There was a four day prep time which I used to cut out what little caffeine I was consuming and to increase my consumption of green leafy veggies. I bought some fresh produce, including bananas, and pulled out my blender.

Note:  A smoothie cleanse is different than a juice cleanse because smoothies don’t separate the fiber out from the juice.  Instead the whole fruits and veggies are blended together.

The Question

I just had one question.  Would I be able to get the same detox results from smoothies as I would from juice in the same amount of time?

The Process

Each day I drank one or two green smoothies, one savory blended soup, and one fruit or chocolate (raw cacao) smoothie.

Along with my blended drinks I increased my intake of water, so as expected I took more potty breaks the first day.  My energy levels went a bit low on the first day but picked up again to the point I felt more focused and optimistic.  I could categorize this as the same as a juice cleanse, but more subdued. I did experience a slight headache and some of the typical lightheaded or “spacey-ness” on the first day which was cured by a good night’s sleep.

The smoothies did seem to satisfy my hunger longer than juices, due to the inclusion of fiber.  The presence of fiber also resulted in soft and regular bowel movements.  I also experienced a sense of grounding or a solid feeling, which I attribute to the fiber.

My emotions were steady, so no issues there.  I did still have some of the same psychological hunger thoughts and conditioned behavior of going to look in the refrigerator.

The Conclusion

All in all, the smoothie detox is very similar to the juice cleanse. The intensity was about one-third of what I experience during juicing.  I imagine the releasing of toxins was probably about one-third as well.  As I said in my earlier post, smoothie cleanses usually last about 21-28 days in order to achieve the same results of a 3-10 day juice cleanse.

The Recommendation

I do recommend the 3 Day Smoothie Detox Challenge.  It was fun because I was able to eat foods like bananas and avocados.  This would be a good introduction cleanse for someone who is nervous about taking the full leap into a juicing cleanse.  Smoothies also make great transition meals before and after a fast, so I could see doing a 3 day smoothie detox then 3 days of juicing, for example.

Your Thoughts

Did you try the smoothie challenge?  How were your results?  Does this review make you want to try it for yourself?

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Green Smoothies?

Firstly, I thought all smoothies were fruit smoothies.  Who knew you could make green smoothies by adding spinach?  And why would you want to?  Well I’ve since learned a thing or two and nowadays I almost always add greens to my smoothies.  (Really, a banana, pineapple, spinach smoothie is quite yummy!)

My second confession is that I’ve never done a smoothie detox.  To be quite honest I didn’t even know what detox was at the time I started making smoothies.  I just knew they were good and healthy.

Juicing versus Blending

Now, I don’t often write about smoothies on this blog, and there’s a reason for that.  This blog is about juicing and when I talk about smoothies, sometimes people get the two confused.  The main distinction between juicing and blending (smoothies) is that juicing removes the fiber.  For fasting purposes this is a good thing because the colon gets to rest and we flush out the toxins.

I’ve learned, however, that it is possible to cleanse with smoothies it’s just that it happens at a slower rate. Kind of like if you eat enough good foods, eventually the body regenerates.  For this reason, a typical smoothie detox  lasts 21-28 days.  Compare this to a 3-10 day complete juice fast.

But how should I know really?  I’ve never tried a smoothie detox.  That all changes today.  I’m going to do it.

The Challenge

I’ve signed up for the 3 Day Smoothie Detox Challenge hosted by my friend Tera Warner and I encourage all of you to take the challenge with me!  All the recipes and instructions, plus lots of info about smoothies are free of charge and you can start on any day that works for you (I’m starting this coming Monday).

Spring is here and I’m looking forward to shedding some of my winter blahs.  I’d love for you to join me in this challenge.  Maybe you’ve got some things you need to shed also.  It’s only three days.  What do you say?  All the details can be found here.

Will You Join Me?

Hey if you decide to join me in the 3 Day Smoothie Detox Challenge let me know in the comments below and we can support each other.  Because that’s what it’s all about – helping each other.

The modified juice fast or modified juice cleanse is a great way to test the waters and gain some confidence in starting a new healthy eating routine.

So what is a modified juice fast?  Basically the concept involves changing the juice fast to fit your nutritional and emotional needs by adding some solid foods and/or supplements.  This type of cleansing also modifies the rate at which your body will detox and eliminate toxins.

I’ll explain the details of this cleanse below but first….

Who should do a modified juice fast?

Are you wondering if this might be for you?  Have you wanted to start a juice cleanse but keep putting it off?  Do you think you are too busy to do a long term fast?  Is your situation on this list?

• Procrastination in getting started
• Too busy to fit anything more into your schedule
• Worried about not getting enough calories on a juice cleanse
• Have a weakened immune system
• Pregnant or breastfeeding
• Emotionally not ready to handle the detox process

Are any of these situations familiar to you?  If you want to begin a healthy lifestyle but any of these apply to you, you may be a good candidate for the Modified Juice Fast.  Keep reading.

Keep Juicing

Juicing is still the basis for this cleanse.  I recommend you drink juice first thing in the morning just like a regular juice cleanse. Depending on your situation you may modify the cleanse in any one of these ways.

1. Continue drinking juice throughout the day until dinner.  For dinner eat simple, whole, and natural foods.  Fresh steamed vegetables, brown rice and a green salad (no store bought dressing) are good choices.  Do not eat dairy, meats, or caffeine on this cleanse.  Keep portions small.
2. Drink a combination of juices and smoothies.  The same ingredients can go into your smoothies as in your juice.  You’ll need a blender.  Peel all your vegetables and fruits.  The skins will wear down your blade unless you have a heavy duty blender such as a Vitamix.  You may need to add filtered water to make the consistency drinkable.
3. Add supplements to your juices.  There are many powdered supplements available such as green whole food supplements, protein powders, ground chia or flax seeds which you can add to your juices for additional nutrition and calorie boosts.  Some people don’t consider this a modification of the juice fast but rather an essential part of a cleanse.

Is It Right For You?

But wait.  You may be asking yourself, “Isn’t this cheating?” or “Will I really get results from this?” or “Is this really detoxing?”  The real answer to these questions sits only within each person.  You will gain some healthy benefits from any of these modifications though perhaps not as noticeable, as with a full juice cleanse.  You may not lose as much weight for instance.

The point of modifying the process is to make cleansing achievable for anyone.  If you are still on the fence about starting a juice fast you should consider this.

Your turn

Would you ever try a modified juice cleanse, especially if it was your first time?  Let us know in the comments below.  And please share this article with a friend who may find it useful.

I’m writing this post as I sit inside a cozy A-frame log cabin in a canyon north of Santa Barbara California. My family and I have come here, to this wilderness location to get away from the city for a few days and in essence we are here to detox from our modern lives. We have limited access to phone and internet connections as well as modern cooking equipment.

What are we doing?

To outsiders it might seem that we are giving up a lot. In fact we are even paying money to the cabin owner for this natural experience. But we are also beginning to notice the simple things that we never would have noticed without taking a break from our hectic schedules. And it’s making a great improvement in our lives.

Simplicity

In just a few short days we’ve noticed a bluebird on our picnic table, the fresh scent of California lavender, and the sound of a single falling leaf. These all remind us to slow down the pace, practice being in the moment, and cleanse our souls.  Juice cleansing is also based on this same simple detox principle. Your body needs a break from the hectic routine of eating on the go and often eating the wrong kinds of foods.

Slow down and practice being in the moment. Drink fresh juices to recharge your physical (and spiritual) health. As you do this you will begin to notice the little things too. Here’s a list of five benefits you might experience on a juice fast cleanse:

Five Benefits of a Juice Fasting Cleanse

1. increased energy
2. better skin tone
3. reduced cravings for junk food
4. improvement in chronic conditions
5. clearer mental focus

Detox Naturally

At first it might seem like you are giving up a lot but your body knows how to heal itself if you give it a vacation. After juice cleansing for a few days the gastrointestinal tract will begin to clear itself of the residue accumulated from a busy lifestyle and unhealthy eating. It’s so amazing that such simple actions can help you recharge quickly and greatly improve your life.

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With a flash of inspiration Joe realized he needed to change his routine in order to change his life.  “I felt like I needed to give my body the energy it needed to perform the function of self-repair. I thought, ‘If I just get out of the way, it will heal itself,’ ” .

Joe enlisted the help of Dr. Joel Fuhrman in America and began a 60 day juice fast.  He traveled across the country, with a juicer in the back of his car, to share his new found love of juice and talk with people about their lifestyle habits and hopes for the future.  The inspirational journey was documented in the film Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead.

Remarkably Joe lost 82 lbs on his juice fast and helped many others to do the same.  It has created such a buzz that people are wanting to know how to start their own juice fast like Joe.

Tips for a 60 day juice fast

1.  If you are on any medications or have any health problems, have a medical professional monitor your progress.

2.  Start out with a small goal, say 10 days.  This makes the task more manageable mentally and makes it easier to chart daily progress.  Not everyone needs to fast for a full 60 days.  As in #1, a medical professional can help you determine what is right for you.

3.  Though it would appear in the film that Joe just woke up one morning and started juicing, it is best to prepare mentally and physically for at least a week prior to the cleanse.  You can read about my preparation process here.

4.  Easy does it.  This is not the time to multi task.  Take a few days off or lighten your work and responsibilities.  Your body will be hyper focused on cleansing during this period, so relax and let your body work it’s magic.  Light stretching or walking is all you need to do to assist.

5.  Continue drinking water.  Water has an important function of flushing out the toxins and waste.  You still need to drink plenty of water.

6.  If you experience any adverse effects besides light headache and fatigue in the first few days, consult a professional.

7.  Congratulate yourself on ANY progress made!

Happy Juicing!  BONUS!  Here’s the recipe for Joe’s Mean Green Juice!

In the movie Joe uses a Breville Juice Fountain similar to this:

To learn more about juicing and juice fasting, including recipes I recommend the following books:

Beets are members of the spinach and chard family.  The beetroot with it’s earthy taste and the bitter beet greens are high if folic acid and vitamins A, B, and C.  Also they contain potassium, calcium, betacyanin (antioxidant), calcium, copper, iron, iodine, manganese.

Because of the iron content beets are powerful blood purifiers.  This offers a multitude of health benefits and can improve the following conditions:

• constipation
• cancer
• anemia
• gallbladder and kidney ailments
• ulcers
• anemia

Detoxification

Beets and stimulate enzymes in the liver.   For this reason they give support to detoxification and fight cancer.  Juice cleanse recipes often utilize beet roots and greens for their detox qualities.

Heart Health

Beets create nitric oxide in the blood, which dilates blood vessels and thus lowers blood pressure.  Healthy HDL cholesterol is raised by the fiber contained in beets. (Remember that fiber is removed when juicing, so to include the benefits of fiber you must eat the vegetable in its whole form.)

Energy

Beets increase the oxygen in the blood by as much as 400%.  This provides you with energy and stamina.

Tip for Juicing Beets

It’s important to repeat that beets are powerful cleansers.  When beets are juiced, the fiber is removed but the sugars remain. The detox process may be rapid and may cause you to become light-headed and experience detox symptoms.  Drink plenty of water to help flush the toxins out.

Beets can be juiced with most any other vegetables.  For your first juice cleanse with beets, use only 1/4 beet in a recipe  to determine how your body will react.  Then add more accordingly.

More Information

Nutritional information on beets Nutrition Data

Beet Pigments May Help Prevent Cancer Report

Beetroot Therapy from Annie Appleseed Project