How I failed the juice cleanse and why I'd do it again

This past weekend I attempted my first ever juice cleanse... and failed miserably. But more on that later. First, I'd like to talk about what juice cleanses are and why I think that they are a good idea in small doses.

My first introduction to juicing was through the fantastic and motivational Mr. Joe Cross. Joe successfully cured chronic illness, lost his excess weight and basically saved his own life by undertaking a 60 day juice cleanse on a road trip across America in his documentary 'Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead'.

My initial reaction to Joe's juicing endeavour was "wow this is way too extreme!" But by the end of the film I was intrigued to say the least. If Joe could cure his illness and change his life then surely everyone could experience some sort of benefit to juicing. Of course, 60 days is extreme and I highly recommend watching the documentary to learn a bit more about juicing. After some research of my own I started drinking juice on a regular basis, however I had never attempted a juice cleanse of my own up until discovering a cleanse that seemed like a walk in the park compared to 60 days: the Juice Bureau's one day juice cleanse.

The premise of a one day cleanse just made sense to me; six juices in one day to reboot and nourish your body. I don't suffer from any illness, I'm not trying to lose weight and I eat well and exercise regularly, I was just looking for something to give me a bit of a boost and this cleanse sounded like it would do the trick.

Only one day of juicing seemed like a fantastic idea, but I also wondered why only one day? Every other cleanse I had ever heard of went for anywhere between one and 30 days to truly 'detoxify' the body. Well - apparently - the one day juice cleanse was designed to provide my body with the micronutrients I was potentially missing out on in my regular diet, but because juices are naturally also low in fat an protein, it isn't recommended on a long-term basis. One day is enough for a big ol' micronutrient boost and a kick start to feeling and looking better. Simple, right?

Well here's where I went wrong:

• I started the day I left town (and took my juices on the plane with me)
• I didn't get a good sleep the night before
• I didn't mentally prepare myself for the cleanse - and when people around me were eating, I wasn't prepared for the cravings
• I didn't try any of the juices before buying them (my tastebuds were unprepared and I could have made some changes for juices I would have preferred)

So I started my morning with the 'immune' juice. Because I don't often go for the green juice - usually opting for something a bit sweeter and smoother - the earthy, tangy taste I got was a bit of a shock at first. However, after sipping at it for a while I acquired a taste for it and actually enjoyed the hint of lime and apple. My second green juice was a bit more biting and I struggled to get it down, only managing half, and by the third juice, while everyone else was sat around me eating lunch, I was ready to cave. Although I didn't completely pig-out, I did allow myself a cup of tea with soy milk and some peanut butter; essentially sabotaging the digestive benefits of the cleanse. After that, I basically gave up feeling more than a little disappointed with myself. And so I had failed my first ever attempt at a cleanse. 

Despite the epic failure, I feel more determined to have another go at the one day juice cleanse. With a little more dedication and preparation I think I could really enjoy the benefits - I already felt more vibrant and energetic having only tried half of them. And on an even more positive note, tasting all of the juices in the cleanse has inspired me to incorporate a wider variety of juices into my regular diet as well!

Do you think juice cleanses are a good idea? 

Some room to think

I hope it doesn't seem materialistic or undiscerning of me to say that my physical surroundings have perhaps the most powerful impact on my life. In fact I mean to be the opposite of materialistic in a sense. One of my most important discoveries on my minimalist journey is that the less I own, the happier I am.

"Minimalism isn't emptiness for the sake of emptiness; but rather making room to move freely, think clearly, and open ourselves to the beauty and wonder of life" - Francine Jay

There's nothing that can clear your mind and motivate you more than a clean and relaxing space to reflect and unwind. Have you ever felt trapped, frustrated or unwelcome in your own home? That probably means you have too many things in your space. Remember: this is your place, everything inside of it should make you happy. If your place is messy or cluttered, you're probably feeling frustrated because you are unknowingly processing your physical surroundings - that coffee table that is only ever covered in papers, the bookshelf with too many books that you will never read, the mismatched armchair you never liked but kept anyway - when you could be focusing your energy on more important aspects of your life.

That's not to say that a blank slate of a home would make you any more relaxed. I imagine like everyone else I dream of the perfect couch, lovely open windows with white skirting, wooden floorboards and a niche little office (oh an office!) of my own to write in and decorate to my hearts desire... right?! These are some of the carefully selected pieces I will one day fill my home with. I will be able to list everything I own, I will cherish my possessions and be grateful for what I have and I will be able to easily maintain my home.

When I come home at the end of the day I want to be able to look around, sigh in content and flop onto that perfect couch without the weight of the world on my shoulders or in my house.

Check out some of my dream home ideas on Pinterest.