Hollywood’s hottest love to juice up with a cleanse – it’s their red-carpet-ready remedy when they need to lose weight and look their best. While detoxes and extreme diets like the Master Cleanse can be controversial, advocates say juice cleanses made from raw fruits and veggies are safe as long as you check in with your doctor first and keep it to three days at a time.
New Year’s is an obvious time to try a juice cleanse. Detoxes shift you away from bad habits (like excessive intake of coffee, alcohol, and fatty or sugary foods) and can help foster healthier habits even once we’re off them, according to Cathy Wong, ND, naturopathic doctor and an American College of Nutrition–certified nutrition specialist.
Short term, there may be some health benefits. “Many people turn to cleanses because they feel off–they’re bloated and sluggish, dependent on caffeine and junk food cravings, breaking out,” says Stephanie Middleberg, a New York City-based registered dietitian. “When you eliminate toxins from your system, your entire body feels better and reacts both internally and externally.” At the same time, Middleberg stresses that these cleanses shouldn’t be about starving yourself or feeling deprived.
Skeptics, including Glenn Braunstein, MD, professor and chairman, department of medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, say our bodies have built-in detoxifiers and don’t require “cleansing.” Most experts also warn that no one should expect lasting weight loss using this method.
Your move: Try your own home-grown cleanse using juices and smoothies. Or spend a bit more for the convenience of some of the country’s most popular brands below:
BLUEPRINT CLEANSE
Process These 100% USDA certified organic juices are bottled using this high-pressure, heatless procedure that supposedly extends freshness for up to 13 days in a fridge. Choose from three levels of intensity – ranging from beginner to expert – that differ according to the ratio of green juices to fruit juices (more green, more hardcore).
Plans Three, five or 10 days, six juices per day, including sweet cashew milk and a super-filling beet-red concoction…
Read More: health.com
