The 411 On All Things Juicy
Visit our FAQ page as an intro to all things jUiCiNg before you read this article!
It will give you a rundown on the basics, such as what a juice cleanse is, why we “cold-press” our juice, and how Raleigh Raw does it differently.
If it’s your first time doing a juice cleanse, you probably have A LOT of questions!
Will I be hungry the whole time? How many days should I juice? Why might this be right for me?
In this article, we’ll be doing a deeper dive into juicing. We’re covering symptom mitigation, pro tips, and some additional FAQs for those of you wanting a bit more info before you try it out. Or maybe you’ve done a cleanse before, but want to decrease the negative symptoms you experienced this time around. Either way, we got you!
First things first…
Why should you juice?
Is a juice cleanse right for you? Here are a few reasons you might want to try a juice cleanse…
A healthy “reset” on the body - jumpstart the detoxification process and help get rid of the gunk that’s been building up in there. Sometimes our livers can get a little overwhelmed (ehem... alcohol); a juice cleanse with organic fruits and veg can help ‘em out and speed up that process.
A digestive reset - sometimes our bodies could use a break from constantly breaking down food (especially if we’re frequent snackers). One of the best ways to do that is through juicing, which makes nutrients extremely bioavailable without your body having to do too much work!
Time saver - are there other ways to “cleanse” and detox? Sure! But one piece of feedback that we get is the time that is saved with juice cleanses. It’s as simple as taking the bottle out of your fridge! (Pssst, we even deliver!) For CEOs and busy moms alike, this can be a great option for you.
Your habits - weekend benders? holiday madness? stressful week (or month, or year) at work? While a juice cleanse won’t undo the past month of bad habits, it CAN help your body return to homeostasis. If it’s gotten out of balance do to a compilation of bad habits, a juice cleanse will give it exactly what it needs - nutrients, and a break from the inundation of toxins.
FAQs
Some our most frequently asked questions about cleansing (see our original post for more).
Can I drink coffee?
Small amounts of coffee is ok, but try to go without it if possible. Drink tea instead if you can. However, a cup in the morning is ok if the withdrawal symptoms are narly! The goal here is to bring the body back into an alkaline state; coffee is pretty acidic, which is why we recommend cutting it out if you can.
Why do I feel bad?
When you do a juice cleanse, you’re detoxing your body, which can come with some not-so-great side effects. The worse your diet is before you start the cleanse, typically the worse the symptoms will be. Don’t worry though, these side effects usually go away after the first couple of days!
Are there specific times that I should drink my juices?
Nope! While there is a specific order we recommend for blood sugar stabilization (which are labeled on the bottles when you order a Raleigh Raw Cleanse), there are not specific times. We suggest that you space them out evenly if you can, every 2-2.5 hours or so!
Will I be starving the whole time?
In our experience, as well as our customers, no. You will be given either 6 or 8 juices (depending on which package you choose) at 20 oz. each. It ends up being more than you think, and most people do not experience ravenous hunger during the cleanse. The most frequent response we get is a desire to chew something, which is natural considering that’s what you’ve been doing your entire life.
Can I still exercise?
We think mindful movement is great during a cleanse. We recommend walking, yoga, stretching, and other low impact, lower intensity exercise. If your body can handle it, feel free to take it up a notch. Pay attention to how your body feels and do what is best for you!
Pro Tips
Here are some of our top tips for before, during, and after your cleanse!
Before you cleanse, take about a week to cut out fast food, processed food, dairy, alcohol, caffeine, and most animal products. This isn’t a MUST, but it will definitely help to decrease the amount and severity of negative detox symptoms you may experience from the juice cleanse. You don’t have to do it all at once; maybe just cut out one of the above each day leading up to the cleanse!
Break a sweat with light exercise or spending time in the sauna. Sweating is another way to excrete toxins from the body! While vigorous exercise can be too much for most people on a juice cleanse, taking a walk or doing some yoga or light stretching seems to be perfect.
Help the elimination process with dry brushing, oil pulling, and/or tongue scraping. Dry brushing helps to open up your pores and shed dead skin, while oil pulling and tongue scraping helps to remove bad bacteria from the body.
If you find yourself hungry during the cleanse, first increase your intake of water (this will also help flush out toxins, yay!) and herbal teas. If you have to have something to eat, snack on raw fruits and vegetables or some nuts.
After the cleanse, ease back into Whole Foods. Some people experience a little bit of discomfort going straight back into heavy meals. If that is how you ate before, try starting off with some lighter foods like fruits and vegetables, and working your way back up to your normal meal sizes.
Ditch those pesky detox symptoms.
No one likes the negative side effects of detoxing. Follow these guidelines to reduce the severity of symptoms!
Negative symptoms from a detox may include: headaches, lethargy, irritability, changes in digestion, sleep disruption, or brain fog.
To decrease these potential symptoms, slowly switch to a more Whole Foods, plant-based diet a week or so before cleansing, especially if your diet consists mostly of junk / fast food.
Work to decrease refined sugar, processed foods, dairy, alcohol, caffeine, and animal products, specifically processed and packaged meat.
Drink lots of water to flush toxins and stay hydrated.
Movement! Specifically gentle movement like yoga and walking. Sweating also releases toxins so it’s good if you can break a little sweat, but don’t do anything too intense that might decrease your energy even more. Everyone’s body is different, so first and foremost listen to your body and do what feels right for you.
Lastly, add a Coal World to your juice line up! Activated charcoal, the star ingredient in our Coal World juice, works to bind and flush out toxins.
Disclaimers
Cause we gotta.
We do not condone juicing for long-term weight loss. It is not a quick fix solution, rather it is a way to jump-start your health journey and/or serve as a reset in the middle of one. We find that it is a great “reset button” and helps increase energy and vitality after periods of crummy habits.
We do not recommend sustaining a juice cleanse for a period longer than 7 days at a time. The reason our packages are 3, 5, and 7 days only is because 7 days is the max that we suggest. As amazing as juices are, they do not contain much fiber, fat, or protein (our Cashbah, however, does contain a solid dose of healthy fats and protein, which is why it is a part of every juice cleanse!). These nutrients are essential. You should always use juicing as a tool, not an end-all, be-all!
Above all, listen to your body. If you are experiencing negative symptoms, consider decreasing your exercise (if you are exercising) and/or allow yourself a snack or too - preferably fruits, vegetables, or nuts. Sometimes if you do not prepare properly for a cleanse and your habits have been REAL narly, a cleanse can feel intense. Do what’s best for you!
Lastly, we are not doctors nor dietitians. Just (really cool) people trying to share verified publicly-available information as well as the amazing experiences we have had with juice cleanses and more ;)