I recently finished a 5 day "juice cleanse." It wasn't a pure fast, since I am nursing, but for 5 days I drank a juice for breakfast, a juice for dinner, and ate a salad for lunch, as well as snacked on almonds and fruits throughout the day. I essentially did a week of "raw food" eating.
I had my doubts about this project. My husband has long been an advocate of having your diet consist of mostly raw food--his good friend Dhrumil is at the forefront of the raw food movement. Me? I like my Taco Bell. And spinach pie. And pizza, bagels, wine, cheese, potato chips...
But I was feeling so tired and, out to dinner one night with friends, in between my 10th and 20th glass of champagne, I somehow agreed to "just try it" for a week. What mom can't use more energy, I reasoned. What's the worst that can happen right?
Well...: I have more energy than I have had in years. I can fit into jeans that I couldn't wear 5 days ago. I don't need coffee to get me going in the morning.
Egg on my face! I have pretty much made fun of my husband every day for his health-nut-ness. Now I am asking for tips...daily...! Dhrumil one time posted this about me on his raw food blog. What a difference a 4 years and 3 kids (and 10 extra pounds) makes!
I am now trying to figure out how to incorporate the benefits of the cleanse into my everyday life. I cannot live as a raw foodist. I like my bread and cheese too much. And the cleanse made socializing pretty difficult--I met my cousin out for dinner at an awesome SF restaurant one night, and as he chowed on cornbread and swished his Chianti, I poked at a little salad...and pouted...! So the entire "lifestyle" is not for me, but I can't deny the benefits. I was thinking about how funny it is that, in all the posts so far on this blog, not even one has been related to health and fitness. Telling no? So tell me: Have you guys tried cleanses? How did you feel on them? What worked, what didn't? Did your diet and lifestyle change post-cleanse?
Deepa is a wife, mother, writer and she sometimes masquerades as a lawyer as well. She revels in friendship, humor, champagne, and laughing at herself--often. She never ever reads US Magazine, thinks Rushdie is a genius, wishes she could write one sentence as funny as "Arrested Development," and lives in the Bay Area with her motley crew. She can be reached at deviswithbabies@gmail.com
congrats! i was skeptical too but i did master cleanse (i know i know) and it was like magic. can't say i kept the weight off, but i feel fantastic!!!
Master Cleanse is not a cleanse. It is starving yourself. A real detox/cleanse should only be embarked upon with the guidance of a professional, otherwise you do your body more harm than good.
Wow you didn't strike me as the "juice cleanse" type. But I guess you do live in Berkeley. Out here in the midwest, a "cleanse" means more like not eating meat. For a day!
Oh I so very much want to do this but when you try to research it the information is all over the place! What kinds of juices did you make? Did you add supplements? Would be great if you posted the recipes!
My husband (then boyfriend) and I did a one week cleanse at the same time that we did vipasana. It was one of the most transformative experiences of my life, second only to having a child. We now do it one week of the year and I can't imagine life without it. A cleanse gives you an opportunity to take a step back and slow things down. I'm always amazed at how clear-headed I become about things I was confused about before.
"Cleanse" is just a fancy word for diet now? Diets don't work. Eat properly, exercise: Why is it so hard for everyone to understand that is no other quick fix???
@above poster: you are assuming that people do cleanses only to lose weight but that's not the case. most people are doing it to try to detox and get years of icky stuff out of their systems. the weight loss is an additional incentive but not the goal.
Isn't Demi Moore a raw foodie?
Wait what? There is a whole "movement" of people who only eat raw food???
I know lots of people don't agree with the Master Cleanse concept, but I've tried it and love it. Not only did it make me feel fantastic, it gave me the incentive to taste my food, instead of gobbling it down in front of the TV and washing it down with a large glass of wine. And I lost some weight too!!! not much but good enough. Of course, it's a difficult cleanse to do, and so I wouldn't do it again for a while, unless I were really committed to completing it. 10 days is a LONG time!!
Hi. I am a fan of your blog. Congrats on your cleanse. Could you please post what you ate/drank for the 5 days? I am thinking of doing a cleanse and I need some help on what to eat/drink.
I fast once a week in honor of my mother. At first it was just to pay homage but now I like how it makes me feel.
When I was growing up my mom would fast once a week also. She said it was to pray for the well being of her children but I think she also wanted to lose a couple of pounds! I somehow have taken on the tradition as well. Something about going without one day a week sits well with me, I recommend it to anybody going through a hard time or a difficult decision. I don't know if I could do a whole week of fasting though which is what cleanses sound like to me.
Please please please post exactly what you ate and drank I really want to do this but don't know where to begin!!!!
Oh wow I can't believe you know the We Like It Raw guy, I check that site all the time. It is such a great way to live life I think but socially it's friggin impossible.
Do you really eat Taco Bell? Late night Taco Bell has been my guilty pleasure since high school! I knew I liked this blog for a reason/ :):)
I second, please post the juices!
can you eat solid foods? i don't think i could do all liquid, it never feels like you are full...
I don't like to talk about raw food too often because it engenders so much negativity but I started a mostly raw diet about a year ago and I cannot over emphasize the difference it has made in my life. yes i have lost weight but that is not the most important part. for one, it has completely cleared my skin and i had adult onset acne. also, i have more energy than i have ever had, can work out longer, and can focus like i never knew was possible. I actually had never seen the We Like It Raw website though so thank you!
Go Deepa!
For those looking for more info on this topic, my good friend Dr Alejandro Junger MD was recently featured in the GOOP newsletter talking about this subject:
Here: http://goop.com/newsletter/6/
and here: http://goop.com/newsletter/15/
I got into the SouthBeach Diet a few months back. No carbs and no fruits for 2 wks. Only protein, no red meat though, it was perfect because I am a big seafood fan. Not comparable to cleansing in any way but what it did was change my attitude to food. After the 1st two weeks, I went back to whole wheat, brown rice and some fruits. I am not a strict follower but I see myself thinking more about what I eat or not eat. Many grocery aisles look like a carb fest now and I run away from them.
Don't think I cld eat raw food always but I can see how it wld help change the attitude. I also feel it has something to do with self-control. Resisting temptation always makes one feel better and bigger.
this is super inspiring, i would try anything for a little more energy in the morning!
What exactly does "cleanse" mean? Does it really provide detox?
I also would love to know more about the particulars!
@Dhrumil: Thanks for the links!
Hey guys! I will post everything I ate/drank, along with recipes, very soon--very cool to see so much interest in this. Like I said, I was skeptical, but I could not be happier that I tried this and am going to try my best to work some version of it into "real life"!
Raw foodists are just the most recent example of people who just don't F*Ckin* get it. What about moderation people? If you believe in evolution you can't believe in raw food.
Hi Deepa -- I am very impressed by you for doing this since I know you love cheese as much as I do. I did Gwyneth Paltrow's post-holiday detox a few months ago. I definitely lost all my holiday wait, but I also was dizzy and couldn't exercise. I normally do a 3-5 mile run everyday, and I couldn't muster up the energy to run 1/2 a mile. Can you reflect on how you felt during the cleanse (as opposed to afterwards)? love, v
I love raw foods. However, the more I incorporate them into my diet, the more I feel constipated. Any advice?
Love your blog. I will add you to my blog roll on mine http://www.buellerskitchen.com. Found you when searching for Dr. Junger. Best regards!
Bueller