Health

Q: Can I smoke on the cleanse?

A: I think you already know the answer to this. But we won’t tell you how to live your life, just how we’d live ours. Smoking is not recommended.

Q: Will BPC help me quit smoking?

A: It’s possible! If you do BPC for an extended period of time then you’re bound to lose some nasty habits. If for example, you were to do 21 days, (w/ some supplemental foods); you would likely find at the end of your Cleanse that you don’t want to put “bad” or unhealthy products back into your system. Any Blueprint cleanse for this length of time might help resolve all kinds of habits: smoking, alcohol, even nail biting. (By the way, these are usually symptoms of a pH imbalance, or rather, being too acidic). Recent findings by the American Academy of Family Physicians report that it takes 21 days to break a habit.

Q: Can I do this if I am Pregnant or Breastfeeding?

A: As a supplement to your current diet, yes. Alone? No. You actually need to add a LOT more calories than you normally consume while breastfeeding. The body is looking for all the calories it can find so your child can grow, etc. The problem with any type of Cleanse while pregnant or breastfeeding is that you release a substantial amount of toxins back into your system, which is what your baby relies on for nourishment. That said, adding BPC to your regular diet while breastfeeding and/or pregnant will give you the added nourishment your body so desperately needs during that time.

Q: Can I cleanse while taking antibiotics?

A: Our cleanse is actually the perfect partner for your antibiotics. While antibiotics fight off harmful bacteria they also deplete the body’s supply of healthy bacteria. Our cleanse is packed with nutrients that will help your body fight off the bad and replenish the good bacteria. An extended cleanse will even help strengthen your immune system to prevent illness in the future. We wish you a speedy recovery.

Q: Won’t this slow my metabolism?

A: Yes and no. If your metabolism is fast right now, chances are it will slow a little, as you are not taking in as much energy. This also depends on your body - everyone is different. On the other hand, if you have a slow metabolism, clearing out toxins opens up channels so your body functions more efficiently.

Q: Is it organic?

A: We do our best to use organic produce whenever possible but because it can at times be difficult to secure 100% organic produce, especially in the quantities that we require, we cannot guarantee that your cleanse will be organic.

Q: How many calories in each level?

A: Each level offers between 900 - 1100 calories. The count varies from level to level by about 100 calories. However, please bear in mind that counting calories with raw foods and juice is not equivalent to the calories you count on a traditional diet of cooked and/or processed foods. Nothing is wasted here, as the body knows how to assimilate all the calories in raw live foods, whereas a regular diet of 2,000 calories for example, might only have about 1200 useable calories and the rest is “wasted” or stored as fat. We do try to encourage all our clients to move away from calorie oriented thinking, as it’s really no comparison. 500 calories of live juice is NOT the same 500 calories as a bagel with cream cheese! We try to focus on the nutritional content as opposed to the calorie content, as much as BPC is more about nutrition and flooding your body with live enzymes.

Q: Can I do BPC if I have diabetes?

A.There are many types of diabetes. Usually, regardless of the type, the answer to this is no because of the amount of sugar in the fruit juice, but always check with your doctor first.

Q: Can I do BPC if I am lactose intolerant?

A: YES!!! There are absolutely NO animal products in our juice.

Q: I have a gluten allergy, can I do it?

A: Absolutely! We are gluten free. In fact there is nothing added to our juice but juice! Absolutely NO additives and100% vegan.

Q: I'm very allergic to cashews – do you have a replacement?

A: Yes – we do cater to cashew allergies. You receive an extra spicy lemonade instead. But please be aware that it is all made in the same factory.

Q: Shouldn’t I have fiber? Should I take fiber supplements?

A: Normally, fiber is great for moving things through your system, but when the body must separate out juice from fiber, there is an energy expenditure there that is significant. For our purposes we want to reduce this burden as much as possible so that we can give the body and digestive tract a break from having to break down solid food – so that the saved energy can be transferred to cleansing processes. When you save energy in one department you can expend it somewhere else.

Q: Where do I get my protein?

A: There are MANY sources of protein other than that which comes from animals. With BPC you'll receive protein from our green juice as well as our Cashew Nut Milk. While the cashew milk is a more obvious source of protein, don't discount the protein punch that comes from living plant foods. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and amino acids are in everything.

Other great sources of protein include blue-green algae’s such as Chlorella, E3Live, Spirulina (64% protein), and Green Superfood Powders and concentrates such as Vitamineral Green. Where do you think the non-meat-eating, strongest animal in the world, the Silverback Gorilla, get his protein?

Q: Should I continue to take my multi-vitamins? What about B-12?

A: If your vitamins are food-based, then maybe. You are consuming about 20 lbs of freshly pressed fruits and vegetables every day, which means that that is now essentially your “multi-vitamin.”

The only vitamin that you might want to add is B-12. There is much debate over whether or not vegetarians get enough B-12 on a plant based diet. If you do not want to take a supplement just add some sea vegetables or blue-green algae.

Q: Can I do this if I am on blood thinners?

A: The answer to this question is almost always no because of the amount of greens in our juice, but as always, check with your doctor before you start any program.

Q: Is BPC macrobiotic?

A: Actually, the Blueprint philosophy is quite opposite. Macrobiotic food preparation includes cooking EVERYTHING within an inch of its life - to the point of killing all of the vital enzymes, vitamins, and minerals. Blueprint Cleanse is rooted in the nutritional science of raw and living foods. Simply: natural, unadulterated, unpasteurized food is identified by the body and used as energy as opposed to being stored as fat. Food subject to high levels of heat has been altered chemically and is therefore confusing to the body.

Q: How much weight will I lose?

A: Remember, this is a nutritional cleanse designed to give your digestive system a rest and therefore allow your body to eliminate toxins. If you do lose weight, and that was something you were looking for while cleansing, then that’s just a happy side effect. Basically, if you have weight to lose, you will lose it. If you don’t, you won’t.

Q: Will I gain all the weight back?

A: Hopefully, if weight control is your goal, this cleanse will put you on a path towards healthier habits. Many people report being able to focus more on what it is you’re putting into your body after a cleanse. Make this your goal in preparing for your cleanse, and ask your self, “What am I going to do when this cleanse is over?” It’s an opportunity to “reset.”

Q: What if I have Candida or don’t want so much sugar?

A: If you're looking to steer away from sugar, your best Blueprint Level is Excavation, as it has the lowest sugar content of all the Cleanses. The only fruit juice used in Excavation-Level 3 is apple juice and it is always combined with green juice.

Q: What should I do if my stool is bloody?

A: Is it? Or did you just drink some of our beet juice?
A: If it is, consult a doctor.

Q: What are the benefits of the green juices vs. the fruit juices?

A: The main benefit of green juice is its alkalizing effect. Fruit juices are more astringent; essentially the fruit digs it up and the green moves it out. Think of how your eyes start to water and maybe your nose runs a little when you bite into a lemon – citrus is a wonderful natural expectorant.

Q: Can I put my child on BPC?

A: Yes and No. Children should not do any type of juice cleanse or fast while they are still growing. That said, BPC is an amazing addition to any diet. Replace the Kool-aid with fresh juice!