Last week I embarked on a juice cleanse. September is a transitional time for the seasons, offering up a prime time to adopt different ways of healing our body. It is also a prime time for cleansing the digestive system, similar to the benefits of cleansing our livers in the spring. Many health-enthusiasts believe that juice-fasting is a superb way to revive and purge the digestive system, while scientific evidence proves otherwise. After the jump is my story with the three-day juice cleanse, the conflicting information regarding risks and benefits and a Chinese medicine perspective on how to maximize health benefits and preserve your digestive system through appropriate modification.
The Idea Behind A Juice Cleanse
The program, and many similar to it, involves picking up a variety of six different fresh juices daily that are to be your staple nutrition for that day. The juices do not include the fiber from the vegetables and fruits, but are instead the pure liquid extract from these foods. This is touted as the highest form of nutrients and promises that by drinking only these juices your body will have the time and energy to “clean house” and detoxify on a cellular level as a result of giving the digestive system a rest from solid food.
The Science Behind It
This idea sounds good – who wouldn’t want to detoxify their system with nutrient dense, organic juices? Or, give their digestive system a break from all the hard work of digesting food for us? However, there is no real scientific evidence that juice fasting – or fasting in general – actually does either of these things. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic remind us that “There’s little evidence that detox diets actually remove toxins from the body. Most ingested toxins are efficiently and effectively removed by the kidneys and liver and excreted in urine and stool.” Worse, Detox diets ultimately perpetuate the belief that our bodies are inefficient on their own and are inherently harboring pathological material unless we “do something” about it. It may also contribute to the myth that if we regularly indulge in unhealthy habits (such as smoking), that we will have the opportunity to reverse those effects by a quick detox.
Reading juicing blogs, fasting books and detox fasting materials will reveal a number of testimonials proclaiming renewed energy and weight loss as some of the most immediate results of fasting. The weight loss is obvious, eating less caloric dense food will result in weight loss. No surprise there. But what about feeling lighter and more energetic? Katherine Seratsky of the Mayo clinic notes that this could be a result of the belief that they are doing something good for their bodies, and not proof of systemic detoxification. Perhaps our juice-fasting craze is a detoxification placebo.
Consuming pure carbohydrate in the form of juice and avoiding protein puts the body into “starvation mode” and significantly increases blood-glucose levels. The body needs protein to live, and if it is not getting it from the diet then it will get it from another source, lean muscle. This is counter productive as the faster will be left with a reduced metabolism as a result of losing muscle mass and no change on fatty tissue.
Worse yet, is the inclusion of fruits and high-sugar vegetables (pears, apples, beets, carrots) in juice fasts that offer and immediate spike in blood glucose levels and thus contributing to the blood-sugar roller coaster responsible for the rise in obesity and heart disease. If you are going to have a serving of whole carrots, it will likely be 1 cup of carrots and you’ll get the benefits of the fiber. One cup of carrot juice you’ll need 4x as many carrots, and you won’t have the fiber to help slow the natural sugar digestion.
Medical doctor, Pamela Peeke, says “Forget fasting and detoxing. She says there is nothing magical about these kinds of plans, they don’t work long-term, and they ultimately perpetuate an unhealthy relationship with food.”
Chinese Medicine Perspective
Chinese medicine is based on the principle that over-indulgence is just as harmful to the system as under-indulgance. A balanced medium is the key to health. The spleen and stomach are the center of health, as they responsibly work to supply the body with nutrition from the food and drink we consume. The more efficiently these systems work, the better we feel – physically, mentally, and emotionally. Overload the digestive system with alcohol, rich foods and simply too much food and you’ll feel sluggish, mentally foggy and maybe even emotionally depressed. Fast completely, and you’ll probably feel the same side effects.
The digestive system is meant to keep us healthy and it is not meant to have a break (would we give other systems, like our cardiovascular system, a break? No way!). Our bodies work tirelessly and efficiently for us. The spleen/stomach is the work-horse of the body. Try to give it a “break” by fasting and it doesn’t know what to do. In fact, it will work harder – trying to digest anything that might give the body the nutritional value it needs. If there is no food digest, this over-consumption could leave us feeling nauseous, low energy, restless, agitated or depressed.
We all have days where we tax the digestive system with food and drink that aren’t the healthiest for us. Our body will deal with that in it’s own way, through the liver and the colon and excretion. The best ways to support the digestive system according to Chinese medicine is to consume regular meals and warm, cooked food. Sweet potatoes, steamed squashes, aromatic spices like cinnamon and black pepper, soups and stews are especially nourishing to boost the spleen and stomach – pretty much the antithesis of raw, cold, juices. Perhaps, juice fasting leaves our digestive systems in greater havoc than a big meal, dessert and three cocktails.
My Experience
Coming off of a summer full of parties, barb-b-ques, foods from all walks of nutritional values (or lack thereof…) and more glasses of wine than I care to admit – “cleaning house” was just what I needed. My Chinese medicine background of course made me suspicious of juice cleansing (see above), but I wanted to try for myself. I entered with an open mind and a promise to listen to my body and not be afraid to abandon ship if my symptoms presented so.
I made it through day one on a variety of delicious juices. As the day progressed, I felt lighter, energized and no havoc on my digestive system. Things seemed to be working in a miraculous way and my body “thanked” me for this gentle and healthful gift. By the evening of the first day, I felt a little dizzy and weak, and hungry. I grabbed my last juice to quench these things and was unable to drink, the juice no longer tasted good or felt good. I knew I needed some food, and heated up some roasted veggies and lean protein and vowed to continue my cleanse including healthy solid food.
My seasonal cleanse, in the end, included one or two fresh juices per day, and two to three small meals of whole foods, lots of water, natural fats and proteins (nuts, chicken, grass fed beef, whole eggs, grass fed dairy). I avoided alcohol, sugar, chocolate and most grains. Most importantly, I ate considerably less quantity than I had been in the earlier summer months. I was able to maintain this for longer than three days, which has left me feeling empowered, energized and healthy. My personal takeaway from this was cleanse was to curb my snacking, reduce quantity of food and avoid sugar to maintain digestive and energetic vitality.
My Advice
The best way to have a healthy, youthful system is to maintain as much balance as you can. This will mean different things for each individual, and allow for a lifetime of health. For starters, don’t over-eat or under-eat. Adding to that a diet rich in a variety of fruits and vegetables, natural fats, protein and limiting or avoiding completely refined grains, sugar and alcohol are great general guidelines that would benefit most individuals.
The bottom line: nourish yourself with whole foods (not too much) on a regular basis, and your body will detoxify itself and maintain a healthy weight. If you want to “cleanse”: spend a week avoiding alcohol and refined grains (or all grains, for that matter); you’re blood sugar, hormones and insulin levels will thank you.