Everywhere it turns it seems that someone is doing some sort of detox this month. We all crave to do something a little healthier after a month of over indulgence, right? Daniel Winer, CEO of Juicepresso, caught my attention recently with his one-day juice cleanse. Really? I had to find out more about him and this fast cleanse.
Daniel spent 18 years in the gourmet housewares business behind a desk. It was after seeing a vacation photo of himself that helped him make a life changing decision. He decided that he needed to take back his health and learned that the key to staying fit and healthy for him was what he was putting IN is body. He quickly learned that the only way to get all the nutrients that his body required was through juicing. After a year of spending $10 a day on a juice, he realized the need to do it more efficiently at home.
Why have juice bars become so popular and mainstream in the past few years?
Juicing has exploded over the last few years. More ‘in the know’ health-conscious people have begun to realize that smoothies, generally, are packed with sugars and calories and tend to only have a couple servings of fruits and vegetables in them. The great thing about juicing is that you can squeeze 7 to 10 helpings of fruits and vegetables into one glass. A recent study done by University College in London showed the incredible benefits of eating 7 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables. Less cancer, obesity, diabetes etc.and a longer life in general. Juicing is the easiest way to get all of those nutrients into your diet.
How did you get started on your juicing journey?
A few years back my mother got diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. As she started traditional treatments, I started looking for alternative solutions. That was when I stumbled upon a place called the Gerson clinic. The clinic claimed to have terrific success treating various diseases through nutrition. Especially juicing. And though I could not convince my mother to try a less traditional form of treatment, the more I learned about it the more I felt that it would be an important part of my daily regimen.
So I began making and drinking a green juice daily. And I believe it is responsible for my general well-being. I know how I feel if I skip a few days. And the minute I start up again I have more energy and feel better. If you live in a big city you have the option of going to juice shops, but they’re very expensive, often $10 per juice. That could get very expensive for a family. If you live in a rural area you probably don’t have the option of buying your juice. So we thought it was important to bring a great Cold Press juicer to the market. That was why we brought Juicepresso here. This way people can enjoy all the benefits of juicing from home.
Juices are smoothies are not the same?
This actually upsets me. I have heard on infomercials and seen in demonstrations in big membership stores, that smoothies are better for you and that you can make juice in these expensive blenders. This just isn’t true. I do enjoy smoothies occasionally, however you cannot pack the same amount of nutrients into a smoothie. Because you are pulverizing the whole fruit you can only fit one to three servings in a glass. You are also ingesting all the insoluble fiber. Fiber is great for you, and we all need it in our diet. But if someone is eating normally, they probably are already getting enough fiber in their diet. The great thing about juicing is that it gives your digestive system a break. The nutrients can enter your bloodstream in as quickly as 20 minutes. The process of digestion usually takes hours. And no matter how well you liquefy fruits and vegetables in a blender, that is not juice. Definition of juicing is to remove the juice from the fruits and vegetables, and leave the pulp.
Detox comes to mind especially this time of year. What are your tips to detox? What should we try to avoid during a juice detox?
Most people over indulge over the holidays. We all usually make some form of resolution. Whether we stick to it or not. I think that The beginning of the new year is a great time to do a short detox. Whether it is a juice fast or cleanse. And whether it is for one day or seven days it’s a personal choice. For many people simply introducing a daily juice and a healthier diet for a week or two will do the trick. I don’t usually do a cleanse for more than three days. But that might be because of a lack of willpower. I know that I do feel better after I do one.
There are so many different type of cleanses/detox is a person can do. And I feel that just about all of them do some good. The main thing to remember is to include very little fruit. There is an old saying that I believe in. Eat your fruit and juice your vegetables. I’m a bit hard core and use no fruit at all. For others I would suggest having an end goal of no more than 20% fruit vegetables. If taste is an issue start with a little more fruit, And slowly decrease it over the next week or two.
You have a one day juice detox? What’s it all about?
I find that if I have a rough weekend of entertaining. Maybe a steak. Maybe French foods. Maybe a little bit too much wine. I will do a one day juice cleanse on Monday or Tuesday. I love a good meal as much as anyone, I just try to use moderation. When I don’t, I follow it up with a one day juice cleanse. I drink 4 to 5 green juices a day and have no solid food. By the next morning I already feel better, my skin looks better and the whites of my eyes are clear. Last year, after the holidays – which I ate everything that was put in front of me- I felt I needed to lose weight. I did the one day cleanse twice a week for two weeks, and lost 8 pounds of fat. The rest of the week I eat normally and didn’t change my workout regimen. My recipe is a mixture of cucumber, celery, Romaine lettuce, watercress, kale, ginger and lemon. I know, it sounds terrible- But you get used to it. Now I actually like the taste.
Who should detox? Any signs we should be looking for that would tell us it’s time for one?
I believe that any adult can do a 1-3 day juice cleanse/detox. But any thing the longer you may want to discuss with your doctor. Especially if you have any health concerns.
Do you have a recipe to share? One day detox?
My favorite recipe is the one above. Occasionally in the second half of the day, I will add fresh beet as well. Beet is amazing for your heart.
What about teens? Any advice to help clear skin of acne?
Juicing is great for teens as well. My skin looks great when I drink vegetable juice. My recommendation would be to avoid a lot of fruit juice as it is can be very high in sugar.
What are your favourite ingredients to add to a juice? and the benefits?
My favorite ingredients which I put in most of my juices are as follows:
Cucumber-lots of juice in it and it’s great for your skin.
Watercress-the Center for disease control recently called watercress the best of all the leafy greens.
Ginger-amazing anti-oxidant.
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