My 3-day juice cleanse: was it worth it?

Juice cleanses — whether you’re the teensiest bit sceptical, convinced you’re too much of a foodie, or worried those juices would taste just a bit too…green, I’m willing to bet that you’re still kind of tempted to give it a try.

I know I was! So last month I finally gave in to temptation and invested in a 3-day juice cleanse from Presscription.

Was it hideous? Was I starving? Did I have ALL THE HEADACHES? Or did I emerge on day three like Beyoncé on steroids, with super-glowing skin and boundless energy?

Read on to find out…

The disclaimer bit.

Let’s get the legal stuff out of the way first.

• I’m not a doctor. The info in this post is not a medical recommendation; it’s purely a reflection of my own experience with the cleanse.
• Would your reaction to a juice cleanse be identical to mine? Unlikely.
• Are there some people who definitely shouldn’t do a juice cleanse? Undoubtedly.

So, if you’re say, pregnant or breastfeeding, super active, have underlying health conditions or a history of challenges with your eating, or are in any doubts whatsoever about whether you should attempt your own cleanse, please do clear it with your GP first.

Why I decided to try a juice cleanse.

There are a million reasons you might feel drawn to the juice. You feel sluggish; you’ve gained a few pounds; you want to kick-start a new healthy eating regime. 

Me? I was just plain fed up.

After a year of cancelled holidays, I was overjoyed to finally be heading for a few nights in a lovely Cornish hotel. But it being 2020 and all, things didn’t go entirely to plan. COVID restrictions placed on the hotel spoiled some aspects of the holiday and when my daughter caught a sickness bug we had to cut the whole thing short.

On the drive home, I fell into an absolute funk. I began to ask myself the key questions that can help all of us whenever we feel sad, stressed, or disappointed:

‘How can I turn this around? What can change for me in this moment that will help me feel better?’

Scrolling through Facebook, I received my answer: an ad for Presscription juice cleanses. Yes, it was total clickbait but it hooked me anyway. I had an inkling that it was exactly what I needed to help me regain my balance and my calm…and my own health coach agreed.

And since we’d saved a whole load of money by cutting short our holiday, I decided to go for the 3-day cleanse.

How the juice cleanse works.

There are many different companies offering juice cleanses but Presscription’s version really appealed to me for several reasons:

• Their juices are made from only raw, organic, unpasteurised fruits and vegetables and they’re cold-pressed to ensure you get a real nutrient hit.
• The juices only last 3 days so you know they’re not full of preservatives or other additives.
• They come in glass bottles rather than plastic so they’re better for the planet as well as your health.

You can choose whether you want your cleanse to last for 1, 2, 3, 5, or 7 days. You’ll begin each day with a glass of water with lemon before moving onto the juices. You’ll have 6 different juices to drink over the course of the day and because each juice is designed with a specific function (energising/metabolism-boosting/toxin eliminating etc), it’s a good idea to consume them in the recommended order to get the most out of each one.

It’s best if you avoid all other food during your cleanse but if you really feel the need for something more, you can have some fruit, veggies, nuts or seeds, along with plenty of water between juices.

How I found the experience.

It’s time for another little disclaimer. Presscription recommends you prepare your body for the juice cleanse by making certain alterations to your diet: eliminating things like wheat, sugar, processed foods, red meat, caffeine, and alcohol. Because I already (mostly) avoid those things, I suspect the juice cleanse was less of a shock to the system than it might be for someone who tends to eat those foods more regularly.

So, while I felt a little tired on the first day, I was pleasantly surprised that I didn’t really experience much of the brain fog, digestive problems, or major headaches that are — rightly or wrongly — so often associated with juice cleanses.

Sometimes you just want a solid food! 

By far, my biggest apprehension centred on the fact that I’m a real foodie. I just love to eat and spend much of my time looking forward to my next well-balanced, nutritious meal. Three days with no solid food felt like a big deal and I have to admit to having a bit of a wobble on the night that the rest of the family sat down to toad-in-the-hole!

I admit that I did cave in a little and had an orange, a pear, and a few grapes when I was desperate for something with a bit of texture.

Overall though, I didn’t miss solid food as much as I expected. The juices were mostly delicious — even the ones that tasted kind of soil-y. And although I didn’t finish every juice, I didn’t suffer any hunger pangs and I felt really well-hydrated throughout.

Was it worth it?

Absolutely!

The benefits of the cleanse kicked in pretty quickly. My dry/combination skin felt much more supple and hydrated and when, halfway through the cleanse my period arrived early, I was delighted to find that it was physically and emotionally much easier to deal with than usual. 

The biggest improvement I noticed, though, was a mental one. By the end of the cleanse I felt a real sense of mental clarity and calm — exactly what I needed after the last few months. 

Afterwards, I felt a renewed sense of balance. I felt energised. I didn’t feel my usual pull towards the biscuit jar over the weekend, and I didn’t feel as hungry as usual either.

Would I do it again?

Again, absolutely.

I’m not sure I would do another 3-day stint but I’m certainly considering a 1-day cleanse once a month over my period in the hopes that the improvements there weren’t a fluke!

And certainly, anything that brings more clarity and more calm as we attempt to navigate the rest of 2020 and beyond, is going to be worth every penny. 

If you’re interested in trying a Presscription cleanse for yourself, you can find out more here. Referral code: thebalancecoach10 Final disclaimer for today: that’s an affiliate code but you know I only ever share products that I’ve road-tested first, so you know what you’re getting into! 

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