Leave this job to the pro's. Avoid juice cleanses. Save your money & save your mind.

The cold-pressed juice industry is worth 3.4 billion dollars. That's not Trump change. Good solid law abiding people believe in juice cleanses. I went to Amazon & found 5 different juice cleanse brands.

We've all made really dumb purchases. Own it!

How much does a 3 day juice cleanse cost on average? $147.60! Ok so folk will throw money at all kinds of things. Athletes are notorious for making really dumb purchases. In 2002 Scottie Pippen, former Chicago Bull and a hall of famer, bought A Gulfstream jet for 4.3 million dollars. It couldn't fly. Pippen had to spend another million dollars to get his jet off the ground. This won't come as too much of a surprise, but within 5 years of retiring 78% of NFL players & 60% of NBA players file for bankruptcy.

Are juice cleanse disciples jolly?

We need an additional test. How much did people who consumed the 5 juice cleanse brands enjoy their experience? I went back to Amazon & looked at juice cleanse reviews. 77.4% of the time juice cleanse reviewers gave juice cleanses 5 stars. Not too shabby.

I have to admit that I have never done a juice cleanse. Some people fast before juice cleansing. Some people do a colon cleanse as well. I'm going to focus on juice cleansing only.

There are 2 widely accepted but false reasons why one would subject himself or herself to juice cleansing: to remove toxins from the body and to lose weight.

If I've been indulging in rich foods, a cleanse is a wonderful way to hit the reset button.

Selma Hayek

What does a juice cleanse involve?

If you're doing a 3 day juice cleanse, you'll drink 6 (16 ounce) bottles of juice a day. Some if not all of the bottles will be green containing celery, cucumber, spinach & kale. Some juice cleanse diets start with vegetables only & gradually introduce fruits. Here are some common juice cleanse ingredients: beets, apples, pineapples, ginger, lemons & carrots. I love most of those vegetables & fruits. You receive your juice box in the mail. You drink the 18 bottles in 3 days. You can't beat the convenience.

Why shouldn't I do a juicy juice cleanse?

There is no denying that we are exposed to a lot of toxins. Pollution, medications, air born allergens, food allergens, carcinogens, herbicides, pesticides, lead, mercury, etc. all have a huge impact on us. Why not buy a product that will purge these chemicals from your body? When people think juice cleanse, they think reboot, rejuvenate or even a new lease on life. Some people approach the juice cleansing experience from a religious or spiritual standpoint with the goal being purification, At the very least many people believe that a juice cleanse will be the launching pad for living healthier.

I tried a juice cleanse, and it was a total disaster. For the eight hours that I lasted, I felt like I was on the brink of starvation. For me, it's about making the right choices.

Ivanka Trump

First Problem

I found that on average juice cleanses provide only 750 calories. Some juice cleanse diets allow some additional fiber, protein & heart healthy fats. That being said 750 calories is nothing!

Toxins Take Down

We have amazing natural detox systems! Your liver & your kidneys remove waste & kick ass. Your digestive tract (stomach, small intestine, large intestine & rectum) work hard around the clock digesting food & removing toxins. Probiotics, healthy bacteria that lives in your gut, destroy pathogens. Your first line of defense is your skin. Don't forget about your lungs exhaling all kinds of nasty stuff. When you're peeing, pooping, sweating or breathing, your body is destroying toxins. You don't have to say or do a thing.

Second Problem

You need to fuel your natural detox system. When you starve it, it won't perform as well. Your digestive tract needs fiber & probiotics to do its job. Your liver needs protein to operate optimally. A 750 calorie daily diet devoid of fiber, protein & heart healthy fat is not the answer. You can't ask your body to digest & detox on an empty stomach.

Intermission (warning: you may chuckle)

Third Problem

If you still think that a 750 calorie liquid diet that emasculates your natural detox system works, consider this:

you will not lose weight.

Let's say you stick to the plan (only juice and water) & lose a few pounds. You've lost mostly water weight. You've depleted your glycogen or stored carbs. You'll gain that weight back too when you resume normal eating & drinking.

Fourth Problem

You are going to be miserable. Your energy will plummet. Your brain will hate you as you jettison caffeine, refined sugar, salt & alcohol. If you like feeling lightheaded, nauseous & cold, this is it. Who doesn't like a good headache?

No Shortcuts

Fortunately a 3 day juice cleanse will not do any damage. Unfortunately you haven't detoxed your digestive tract & you haven't lost weight. The idea that we have pounds & pounds of waste deeply embedded in our intestines is not true. It all started with 2 legends, Elivis & John Wayne. Most people's colons weigh about 5 pounds. The King & the Duke supposedly had massive colons weighing 40 plus pounds.

There is no science that supports juice cleanses. It always comes back to lifestyle. Eat cleanly. Eat mostly whole unprocessed foods. Invest in your sleep. Do things like meditation that help you manage stress. Exercise. Connect with family & friends. Don't rely on juice cleansers. Live a clean life.

Thanks for reading.