My first juice cleanse was a daunting prospect – would the juices be bearable and would I be starving by the afternoon?
There are a number of juice cleanses on the health and well-being market now, but The Source Juice offers tailored cleanses for all levels of experience – beginners, intermediates and experts.
As a first-timer, I tried the Foundation Cleanse for two days. The cleanse consists of six organic cold-pressed juices made up of fresh fruits, vegetables and spices. The juices come in 500ml bottles and their natural, vibrant colours make them look appealing to drink.
Nutritionist Caroline Farrell selects ingredients based on their specific nutrients and vitamins, creating a balanced cleanse with everything your body needs for that day.
The point of a juice cleanse is to expel toxins, nourish the body with vitamins and restore depleted energy. The main criticism of juice cleanses is that the body already does a good job of digesting food and removing toxins.
Of course that’s it’s natural role, but we don’t always listen to what our bodies want us to consume and sometimes too much red meat, copious amounts of alcohol or very rich food can make our organs work overtime. So what’s wrong with giving your body the equivalent of a weekend spa break?
The Source Juice cleanse is delivered to your door, ready for you to get started. The juices are accompanied by a Cleanse Journal, which offers excellent advice on how to spend your cleanse day and outlines the time periods in which to drink your juices.
For the best results, it recommends water intervals between juices, a little light exercise later in the day and ending the day with a hot bath, dry body brushing and an early night’s sleep.
Here’s how it all works…
Prepare
When doing a two-day cleanse, I would recommend planning it on a weekend free from social or work obligations so you can really focus and relax.
If you’re used to starting the day with a coffee and perking up with tea and flat whites during the day, you might like to reduce your caffeine intake to soften the blow. I don’t drink coffee, but limiting myself to one cup of caffeinated tea per day, alongside herbal teas, definitely helped make the transition smoother.
Also, have at least one day of healthy eating and good sleep, so you approach the cleanse with a positive attitude and don’t feel groggy and prone to food cravings.
The Cleanse
I started the day with hot water and lemon, followed by the first juice, Rise & Shine – pineapple, apple, pear, clementine, spinach and mint.
I was amazed by just how tasty and refreshing the juice was. It was sweet and zingy with plenty of mint, like drinking a virgin Mojito for breakfast (I couldn’t even really taste the spinach).
After a glass of water and a two-hour wait, it was time for the Volcano – carrot, pear, pineapple, lemon, ginger and turmeric. This juice also had a good balance of sharpness and sweetness, with a dominant, fragrance carrot taste and a punchy kick from the ginger and turmeric.
Next up was a bespoke juice, created specially as I don’t like cucumber. The juice was a tailored version of Dr. Detox, made with apple, pineapple, kale, lemon and ginger. It had an aromatic, ‘green’ aroma but the most prominent flavours were green apple and uplifting pineapple.
I followed this with Red Earth – carrot, clementine, pineapple, pear, beetroot, lemon and chilli. The juice had a very earthy, deep flavour from the beetroot and a slight kick from the chilli – included to stimulate the metabolism.
‘Dinner’ was another Dr. Detox green juice and by this point, I did miss cooking our usual Saturday night meal. It can be difficult to change your mindset away from the usual three meals a day.
The final juice at the end of the day felt like a treat, as it seemed like dessert and night-time milk in one. The Almond Milk contains alkaline water, almonds, coconut, vanilla, cinnamon and sea salt. The creaminess from the almonds and coconut provided some necessary natural fat and protein. It was a welcome contrast to the strong flavours of the day’s juices and had a soothing, calming effect.
Night-time on the first day was tricky, as I had lots of excess energy coupled with a pounding headache. The second day was easier, as my body felt lighter and more relaxed than usual. I did start to have juice fatigue, but could see the end in sight and was determined to keep going.
By the end of the juice cleanse, I felt like I’d been through quite a journey (it was a joy to actually chew again), but the results were worth it. My skin had a glow from all of the good nutrients and lack of carbs/dairy. Since doing the cleanse, my digestive health has massively improved and I’ve been more aware of what I eat and the portion sizes.
I lost two pounds during the cleanse, but weight-loss wasn’t my primary goal. A two-day cleanse felt like enough to see the benefits and make sure that I stuck to it.
Tips
Congratulate yourself – fist-pumping the air with your empty bottle, shouting ‘juiced it!’ is totally embarrassing but whatever it takes to keep you going…
Watch a comedy (or read a fun book) – if you’re missing food, you’re going to need some laughs.
Stay off Twitter and Instagram. The endless shots of tempting food and weekend brunches will drive you mad.
Chérie City received a complimentary two-day cleanse from The Source Juice.
All photos by Chérie City
