Tag Archives: juicing

Cleanse – Day 1

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Day 1 of the Cleanse is COMPLETE! Yesterday, I awoke to a very helpful and informative e-mail from Juice To You with instructions on when to take juices, and some helpful tips. Then, like clockwork, Juice To You arrived at my doorstep (literally). The idea is that you drink a pint of juice (6 in total) every 2 hours, with a superfood elixir “shot” (2oz in the morning and 4oz at night) to start and end your day. They recommend you drink water in-between each juice.

Ready… BREAK!

6:47am - While in a deep sleep, I awoke to knocking on the front door. MY JUICE! I didn’t ask questions about how the guy got into my apartment building, I just took my 3 cooler bags from the nice man, and placed them safely in the refrigerator.

7:15am- Downed a pint glass of warm water. (They recommend you squeeze fresh lemon juice in the water but we may or may not have used our last lemon as part of a fish marinade last night.) Note to self: buy lemons.

At this point in my morning, I’ve usually had a cup of black coffee, and this morning I’m seriously craving my caffeinated friend. Try not to think about the fact that we won’t be reunited until Thursday.

9:00am - Elixir #1 – 2oz Blue-Green Algae, followed by a large cup of water. Gag at the name. Tastes surprisingly like almost nothing (and it’s gone in 2 sips). Have no idea what I just chugged so I research.

Blue-green algae is an all-organic, wild-harvested botanical algae. It is considered to be nature’s most beneficial superfood by renowned health authorities.

Benefits include:

  • increases endurance and stamina
  • fortifies the blood
  • lifts and balances mood to reduce stress
  • strengthens bones, teeth, skin, hair, and nails
  • supports brain and nervous system
  • balances blood-sugar levels
  • increases mental focus and concentration
9:30 am – Juice #1 – Alpha Green. Tastes like a normal green juice, and is surprisingly delicious. Hunger levels are normal – I don’t feel hungry, I just feel like I want to CHEW something. Large glass of water follows. (They recommend you drink water in-between juices throughout the day.)
  • celery
  • cucumber
  • sunflower sprouts
  • lemon

11:30am – Juice #2 – Lemon-Aid. SO FREAKING DELICIOUS. It tastes like lemonade with a gingery, spicy kick. I drink it slowly to savor every sip because I want it to last longer. I love this juice. Cup of water follows. At this point it’s just about lunchtime and I’m definitely starting to get a bit hungry. Mentally and Physically I feel great this morning – I completely forgot about my lack of caffeine, and have a lot of energy. Not something I was expecting!

In my very informative e-mail this morning, one of the tips was: “We recommend to keep your exercise regimen at a moderate level, thus not straining yourself.”  Blasphemy I say.I scrapped my planned lunch-hour 6 mile run in favor of a rest day. I figured after 7 days without one, it was probably time. Planning on a light run and Pilates Tuesday, and the same Wednesday.

 

  • Lemon
  • Agave
  • Ginger
  • Cayenne Pepper
  • Filtered Water

1:30 pm – Juice #3 – Beta Green. Surprisingly FILLING! I sipped on this for about an hour at my desk and before I knew it, it was almost time for my next juice. You could definitely taste the carrot but I thought it tasted really sweet, delicious, and satisfied any hunger pangs I had going on.

 

  • Cucumber
  • Carrot
  • Spinach
  • Romaine
  • Parsley

3:30 pm – Juice #4 – Coconut Water.

 

OHMYGOD I’ve been missing out. Fresh coconut water tastes nothing like the stuff I convince myself tastes good, but really I choke down for a hangover/post-run benefit. I bet I could even get boyfriend to like this kind. It actually tastes like a coconut!

By this point in the day I’m usually starving and exhausted. I’m totally satisfied with no hunger pangs to speak of. I feel extremely alert, have a lot of energy, and haven’t yawned once this afternoon. I feel fantastic (if not a little cold because my office keeps the temperature in arctic range). I’m also coming off of 7 days of straight running/pilates exercise so typically I’d be really hungry at this point.

5:30 pm – Juice #5 – Deep Green.

Tasted a lot like the other green juice – filling, satisfying, and not at all like a plant.

 

  • Celery
  • Cucumber
  • Kale
  • Spinach
  • Romaine
  • Parsley
  • Lemon

7:30 pm – Juice # 6 – Almond Drink.

 

  • Raw Almonds
  • Coconut Water
  • Vanilla Bean
  • Himalayan Salt
  • Filtered Water

This tasted like a vanilla-almond-coconut MILKSHAKE. I savored every sip it was so tasty. Juice To You soaks their almonds in water for a full day before grinding them, to stimulate the nuts into sprouting. When a seed sprouts, it is buzzing with  nutrients and enzymes, so sprouting almonds are even healthier than regular almonds.

9pm – Elixir #2 – Aloe (SAY WHAT?)

This shot is designed to hydrate and support digestive function. The combination of aloe vera juice, young coconut water and lime juice hydrates your body while regulating your digestion.

Possible benefits include:

  • improves digestion
  • anti-inflammatory properties
  • hydrates the body
  • strengthens immune system

After my initial panic attack that I was drinking what I use to put on my skin after a sunburn, I took my shot of aloe… and it tasted like lemon water. Not bad in the least. (And it only lasted about 5 seconds).

Overall Thoughts On Day 1?

I never felt hungry. Not a once… and I’m a very hungry person by nature. I felt alert, focused and just overall great all day, which really surprised me. I was expecting headaches, dizziness, hunger pangs, etc and I didn’t experience any of that. I also feel really light, which I’m really enjoying. Typically Mondays are my longest days with work, a workout and then Pilates Teacher Training, and I’m a zombie by 10pm. Yesterday I was full of energy until I got into bed – a welcome change!

I didn’t work out yesterday, and the only time I even wanted to eat wasn’t because I was hungry, it was because I missed the sensation of chewing.

Day 1 Success!

Get Juiced

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Something I’ve been entirely intrigued about, but not entirely sold on lately is the juice cleanse. I’ve been wanting to try one out for a while, but the timing was never right. I either had plans, an event, was in the middle of marathon training… the list could go on. Most of the larger juicing companies are located in New York or LA, and I wasn’t into the idea of getting fresh-pressed juice overnighted to me. (That being said, I hear awesome things about Cooler Cleanse and Blueprint Cleanse in NYC and Pressed Juicery in LA).

Then I found out that a juice cleansing company, Juice To You, opened a location (Juice Shop) on Union Street. While at the beach last weekend a friend was downing a juice from the Juice Shop and I asked her about it. She’d cleansed before and highly recommended it.

Consider my curiosity officially peaked.

I’ve seen the documentary “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead” and I (shamefully) shell out $7 a few times a week for a 16oz fresh-pressed green juice from Plant, so I wasn’t a stranger to the idea of juicing. The idea of juice cleansing however was something I hadn’t tried.

And I really, really wanted to.

So last night I pulled the trigger. My stomach has been up in arms with the gluten as of late, so why not cleanse it all out? Remove all the toxins and all the crap, and see how it makes me feel?

Enter Juice to You – a San Francisco/Marin company with an outpost on Union Street (across from Lululemon… workout clothes and a fresh-pressed juice = win win win).

The company was started after their co-founder, Charlie Gulick was diagnosed with a rare liver disease after traveling in Central America. He was told he would eventually have to have a liver transplant. After many unsuccessful surgeries in attempt to manage his disease, he came across a world-renowned health institute where he took a holistic approach to his health. Charlie was placed on a strict regiment of juices, raw and vegan foods and treatments. He returned to the Bay Area and continued to maintain his new lifestyle. Charlie transformed his health and regained his strength, symptom free. Upon his return from the institute his family became his greatest support and they too benefited from his transformation. Drinking fresh organic juices daily was Charlie’s protocol for his health. It’s been six years and Charlie has not stepped foot into an operating room. While still monitoring his health, he has more energy than ever and feels great.

All information from Juice To You

I started to research.

Juicing

We provide the most nutrient rich cold-pressed juice possible. Using our hydraulic press, which gently extracts the juice right from the pulp, we maximize taste and nutritional value. Compared to other methods of juice extraction, pressed juice has a much higher nutritional content and is exposed to minimal oxidation, so the nutrients do not break down as rapidly. We are proud to use state of the art technology to provide the highest quality and best tasting juice.

We believe there are many benefits to drinking juice, from the tangible to the intangible. When you start your day with a glass of fresh juice, rather than sugary cereal, your whole outlook changes. You’re more mindful of what you eat, and how you feel, throughout the entire day.

Beyond the intangibles, possible benefits of drinking juice include:

  • Sharpens mental clarity
  • Increases energy levels
  • Improves digestive function
  • Strengthens immune system
  • Restores organ function
  • Normalizes body weight
  • Improves sleeping patterns
  • Balances pH levels
  • Reduces aches & pains
  • Clears complexion
  • Improves circulation
  • Lowers blood pressure
  • Balances blood-sugar levels.
  • Cleanses colon

Cleansing

Juice cleanses give the body a break from food, while removing toxins and providing your body with the proper nutrients it needs to achieve and maintain optimal health.

Our cleanses are designed to clean your system in a safe and gentle way as you continue your daily routine. We have carefully selected four different levels of cleanses, consisting of six pints of juice and two elixirs daily. In order to experience the benefits of the cleanse, we recommend to stay away from solid foods while cleansing.

An ideal time to cleanse is after holidays or stressful periods in your life, times when we often over-indulge in unhealthy foods, alcohol, and habits. The change of seasons (spring and fall) is also an ideal time to cleanse. Most people will cleanse whenever they experience signs of over-acidity in the body, which may include chronic fatigue, headaches, insomnia, depression, allergies, aches & pains, digestive problems, unhealthy skin and a weakened immune system.

And I’m sold.

I was extremely impressed with the level of detail the company provides to it’s customers. Their juice ingredient list is exactly the type of information I love to pore over, and exactly the veggies, fruits, and ingredients I use in my own kitchen.

My 3-Day Intermediate Juice Cleanse includes each of the following per day:

  • 16 oz Alpha Green
  • 16 oz Lemon-aid
  • 16 oz Beta Green
  • 16 oz Coconut Water
  • 16 oz Deep Green
  • 16 oz Almond Drink
  • 4 oz Aloe
  • 2 oz E3 Live
They equal roughly ~1200 calories a day, but the kicker is that none of these calories are wasted or empty. They’re all chock-full of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.
I stopped by after Pilates yesterday, shelled out $9 (you get $2 back for returning their eco-friendly and re-useable glass bottles) for the A+ Deep Green and immediately knew I was making the right choice. This juice was amazing. Sorry Plant, they just owned you.
For a texture freak like myself it was smooth, it was cold, it was refreshing, and best of all, it was filling. I officially couldn’t wait.

My 3-day Juice Cleanse starts in about 10 minutes (with the hand-delivery of my juices, I’m so swanky, I know) and I am so curious and intrigued about how it will make me feel.

Daily updates, information about each juice, and a post-cleanse recap to follow! :)