I remember years ago hearing about John Travolta going on a juice cleanse.  I loved him so I was quite interested.  He is a rich and famous celebrity so he must know what he is doing, plus he seems so nice.  Didn't Oprah do a cleanse, too?  I believe she famously went on a liquid diet and wheeled a wagon with the amount of weight she lost into her studio for all to see.  

When I first came to Los Angeles, all the aspiring actresses were on cleanses that involved drinking water with cayenne pepper and lemon.  They were all a size 2, so didn't that mean it worked?  I had enough nutritional studies to know the truth.  

There are many delicious and some nutritious juices on the market that act as a substitute for a meal or a week's worth of meals that are promoted to cleanse your gut.  All have cool names and expensive prices.  Lululemon and Soul Cycle customers wait in line for them so I know it must be the "smart" thing to do.   Sarcasm intended.

I am not a nutritionist or registered dietitian so  I am just stating my opinion  It is always wise to speak with your doctor or nutritionist before doing any new diet plan.  

My philosophy is that a good cleanse involves sweat, pee, and poo.  Yucky, I know, but important.  If you fill up on a lot of fiber and vegetables and drink a lot of water, you should accomplish this easily.  All the veggies and some fresh fruit will help you to get your vitamins.   

It's smart to add a bit of protein so you don't lose hard-earned muscle when reducing calories.  I like to make a soup with some olive oil for browning my garlic and onions so I get healthy fats as well.  Substituting a nice, homemade soup for a heavy dinner is a great way to keep you feeling cleansed.  

Throw in a solid workout, and you will get the sweat part taken care of.  I believe it is wise to get a solid night's sleep and reduce caffeine, too.  I do not go cold turkey on reducing caffeine because I will get a headache.   Cut back gradually and you should be fine.

Years ago, I had the privilege of going to the Canyon Ranch Spa in the Berkshire Mountains.  I was young, super-fit, and healthy, so I did five classes a day to try everything out.  I ate well but did allow myself one cup of coffee and a small, frozen yogurt,  My friend who went with me was used to fast food and a sedentary lifestyle.  He decided to go all-in, no caffeine, or added comfort food.   The added fiber, going cold turkey on caffeine, and hard workouts, left him sick in the hotel room for two days!  It was too much for his system.  

Some people have undiagnosed food allergies.  The most common are sugar, gluten, soy, eggs, corn, dairy, and peanuts.  Removing these from your diet and seeing how you respond may be an interesting experiment.  Slowly add each one back in and see if you still feel great or have a bit of brain fog, stomach bloat, etc. 

Jack LaLanne would say, you need the pulp, the "good stuff."  Fiber and vegetables are so amazing for your health.  With colon problems on the rise, it is even more important,  

So next time you want to go on a juice fast, think about the sweat, pee and poo of it.  Get some heart-pumping exercise in, grab a salad, and have some water with lemon.  It's cheaper and better for you.  :)