Should You Do a Cleanse? Here's How to Find the Best One for You

by Lexi Petronis

Yanes, Romulo A
Yanes, Romulo A

You hear all kinds of news about cleanses--why? One reasons may be because there all kinds of cleanses, from juice-only to raw foods.


If you're considering a cleanse, Marissa Vicario, a board-certified health coach and healthy-living expert, has these tips for figuring out what might be the best type for you.

Juice Only could be good for: someone who understands that juice-only isn't a quick-fix for weight loss or to correct poor eating habits.
"A cleanse like this should be undertaken when recommended and supervised by a medical professional," she says. "Many commercial juice-only cleanses contain high amounts of sugar from the fruits and vegetables in the juice; any weight lost tends to be water weight."

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Liquids Only could be good for: someone who has digestive disorders or needs to let her digestive system rest.
"A cleanse that includes juices, smoothies, and blended soups is only slightly better than an all-juice cleanse because you'll get the benefit of the fiber from the produce blended in the soups and smoothies. Again, best done under doctor supervision for more than a day.


Juice Plus Whole Foods could be good for: someone who wants to hit the "reset" button, reduce sugar cravings and caffeine addiction, and develop new healthy habits.
"This kind of cleanse has no sugar, dairy, alcohol, and caffeine," she says. "But it's essentially just old-fashioned clean eating; we should aim to eat this way 90 percent of the time." (P.S. I recently tried a Beaming cleanse: cold-pressed juice paired with raw and organic salads, soups, and other foods, so it falls into this category--it was tasty and easy to follow.)

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Clean/Raw Foods could be good for: anyone who wants to support their body trough the change from colder seasons to warmer seasons and flood their body with live enzymes.
"Since this type of cleanse removes all allergens, it's a good way to pinpoint food sensitivities," Vicario says.


Also, she adds, if you have specific symptoms or more serious illnesses, it's a good idea to check with a health care professional before embarking on a cleanse. "Some cleanses may require the addition of supplements," she says.

Have you tried any of these cleanses?

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