Welcome back to the helpful thoughts of DittyPop from your favorite Chef Panya! I have noticed the trend of cold pressed juice detox programs. My question is why? Is it obvious because we are living in a world pandemic or do people really care about what they are eating and drinking? Unfortunately I think most people decide to try to do better out of fear not because they genuinely want to. Fear of getting sick, overweight, or to improve immunity can cause knee jerk decisions to start a program you seen online. Via Facebook, Instagram, or Pintrest you seen a video or read a blog saying how signing up for their program or purchasing their products will get you on the path to your best health. These programs target your insecurities because they know most people have good intentions to be healthy, but our society has made education about the importance of nutrition a non deliverable. It is never discussed honestly to the public. Sick people make the government money. Intentional neglect to provided accurate food pyramid information makes everyone confused about living a healthy lifestyle. If you have traveled outside the US you will notice how trash America is when it comes to how we eat. What else you don’t know is most other countries except America puts regulations on the food we purchase in our grocery stores. Kraft for example is regulated in the UK, but not regulated in the US. Same box of mac and cheese.

This isn’t the only example, so it is important you do research about the food and drink you are buying at the grocery store while trying to be conscience about your health.

Fast forward, this is the future version of you. You go to the store and avoid buying pre packaged processed food, avoid buying canned vegetables, avoid buying fruit packaged in syrup, avoid buying soda and unnatural drinks with very little juice. The future you is making conscious effort. Instead you go to the fresh fruit and vegetable section. Be mindful because you plan on cooking a new recipe you found online or watched on the cooking channel. You want to start a juice cleanse detox program for a week or two. You are so ambitious. That Netflix documentary really hyped you up to love yourself to better health!

This is what happens to most people when they try to do better without a real plan to change their mindset. We get inspired to do better, but when it comes time to do the work most people get lazy or lose interest real fast. Excuses come into play about how you are too tired to cook dinner every day, you bought too many vegetables and fruit and had to throw a lot of it away because you never did anything with it, it is so much easier to grab a salad or chicken sandwich from the drive thru because being healthy is too much work.

This is how the average juice cleanse sales pitch goes.

DON’T EAT FOR A WEEK & ONLY DRINK OUR JUICE!

For real?!

The body doesn’t need help with a juice detox . The human body is magic. There are detoxifying enzymes in the liver that break down alcohol and other drugs, and the kidneys handle water-soluble toxins. Many juice fasts and liquid diets involve consuming no protein at all, or have very low amounts of it. People need a daily supply of protein to build healthy immune cells and regenerate muscle. We need protein, carbs, healthy fats, and calories to function to our highest potential. If the juices are low in calories and you are drinking for 7 or more days, your body will go into starvation mode. The metabolism will slow down so your body can conserve the calories that are left. Starving yourself isn’t a healthy way to lose weight even if it’s just for a week or two. The side effects include headaches, fatigue, difficulty thinking, moodiness, stomach pain and hangry attitudes. This also includes, colon irritation, bowl irritability, bad breath, dizziness, and white tongue. If you are a diabetic, don’t even think about doing a juice cleanse for any amount of days because the insulin levels in your blood sugar will not be balanced. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and people with compromised immune systems or advanced heart, liver or kidney disease should also avoid juice cleanses.

Do you still feel like a juice cleanse detox programs are a good idea? If so, then its purely psychological. You convinced yourself that not eating, having diarrhea, and being in pain for a week or two is worth it to lose 5 lbs. It’s ego.

Here is the gag, it’s ok to drink cold pressed juice, smoothies, and natural drink options. It is only ok if you have them with a balanced breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Drink a juice with your oatmeal. Have a smoothie with your salad. You are hungry after dinner, have a juice and a handful of almonds or walnuts. Moderation is key, unfortunately juice detox programs are the opposite of moderation. There is no quick fix to lose weight. Love yourself to better health. Pay attention to the labels of the food you buy in the grocery store, make the intent effort to buy fresh fruit and vegetables, cook meals for yourself or family regularly. Watch a Netflix documentary, read a book, or listen to a podcast about your health and educate yourself about how your human body works. Keep learning and make good decisions.

Why are juice cleanse detox programs so popular?

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