Effective Juice Cleansing For Weight Loss

Although many people do juice cleansing for weight loss that is not it’s prime purpose. The main aim of  juice cleansing or juice fasting is to cleanse the body of toxins. Weight loss is often a beneficial side effect if you want to shed some extra pounds.

Fasting has been used extensively throughout history for healing disease. Thousands of people all over the world fast regularly not because they want to cure any particular disease but because they consider it an effective way to cleanse the body.

Water fasting was used traditionally by Naturopathic doctors for many years but recent research has shown that water fasting depletes glutathione,  needed by the liver for detox. They also point out that people are too full of toxic chemicals these days for water fasting.

Toxins are stored in fat tissue and when the body starts to break down its own tissue during water fasting, the fat cells release toxins chemicals which could cause symptoms of acute poisoning.

Juice fasting cleanses out toxins

The experience of the European Health Spas, where people go for juice cleansing for weight loss, showed that this could be avoided when juice fasting was properly managed. Freshly prepared juices provide the nutrients and fuel that your liver needs to detox and cleanse your system of the toxins that interfere with the weight control system.

(You might want to read this post:  Is blending fruit & vegetables better than juicing for detox?)

 

Toxic chemicals cause weight problems

Toxic chemicals that get into your body from the environment and toxic waste products that result from normal cell metabolism interfere with the normal function of the cells.

Certain toxic chemicals in the environment are known as endocrine disruptors or obesogenes. They interfere with normal hormone function and cause weight gain that is hard to shift by regular dieting. They are found in plastics, food packaging, pesticides and some cosmetics.

Researchers have recently discovered that obesity is the biggest cause of breast cancer in women that can be avoided. Many cancers are driven by estrogen and some by testosterone. If you are overweight your level of estrogen could be 50% higher than people of normal weight.

Many toxins can be effectively eliminated with juice cleansing and fat cells can be broken down. The antioxidants and vitamins and minerals in the juices help the liver process them quickly and safely and protect your cells against any damage from them.

If you are juice cleansing for weight loss and are very overweight its better to do several 7 – 10 day juice fasts instead of one longer one. That way you will burn the fat cells at a slower rate and the toxins released more safely.

How to prepare for juice cleansing for weight loss

It’s a good idea to prepare for a juice fast by taking a week or two to gradually cut down on red meat, fatty foods, processed foods, junk foods, sugar, dairy products, tea, ( except green tea), coffee and alcohol. You should increase your intake of fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains and pure water.

Then, for 2 – 3 days before the juice fast, eat nothing but raw fruit and vegetables making sure you chew them well.

Use organic produce if you can for your juicing as it is free of pesticide residues and contains the most nutrients. Invest in a slow speed juicer in preference to a centrifugal one if you can as it will help preserve the precious enzymes. Prepare each juice as you need it and drink it immediately.

Use more vegetables than fruit for your juices and add some greens. Green juices are very powerful and can help combat cravings. Drink as many juices as you want. You can drink water and some herbal teas too.

Fresh juices are great energy boosters. As well as vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants they contain a life force that helps with the healing process and is not directly measurable except perhaps by Kirlian photography.

Keep moving

Your body needs fresh air and movement while you are juice fasting to thoroughly cleanse your blood and tissues. Do some brisk walking and practice deep breathing while you do it. Brush your skin all over for 5 – 10 minutes with a natural bristle, long handled brush every morning before you shower.

You detox a lot through the skin so taking frequent showers or hot baths are important to keep the pores open.

Bowel Cleansing

It’s important to do a colon cleanse before you start the juice cleanse. You will not be getting any fiber from the juices so you will need to do enemas daily during the cleansing, take a fibre supplement or gentle herbal laxative to make sure you eliminate the toxins.

Breaking the fast

It’s very important to break the fast properly. The benefits of the fast could all be undone if you rush back to eating large meals.

The main rules are:

1. Eat very slowly and chew your food well.
2. Don’t overeat
3. Take 5 or 6  days to gradually wean yourself on to a healthy diet.

Eating small amounts of raw fruit and vegetables will get your digestive system working efficiently again. Continue to drink some juices.

On the first day you can eat a small piece of juicy fruit. Avoid the temptation to have a variety of fruit. For lunch you could try a green smoothie or a small bowl of salad. Dinner could be some more raw vegetables or vegetable broth. Do the same on the second day.

Over the next few days gradually introduce green leafy vegetables, vegetable soups, steamed vegetables and a little unsaturated fat such as avocados, soaked nuts and seeds. Add a little olive oil and lemon juice for dressing.

Finally introduce some whole grains like rice, and potatoes. If they do not cause any digestive problems then gradually introduce some dairy products and animal protein.

Stay away from sugar and foods containing it,  fatty food, fried food, processed foods and foods with additives.

You should not juice fast if you are very weak, very underweight, are pregnant or nursing or are on life saving medication unless you are being supervised by a knowledgeable health practitioner experienced in fasting.

Your juice fasting for weight loss will be a great experience which will invigorate and rejuvenate you.  Want support from Juicing experts and meal plans all laid out for you?  Try this:

Easy To Do 10 Day Juice Fast.