I had considered doing some kind of cleanse for a while but couldn’t quite find the right thing. Most juice cleansing regimen seemed really full-on, and I’ve been terribly struggling with not getting anything between my teeth previously (there’s a long list of aborted fasting attempts).

Still, having some ‘detox time’ seemed right, particularly now, where spring is knocking at the door in this corner of the world. I felt that a combination of juices and soups rather than just juices would be the right thing to get me started, but if you’re looking at doing a cleanse, here are a few more tips to consider:

• Start the day gently, for example with warm water and lemon, to help your stomach wake up
• Don’t go without any energy supply for a longer period of time – drink one juice/have one soup every 2-3 hours
• Add in healthy snacks if you have a high metabolism, or normally do lots of sport – or if you simply can’t live without something between your teeth to chew on (it’s just a mental thing, but then – our mind is powerful!)
• Even before you start plan for the ‘time after’ – a healthy post-cleanse menu is key!

Yum! Juice cleansing doesn’t need to feel like deprivation.

Other beneficial things to add in, even though they’re not directly related to what you eat:

• Drink plenty of water
• Use a dry skin brush before you shower to exfoliate – the skin is our largest organ!
• Have a massage with oil
• Go to bed early, get plenty of rest and fresh air

If you feel like you just HAVE TO EAT, consider the following:

• A piece of fresh fruit
• A cup of fresh veggies
• 1/2 avocado
• A few raw nuts
• A cup of veggie or miso broth

I found it helps a lot if I stop obsessing about food – or rather, about not eating. It’s totally fine to add a raw veggie salad or some steamed veggies with olive oil, lemon and rock salt. It takes the pressure off a juice cleanse that lasts several days and makes it a pleasurable experience. The basic principle is to add things to the menu that are already contained in some of the juices, soups or elixirs. Things to leave out include yeast, gluten, wheat, preservatives and sugar.

Chai Bliss Mylk – heavenly!

The best part of it (apart from the ‘cleanse feel’) is that you don’t need to stress about shopping, cooking or planning meals for a few days! Now it’s just about resisting that urge to pack the freed up time with other tasks from the to-do list – and instead just to relax, go for a walk or take a book 🙂

If you’re looking for a juice delivery that not only does juices, but also smoothies, mylks, soups and elixirs, and gives you the flexibility to combine, mix and match all of the above, check out URBAN REMEDY. They also suggest a few pre-designed cleanses if you don’t have the time to pick from the menu. It’s all delivered in a carrier bag with ice packs so that you can take your juices straight to the office.

To make the mix perfect, add a daily meditation session – if you’re giving your body a break, why not at the same time try to take a break from the ever recurring thoughts generated by the ‘monkey mind’?

What’s your experience with juice cleansing or fasting? Please share your thoughts and tips!

~ Andrea