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JUICE-O-LOGY: Joo*sol"o*jee\, n.
The answers to all your juicy questions about benourished

F.A.Q.

benourished

Q. How does it work and what will it really do for me?
A. The average person in Canada spends the bulk of their body's energy dealing with the effects of a diet that is low in nutrient quality, acidic and inflammatory in nature (a.k.a., The Standard North American Diet). And, chronically acidic and inflammatory conditions can lead to pre-mature aging and disease. So, here's where we come along.... benourished's products provide you with a convenient and incredibly nourishing food-based cleansing program that won't keep you hiding in the bathroom. We'll pack you with a punch of vitamins and minerals so you can say goodbye to chocolate cravings and HELLO to the new and improved you. Live, juice and be fabulous!

Q. Why should I detoxify and cleanse?
A. The question is, why shouldn't you? In today's fast-paced and chemically dependent world, we're continuously bombarded by unnatural and harmful substances present in our food, water and air (i.e., food additives, pesticides, pollution, heavy metals, hormones, etc.). Although our body's system works to expel these undesirables, the body still faces an uphill battle to keep up with the "chemical blitz". Add to this the burden of making "digestive" sense out of the Standard American Diet (filled with highly processed and refined foods & sugar), our internal detox army "aka excretory organs" (intestine, kidney, liver, lungs and skin) can get overwhelmed. Over time, a build-up of toxins occurs within our tissues and as our organs become over-burdened and sluggish, we can begin to experience unwanted symptoms from toxicity and/or impaired digestion and vitamin & mineral absorption. Physical symptoms can include aches & pains, bloating, constipation, fatigue, headaches, mental fog, mood fluctuations, poor sleep, recurrent flus and colds, skin problems, weight gain/difficulty losing weight, etc.. Taken to the extreme, a chronically high toxic load and/or acidic and inflammatory state can contribute to the development of major ailments and diseases (i.e., cancer, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.). By cleansing and detoxifying, you help your body rid itself of accumulated toxins and metabolic waste and promote healing. Your body will be invigorated, your energy level will increase and your overall health will improve, as long as you don't go back to the enemy. We couldn't think of a better reason!

Q. Why a juice cleanse, and not a water version?
A. In our humble opinion, a juice cleanse is healthier and less taxing on your body. You see, a healthy cleanse reduces your body's need to expend energy on digestion and creates an opportunity for your body to utilize its energy for repair and rejuenation. In order to achieve the best results possible, it is crucial to be adequately hydrated and to fuel the body with the nutrients it requires to cleanse. Why deprive the body of fundamental nutrients and minerals (which can be very taxing on the body's organs)? As well, water cleanses tend to be a greater shock to the system and therefore can produce greater side effects, making the cleansing program more difficult to stick to. At benourished, we care about your overall health and want you to succeed while cleansing.

Q: Are there side effects to cleansing?
A: Depending on your lifestyle and your typical day-to-day diet, you may experience a few side effects for the first few days of the cleanse as your body adjusts to the change in diet and begins to eliminate unwanted substances. Some of the most commonly reported side effects include: more regular bowel movements, lower energy, headaches, nausea, runny nose and occasional skin blemishes. But don't worry...the payoff is in sight!

Q: Are the juices, meals and snacks gluten and dairy-free?
A: Yes. Although benourished’s facility is not a licensed gluten-free or dairy-free facility, all of our products are made without gluten or dairy products. However, there is no guarantee that there is no cross contamination from other sourced products.

Q: Are the meals and snacks nut-free?
A: Although none of the products contain peanuts (one of the most common allergens) and several of the meals and snacks are nut-free, benourished is not a nut-free facility. Thus, the products are not recommended for individuals with nut allergies.

Q. Why benourished?
A. Not to sound philosophical and all, but when we nourish our bodies with the right food and beverages, we ultimately nourish our mind, body and soul.

Q. Is it organic?
A. Our focus is on sourcing as many organic and local ingredients as possible. Our commitment is to only source organic ingredients for the most highly sprayed fruits and vegetables (i.e., the dirty dozen). Certain ingredients (i.e., tropical fruits) won't be able to be sourced locally or organically. Speaking of which, if you know of any pineapples being grown here in Canada during the winter months, we'd be highly interested in speaking with you!

Q. Why is it important to pay attention to what we put in our system?
A. Simply put, food is our foundation. When we eat unhealthy food that's been highly processed, full of sugar and saturated with grease and fat, we have less energy and stamina, develop more physical ailments and accelerate the aging process.

Q. What separates you from the other cleansing systems?
A. Aside from the fact that we're proud Canucks and that our products are made and bottled right here in Canada, our products are developed by individuals who have extensive training in clinical nutrition and botanical medicine. So, our benourished products are developed to incorporate only the healthiest and most freshest ingredients. And, it is all food based!

Q. Can I cleanse if I am pregnant or breastfeeding?
A. If you are looking to supplement your current diet with our nutritious products, of course! If you are looking to cleanse and use the products by themselves, No. When pregnant or breastfeeding, women require more calories to nourish the fetus or infant. In addition, cleansing is not recommended during these times but the products be can added to your regular diet to provide you with extra vitamins and nutrients. And, like your BFF, once the young one stops breastfeeding, we will be here for you!

Q. Can I cleanse if I have diabetes?
A. Unless you are given the go from your doctor, it is not recommended - regardless of the type of diabetes. Diabetics need to closely monitor their sugar intake and the natural sugars in the fruit juices may pose a problem.

Q. How do I prepare for my cleanse?
A. Like any new relationship, it’s best to take it slow at the start. (But trust us, we have nothing against passion, you can taste it in our juices!).

A week before you start, ease into this new phase of optimal health by phasing out alcohol, coffee, dairy, gluten products (bread, muffins, crackers, etc.), refined sugar, red and non-organic meat & processed foods. Wondering what is left to eat and drink? All those fantastic nutrient-rich foods you may have been ignoring for far too long: organic steamed and fresh green vegetables, fresh fruit, nuts & seeds, brown rice and legumes (beans, lentils, etc.) and filtered water.

Start each day with an 8 oz. glass of filtered water and the juice of half of a fresh lemon or a full lime. This will alkalize (aka balance your inner pH) and hydrate the body.

Include vegetables or fresh vegetable juice with every other meal and set aside one meal of the day to be a complete menu of greens & fruit only.

Follow these tips and you’ll be primed for success!

Q. What can I eat, if anything, while waiting for the arrival of my cleanse?
A. You’ve been prepping for your cleanse already so you know how to start the morning (water & lemon or lime.) But, if you feel the need for an early morning breakfast while you await your benourished delivery, try one of the following which will best compliment the start of your cleanse:

  • A bowl of organic berries with unsweetened almond milk ; or,
  • A vegan smoothie: ½ cup of frozen organic berries + ½ banana + 1 to 1.5 c. of unsweetened almond or rice milk + 1 tsp of extra virgin coconut oil + 1 tsp of agave or maple syrup (optional) + ½ tsp of organic vanilla extract (optional) + 1 scoop of vegan , plain protein powder (hemp, pumpkin, brown rice, pea or a mixture).

Q. Can I workout during my cleanse?
A. The reason we cleanse is, in part, to give our digestive tract a break – to allow the body to divert large amounts of energy (that are typically dedicated to digesting a solid, complex meal) to cleanse, repair & rejuvenate.

Depending on your diet heading into a benourished cleanse, you may be consuming less protein and calories than your typical day-to-day diet. Let your body adjust to this new nutritive state and take a complete rest from any strenuous exercise on the first two days while your body acclimates to the new diet. There’s no harm in getting limber though, so we encourage stretching and/or restorative or yin yoga classes.

You know yourself best, so if your energy levels on Day 3 have you feeling peppy (and we bet you will be!), throw on your running shoes for a light cardio workout or a flow yoga class. If you’re intense (with your workouts, we mean) we typically recommend you hold off on strenuous or heavy “lifting” programs until the end of your cleanse.

If you’re adamant about getting back to intense activity right away, or throughout your cleanse, augment your daily calorie and protein intake with additional items from our Stock-the-Fridge Juice and Food offerings and our amazing raw food snacks (Stock-the-Fridge Snack Bar). In particular, our Almond Bliss drink and salads and snacks will augment your intake of vegetarian protein. For clients who fit this description, our Glow Level 1 cleanse, with an added Almond Bliss and/or an extra snack per day, is a good choice.

Talk to us, that’s what we’re here for and we’ll find the right strategy for you!

Q. Is it normal to have red colour in my urine & bowel movements after drinking the beet juice?
A. Congratulations! You're one of the approximately 10% - 14% of the general population that has beeturia...the passing of red or pink (betalaine pigment) after eating beets. Not to worry; it just means your body is absorbing the powerful benefits of this cleanser and blood builder!

Q: What happens post cleanse?
A. You’re feeling fantastic, looking refreshed and have an abundance of energy! Now, how to keep that momentum going? It’s easy! Follow some simple strategies to keep you running smoothly. Focus on eating fresh fruits and vegetables initially, with a small amount of cooked grains and legumes (if desired.) Then, gradually add in other organic vegetarian protein sources.

A typical week would look like this:

Days 1 & 2 - Start with fruit, salads, fresh & steamed veggies and a small amount of brown rice with legumes (i.e., lentils and/or beans).

Days 3 - Add in other vegetarian protein sources (i.e., non-GMO tofu, tempeh, etc.).

Day 4 (onwards) - Start gradually integrating whatever else you normally eat, but leave organic dairy, organic eggs, gluten products and organic meat the last to come on board.

Add one new type of food at a time (i.e., dairy, eggs, meat), spacing the introduction of each type of food by 72 hours. Avoid introducing items from different categories at the same time. This will allow you to check for symptoms and to see how you feel after consuming these items. If you find that you react to certain foods, try to eliminate or minimize their intake in your diet.

Stay committed to your new, renewed self and leave refined and highly processed foods behind! And remember...always drink plenty of filtered water - approx. half your body weight (lbs) in ounces/day.

Additional Recommendations:

  • Timing is Everything. To keep your metabolism revved up and your energy levels from crashing, we suggest you space your juices so that they are two to three hours apart.
  • Drink it Up. 8 oz. of water or herbal tea in between each of your juices will help flush those unwanted substances out of your system!
  • Get Steamed. Your skin is your largest organ of elimination so find a sauna or infra-red sauna and help your body sweat out the stuff that’s yuck!
  • It’s Good To Be Regular. If you feel as though you’re not as "regular"" while on the cleanse, ensure that you are drinking an abundance of water to ensure you are sufficiently hydrated and consider adding in a daily fiber supplement (e.g., chia and flax seeds).
  • Go Pro(biotic): For optimal colon health during and after your cleanse, we recommend incorporating a probiotic into your daily supplement regime. This will help replenish the "good"/"healthy" bacteria in your gut and keep the “bad”/disease causing bacteria at bay.
  • Stay Fabulous: Keep the NEW and IMPROVED YOU here to stay and break away from any attempt to binge post-cleanse!

Q. I can't seem to find my question on this page!
A. Fret not! Talk to us at talktous@benourished.com.

Q. I am a journalist and would like to conduct an interview.
A. Super! Our PR team will be able to take care of you! Email holly@benourished.com.