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Last month I went to London on a work trip and let’s just say, I was not on my best behavior when it came to food. I generally eat pretty healthy but I also believe in having a good balance when it comes to food. Balance meaning, I don’t think indulging in the finer things in life (pizza, tacos, etc), every once in a blue moon, will kill you. I mean can you blame me? London has restaurants galore and some of the best Indian food I have ever tasted in my life. I admit it though, I went, I indulged, and because of that, my gluttony from the trip caught up with me.
With us being in the thick of the holiday season, I figured a 1 day juice cleanse would be a great way for me to reset and bounce back quickly to get ahead of the Christmas food coma looming around the corner. At the same time I was looking into doing the cleanse, something else in the press started getting a lot of attention, the cost of healthcare at retirement. According to HealthView Services, a healthy, a 65-year-old, couple can expect to spend $266,600 over the course of their retirement on Medicare premiums alone. The key word here is HEALTHY couple, so taking care of yourself while you can, is critical.
Even though I try my best to live a healthy lifestyle, the headlines surrounding health and retirement gave me the kick I needed to commit to doing this cleanse. order isotretinoin over the counter As I’ve gotten older, the one area of my life that I refuse to be frugal in is when it comes to my health and diet. If I have the extra money in my budget, I will always choose organic over something that is not. I will splurge a little more on things that I know will give my immune system the boost it needs. I strongly believe that the best invest you can ever make, is an invest yourself. Your health is NOT something you can put a price tag on. The bottom line is that your health will always be one of your biggest and most prized assets.
If you are considering doing a cleanse after the holidays or have been considering trying something new in the New Year to challenge yourself. Here are a few things I learned from my cleanse:
1.) Con – A pressed juice cleanse is crazy expensive. My 1 day cleanse cost me a total of $39.50 for 6 juices (6.50 per juice) and 2 flavored waters. I knew it would be relatively expensive because of my first attempt a few years ago but geesh, it hasn’t gotten any cheaper.
http://ashmann.uk/2010/01/ 2.) Pro – You are your greatest investment (health is wealth). Investing in your health is an extremely vital piece of your overall net worth. If your health isn’t in the best shape, you may not be able to work or even concentrate at work because what we eat does indeed effect and shape our lives, minds, and bodies. I know, you might be thinking, “Geesh, $39.50 for some juice is a lot when I can buy a few days worth of groceries for that much.” Fret not, there are some great cheaper alternatives if you are interested in a “juice cleanse” or just trying to eat clean that will fit within your budgeting needs.
I have a 4 year old juicer that I will bust out on occasion, which is always much cheaper than buying bottled pressed juice. On average, I can make a healthy green juice at home, using my Hamilton Beach Juicer (nothing fancy), for around $1.50 for about 24oz of juice.
Here is a simple recipe I use for what I like to call my “Hulk Juice”-
- 2 Handfuls of Spinach
- 1 Green Apple
- 1/2 A Large Cucumber
- 1 Medium Carrot
- 1 Orange
- 1/2 Lemon
- Fresh Ginger (small amount)
Another great time and money saver is pre-made smoothie bags – grab a box of freezer bags, some veggies, and a little fruit.
I created 9 smoothie bags all for $31.65 (some NYC grocery stores are NOT cheap). That’s $3.51 a smoothie which is cheaper than my $6.50 per bottle juice cleanse and these will last me a week. It’s so nice to just grab and go and not have to worry about the cleanup.
3.) Con – Juice cleanses are great, but some may have a $hit ton of (natural) sugar. As I was sipping on my third juice of the day, I thought maybe I should check to see what’s in this, so I read the label. Low and behold, I had already consumed 94 grams of sugar without even realizing it!
4.) Pro – Potential benefits of a juice cleanse include (*Chart):
5.) Con – It was hard for me to focus and I was tired at the end of the day. If you do a juice cleanse, it may be a better option a )prepare for it, as directed and b.) do it on the weekend or not while you’re at work.
6.) Pro – I was happy with the outcome. I know that a 1 day juice cleanse won’t be life changing but I also know that giving your digestive system a 24 hour break every once in a while probably wouldn’t hurt. From what I understand, juice cleanse benefit studies have not proven much either way, so the health community is a little split on the actual benefits of a cleanse. However, if you are wondering, here are some things I learned about the “potential benefits” of a cleanse.
Overall, the biggest benefit for me was purely psychological. I was stoked that I was able to make it through the whole day for the first time and I felt like I had accomplished something because my stomach DID feel better the next day. Who knows if juice cleanses really work, but for me it was worth the investment because I felt the benefits to my mental and physical health. Whether you’re considering a juice cleanse, getting back in shape, or one of your new years resolutions is to eat clean, then I say why not? What do you have to lose? Investing in your health is literally one of the best investments you can make.
Disclaimer – I am not a nutritionist, medical professional or a doctor. If you do consider a juice cleanse or any other dietary changes, please consult with your doctor first.
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