarian protein source…trust that!)
My body was craving a reset, and it feels amazing now that I’ve done one. If you’ve never done a juice cleanse before, I recommend starting with a one-day cleanse and seeing how your body (and mind!) reacts to it.
Just remember, juice cleansing is NOT for everyone, and you should check with your health-care professional to see if it’s the right time or thing for your body. You can still enjoy the benefits of cold pressed juices without going on a cleanse!