I get a lot of questions about juicing on Instagram so here are a few FAQs.
1. What is juicing?
Juicing uses a machine to turn veggies and fruit into an easy drinkable form.
2. Why juice instead of green smoothies?
I started juicing when I was undergoing chemotherapy. Up until then I used my Nutribullet on a pretty regular basis and loved green smoothies. Chemo though made me nauseous most of the time and to be honest I was a little depressed so my appetite was shot when I wasn’t nauseous. Juicing gave me a way of being able to get all of my nutrients and vitamins into one glass. That way if it was a day I was having a hard time keeping something down I still had all of my nutrition bases covered.
Since the fruits and veggies were already in liquid form my did not have to work to break them down which for my chemo course was perfect.
3. What is a juice fast?
A juice fast is replacing all meals with a veggie/fruit juice for a set amount of time. Some people do 3 day weekend cleanses for quick reboots and some people can go up to 30-60 days on a full juice fast. As with anything if you have any health concerns you should check with your doctor before doing a fast.
4. How much weight has you lost?
Somewhere around 130 lbs but I started hormone therapy at the beginning of this year to combat earlt onset menopause (I'm 28), so I regained due to the medication. My goal for the end of this year is to complete a 60 day fast and lose 100 more lbs. I’ve been juicing as a supplement to my daily meals for nearly a year now and have done 2 10 Day Fasts and one 30 Day Fast. I juice just about everyday.
5. Doesn’t chemotherapy make you lose weight automatically?
Nope. Chemo is a truly double sided sword. It makes you nauseous and low on energy so you are given steroids to combat that. The steroids make you gain weight ridiculously easy, even though your food intake may be much smaller.
6. What type of juicer do you recommend for beginners?
check my previous post on choosing a juicer. If you’re in it for the long haul I recommend going for a Breville.
7. How long can I fast?
For beginners I recommend 5 days to begin with. The reason for that is days 3-4 can be horrible due to detox symptoms so some people may end it early without reaping the full benefits.
8. What’s the longest you can go?
Without medical supervision I don’t suggest anything over 30 days, though some people go 60 or more days.
9. How much do I need to drink daily? At a minimum 64 ounces or more if you feel hungry. Juicing is not a time when less is more. If you don’t drink enough your body will hold onto weight and go into starvation mode. You can juice up to a gallon of green juice a day.
10. What type of juicer do you use?
A Breville 5 Speed, I got my juicer from Earth fare for 239 with taxes. You can find them online through Breville, Amazon, etc.
11. How much juice do your recipes make?Where do you get your recipes?
16-20 ounces depending on your juicer, and the recipes I use are pretty much what I've learned from trial and error over the last year and a half, but there are plenty of juicing books you can find on amazon, and many bookstores.
12. Can I chew gum while fasting?
Yes.
13. Can I exercise?
Yes, no intensive weight lifting or high intensity cardio but you can still workout moderately while fasting but listen to your body.
14. Are herbal teas required?
No they are a great way to give you a variety of tastes but if you’re not a tea person that’s ok. Coffee should not be drunk while fasting.
15. I feel nauseous, why?
Nausea is one of the most common detox symptoms along with headaches and feeling tired. Keep in mind that as you fast your body is doing a major cleanup process so make sure you drink enough water to keep the toxins flushed out and the feeling will pass in a few days.
16. Can I just buy premade juices and fast on those?
No. Brands I recommend in a pinch are Blueprint, Ardens Garden, Evolution Fresh, and Its Raaw are what’s available in my area. Most health food stores, Earthfare, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods probably carry others just look for Cold Pressed juices. Naked and Bolt house are not good choices. Even with the ones mentioned you should aim for no more than 1 a day. Commercial juice companies tend to go heavy on the fruit and when fasting you want your juices to be mainly vegetables.
17. How do you store and how long can you store your juices?
I use a low heat juicer so that my juices don’t oxidize as quickly. Heat kills nutrients. My personal preference is to store juices 24-48 hours max. I use glass bottles and mason jars to store them. Fill them to the top and seal.
18. What do you do for protein?
A common misconception is that juicing removes all the protein which it doesn’t only fiber. You can also add chia seeds, ground flax seeds, hemp protein and hemp hearts for additional protein.
19. Do you take any supplements?
Currently B12, Maca and Manetabolism.
20. Can I fast while pregnant or nursing?
No. As always consult your doctor but a full juice is not recommended while nursing or pregnant.
Hope that helps and Happy Juicing!
Live Life Green,
Cici
