Time for a detox - I embarked on a 4 day juice cleanse with Pure Glow Cleanse. I came across their website looking at a few juice companies in Perth and theirs connected with me the best. The two ladies Annette and Jacqueline came up with the idea of cold pressed juices in 2013 and once they put their heads together, Pure Glow was born. Anette also runs Wellness WA, a site devoted to all things to do with health, beauty and wellbeing here in WA. Sometimes you have to trust your intuition and I loved what they had to offer. I'm not stranger to juices and I've done a few cleanses in the past, including the master cleanse, but I thought it would be nice to document it, including any detox symptoms I feel for anyone out there thinking about it or wanting to try one :)
I have been meaning to do a cleanse for a while now, the problem is every time I stick my head in the fridge to make a juice or smoothie, I grab a snack or end up making something else to eat. Juices also take a lot of time and effort to prepare and make. I have a cold pressed juicer and usually every 4 days I'll juice enough greens to last me for 4 days. Each time I take about 45 mins to wash, cut up and juice what I need, and that gives me one juice a day, so trying to prepare 5 or 6 juices a day whilst working, sometimes it's just not doable.
I've recently gotten back from holidays and I got quite sick while I was away, it's left me feeling tired and low on energy, and in a bid to make up for it I have been eating not as well as I usually do, less raw and more processed junk, especially a big increase in unhealthy sugars. Then the more sugars I eat, the more I crave and before you know it, it's been a downward spiral for the last month. Then after a few trips to the doctors it seems I have chronic fatigue again, which goes hand in hand with fibromyalgia so that was the wake up call - I needed to shape up. The last time I finally overcame chronic fatigue after 2 years, after embarking on several months of eating raw, Bikram yoga, natural therapy and just being super vigilant staying healthy and taking care of myself.
I've recently gotten back from holidays and I got quite sick while I was away, it's left me feeling tired and low on energy, and in a bid to make up for it I have been eating not as well as I usually do, less raw and more processed junk, especially a big increase in unhealthy sugars. Then the more sugars I eat, the more I crave and before you know it, it's been a downward spiral for the last month. Then after a few trips to the doctors it seems I have chronic fatigue again, which goes hand in hand with fibromyalgia so that was the wake up call - I needed to shape up. The last time I finally overcame chronic fatigue after 2 years, after embarking on several months of eating raw, Bikram yoga, natural therapy and just being super vigilant staying healthy and taking care of myself.
I put through an order for a 3 day cleanse, with 6 x 500ml of juices a day, delivered all together in the morning of the first day of the cleanse. I emailed Annette letting her know I was doing it and she got back to me straight away, was so friendly and supportive that I knew I made the right choice in choosing them.
Day 1
Tuesday early morning I got my juices, a whole box of vibrant, colourful goodness packed into easy to carry glass jars. It certainly does take all the pressure off not having to think about what I'm going to eat and when, instead reaching for a juice when needed. I made room in the fridge and voila! In our household we tend to have lots of fruits and veggies stocked up, lots of raw goodness, including the nut cheese I've got sitting next to the oranges!
Day 1
Tuesday early morning I got my juices, a whole box of vibrant, colourful goodness packed into easy to carry glass jars. It certainly does take all the pressure off not having to think about what I'm going to eat and when, instead reaching for a juice when needed. I made room in the fridge and voila! In our household we tend to have lots of fruits and veggies stocked up, lots of raw goodness, including the nut cheese I've got sitting next to the oranges!
The first juice of the day is No 1 the Sunrise Elixir, a mix of lemon, cucumber, aloe and water. It's light, refreshing and the perfect way to start the day. I then went off to a sweaty Bikram class, after that it was time for no 2 Glowing Greens, kale, cos, cucumber, celery, apple, pear, avocado, parsley and lemon. This one had more of a smoothie consistency, probably due to the avocado so it was quite filling and definitely yummy! That kept me going for about 3hrs until mid afternoon. I then started getting a headache, which I put down to dehydration and detox symptoms. The last few days I have been eating more than I have been drinking and I knew I was going to feel it some time. I took no 3 Green Guru out the fridge, a blend of kale, cos, celery, cucumber, green apple, mint and lemon. This was delightfully refreshing, it didn't lessen the headache but it made me less tired and my mood perked up. It's amazing what a dose of goodness can do! Towards the early evening I had no 4, Good Karma, carrot, apple, grapefruit, turmeric, ginger and lemon. The headache persisted but it was my day off so I wasn't too fussed, I wasn't starving or feeling the need to eat at all. I had two more juices to go at this point, but I couldn't finish both so I skipped no 5 and finished my evening off with No 6, Chai Vanilla Dream, a delicious concoction of brazil nut, almond, cashew, date, chai spice and vanilla. Around 9pm though the tiredness hit me, I could barely stay awake, I went to bed at 10pm. Not bad for day 1!
Day 2
I slept until 7.30am which was pretty awesome, solid all through the night. Woke up with a slight headache but nothing I couldn't manage and started off with the Sunrise Elixir. I had to teach later in the evening so I chilled out during the day watching movies and running some errands. A few hours later I had the Glowing Greens, and the smoothie kept me full for about 3 hrs. I think it's awesome how satisfying veggies and fruit can be for the body. I had a double teach that night, the 4 & 6pm, so before I headed off to work I had No 3 the Green Guru. I took the no 4 with me for in between. The 4pm class was a quiet one, and I was relaxed and didn't feel tired at all. In fact, the second day I felt less fatigued and more alert - the power of rawness! In between the sign in for the 6pm I had the Good Karma, and I needed that carrot and ginger boost for sure, the class was super busy! 49 hot sweaty yogis practicing together so the class was high energy and very focused. I had loads of energy and didn't feel tired at all! Once I got home around 8pm, I finished my night with no 5 Buddha Juice, cucumber, green apple, mint and lime. I found that the 5 juices a day suited me, and it kept me full. I did get sugar cravings in the evening but after big classes I'm always super hungry. I had the early next morning class to teach so around 10 it was time to zzzz....
I slept until 7.30am which was pretty awesome, solid all through the night. Woke up with a slight headache but nothing I couldn't manage and started off with the Sunrise Elixir. I had to teach later in the evening so I chilled out during the day watching movies and running some errands. A few hours later I had the Glowing Greens, and the smoothie kept me full for about 3 hrs. I think it's awesome how satisfying veggies and fruit can be for the body. I had a double teach that night, the 4 & 6pm, so before I headed off to work I had No 3 the Green Guru. I took the no 4 with me for in between. The 4pm class was a quiet one, and I was relaxed and didn't feel tired at all. In fact, the second day I felt less fatigued and more alert - the power of rawness! In between the sign in for the 6pm I had the Good Karma, and I needed that carrot and ginger boost for sure, the class was super busy! 49 hot sweaty yogis practicing together so the class was high energy and very focused. I had loads of energy and didn't feel tired at all! Once I got home around 8pm, I finished my night with no 5 Buddha Juice, cucumber, green apple, mint and lime. I found that the 5 juices a day suited me, and it kept me full. I did get sugar cravings in the evening but after big classes I'm always super hungry. I had the early next morning class to teach so around 10 it was time to zzzz....
Day 3
I was up at 5am ready to go for the early morning class. I planned to practice the 9.30am afterwards so I took no 1 and no 2 with me. I didn't feel sluggish at all, waking up was easy and even after two days I noticed a difference in how I felt. I felt less sluggish all over, and that's important since I'm going through some injuries too right now, tear in my hamstring so I'm feeling pretty broken, add to that the chronic fatigue and the ongoing symptom of fibromyalgia and I'm feeling quite decrepit! Usually after the 5.45am I will feel a bit tired but today I was absolutely fine. Drank the Sunrise Elixir after class and had a hot cup of ginger tea before the 9.30am class. I wasn't bouncing off the walls but I was alert and awake. After I practiced I had the Glowing Greens and off to a physiotherapy session try fix what I broke! My energy levels were fine throughout the day, I feel a bit spaced out, but I'm not tired. I definitely feel better overall, my face has thinned down a bit and I don't feel heavy and weighed down like I've been feeling the past month due to all the overeating. Had a dog date with my best friend John and got my refreshing Green Guru in before then, afterwards I watched him tuck into a coffee, carrot cake and a small tub of ice-cream and normally I'd be like me! I want! But today I had an almond chai latte and didn't feel the need to binge which was awesome. Don't get me wrong, I still have chocolate cravings and I had moments where I'm staring in my pantry but since I don't have to worry about eating, it's like my brain switched off and I didn't feel the need to eat something. I saved the good karma for tomorrow and tucked into no 5 the Buddha Juice for an early evening treat. I had a handstands class with Air Yoga late in the evening at 8pm so before then I finished my day off with the Chai Vanilla Dream. My energy levels were quite throughout the day, there was no sluggishness, at the most I felt a little bit bloated and spacey, but I was fine practicing a Bikram class and the handstands class as well as teach.
I was up at 5am ready to go for the early morning class. I planned to practice the 9.30am afterwards so I took no 1 and no 2 with me. I didn't feel sluggish at all, waking up was easy and even after two days I noticed a difference in how I felt. I felt less sluggish all over, and that's important since I'm going through some injuries too right now, tear in my hamstring so I'm feeling pretty broken, add to that the chronic fatigue and the ongoing symptom of fibromyalgia and I'm feeling quite decrepit! Usually after the 5.45am I will feel a bit tired but today I was absolutely fine. Drank the Sunrise Elixir after class and had a hot cup of ginger tea before the 9.30am class. I wasn't bouncing off the walls but I was alert and awake. After I practiced I had the Glowing Greens and off to a physiotherapy session try fix what I broke! My energy levels were fine throughout the day, I feel a bit spaced out, but I'm not tired. I definitely feel better overall, my face has thinned down a bit and I don't feel heavy and weighed down like I've been feeling the past month due to all the overeating. Had a dog date with my best friend John and got my refreshing Green Guru in before then, afterwards I watched him tuck into a coffee, carrot cake and a small tub of ice-cream and normally I'd be like me! I want! But today I had an almond chai latte and didn't feel the need to binge which was awesome. Don't get me wrong, I still have chocolate cravings and I had moments where I'm staring in my pantry but since I don't have to worry about eating, it's like my brain switched off and I didn't feel the need to eat something. I saved the good karma for tomorrow and tucked into no 5 the Buddha Juice for an early evening treat. I had a handstands class with Air Yoga late in the evening at 8pm so before then I finished my day off with the Chai Vanilla Dream. My energy levels were quite throughout the day, there was no sluggishness, at the most I felt a little bit bloated and spacey, but I was fine practicing a Bikram class and the handstands class as well as teach.
Day 4
Up bright and early, woke up at 6 without my alarm going off, last day of my juice cleanse. Since I only had 5 each day prior, I was left with a green, orange and nut juice. Before I went into teach the 9.30am class I had the Buddha Juice, I really like the combination of the sweet, refreshing and hint of mint flavour. For lunch I went to a juice bar and picked up a green smoothie. I was still experiencing a slight spaced out feeling but I was more alert and it was so nice not feeling sluggish. Last night my friend Bahar who is also a Bikram teacher and I decided we are embarking on a 30 day Bikram challenge, 30 classes in 30 days and starting Tuesday we would do this juice cleanse together. Sometimes it's nice having a friend do it, you can support and motivate each other! Throughout the afternoon I had the Good Karma and also finished the Chai Vanilla Dream. Then 6pm came and we both went off to practice together, day 2 of 30 done! To treat myself I had an organic raw cashew yogurt, the Vanilla Mesquite from Botanical Cuisine, they're a Melbourne based company who specialise in gourmet raw and organic cheeses, yogurts and condiments. I am absolutely obsessed with their yogurt range, the goodness of cashews mixed with probiotics, and it's not sickly sweet either, just how a yogurt should be.
Up bright and early, woke up at 6 without my alarm going off, last day of my juice cleanse. Since I only had 5 each day prior, I was left with a green, orange and nut juice. Before I went into teach the 9.30am class I had the Buddha Juice, I really like the combination of the sweet, refreshing and hint of mint flavour. For lunch I went to a juice bar and picked up a green smoothie. I was still experiencing a slight spaced out feeling but I was more alert and it was so nice not feeling sluggish. Last night my friend Bahar who is also a Bikram teacher and I decided we are embarking on a 30 day Bikram challenge, 30 classes in 30 days and starting Tuesday we would do this juice cleanse together. Sometimes it's nice having a friend do it, you can support and motivate each other! Throughout the afternoon I had the Good Karma and also finished the Chai Vanilla Dream. Then 6pm came and we both went off to practice together, day 2 of 30 done! To treat myself I had an organic raw cashew yogurt, the Vanilla Mesquite from Botanical Cuisine, they're a Melbourne based company who specialise in gourmet raw and organic cheeses, yogurts and condiments. I am absolutely obsessed with their yogurt range, the goodness of cashews mixed with probiotics, and it's not sickly sweet either, just how a yogurt should be.
So there it is! 4 days of delicious juices and I feel so much better for it. What I love about Pure Glow Cleanse is the personal contact you have with the girls. Each day of the cleanse you will receive an email full of support and encouragement, and there was also a free yoga class offered. If i had any concerns Annette got back to me straight away so you feel like you're in safe hands and really good about the whole journey. You can tell that for them it's not just a business, it's their passion and what they believe in, and when you love what you do it comes across.
It's amazing how your body can change in such a short amount of time, and once you get onto a consistent health kick it's easy to maintain, but the hard part is starting and committing to creating change. This is a gentle and supportive way to get that started. In fact, I'm giving myself 3 days of eating raw goodness before doing another 4 days with these wonderful ladies.
There are so many juicing companies out there and while I lived in the States I ordered from several companies. Some of my favourite from there are Suja, BluePrint and Pressed Juicery, who do online order and deliveries as well as being sold in grocery stores such as Wholefoods. Just make sure that the juices are cold pressed, as that will retain the goodness and nutrients of the ingredients.
Be aware that if you are not used to juicing, or are not accustomed to eating a lot of raw food, you will experience some detox symptoms. For me they were quite mild, I was very tired in the evening of the first day, and had a headache, then felt spaced out, but my energy levels after the first day was good and I didn't feel tired or weak. The first cleanse I ever did, the Master Cleanse, I experience more symptoms ranging from very spaced out feeling, tiring easily, to emotional ups and downs from nonchalant to irritability to down right annoyed. However that was 10 days of nothing but water with lemon, cayenne pepper and maple syrup, which would shock the body more. i find juice cleanse much more gentle on the system as well as provide it with a good dose of nutrients in the process.
So stock up on some juices and try it out, even if it's for a day! You've got nothing to lose!
It's amazing how your body can change in such a short amount of time, and once you get onto a consistent health kick it's easy to maintain, but the hard part is starting and committing to creating change. This is a gentle and supportive way to get that started. In fact, I'm giving myself 3 days of eating raw goodness before doing another 4 days with these wonderful ladies.
There are so many juicing companies out there and while I lived in the States I ordered from several companies. Some of my favourite from there are Suja, BluePrint and Pressed Juicery, who do online order and deliveries as well as being sold in grocery stores such as Wholefoods. Just make sure that the juices are cold pressed, as that will retain the goodness and nutrients of the ingredients.
Be aware that if you are not used to juicing, or are not accustomed to eating a lot of raw food, you will experience some detox symptoms. For me they were quite mild, I was very tired in the evening of the first day, and had a headache, then felt spaced out, but my energy levels after the first day was good and I didn't feel tired or weak. The first cleanse I ever did, the Master Cleanse, I experience more symptoms ranging from very spaced out feeling, tiring easily, to emotional ups and downs from nonchalant to irritability to down right annoyed. However that was 10 days of nothing but water with lemon, cayenne pepper and maple syrup, which would shock the body more. i find juice cleanse much more gentle on the system as well as provide it with a good dose of nutrients in the process.
So stock up on some juices and try it out, even if it's for a day! You've got nothing to lose!
