Have you ever given a juice cleanse a try? I survived a four-day juice-only cleanse this past summer. There were definitely some moments when I caught myself fantasizing about food, but overall I felt the health benefits far outweighed the sacrifices of not being able to start the day with a cup of coffee, sit down to a meal, drink that glass of wine, or snack freely. I did miss the socializing aspect of eating, but the juices that I had to drink each day on the Nourish Your Soul program were surprisingly filling, so I never really felt hungry. I’m sure that if I had been more physically active during the four days instead of basically sitting at a computer for hours on end, I might have experienced more hunger pains, but by stretching out my five daily liquid meals to about an hour each, I was able to pass the time without feeling too deprived.
My favorite juice, Detox Lemonade, includes lemons, filtered water, cayenne pepper and maple syrup. It tastes great and has a real kick! Benefits: battles the flu and colds, aids digestion, increases circulation, fights inflammation, and revs metabolism.
What I consumed during the four day cleanse included lots of kale, spinach, romaine, parsley, lemon, apple, cucumber, almond milk, dates, pear, pineapple, mint, plus a bit of cayenne pepper, sea salt, and maple syrup. It can take up to six pounds of fruits and vegetables, cold pressed in a hydraulic press, to make one drink – packing each 16 oz. juice with loads of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Probably my favorite part of the entire cleanse was knowing that I didn’t have to feel bad about what I put into my body. It was 100% guilt-free consumption which in and of itself felt pretty good.
photo courtesy Linda Hentschel
I definitely noticed that my energy level increased while on the cleanse (which is one of the benefits from not having to digest three typical meals a day), and I felt and looked less “puffy.” A number of pounds were lost, but more importantly, I believe I acquired a new taste for fresh greens (without any dressing) and cleansing fruits (lemons in particular). While I have not been able to duplicate the drinks on the cleanse with my blender (really need a press for this) I have been able to come up with a close match to the Detox Lemonade by combining cold water with a fresh squeezed lemon, a couple drops of maple syrup and some Red Hot sauce to taste. When I drink it from a wine glass it feels almost like a mixed drink, making it my new end-of-day ritual. Even my kids like it.
The suspended chalkboard hides a set of refrigerators in the main kitchen area.
My friend Linda Hentschel designed the brick and mortar location of Nourish Your Soul along with founder Susan Cabana who is a nutritionist, educator and devoted yogi (read her story here). While working on the space, Linda fell in love with the Pineapple, Pear, Mint juice along with the selection of fresh made smoothies. One that I really liked was a cherry chocolate almond butter version. I have been making almond butter smoothies at home based on a recipe I found on Pinterest: fresh spinach, almond milk, almond butter, plus a whole banana. I learned from Susan that if I peel the banana ahead of time and freeze it, I can make a chilled smoothie without having to add ice. For now, my homemade smoothies will have to do since Nourish Your Soul (located in West Medford) is a bit outside of my daily travels. But whenever I am in the neighborhood I will certainly make a point to stop in for something fresh.
The Nourish Your Soul Green Glow Smoothie:
spinach, coconut water, dates, pear, apple, lemon, banana
Susan also teaches yoga classes.
