My Experience with a 4(ish) Day Juice Cleanse

photo courtesy of beautybets.com (edited)

Earlier this year I decided to try out a juice cleanse. I had actually wanted to do one since November 2012, but I had finals, then my birthday, then Christmas...and I would NEVER put myself through the agony of foregoing my mother's hot apple brie. I wouldn't do that to my worst enemy. So it got pushed until the beginning of January and I decided to give it a try. I made it through three entire days, then the on the fourth I started breaking the fast slowly. Here are some of my findings:

Day 1: Hunger by noon. Headache by 3pm (from lack of coffee). Flu symptoms by 5 pm. Had to babysit, which actually helped keep my mind off of eating since I wasn't in my normal environment, and was crafting cute hair clips with my brother's girlfriend's 10 year old daughter. I had about 4 8 oz servings of juice that day, all homemade. No bowel movements that day.

Day 2: SUPER HUNGRY. I woke up and felt sick. Pounding headache. Definitely did not not work out that day. Made lots of juice, and actually made some almond milk as well. Coffee date with my besty helped relieve me, and I just brought along a bottle of juice to appease myself. I showed him how to make almond milk afterwards, which he thought was pretty rad. No bowel movements until late in the day.

Day 3: Sick of making juice, and not quite as hungry. Well, still hungry but in a different way. Like I could feel the hollowness of my body and drinking juice made me less hungry, but not satisfied. Made it through the day, and even through babysitting for my neighbors, which is usually when I go to town on their yummy organic snacks (after the kids are in bed). I was good, though, and stayed true to the cleanse.

Day 4: I planned to stop the cleanse, especially since I had my medical school interview at GW two days later and didnt' want to have any mental blurriness for the event. I broke the cleanse at about noon with some cucumber slices and avacado. Later that day I had more avacado and salad, but no meat or grain yet.

Day 5: I pretty much ate normally, just lighter on meats and breads. I did have some coffee in the morning, and I found that It tasted delicious even without my normal sugar or creamer. Just some hot foamy milk and cinnamon.

Overall, I found the experience to be an excellent, reaffirming task for myself. I lost about 5 lbs, learned how to make almond milk and juice, tested my willpower, and honed in on what my tastebuds can really do without all the processed junk holding them back.

I would highly recommend everyone try this at least once, but choose a chunk of time where you don't have any difficult tasks. Maybe a long weekend would be best.

To finish up this post, here's how I made the juices for my fast. I altered them based on what I had, added some stuff, whatever worked at the time!

Basically you'll need apples, lemon, cucumber, and kale. For every recipe! Based on what you like you can add celery, broccoli, spinach, cabbage, beets, carrots, limes, cilantro, tomatoes, berries, ginger root, mint etc.

I usually used a lot of kale and apples, with some mint, carrots, and lemon. I have a vitamix, so I just stuffed it all in there, and then strained it through an old pillowcase to get the juice part. If it sounds a little crude, it's because it was. Not to mention time consuming. At some point I'll buy a juicer, but that definitely won't be before I get an espresso machine, so pillowcases and juice pulp are fine for now.

Let me know if you have any questions! Seriously, I'll reveal anything to you without shame (even the gross parts).


Good luck!