Detoxing for the Non-Celebs

When I made the decision to detox, I wanted to find out a variety of things.

1) Is detoxing possible for a non-celebrity?

2) Does it really make a person feel better?

3) Is it really necessary to "cleanse?"

4) How much time, energy, and money does such a plan cost?

5) Would I want to incorporate detoxing into my normal routine, say three to four times/year?

So, to answer Question 1, YES, it is possible. However, there is NO way I could have done this detox if I had been working. The timing completely went against my schedule, and if I were working, there's no way I could have waited two hours to eat the breakfast smoothie. In addition, it was highly inconvenient to be chopping and steaming and stewing away all day just to make a small soup, salad dressing, or broth. So unless you have someone else to cook for you or lots of extra time, I would not recommend this particular detox plan.

Question 2: Yes, I did feel better, and I felt better remarkably quickly. While I am not supporting detoxing 100%, I'm also not totally against it. After seven weeks of heavy, processed food, this was a fast and true method to feel lighter and healthier. Could I have reached this feeling by simply eating normal, healthy foods? Probably. But there was at least something psychological about this detox that made me feel like I was taking the fast-track to a healthier lifestyle. Maybe it's bogus, but it's how I felt.

Question 3: Is it necessary? Like I just said, probably not. But again, I found it soothing to detox. I can see it being beneficial even after a family reunion where, at least in the Ledvina Family, a lot of gorging takes place. And I hesitate to write this, but since I'm trying to give an honest point of view, I'm going to go ahead. If you are ever looking to lose weight quickly, be it for an event or you simply want to fit into your old jeans again, this seems like a relatively healthy way to do so.

Question 4: This was a bit expensive. Granted, I had to buy a lot of the ingredients since my kitchen was practically empty when I got back to LA. But if I include the juicer, I spent a total of $238 on the ingredients for this detox. Yes, I will definitely be using everything in the future (even the sketchy, green, probiotic powder!), but for anyone out there thinking of detoxing, it's good to know that you have to invest a bit of cash. And like I said before, be prepared to spend some serious time in the kitchen to prepare the food.

Question 5: Yes, I would consider detoxing again. I probably wouldn't do this particular plan again, but I would be interested to try the BluePrint Cleanse, which you can do for only three days and the juices are pre-made (I think). I haven't read much about it, but it seems easier to make than this one. With Gwyneth's plan, I just got tired of spending time cooking foods I wasn't all that crazy about.

Ultimately, it comes down to what you want to get out of it. I didn't start this cleanse with the idea of losing weight (but a nice benefit), but rather to see if I would feel healthier. And I do! I also have no desire to eat anything sweet and am simply looking forward to starting a new way of living. Take what you will from my experience, but for those of you interested in checking out the cleanses, here are the links:

Gwyneth's Detox: http://www.goop.com/newsletter/15/

BluePrint Cleanse: http://www.blueprintcleanse.com/