I try: a 3-day PHD Cleanse

The idea of “spring cleaning” your body in the lead up to summer has always been a favourite of mine, be that overhauling your diet or exercise regime, cutting back on alcohol and sugar – or a combination of the whole lot!

I’ve also long been a fan of juicing, and for year would have a one day juice fast a week to keep my bod feeling good.

I’ve got out of the habit over the last few years though, and although I juice up the likes of carrot, ginger and orange every afternoon, it’s been a while since I experienced a proper fast. I was pretty excited then to be given the chance to try the three-day version of PHD, New Zealand’s only raw juice cleansing system. 

Pure Health Delivered (PHD) is an Auckland-based company started by two guys whose toll-taking professions – one a personal trainer, the other a Navy diver – saw them seeking a way to revitalise.

 The result is PHD Cleanse, a range of easy-to-follow juice cleanse systems that use freshly cold-pressed, raw and unpasteurised ingredients. The system is designed to help accelerate the body’s natural detoxification process – flooding it with essential enzymes, vitamins and minerals that eradicate and eliminate toxins. Sounds good to me!

The fact that they found a way to deliver it to people’s doorsteps – in no-mess, no-fuss bottles –gets a big tick from me too, as ‘having no time’ is one of the main excuses people give for not giving juicing a go. It’s also available as a 3-Day and 5-Day cleanse system - available in ‘Basic’ and ‘Advanced’ levels – so you can find a way to fit it into your life no matter what.

Each system consists of six bottled juices a day, with the Green Juice – combo of cucumber, celery, kale lettuce, parsley, lemon, apple, cos lettuce and spinach – as the predominant variant. The others are Silver Juice (lemon, cayenne, agave nectar, 'oxygen rich' detoxification water), Yellow Juice (pineapple, apple, mint) and White Juice, which is made up of cashew nuts, vanilla, agave nectar, cinnamon, 'oxygen rich' detoxification water 

Green juice is widely considered the world’s healthiest juice – jam-packed with green leafy vegetables – and it was my absolute favourite of the bunch. I wish I could have a pack delivered every day as I’d hoover it up!

I didn’t know about pre-cleanse protocol before starting my three-day journey and was happily tucking into Shepherd’s Pie and a hearty Pinot Noir when my supply of juices arrived! Apparently the transition is easier if you observe it, such as sticking to meals that are predominantly made up of leafy veges and loads of water in the 48 hours preceding your cleanse.

I found the first two days to be an absolute breeze, and as I said – I couldn’t get enough of the Green Juice! – but felt weak by day three and had a few small snacks. This was most likely in part due to the fact that I was having daily radiation therapy post-breast cancer surgery, and my energy stores weren’t quite as good as they usually are. After the cleanse I felt amazing though, and committed once again to good, mindful eating and keeping tabs on any cravings. Result!

It’s definitely something I’d be keen to repeat when I’m strong again as it was a really good experience just for the discipline alone. The fact that the juices were delicious was an added bonus!

It you think a PHD Cleanse sounds like you then I highly recommend a visit to www.phdcleanse.co.nz.  PHD Cleanse is currently available Auckland-wide by delivery, and will be available for delivery to other North Island main centres (Hamilton, Tauranga and Wellington) from December 2012.  Full nationwide delivery is expected in 2013.