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Juice Cleanses...is there ever any benefit?
Replies
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@sammidelvecchiosammidelvecchio wrote: »@Phirrgus I think I am just answering the original question as it was posed in a very simple way. What I do is called a juice cleanse. The questions were are there any benefits to them, and are they all inherently bad? So my answer is yes, there can be benefits they will just depend on what you are using the juice cleanse for and the quality of the product you buy. And no, they aren't all inherently bad, because mine is very helpful.
I am not claiming that every cleanse product sold is good. I am saying that they aren't all bad. I'm not saying that every one of them can help someone, but I am saying that there are benefits to cleansing depending on why you're doing it coupled with the quality of product you buy.
A cleanse is more associated with your digestive tract. Detox is more associated with kidney and liver functions. But you're right, commercially people use them interchangeably.
I have no idea what a cleanse would accomplish for someone who is using it for a purpose other than medically. I mentioned that above, I believe, in regards to weight loss. Use it for weightloss? Not a great idea. My reason is medical, which it seems a lot of people might not be aware of the benefits it can have for people with chronic pain, so by sharing that it can help with that is an example of how not all juice cleanses are bad and there can be real benefits. And it doesn't just have to be a chronic illness or pain, people with regular OA say it has helped them a lot too, or people with IBS. Again though, i'm not saying that there are not other ways to obtain relief - a cleanse can just be one of many.
I do believe a lot of the claims the products make, like clearer skin, shinier hair, more energy - could easily be obtained without a juice cleanse in various ways. Eat more healthy fats, drink more water, etc, because having those issues in the first place is more likely a sign of vitamin deficiencies and there is definitely a multitude of ways you can get your vitamins without having to use a costly juice cleanse.
Thanks for the clarifications - I don't think we're too far apart.
I wanted to ask to be sure as I'm slow sometimes and a bit can be lost communicating over the web.
What I had in mind were the products lemurcat2 posted up, that type of thing which I also see as a shameless money grab. As far as myself personally, I don't label it a cleanse, but when ever fasting for religious reasons or just intermittent fasting juice (fruit juices) tend to hold me over, and for whatever reasons I do feel a bit refreshed afterwards.
Thanks again
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@Phirrgus No doubt there are some shameless companies jumping in to make money off of people who don't know better. It's the same with the "detox teas" like Teami. It's sad, and i'd reco people stay away from them. My mom falls victim to these things all the time.0
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I have those toosammidelvecchio wrote: »@Phirrgus No doubt there are some shameless companies jumping in to make money off of people who don't know better. It's the same with the "detox teas" like Teami. It's sad, and i'd reco people stay away from them. My mom falls victim to these things all the time.
family members that is...
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Thanks everyone! I appreciate all of the input. I won’t be trying any new cleanses, haha, it’s now decided. I am just the type of person that doesn’t like to fall victim to these types of things, so I just wanted to really see what the MFP community had to say about it all. I am trying to lose weight, as I mentioned above, but I’m also trying to maximize my overall health in ways that I can. I don’t plan on giving up “bad foods” like pasta or certain desserts entirely, but I want my nutrition overall to be more good than bad, as it has been going downhill steadily for a while now until I got back on track. I don’t believe in “quick fixes” rationally, but there’s still times when I would like to believe that there could be some benefit, and it’s not all a COMPLETE lie for consumers. The main questions I’ve had since I’ve restarted related to 1. The juice cleanses (consider it answered) 2. Whether fasting actually has proven benefits as people claim, or if it really is solely CICO and nothing else and 3. Whether Pique tea is worth investing a try in or not. I am an avid coffee drinker, but caffeine doesn’t suppress my appetite much. And the idea of adding tea to help suppress hunger is intriguing. Overall, I have a good grasp on the path I’m on, and I know it’s working. But my curiosity of ways to maximize health benefits still exists. I’m afraid to lose too quickly, because I don’t want a lot of loose skin if it’s avoidable. I guess I’m in a place where there’s a lot I know about my health and losing weight, but there’s a lot I still have to learn. Thanks again for all of the responses! I’ll read them all and take any advice given 6
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gonna_reach_the_goal33 wrote: »Thanks everyone! I appreciate all of the input. I won’t be trying any new cleanses, haha, it’s now decided. I am just the type of person that doesn’t like to fall victim to these types of things, so I just wanted to really see what the MFP community had to say about it all. I am trying to lose weight, as I mentioned above, but I’m also trying to maximize my overall health in ways that I can. I don’t plan on giving up “bad foods” like pasta or certain desserts entirely, but I want my nutrition overall to be more good than bad, as it has been going downhill steadily for a while now until I got back on track. I don’t believe in “quick fixes” rationally, but there’s still times when I would like to believe that there could be some benefit, and it’s not all a COMPLETE lie for consumers. The main questions I’ve had since I’ve restarted related to 1. The juice cleanses (consider it answered) 2. Whether fasting actually has proven benefits as people claim, or if it really is solely CICO and nothing else and 3. Whether Pique tea is worth investing a try in or not. I am an avid coffee drinker, but caffeine doesn’t suppress my appetite much. And the idea of adding tea to help suppress hunger is intriguing. Overall, I have a good grasp on the path I’m on, and I know it’s working. But my curiosity of ways to maximize health benefits still exists. I’m afraid to lose too quickly, because I don’t want a lot of loose skin if it’s avoidable. I guess I’m in a place where there’s a lot I know about my health and losing weight, but there’s a lot I still have to learn. Thanks again for all of the responses! I’ll read them all and take any advice given
Good for you! With your healthy attitude, grasp on reality and open-mindedness, I predict great success for you!
We're here if you have any other questions. Don't hesitate to step up and ask. 3 -
I mean...it might be helpful for constipation?1
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jennifer_417 wrote: »I mean...it might be helpful for constipation?
Yes that's true. Some juices like prune juice are well known for helping with constipation.
I guess one could call such juice a cleanse and yes it could be benificial if used for that purpose.
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paperpudding wrote: »jennifer_417 wrote: »I mean...it might be helpful for constipation?
Yes that's true. Some juices like prune juice are well known for helping with constipation.
I guess one could call such juice a cleanse and yes it could be benificial if used for that purpose.
The aesthetic issue I have with prune juice is that it looks far too much like what will come out.
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gonna_reach_the_goal33 wrote: »Thanks everyone! I appreciate all of the input. I won’t be trying any new cleanses, haha, it’s now decided. I am just the type of person that doesn’t like to fall victim to these types of things, so I just wanted to really see what the MFP community had to say about it all. I am trying to lose weight, as I mentioned above, but I’m also trying to maximize my overall health in ways that I can. I don’t plan on giving up “bad foods” like pasta or certain desserts entirely, but I want my nutrition overall to be more good than bad, as it has been going downhill steadily for a while now until I got back on track. I don’t believe in “quick fixes” rationally, but there’s still times when I would like to believe that there could be some benefit, and it’s not all a COMPLETE lie for consumers. The main questions I’ve had since I’ve restarted related to 1. The juice cleanses (consider it answered) 2. Whether fasting actually has proven benefits as people claim, or if it really is solely CICO and nothing else and 3. Whether Pique tea is worth investing a try in or not. I am an avid coffee drinker, but caffeine doesn’t suppress my appetite much. And the idea of adding tea to help suppress hunger is intriguing. Overall, I have a good grasp on the path I’m on, and I know it’s working. But my curiosity of ways to maximize health benefits still exists. I’m afraid to lose too quickly, because I don’t want a lot of loose skin if it’s avoidable. I guess I’m in a place where there’s a lot I know about my health and losing weight, but there’s a lot I still have to learn. Thanks again for all of the responses! I’ll read them all and take any advice given
Sounds like you’re on the right track and being very pragmatic about your approach to weight loss, health and nutrition.
One thing that jumps out at me in the bolded, is your use of “bad foods” and then linking that to pasta and desserts. Why is pasta bad? Why are desserts bad? I think you have a rational approach in that you are saying you don’t want to give these up, just want to prioritize “good nutrition” over bad. Try not to think of any food as good or bad. It’s the overall context and dosage of your diet that you should be prioritizing, and I think you are, but labeling foods as good or bad, can sometimes lead to overly restrictive behaviors or mindsets.6 -
There is a benefit. April of 2018 I was going through a Trial to test medication for Gout. When they ran blood tests on me, they notified me that my Liver Function Panels were off the charts.
So, I gave up alcohol, went on a Juice Fast for one week and then integrated the Juices into a healthier diet over the next month. I went back and had the tests taken again and then followed up with a Doctor's appointment. My Liver Function was normal. The added benefit was when my Doctor brought out my charts and showed me that I had also lost 32 lbs in 2 and a half months.
I still buy Raw juices. I drink about 3 a day and supplement them with V8 and Protein Drinks and a healthier diet.
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TheRoadDog wrote: »There is a benefit. April of 2018 I was going through a Trial to test medication for Gout. When they ran blood tests on me, they notified me that my Liver Function Panels were off the charts.
So, I gave up alcohol, went on a Juice Fast for one week and then integrated the Juices into a healthier diet over the next month. I went back and had the tests taken again and then followed up with a Doctor's appointment. My Liver Function was normal. The added benefit was when my Doctor brought out my charts and showed me that I had also lost 32 lbs in 2 and a half months.
I still buy Raw juices. I drink about 3 a day and supplement them with V8 and Protein Drinks and a healthier diet.
My question to you is, do you think you would have gotten the same benefit by just giving up booze...?8 -
TheRoadDog wrote: »There is a benefit. April of 2018 I was going through a Trial to test medication for Gout. When they ran blood tests on me, they notified me that my Liver Function Panels were off the charts.
So, I gave up alcohol, went on a Juice Fast for one week and then integrated the Juices into a healthier diet over the next month. I went back and had the tests taken again and then followed up with a Doctor's appointment. My Liver Function was normal. The added benefit was when my Doctor brought out my charts and showed me that I had also lost 32 lbs in 2 and a half months.
I still buy Raw juices. I drink about 3 a day and supplement them with V8 and Protein Drinks and a healthier diet.
My question to you is, do you think you would have gotten the same benefit by just giving up booze...?
I did not give up booze. Just for the first 2 months.
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Based on what mechanism would raw juice help the liver? Weight loss and taking a break from booze could (as could more moderation with alcohol going forward and a better diet). The idea that one can drink in excess so long as you have some raw orange juice with the vodka is pretty funny, however, and what is wine but over-the-hill grape juice, so I guess wine drinkers are in luck, cider fans as well!
IMO, juice can have some nice micronutrients, but those raw juices can be pretty high in cals and for me are not filling vs. eating the actual veg and fruit they contain. Of course, if you go on a super low cal diet with just juice then you will lose weight, but that doesn't seem any healthier than any other very low cal diet.4 -
TheRoadDog wrote: »TheRoadDog wrote: »There is a benefit. April of 2018 I was going through a Trial to test medication for Gout. When they ran blood tests on me, they notified me that my Liver Function Panels were off the charts.
So, I gave up alcohol, went on a Juice Fast for one week and then integrated the Juices into a healthier diet over the next month. I went back and had the tests taken again and then followed up with a Doctor's appointment. My Liver Function was normal. The added benefit was when my Doctor brought out my charts and showed me that I had also lost 32 lbs in 2 and a half months.
I still buy Raw juices. I drink about 3 a day and supplement them with V8 and Protein Drinks and a healthier diet.
My question to you is, do you think you would have gotten the same benefit by just giving up booze...?
I did not give up booze. Just for the first 2 months.
Oh ok. Very cool. Hey congrats on the change. I still am curious if the same result would have been achieved with just the break from alcohol. The body has an amazing ability to recover. IMO, you really have to work hard and long to get to a point where the body can't come back...0 -
TheRoadDog wrote: »TheRoadDog wrote: »There is a benefit. April of 2018 I was going through a Trial to test medication for Gout. When they ran blood tests on me, they notified me that my Liver Function Panels were off the charts.
So, I gave up alcohol, went on a Juice Fast for one week and then integrated the Juices into a healthier diet over the next month. I went back and had the tests taken again and then followed up with a Doctor's appointment. My Liver Function was normal. The added benefit was when my Doctor brought out my charts and showed me that I had also lost 32 lbs in 2 and a half months.
I still buy Raw juices. I drink about 3 a day and supplement them with V8 and Protein Drinks and a healthier diet.
My question to you is, do you think you would have gotten the same benefit by just giving up booze...?
I did not give up booze. Just for the first 2 months.
Oh ok. Very cool. Hey congrats on the change. I still am curious if the same result would have been achieved with just the break from alcohol. The body has an amazing ability to recover. IMO, you really have to work hard and long to get to a point where the body can't come back...
I'm sure that the juice fast and the alcohol ban contributed equally to my weight loss. Now, the modified juice consumption and moderate alcohol intake is helping me maintain my weight loss from last year.1 -
Beneficial to the guy selling you the juice cleanse.
Other than that....no.7 -
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They are very useful when it comes to cleaning out your wallet.
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psychod787 wrote: »
*sigh* I wish I could get my best friend to understand this. She buys into a lot of conspiracy stuff, so of course she's anti-big pharma and anti-big companies and listens to all sorts of alternative medicine stuff. She's recently convinced herself that she needs to "detox" her liver because she's been diagnosed with fatty liver disease, and therefore sugar is "toxic" for her and she needs to cut it down as much as possible to correct her liver or she's going to destroy it.
*sigh* I can't get her to understand that its her obesity that is the leading cause of her fatty liver disease and insulin resistance, and that while yes, I very much agree she needs to change her dietary habits and begin eating more nutritious foods, and that she does need to watch her sugar intake as she has been diagnosed as being borderline diabetic, that she doesn't have to label sugar as "poison" to her body and that all she really needs to do is focus on eating a healthy diet and LOSING WEIGHT......
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snickerscharlie wrote: »gonna_reach_the_goal33 wrote: »Just to piggy back off of this a little, the argument I’ve heard for them, is that the body cleanses itself (which I know) but a good cleanse can give your body a break from the hard work of doing this itself for a few days. Again, not sure if it’s true or a complete lie, but figured I’d add that in.
Your body simply doesn't need a break from performing its normal everyday functions. If you really think about it, that would be like holding your breath to give your lungs a rest. So, yes, that's complete hokum.
And, honestly, if your body isn't able to naturally rid you of whatever needs to be gotten rid of, you need prompt medical attention, not a boatload of juice.
^^^ what they said0 -
Look at doing 24 hour fast instead. Juice is usually packed full of sugar and really isn't a cleanse or a detox AT ALL, but just spikes your blood glucose all day and throws off your gut bacteria. A single 24 hour fast can induce autophagy which is that cellular cleanup that you are really looking for.
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PoppyLlama wrote: »Look at doing 24 hour fast instead. Juice is usually packed full of sugar and really isn't a cleanse or a detox AT ALL, but just spikes your blood glucose all day and throws off your gut bacteria. A single 24 hour fast can induce autophagy which is that cellular cleanup that you are really looking for.
Autophagy is happening within your body 24 hours a day, 365 days a year regardless of whether or not you are fasting.9 -
No. Your kidneys and liver exist for a reason.
And even if your kidneys and liver aren't functioning properly, flooding your body with extra fluids is just going to overwhelm them and throw your electrolytes out of balance. This can lead to mild things like splitting migraines to less mild things like edema to not-so-mild cases of death.3 -
Autophagy is great IF apoptosis is working correctly. I can sell you some snake oil that will really sort your apoptosis out ...PoppyLlama wrote: »Look at doing 24 hour fast instead. Juice is usually packed full of sugar and really isn't a cleanse or a detox AT ALL, but just spikes your blood glucose all day and throws off your gut bacteria. A single 24 hour fast can induce autophagy which is that cellular cleanup that you are really looking for.
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