I am not yet convinced that fasts and detoxes are real things for the tests I have done.
I have tried the Lemon Detox Diet for about 10 days, and I didnt feel too hungry overall, I did feel a bit dizzy at times, and the first 3 days were really hard cause of hunger, and also feeling like absolute rubbish (supposedly the detox effect).
While I have done various detoxes I generally feel rubbish during, but then after not really that different afterward.
Having watched the following documentary (probably one of the most engaging and interesting about health I have seen in ages!), I have been inspired to give it a bit of a go.
I have been having juice each day for the last month or so and feeling much better for it (combined with exercise and listening to positive podcasts while I walk and run).
This is my basic instructions for the way I have been juicing – I would love to hear if this is similar to what you have found.
My main strategy is to buy spinach, bok choi, spinach or any of the cheapest greens. About 1-2 kg of greens.
Kale is the very best, but can be hardest to get (Huckleberry Farm in One Tree Hill?) rumor is that if you ask at Pak n Save they store it sometimes out the back? I am considering growing my own for price, freshness and convenience. I make the vege part as much of the recipe as I can, then I get the carrot seconds from the local vege store, so I will put in about 1-2 kg of carrots. I often add about an inch of ginger, and 1 shoot of garlic shoots. 1 or 2 raw beetroots.
And about the remainder is the stuff to make it taste better, but too much is gonna be too much carb / sugars, so I try to keep stuff low GI as much as possible. At our vege store they have fruit seconds which are a bit damaged or over-ripe, and you can get about 10kg for $1.50 so that is bloody good value. I cut out any rotten parts, and cut them in half to make sure it doesn’t have a rotten core.
Kiwifruit whole, 1 lemon, apples, pears, nashi, pineapple I try to keep to about 1/4 of the total juice so that it isn’t too sweet.
I use a Breville and it’s been awesome.
I generally buy whatever is in season and cheapest, especially what I pick for the green stuff can be whatever is cheapest, and there is heaps of salad varieties. I have found that if I make up 1 batch in the morning, then that will last me through 1 day, while it isn’t as fresh and as much nutrients as if I made juice 3x a day, it is less cleanup. Always clean up the juicer as soon as you finish, and if you put a plastic back in the catcher, it makes it heaps easier. I wanted to get a composter so we can put worms and make up more compost to grow the Kale in.
Anyway, that is most of my advice.. Oh! And check out Lea Newman or Christina Leon for more juicing and health tips.