Glow Cleanse, a 2-Day Smoothie Experience

For some time now, the buzz has been all about juice cleanses. I personally have been curious to try this type of regimen, and that’s where Montréal based Glow Cleanse offered to set everything up. As a cleanse newb, I was advised to start with their 1-day program but I felt the 2-day version would give me an even better idea of how it all works. After all, I have warrior blood in my veins … how could I not handle something so relatively simple?

Naturally, Murphy’s Law had to intervene and throw a few obstacles my way.

To begin with, I began the cleanse during the week that I was fasting for Easter – which was actually a blessing, as I had already put myself in the right frame of mind, especially since you do need to prepare your body before starting the cleanse — more on that later. The day after I began my cleanse, I had to have dental surgery — again, a blessing in hindsight, as I was in no position to eat solids anyway. But it sure was a challenge drinking.

There are many reasons to take on one of these cleanses (weight loss, detoxification, improved energy) but I was looking to basically “reboot” my system and take a break from my regular dietary habits — although being Greek, I have always eaten quite healthy and tend to avoid processed foods as much as I can. Before beginning a cleanse, it is recommended to prepare your body for it: 1 day of preparation for every day of cleansing, this way you don’t shock your system and can tolerate all the benefits said regimen can provide. As I stated above, since I was already fasting, that part was already taken care of.

What I hadn’t considered, however, is the mental preparation that’s also needed. Even though I was choosing to do this, as much for me personally as for review purposes, I was about to deny myself certain epicurean pleasures DELIBERATELY, but I’m stubborn, if nothing else, and I refused to let my weak cravings do me in. Therefore, if you understand from the outset that THIS IS NOT FOREVER, you’ll be mentally equipped to handle the process.

PS: My biggest fear? How was I to survive without my usual 3-4 morning cups of coffee?

2-Day Glow Cleanse ($150.00 CAN) – My regimen consisted of 12 – 16 fl. oz/473.2 ml bottles of smoothies, all vegan, raw, organic, gluten-free and prepared fresh from Crudessence, a Montréal restaurant/organic goods shop, and were delivered right to my door. As the smoothies are not made with any preservatives, it is advised to refrigerate and consume them within four days of reception. There are 6 smoothies taken daily, at 2-3 hour intervals and numbered to make it easy to know which to take when (you’re provided with detailed instructions on the entire process):

Sun Dose – water, pineapple, mango, lemon, chia seeds, aloe vera, ginger
Cacao Elixir – almond milk, banana, cacao, chia seeds, hulled hemp seeds, coconut oil, vanilla, maca
Green Cure – water, pear, spinach, cucumber, hulled hemp seeds, lime, parsley, spirulina, chlorella
Berry Boost – water, blueberries, strawberries, mango, raspberries, lime, goji berries, acaï
Vibrant Prescription – water, tomato, apple, mango, avocado, celery, beet, hulled hemp seeds, lemon, apple cider vinegar, basil, cayenne
Dream Infusion – water, banana, almonds, Brazil nuts, chia seeds, cinnamon

Surprisingly, these smoothies are all absolutely delicious – I was so not expecting that! In order of preference (for me, that is):

Cacao Elixir, Dream Infusion, Green Cure, Berry Boost, Sun Dose, and Vibrant Prescription

As these are smoothies and not juices, there’s a nice thickness to them that while still easy to drink, adds enough “body” to give the illusion you’re ingesting something more substantial. The variety in the 6 flavours is also a bonus, as your palate is constantly stimulated and looks forward to the next taste sensation. No bitter or odd aftertaste was felt and I could smell the freshness of each smoothie – totally delightful.

I began Day 1 with a glass of lemon water, then immediately started with the first of my smoothies, Sun Dose. In between smoothies, it’s recommended to stay well hydrated throughout the process: water, tea, or lemon water. An hour + later, I cheated: I had 2 bites of one of the Easter breads I had baked and 1 cup of coffee – primarily because I could feel the onset of the dreaded “coffee-headache” coming on. I was then good for the rest of the day, but at suppertime I cheated once more and had a tiny portion of Quinoa with an even tinier portion of salmon. THAT was the extent of my falling off the wagon, I swear.

What I experienced physically, however, was a bit of a contradiction: at the start of the day, I felt lightheaded, but not weak – very weird, that. I was surprised to find that my energy level was being maintained, although I felt a little high-strung emotionally. Day 1 was admittedly, trying … for me.

Day 2 began pretty much the same way – lemon water, then immediately on to the smoothies — but without the morning cheat. And no suppertime cheat either. I felt good, strong, positive, empowered, and energized. No headache (and this without coffee!), no lightheadedness. Nothing, Nada. Zip. I was actually sad that the cleanse had come to an end. Except for the fact that I was now able to eat chocolate again.

If you’re single and planning a cleanse like this, one advantage is that you don’t have to think about food prep – it’s taken care of for you. In my case, while I had my “meals” mapped out, I still had to cook for my family, so going on this regimen didn’t free up any more of my time. Also, a few of the difficulties which I experienced on Day 1, had me concerned about Day 2, but my body happily adjusted and in the end, I felt absolutely great. Would I do this again? In a heartbeat, especially with bikini season looming — you don’t need more reason than that, to give your body a healthy kick-start!

Find detailed information on the various cleanses/programs offered, by visiting the Glow Cleanse site.