It was a challenging, motivating, transformative few days for those Urban Vybe members and guests who joined the 3-day juice cleanse. Since a cleanse can sound scary, here’s a multi-part breakdown from someone who tried a cleanse for the first time.
Sunday – Prep Day
To begin, we picked up juices and joined Stacy for a kickoff nutritional seminar. We received instructions, reminders of why we were all doing this, fair warning of how different bodies might react, and motivation to stick out the three days (including her cell phone number for questions or angry texts). We learned about the different Vim + Vigor juices we would drink each day. Then we looked at the benefits of each vegetable and fruit. Our top goals: rid our bodies of heavy metal toxins and reset our mindset about food. Stacy also encouraged us to set individual goals related to what they each wanted to get out of the cleanse. Since I’ve never done something like this, I knew it would be a physical and mental test. I know I thrive on challenges and deadlines, and this sounded like a good new challenge I could focus on.
After listening to Stacy, I was also curious to see if I could lessen my regular headaches by cleansing my system and improving my diet. I have always struggled with headaches and migraines. Over the years I tried various things with various doctors, but never really got them under control for an extended period of time. For the previous month, my headaches had increased to 1-2 times per week, and I wanted to reverse that trend. I asked for suggestions on natural remedies, expecting that this extreme change would trigger another headache, and got some good ideas for essential oils if needed.
Monday – Day 1
Each day followed the same pattern: #1 Detoxify & Alkalize Green Blend, #2 Purify & Regulate Beet Blend, #3 Bright Complexion Carrot Blend, #9 Muscle Recovery Spicy Green Blend, and then ending with another #1 (full ingredients can be found at http://vvapothicaire.com/cold-pressed-juice). For dinner, we continued with one of Vim + Vigor’s chilled soups (Gazpacho, Kale Avocado Basil, or Harvest Mélange). The day seemed easy to start, and the thing I noticed right away was that (for better or worse) I could taste every single ingredient in the juices. I don’t like celery and don’t like a lot of vegetables, but #1 tasted better than I expected. My 2.5-year-old son always wants a taste of my food and drinks, but was not impressed with this one.
It was nice to see a few familiar faces in the Monday morning Slow & Deep yoga. The class helped to set goals & intentions. My serious self set an intention for strength & love. The rest of me just had a goal for the week of, “Don’t get hangry at my family.”
As the day went on, the real challenge set in. I had a hard time drinking #9, since I hate celery, and the cayenne pepper made the drink more spicy the more I consumed. I didn’t feel great after this one. Then due to a busy schedule, I didn’t pick up another juice on schedule 2 hours later, which probably also contributed to me feeling extra crappy.
When I successfully survived a quick trip through the grocery store, I felt like I deserved a trophy. However, I still had a tough time making dinner for my son and not being able to eat. I was more aware of food & smells and had to remain strong in resisting usual habit eating, like the bread, muffins, and brownies sitting on my kitchen counter. Next time, I will prepare better and hide all that food away. I decided to have the soup next before finishing my final juice #1 because my brain was still angry at #9 and celery. I hoped my taste buds would reset the next day. After trying the avocado soup, and found it easier to eat out of a bowl than drink from the bottle.
In Sunday’s seminar, Stacy encouraged everyone to make plans for pampering and special treats (long walks, massages, mani/pedis, baths, books, meditation, etc.) for the times when we would usually spend cooking & eating, and that was especially important on Monday evening. Taking a walk with my dog helped me feel better and it was a beautiful night with a bright moon. I also kept a journal of this experience. When my husband saw me writing, he jokingly asked if it was my “rage journal.” Maybe. Let’s hope not! 🙂
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