Showing posts with label toxins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label toxins. Show all posts

Monday, March 25, 2013

But I Want My COFFEE!!!

Oh the dreaded question... "Can I drink coffee while I juice?"  Imagine someone asking me this question while cringing with a desperate glint of hope in their eyes... the hope that I might say, "Yes."

So here is my answer - Yes and No.

To help answer the question more effectively, you need to answer this preliminary question, "Are you juicing or juice cleansing/fasting?"  In my world, juicing is the act of incorporating fresh, alive and active juice into your regular routine.  Juice cleansing/fasting is when you make the short-term commitment to ONLY drink fresh, alive and active juice thus flushing the body and basically "rebooting" your metabolism.  It is the difference between maintaining vs. cleansing/fasting.

My final answer...

  • Juicing = yes you can have coffee in moderation (no "pots" a day!)
  • Juice cleansing/fasting = no you can not have coffee... not even a little bit!

Why would I be so cruel as to take coffee away from "innocent juice cleansers" such as yourself?  The answer is simple... you are trying to cleanse the body of any toxins and agents in that are working against the natural inclinations and health of the body.  Sorry, but caffeine is one of those agents.  So, to reap the full and rapid benefits of a juice cleanse/fast, it is critical to eliminate extraneous substances that would otherwise tax the body and defeat your goal.

See... I'm not so mean after all!  I'm just trying to ensure that whether you are embarking on a lifestyle change such as juicing or are ready to dive into a juice cleanse/fast, that you will achieve maximum results. I want you to be as excited about this as I am!

Monday, March 11, 2013

Toxic Overload!

When you finally make a decision to become healthy, to rid your body of toxins and begin a diet and exercise regimen that works for you, you are actually breaking old habits.  When you decide to juice, you are shaking your previous routine to the core!

In these initial stages, you are actually "fighting" with the poor habits that your body has grown to expect.  Anytime there is conflict within the body, there will be initial consequences before things get better.

How it works inside your body...

Your liver, adrenal glands and other vital organs were designed to cleanse the body and create the balance needed for overall functionality and health.  Yet these organs do have limits.  Just like the air filter on your car... everything needs to be cleaned.

What then happens, when these systems are overloaded, is that they start to "reject" toxins to other tissues.  Basically saying, "We are at full capacity, can you take this?"  The surrounding tissues, namely fat cells, have no choice but to absorb the toxic overflow and hang onto it for as long as the tissues and cells are functioning.  You essentially have a backlog of toxins just building up... slowly taking over your cells and organs and thus clogging your body.

This is exactly what causes symptoms such as:

  • Lethargy
  • Constant feeling of sickness in stomach
  • Headaches
  • Excess weight gain
  • Joint pain
  • Inability to concentrate
  • Mood swings
  • Digestive issues
  • Acne
  • And the list goes on...

Since our cleansing organs and functional systems do not allow us to "remove and replace" them, like a car filter, we have to take the approach of cleansing them and then allowing them to regenerate.  This means:

  1. Slowing the intake of toxins to an acceptable level, range and frequency.
  2. Giving these systems a break so that they can "self clean" and rejuvenate their own tissues.
The initial affects of such action may cause a slight increase in the above symptoms... meaning you will actually feel WORSE before you feel BETTER.  I know we've all heard that saying before, yet it rings true even in health and wellness.  When you shock your body into making this drastic and much-needed positive change, your body will rebel and you will probably feel "sick."  

This is OK and normal.  You are burning off and releasing toxins that your body has held onto for a long time.  Your body is finally having the capacity to break them down, process them and finally rid them through your immune and digestive systems.  

So... if you are just starting a major health shift in your life, take on the challenge!  Know that this is going to be a side affect and push on through.  It is temporary!  Here are some tips to help make this transition easier:
  1. Drink excess amounts of water
  2. Sweat it out - exercise
  3. Juice - juice according to your plan and don't let up
  4. Cut out the toxic intake - remove alcohol, caffeine, excess sugar, fats and oils... until your body is back on track
  5. Rest - rest - rest
Remember, your body is taking on a huge shift in it's normal routine.  Give yourself and your body a break and allow yourself to finally deal with and flush these toxic invaders.  You owe it to yourself to see this through... see through to the "New You!"