iZO Cleanze – The Final Day, Julie Sinclair
Thanks to Laura P. asking on our Facebook page, “Is this safe?” I realized I should share some background information on juice cleansing. So:
The theory on how and why a juice cleanse works: The idea is that by drinking a variety of fresh juices (”in their most natural and potent state, undamaged by heat due to cooking or pasteurization,” according to iZO Cleanze) you’ll get more than enough vitamins and minerals that you need for your daily functions. And because these juices retain all their enzymes, your body does not need to exert effort in the act of digestion—and so it starts to use this extra energy to cleanse itself, dumping the waste into your colon to be eliminated. (This is why enemas and/or colonic hydrotherapy is recommended during a cleanse and why iZO includes supplements and teas that support the organs of digestion and metabolic function that help encourage elimination.)
Who should not fast: Again, from iZO—Pregnant or breast-feeding women and those who are losing weight due to a disease. They recommend cleansing under the supervision of a licensed physician if you have Type 1 Diabetes or advanced heart, liver or kidney disease; are in advanced stages of cancer or AIDS; have MCAD deficiency, Bulimia, or Anorexia; or are taking prescription medication.
As for the conclusion of my 3-Day juice fast, I realized that somewhere, sometime down the line I’d like to try a longer fast—because it was only during the end of Day 2 and all of Day 3 that I really began to feel something different happening in my body and I’d like to experience how I’d feel after a much longer cleanse. But during the evening of Day 3 instead of finishing off the cleanse until the next morning, I made myself organic vegetable broth—because I was ready to start my transition back to solid food.
I’m glad I did this juice fast (for me it was an act of self love), but next time I’d like to take time off work so I can also combine it with a soothing environment, meditation, and gentle yoga. Hmm….a spa, maybe?! While my Spa colleague Victor was able to mesh it into his everyday life, for me it was more challenging.
As a sidenote: I did not do the cleanse to lose weight (I was more interested in the the cleanse’s healing benefits), but if I had lost a few pounds I wouldn’t have minded. I saw the following note in the material iZO sent me on the first day of the cleanse: “The iZO Cleanze is so nutritionally supportive that if you don’t have weight to lose, you won’t lose it. Your body is flooded with so many nutrients throughout the day on the iZO Cleanze that it will not lose weight that it’s not healthy to lose, i.e. muscle, etc.” And, although I wasn’t eating solid foods, I did only lose 1 pound. Fascinating!
I’d love for any of you out there who have done a cleanse to share your experience: what cleanse it was, how it went for you, and if you’d recommend it or not. Eager to hear from you!
—Julie Sinclair, editor-in-chief
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iZO Cleanze – The Final Day, Victor Maze
I am entering the final hours of my three-day iZO Cleanze and I still feel great. Although I am not experiencing any hunger pangs, the social aspect of eating is what I miss most.
Until you embark on a cleanse or fast, you don’t realize the important role meals play in our social lives.
I had originally considered doing a five-day cleanse, but when I decided to join my friends on a last-minute road trip this weekend, I realized that staying on the plan through Saturday would prove difficult, if not impossible. Could I really be content swigging yet another green juice while they scarfed down burgers from In-and-Out? Doubtful.
Also, another friend who just moved to San Francisco asked if I’d like to grab dinner and drinks this week; even though my schedule is free tonight, I had to tell him that next week would definitely work better.
But do the benefits outweigh the inconveniences? As Julie mentioned yesterday, it is amazing how much time is freed up when you remove eating and food preparation from your daily schedule. In hindsight, I am wishing I had taken better advantage of this fact, although I have crossed a few things off of my “to do list” by utilizing lunchtime and dinnertime to catch up on tasks I was putting off.
Aside from the extra time, I can report feeling lighter and thinner than I did Monday. Unfortunately, I forgot to weigh myself before the cleanse, but I was able to pull my belt a notch tighter this morning, which is always a great feeling!
Thinking about trying a cleanse of your own? I would recommend choosing a week or weekend without a lot of social engagements. Although I never felt hungry, I also never had to schlep my juices into a restaurant and watch 10 of my closest friends eat and drink.
Also, plan another way to occupy the hours in the day you would normally spend eating. Trying a meditation exercise or even taking time to sit down with a journal or good book each night would help make the experience feel like a mini-retreat.
If you are considering a cleanse of your own and would like information, check out Spa’s guide to fasting—and let us know your results.
—Victor Maze, art director
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iZO Cleanze – Day 2, Victor Maze
Editor-in-Chief Julie Sinclair and Art Director Victor Maze enjoy their juice
It’s after 4 p.m. on the second cleanse day and I am still feeling great, without the slightest bit of hunger. Seriously!
Although a previous cleanse I tried offered six juices to be consumed daily, one benefit of the iZO Cleanze Juice Feast is that it really is a feast—you end up drinking a dozen beverages throughout the day, which means that you are constantly refilling your tank with nourishing juice or detoxing tea. Some of the teas, which incorporate a variety of medicinal Chinese herbs, actually contain appetite-suppressing properties as well.
Last night was smooth sailing. While my roommate snacked on leftovers, I enjoyed one juice after another and didn’t feel even a little envious. The only stumbling block came with the Purify juice and Elevate tea, which were both a little bitter for my taste. But adding a tablespoon of organic agave nectar, which is allowed on the cleanse, sweetened them right up. When I finally went to bed around midnight, I had finished all of the juices and still had some of the final one left!
Today has been a breeze so far, although I must admit, I did catch myself briefly fantasizing about a flatbread pizza around noon. (I’d like to thank Spa’s photo editor Veronica Sooley for sharing her latest recipe with me in agonizing detail before realizing that I might not want to hear about food today.)
But in actuality, this lunchtime craving was more habit-related than hunger-related. How often do we eat out of habit, rather than actual hunger? It reminded me of one of the excellent tips I learned from fitness guru Sheila Cluff: Fight a snack attack by having a glass of water. It’ll give you five minutes to decide if you truly need that treat.
For aesthetic reasons, I’ve been drinking my juice in a glass over ice for the past two days, to make me feel like the cleanse is a non-stop happy hour, minus the vodka of course. Though I am typically hot-natured, I was actually starting to get a little chilly from the iced juices. I just discovered today that the three teas can be warmed as well, so now I am enjoying a delicious cup of hot tea—perfect for a chilly fall day. I’d like to invite you to join me in doing the same!
—Victor Maze, art director
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iZO Cleanze – Day 2, Julie Sinclair
OK, so it’s Day 2 for me on the iZO juice cleanze. Yesterday afternoon I found myself thinking about the bag of potato chips I had at home, wondering if eating one chip would ruin the cleanse. It wasn’t about feeling hungry (I haven’t been hungry at all due to the 11 pints of various juices alotted throughout the day), it was more about wanting to crunch, and to taste the salt.
When I got home I did not have that chip. Instead, I rode a stationary bike and then took the hour-and-a-half I would have spent on dinner (cooking, eating, and doing the dishes), to relax in a bath infused with Epsom salts and a few drops of lavender essential oil. It’s amazing to me how much time opens up when you take meals out of the picture.
The only thing that’s been challenging for me so far is the fact that the juices are cold, and it’s not warm here in San Francisco. I’m currently sitting with a heater at my feet and a coat on, and I’m still not warm enough. (My Spa colleague, art director Victor Maze, actually loves the coldness of the juices. You can read about his experience, here.)
For me, this juice fast would be phenomenal if it were 90 degrees outside. To help heat myself up so I can stay on the juice fast, I’m going to try to make it to Bikram yoga tomorrow morning–and also to complement the internal cleansing that’s going on. Can’t wait!
Image: iZO’s Juice SuperGreen
—Julie Sinclair, editor-in-chief
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iZO Cleanze – Day 1, Victor Maze
I actually woke up excited to begin the three-day iZO Cleanze Juice Feast this morning. Another juice cleanse I tried a few months ago left me feeling refreshed (and weighing several pounds lighter), so I was eager to experience a different version.
I tend to drink constantly throughout the day anyway, so juice cleanses seem to work well with my constitution. I keep a 32-ounce water bottle on my desk and typically fill it up at least three times a day or more, followed by another two or three glasses at night. (I sometimes have to watch myself around soft drinks and alcohol, as those seem to fly down the hatch just as quickly once I start!) I also tend to like my liquids cold and will ALWAYS order gazpacho if it’s available on a restaurant soup menu.
Right now, I am more than half-way through the day and feeling great—and not the least bit hungry. On busy days at work, I often forget to eat until late in the day anyway, so not having eaten at 2 p.m. isn’t extremely out of the ordinary. The real test will be this evening when I get home and my mind is less occupied. I’ll let you know how at peace I feel once my roommate starts cooking dinner for himself!
So far, I’ve most enjoyed the herbal-tasting Activate tea, but I’m from the South, so iced tea is a familiar treat, even without the sugar. (See Julie’s post below for a full list of the juices and teas we’ll be drinking.) I’m also looking forward to the iZo Pro almond milk protein drink, which I’ll be trying in about an hour or two. It sounds like it will be the most filling, so I may save a little bit for “dessert” tonight!
Check back tomorrow to find out how day two is going, and please comment and let us know about your fasting experiences.
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iZO Cleanze – Day 1, Julie Sinclair
iZO Cleanze, whose tagline is “transformation delivered daily,” offered to send in a 3-day cleanse for Spa staffers to try. Our art director, Victor Maze, and I volunteered.
I was a little wary, only because it’s been on the colder side here in San Francisco lately, and the juices come packed in a cooler—so they’re pretty cold. (Ayurvedically, cold liquids don’t mesh well with my body’s constitution; I tend to do better with warm—or at least room temperature—liquids.)
However, my body’s been feeling a bit heavy lately even though for the last several months I’ve given up all caffeine (chocolate, soda, coffee, black/green tea) and stopped eating meat, so I was curious how I’d feel after 3 days of nutrient-packed juices and supplements.
Today, so far, I’ve had one pint of hyper-mineralized alkaline water (they call it Anu Water) and one pint of Juice SuperGreen (tastes like green veggies) and am about to take 3 Liver Detox and LAX Capsules with 1 Pint of Juice Red (tastes sweet).
There are 9 more juices left for me to drink today, and I’m curious to know how I’ll feel later when I get home.
What’s left:
- 1 pint of Tea: Activate (spleen cleanse)
- 1 pint of Tea: Replenish (kidney cleanse)
- 1 pint of Pro (almond milk protein drink)
- 1 pint of Lemonade
- 1 pint of Juice Red
- 1 pint of Purify (blood/liver/lymph cleanse)
- 1 pint tea: Elevate (crown chakra cleanse)
- Another round of Juice Green and Detox and LAX Capsules
- 1 pint of Lemonade
It’s been a stress-filled day at work so far, and my desire to reach for comfort food is strong. Fortunately, though, there are so many juices left for me to drink I think I’ll be OK.
I’ll check in again tomorrow to update you on how it’s going. For those of you out there who have fasted, do you find it challenging? Have any words of wisdom?
—Julie Sinclair, editor-in-chief
