Several Breville employees recently went on a 10-day juice fast as an experiment in raw juice health and as a challenge to themselves. Luis Sanchez captures his personal experience. According to Luis, “It’s not a quick weight-loss solution, but it can be the beginning of eating healthier and staying away from processed food.”

After surviving the first three days, juicing had become a routine. I was quite surprised that I was still able to function throughout the day on only juice and water.

It goes to show that our bodies don’t require as much food consumption as we think. The craving for food is still there, but you just have to keep moving past it and find a way to take your mind off of food.

From distaste to taste

By this time I was able make a few juices and was starting to learn what combinations worked best. And I had figured out how to mask the taste of some of the less pleasant vegetables.

As someone who wasn’t always a big fan of vegetables, my first inclination was to juice more fruits for taste purposes. But it is important to understand that vegetables play a key role in the cleanse, and they should not be forgotten.

Learning and teaching

Day five not only marked the half-way point of my juice cleanse, but it also marked the first day of the juice cleanse for many of my coworkers. They, too, were inspired to rid their bodies of stored toxins and to change their eating habits.

I was able to answer many of the questions they had regarding what changes their body and mind would be going through in the next couple of days, and I encouraged them to stay strong and support one another.

Now every time I go into the break room to juice, there are always others in there juicing, as well. It’s very motivating seeing so many people juicing, and it has became a sort of juicing community.

Getting my energy back

Physical changes could be felt during these days: clothes were fitting a bit looser, and there was no longer a lack of energy. I even felt good enough to go to the gym and work out.

My sleep at night was very deep and relaxing. I was able to wake up in the morning feeling recharged and ready to take on a new day.

Staying the course

The hardest part of the cleanse was behind me, and I had learned a lot about myself and my body. The results were starting to show, both physically and mentally, which kept me motivated to complete the cleanse.

Sweet potato, celery, ginger, and orange juice

Ingredients

  • 4 sticks celery, trimmed
  • 1 small sweet potato, peeled and halved
  • 1-inch (2½cm) piece fresh ginger
  • 4 oranges, peeled

Directions

Process ingredients through juicer. Serve immediately.