The great debate rages on when doing a detox cleanse. To juice or not to juice, that is the question. Personally, I feel juicing as well as blending each have a place in our diet, and especially when detoxing. When we are in very poor health our bodies might have a difficult time digesting the fiber in blended drinks. When you juice, the fiber is taken out. This makes your juice pre-digested and easy for your body to assimilate.
Vegetable juices have more of a tonic effect that heals, stabilizes, and builds the body. Each vegetable has a specific power to heal a particular organ. For example, beets and dandelions help heal the liver. The lemonade diet also targets cleansing the liver. Green juices contain chlorophyll, which leads to incredible healing experiences for many when doing a detox cleanse diet.
Blended drinks also unleash the chlorophyll in the greens. They also contain the cellulose which can be a little harder to assimilate. Juicing eliminates the cellulose which results in the juice bypassing the stomach and being absorbed into your system within minutes. Blended drinks also retain the fiber and some people may have trouble introducing a lot of fiber into their system in the beginning. Plus your body is doing some work to digest the fiber. People who blend love the little to no clean-up and the short time it takes to make a green smoothie. Juicing can take more time and create a bigger mess.
I have decided they both have a place when you detoxify the body with a detox cleanse. When I am only drinking juices I tend to get a little hungry. I started adding a chia fresca to my morning and this takes away the hunger. Chia is rich in protein and fiber. It will fill you up and help with sustained energy.
Chia Fresca:
1 Tbsp. chia gel or 2 tsp. chia seeds
8 to 10 ounces of water
Juice of one lemon
Sweetener to taste (xylitol, raw honey, agave)
Mix well. If you use chia seeds, let sit for 10 minutes for chia seed to absorb the water and gel.
Chia Gel:
1/3 cup of chia seeds
2 cups of water
Mix together in glass jar and stir every couple of minutes until a gel forms. If you don’t stir it will clump and be yucky!
Detox Colon Cleanse
A clean colon is the path to a healthy body. There is research that shows disease starts in the colon. While you are dong a detox cleanse it is important to clean your colon regularly. There are several ways of colon cleansing, depending on your comfort level.
Colon hydrotherapy, also know as a colonic: This should be done before you start, and very definitely at the end of the detox cleanse – especially if you do not do it in the beginning. You will need to find a colon hydrotherapist in your area.
Enema: Giving yourself a daily enema (wheat grass would be great) is a very good way to go. I do not mean one you buy in the store. Go to a pharmacy or place where they sell medical supplies and get a bag and tubing. Do this everyday or alternate with colonics.
Tea: If you are not comfortable giving yourself enemas then drink the tea. I use the Yogi brand Get Regular or Get Smooth tea. Drink this each night. Follow the directions on the package. When I am doing a detox cleanse, I double the tea I drink. It is still good to have one or two colonics. The big message is to cleanse your colon. This will help with the detoxification process, and all of your overall health plans. You will detox!