I was recently interviewed on the benefits of juicing by the author of an upcoming book called Blueprint Cleanse. I’ve been juicing for years and hope that my experiences might be of use to anyone considering juicing.
My Nomination For The Best Juicer
For a couple of years I used the Juiceman Juicer but I was never very happy with it. Here’s the bottom line on the cost of juicing:
Either you spend money up front on the juicer …
Or you spend money on the produce by buying a cheap juicer …
Cheap juicers, like the Juiceman juicer
Waste a lot of juice: you can tell this easily by looking at the pulp. The Juiceman Juicer’s pulp was simply dripping!
There is a lot of air in your juice: you can tell this by the amount of foam.
For these reasons, I bought an expensive Greenstar/Green Star juicer in January of 2006. The pulp is almost totally dry and the foam is almost non-existent. It’s just a guesstimate, but I get at least 1/3 more juice out of the same amount of produce than I ever did with the Juiceman juicer. Naturally, this saves me money. On the downside, of course, the Green Star Juicer costs more initially.
Choosing A Juicing Recipe
The base for my juice is either oranges or tangerines + carrots. To that I add whatever is in season and looks good, especially spinach and celery, but also veggies & fruits such as sweet potatoes, apples, cabbage, lettuce.
I’ve tried following specific recipes that are supposedly for specific problems, but I haven’t seen that this approach is any better than the ‘general’ kind of juicing I do now.
Some vegetables are just so bitter that I can’t tolerate them – kale is an example – so I also daily use a powdered green drink and alfalfa tablets.
Benefits Of Juicing
I started juicing because I knew my body was NOT at optimal health. I have nothing serious but at times I’ve experienced too much fatigue, bloating, constipation, joint pain, a general malaise. Juicing definitely clears up all these symptoms and in a very short time.
One of the biggest benefits of juicing is that it’s much easier on our bodies. I tried two water-based ‘fasts’ before and the experiences were AWFUL. Both times I spent a day or two in bed, throwing up, diarrhea, etc. The authors who recommended this regime assured their readers that it was just the toxins leaving their bodies and we shouldn’t be concerned. Perhaps that’s true but I don’t believe it’s healthy for the human body to experience such severe symptoms unless there is a serious health crisis to deal with. Juicing alleviates this kind of misery.
Preparing For A Juicing Diet
I’ve done nothing in particular to prepare, but I hasten to add that’s because I generally eat well anyway. I’m a vegan and I rarely overeat or indulge in junk ….. except for Starbucks! :-)
For someone who eats a lot of meat or sugar, I would strongly advising cutting down on the amount of food and eliminating as much as possible of ‘heavy’ foods like meat, butter, cheese, etc. The more toxic the system, the tougher the juice fast will be.
My Experiences With A Juicing Diet
Honestly, the first day is HELL! I feel constantly hungry and there is an inner war with one part of me asking, "Why in the world are you doing this? Stop NOW!". And sometimes I’ve started and then quit. Just eating a salad will alleviate the hunger pangs. I think it’s the act of chewing that makes the difference. I’m not sure that I’m really hungry because I drink as much juice as I want and it does fill up my stomach. Several times I’ve decided to fast, started on the juice and then eaten salads or fruit later in the day and then gradually tapered off on the solid stuff.
At other times I’ve persisted and haven’t eaten anything solid from the very beginning.
My longest fast was five days.
After that first day it gets easier. Much easier. Usually, sometime during the afternoon of the second day I st art to feel incredible: euphoric, light, almost floating but in a good way. There’s a real "high" on the other side of the suffering at the beginning. During this time I always regret that we humans have to eat at all. It seems so much easier to just skip the whole eating process – and it would certainly be more pleasurable and save a lot of money and effort.
Reintegrating Food After A Juicing Diet
It’s easy to not eat junk after a juicing diet or juicing fast – or at least, it’s easy for me. I feel so great that I don’t want to disturb this feeling and the thought of something heavy like cheese or a burger or even a dessert is simply repugnant. It’s not at all like, "Whew, that’s over. Let’s chow down". A piece of fruit seems like an effort and almost overwhelming. In fact, for several days after a juice fast I eat very little – out of choice, not discipline. Naturally, the eating routine overtakes me again and I get back to normal. I’m regretful, though. The ‘high’ is so incredible that I’d really like to live that way.
In my ‘normal’ life, I still juice almost every day. I usually have 2-4 cups of juice daily and my Greenstar will make "ice cream" out of frozen fruit. It’s so luscious and I eat it almost every day, except in the coldest weather. I’ve invented one out of cherries and chocolate = the greatest combination in the world. Yum.
After A Juicing Body Cleanse
I do a juice fast or body cleanse every quarter – sometimes more often. I’m 66 and in great shape, especially compared to a lot of my contemporaries who moan and whine about how awful they feel. At the same time, most of them won’t listen to any advice about ways to change their situation. I don’t mean to sound unkind. I’m just impatient with this notion of "It’s just old age and there’s nothing I can do about it".. Nonsense!
What I dislike about a body cleanse:
1. Obviously, I dislike that first day of adjustment. Honestly, I dread it! I’d fast more often if it weren’t for that. I read recommendations to do a one-day fast and that’s nutty to me. That way you get all of the misery without getting the ‘high’ that makes it so worthwhile.
2. It’s inconvenient. I can’t go out to eat with friends and I obviously avoid dinner parties, etc. For this reason it’s necessary to plan a juice fast carefully.
What I like about a body cleanse:
1. Obviously, I like the "high". This world is so full of folks who take drugs to get high and those drugs are dangerous and cause physical damage. And they’re so unnecessary when we can get this kind of great feeling in a totally positive way.
2. An occasional fast does great things for my health. All the problems I mentioned earlier – like aching joints, bloating, etc. – are symptoms of less-than-perfect health and they all disappear with a juice fast. Clearly I am doing my body a lot of good.
3. Less work: I don’t cook or do meal prep with a juice fast. It’s definitely convenient that way because everything is simplified.
4. I save money. It doesn’t seem that way at first because the fruits and vegetables aren’t as cheap as buying the junk food that most of us love. And I always think I’m going to be needing tons of produce. But I always drink a lot less than I think I will – especially as the days pass. I usually make two cups at a time and sometimes on the first day I’ve had as much as 7-8 servings … but by the end I’m down to a couple of servings per day. This isn’t discipline – it’s just that eating & drinking become totally unimportant. That is extremely satisfying. We humans are way too focused on our stomachs. The only "rule" I have is: "drink when I’m hungry, stop when I’m full". By the end of the fast I just don’t need any more than couple of servings.
chris says
great story, keep it up! Im 32 and began juicing at around 20 yrs of age, absolutely the healthiest thing i could have done for myself!
BlissPlan says
Chris, it’s healthy for sure. The hardest part is making the commitment because once I begin, it’s not so bad. Getting over the mental mountain of “I can’t eat anything! Waaaaaaaah! Poor me!” isn’t easy. Every single time, though, I wonder why I don’t do it more often. Well, after the first day I feel that way. :-)
Dana says
This is great! I just started juicing and feel great. I hope I can keep it up. I have sixty pounds to lose.
BlissPlan says
Dana, good for you! I congratulate you on sticking with it. You will feel all ‘cleaned out’ afterwards and that makes it easier to eat in a healthy way. Let us know what happens.
Cheryl says
I’m on Day 9 of a Juice Fast and I still feel weak, headachey, and light-headed. I never experienced a “high” whatsoever, nor have I felt “great” in any way, shape, or form. I keep wondering when I’m going to start feeling good. I eat well in “normal” life, so drinking all this raw food isn’t much of a change. I keep wondering why I don’t feel well. Hmmmm. I just thought I’d share my two bits. I feel sad that I don’t seem to be experiencing any benefits.
BlissPlan says
Cheryl, I am SO impressed that you have made it to Day 9!!! I’ve never made it past two days myself, so I can’t speak to the “high”. Lots of people who do this fast claim that there is one. I know that I did feel very light after my measly two days but that’s as closed to high as I ever got. I admire your discipline and hope that you’re glad in the end. (Sydney)
bobbie says
I am on day 5 and I feel great! I have experienced the high you feel after the second day- I woke up no achey joints and it felt great to be up @ 6 in the morning ready to start my day. I am 23 and I feel 16 again. My daughter and husband can notice a difference too. Me and my husband juiced together so that we would be fair and keep each other on track.
BlissPlan says
Congratulations! That’s wonderful and you are obviously proud of yourself – and you should be. Best wishes for continued success.