When I moved to Germany 14 years ago I was introduced to detoxing for the first time. I my group of German friends everyone seem to take a break once a year from eating- something I never heard of in Sweden. The detox could look in various ways; everything from tea detox to juice detox. Nowadays detoxing seems as normal as holiday.

Of course I tried it too. I have travelled to yoga detox spas in Thailand or Sri Lanka – all with the wish to come down after a heavy work period.  It has been amazing experiences and I always felt better afterwards.

But I am not fully embracing the idea of detoxing. I do not want to loose weight (and the times I did I always added double afterwards). If I am honest, I really do not like the idea of not eating. With a healthy metabolism I do not necessary want to mess it up. And I rather believe that the toxics in my body will leave my system through simply eating healthy and doing sports rather that not eating at all and being tired.

What I am trying to achieve with the detox is the complete free-wheel mindset and sets in after 2 days of detoxing. Another thing I love is that it brings me back to enjoying food. When I am stressed I tend to forget to eat. My fantasy is low and I tend to lack the creativity and ability to really enjoy what I am cooking. There are no worse punishment if you ask me. So to overcome this stage is what I am aiming for with a detox. Do you know what I mean?

When I had turned in my book I felt exactly this lack of creativity. It was a stressful last month leading up to the deadline. Adding 1,5 years of full-food-focus of making a cookbook. I was simply not in-the-mood to cook at all. I knew a detox would be an effective solution. But I do not want to cut out eating again. So I turned to my next door neighbor who had offered me juice in exchange for Bread – LA COLD PRESSED – and asked them to make me a 2 days green juice cleanse which would NOT make me loose weight or make me tired.

LA cold press is founded by the German sisters Cindy and Nancy Bachman. I got to know them through The Bread Exchange when Nancy started to trade bread for the travel books SMART TRAVELLING which she was making. The bread/book trading developed into a friendship and later on also into a work relationship (the NYC guide that I photographed just arrived in the stores!) Nancy is now living in LA and she is the one that introduced me to the healthy green (here together with Katrin- who designed my book- in LA 2012).

Cindy Bachman put together a set os 6 juices that would keep me full fueled. Starting of light with simple green and light juice. Speeding up the metabolism with green juices spiced up with cayenne. Lunch smoothie with avocado kept me full. An evening treat with almond-cashew milk with maca. Really, I was not missing anything. And I do not think I have had such great juices since I visited Moon Juice in LA.

There is something about going full green that sharpens your senses. These 2 days was all I needed to get back into food happiness. The bowl of flight mango from Pakistan sprinkled with goat yoghurt and bee pollen is probably the best breakfast I ever ate. Biting into an apple after these 2 days is magic sweetness. THIS is what I was aiming for.

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Another thing I like about LA Cold press is that they press and deliver daily. If I am to do a juice cleanse I want to drink a fresh juice and not like many other Berlin presses which only deliver every other day. You can order your juice HERE.