Do you ever feel tired and sluggish even with a good night’s sleep, and rely heavily on caffeine to get through your day? Maybe you’re chronically tired no matter what you do? I am, so what´s going on? I started looking on the internet and there it was, the “F.L.C. Syndrome” – feel like crap syndrome, that is. This blatantly non-medical term refers not to feeling sick in the traditional sense, but rather experiencing fatigue, brain fog, sugar cravings, bloating, trouble losing weight, insomnia, muscle pain….

And the prescription to cure all ails? Food.

“The wrong food will make you sick (FLC Syndrome) and the right food will transform your body in just a few days. Food is medicine, and what you put at the end of your fork is far more powerful than anything you will find in a prescription bottle.” (Dr. Sara Gottfried).

And we couldn´t agree more! It is about recognizing that, by giving the body a break from junk, cravings, chronic symptoms, and blood sugar imbalances can be easily overcome for most. A short detox could be a good start.

If you are looking to rid the body of built up toxins and likely lose a few pounds while you’re at it, a juice detox is a great option. A fresh fruit and vegetable detox can be a great way to give an immune system a nutritional boost, as well as give the digestive system a likely much needed break. Juicing allows you to take in an amount of fresh foods that you would be hard pressed to consume if not in liquid form.

But you don’t have to go extreme in order to benefit from juicing fasts. In fact, a fasting plan that is less extreme is more realistic and easier to stick to. You can Juice for a day to try out juicing and cleansing for the first time.

Fasting is a topic that general medicine and health professionals are largely undecided about. Short juice fasts are a way to give the body a boost and a break without embarking on a fasting diet that may be too harsh or restrictive for your body and/or nutritional needs. For example, a 24 hour juice detox can be a great way to jumpstart a diet, to rest your digestive system and support optimal health, but it’s important to have a healthy eating plan in place that you can naturally fall into step with once that day is over. It´s a simple and accessible way to experience the revitalizing power of raw, “living foods” juices that anyone can do! Replace your three meals-a-day with 4 juices, and get a 24-hour mini-cleanse that has an energizing, clarifying and brightening effect.

Your fasting day should consist of 4 juices: breakfast, lunch, and dinner juice as well as one for a snack in the afternoon. Below a recipe for each meal. Ready for some juicing? Here we go!

Breakfast

Apple Ginger Parsley Carrot Juice

Sweet with a warm, gingery kick and the zest of fresh herbal parsley, this juice is the definition of vital!

• 8 large carrots
• 3 medium Fuji apples, cored and sliced
• 1 (½ in.) piece peeled fresh ginger
• 5 large sprigs curly parsley

Lunch

Red Grape Strawberry Juice

This mildly sweet and fruity juice is reminiscent of a strawberry icicle pop. The taste is smooth, and you’ll be tempted to drink it quickly. But restrain yourself, and savor each drop.

• 2 medium-large bunches red grapes (about 5 cups)
• 15 medium-large strawberries, green leaves intact

Snack

Beet Cool, Dude: Body Detox Juice

Beets regenerate red blood cells and are fantastic for flushing toxins, but should be used sparingly and always in the company of other fruit or vegetables that make up the majority of the drink. Cucumber juice has a very light and refreshing taste.

• ½ large red beet, chopped
• 5 Carrots
• 1/2 cucumber

Dinner

Green Garlic Monster

• ½ Cucumber
• 2 Large Handfuls of Spinach
• ½ Cup Cabbage
• 3 Carrots
• 1 Garlic Clove

If you do prefer to do a longer juice detox, it is recommended to do this under supervision of a professional. For a healthy juice detox we recommend the detox programs at Shanti Som Wellbeing retreat in Andalusia or Costa Brava Detox Center in Catalonia.