Juice Detox: What are the Health and Anti-Aging Benefits?
A juice detox, like any other detox, is undergone to flush the body of toxins. Eating too many foods that are loaded with preservatives, artificial coloring, and other unnecessary pollutants puts a large amount of stress on the average person’s body. Most of us are not even aware how much junk we put into our bodies each day, even if we make an effort to eat healthy food.
A juice detox can give you body a break from dealing with all of these damaging substances. During this time, you will flush out a lot of the bad chemicals that have been hanging around in your body, and your body will be able to repair itself. After a juice detox, it is important to add more organic fruits and vegetables to your diet, and greatly reduce (if not eliminate altogether) artificial chemicals in your diet so that you can maintain your healthy and youthful results.
Detox diets have been used for centuries in various cultures to restore vitality. The truth is, you will experience anti-aging benefits both inside and out if you complete this process properly. Proponents of detoxing advise that this must be done carefully, and people with medical conditions or who take regular medication should consult a doctor to see if they should make any modifications to this detox.
As toxins are flushed from the body during the detox, it is normal to experience some bad breath and increased body odor. This is actually a good thing! These are the ways that your body is supposed to get rid of toxins, and since you are giving your body a break from digesting complicated, unnatural foods, it can finally deal with pollutants the way it is supposed to. Damaging compounds are being exhaled on your breath and sweated out through your pores. Try to think of this smelly process as the healing renewal that it actually is.
With the expulsion of toxins, you will notice a great decrease in water retention and bloat. Your body hangs on to extra water in order to dilute harmful substances, and when those substances are gone, you will lose this extra water weight and stomach bloat. This can give you a sleeker, younger-looking shape.
Toxins are also stored in fat cells, as a way of protecting your body from their effects. One of the largest causes of cellulite is toxins damaging the layer of fatty tissue that is just under the skin. This damage results in the dented, “orange peel” or “cottage cheese” look that many women get on their thighs and buttocks as they get older. A good detox will release those toxins and allow your body to start healing that fatty tissue, reducing the look of cellulite.
Think about how you look when you are stressed. Your skin seems less bright, and your face looks haggard. You probably experience purple bruising under and around your eyes. When your body is under stress from damaging toxins, you can get much the same look to your face. A detox will restore youthful plumpness to your face, and help those dark circles under your eyes go away. Fine lines and wrinkles will be less noticeable, because your body will be able to keep your face more hydrated, rather than rationing its water supply to dilute toxins.
A juice detox can help make you feel younger, as well as look younger. When your body is not using energy to fight off the damaging effects of toxins, you’ll have more energy for all of your daily activities. Think of how sluggish you feel when you’re fighting off a virus, and how much better you feel afterwards. Many people experience a similar relief after a juice detox. You can experience the energy levels you had when you were younger, and your body had not yet been exposed to so many pollutants.
A juice detox has many advantages over a fasting detox. It still offers all the anti-aging benefits, plus weight loss, but is much healthier for people who experience great fatigue when they are hungry. Supplying your body with the nutrients found in the juice of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables will give you energy, without stressing your body with toxins. Although you should consult a doctor before starting any detox if you have medical problems, sipping juice throughout the day keeps blood sugar levels steady, which is helpful for people who are prone to episodes of hypo-or hyperglycemia.
There are certain fruits and vegetable juices that are strongly recommended during a juice detox, and some that should be avoided. Grapefruit juice has the natural benefit of lowering blood pressure, but during a detox there is a risk of blood pressure becoming too low if grapefruit juice is consumed, and so it should be avoided. In fact, citrus fruit juices in general are usually avoided, due to their high acidity and tendency to produce diarrhea during a juice-only detox. These fruit juices are fine when used as part of a solid food detox.
Red cabbage juice is a good diuretic, and helps your body fight off bacteria and viruses. Combine this with apple juice to sweeten the taste, if you prefer. Apples contain substances that can help protect your body against a variety of diseases and can lower cholesterol, as well. Berry juices are high in vitamin C and antioxidants, which will help your body flush toxins more effectively.
Wheat grass juice has high chlorophyll content, and your body can easily change these molecules into red blood cells. This results in more efficient delivery of oxygen and nutrients all around your body, and better filtration of toxins. In fact, it is recommended that you consume wheat grass daily, whether detoxing or not. Tomato juice is another great addition to a juice detox, because it is full of antioxidants and can protect the body from cancer. Most fruit and vegetable juices are beneficial, and can be combined in a variety of ways to suit you needs and tastes. Most proponents of a juice detox suggest 64 ounces of juice per day, sipped throughout the day, with the addition of five to six glasses of water per day.
There are many health, anti aging and beauty benefits to detoxing, and a juice detox has it’s own advantages. In the search for the healthiest detox for you body, consider a juice detox as a great way to keep your energy levels up while ridding your body of harmful substances and losing a few pounds.
