After an eventful few weeks of midterms, Homecoming and Halloween, it may seem like a good time for a detox. Here are a few recipes to try to benefit weight, skin and fight off common colds. 

Skin-clearing juice:

This recipe is from Williamsburg’s Grass Roots Juicery via an article by Calvin Van Paris in Vogue. Skin will feel smoother, softer and more hydrated after this cucumber-based juice.

1 ½  cucumbers

2 celery stalks

2 carrots

1 cup beets (with skin!)

½  handful parsley

Juice for the common cold:

This citrus-based juice geared to increase Vitamin C intake was created by Vanessa Simkins, founder of All About Juicing. 

2 oranges

1 grapefruit

1 lime

½ cup of cranberries

Juice for weight loss:

This recipe by Katie Cavuto is from an article by Robin Hilmantel in Women’s Health. 

The Lift-Off juice was created for weight loss. “Dark leafy greens are rich in calcium, which has been associated with weight loss,” Cavuto told Women’s Health. “The ginger may also help keep your hunger in check.” 

2 leaves Swiss chard

2 leaves collard greens

1 cup kale

1 cup spinach

½ medium cucumber

1 inch fresh gingerroot, peeled

½ medium lemon, peeled

Four tips to survive a juice cleanse:

Pick a good time to do it

“Only do a cleanse when you know you can do it successfully,” Suja Juice co-founder Annie Lawless told Elle.  “If you have a friend’s wedding, a romantic vacation, or a holiday coming up, don’t try to be on a juice cleanse while everyone else is eating delicious food and you are surrounded. Be realistic about your goals and set yourself up for success by planning to cleanse when you have the time and break in schedule to do so.” 

Plan ahead

“If you like to be prepared, you can plan out your juices for the week and what you’re going to throw in them,” said Amanda Brocket of MindBodyGreen. “It’s good to have a rough idea of the types of juices or green smoothies you’ll be making during the fast, and shop accordingly. This avoids waste and saves money.”

Use a variety of colors

Using a variety of colors in a juice, such as a carrot, beet, ginger and celery blend, creates a well-rounded source of nutrients.
“Just mixing it up with colors like that—each vegetable group has its own vitamin groups, so when you blend the colors, you get a good variety,” said physiology senior Allen Maxwell.

Don’t force yourself into a cleanse that’s not good for your body

“Striving to eat clean, all natural foods is fantastic, but you don’t need to do a cleanse or detox to be healthy,” dietician Cynthia Sass told ABC News. “If your body, mind, or both don’t react well to limiting your diet, even for three, five, or seven days, don’t put yourself through it.”

Juicing gear makes all the difference

If trying a juice cleanse is something you think you would like to do, you’ll need to do some research to make sure you’re buying the right juicer. Here are some things to keep in mind while looking to buy a juicer:

• Able to easily juice all greens, herbs and grasses
• Cold pressed, to produce a superior juice
• Multiple speeds, which will allow you to extract the most juice out of your produce. Use a low speed for juicing soft fruits and a high speed for juicing vegetables.
• Low noise
• Size of the feeder tube: look for a wide tube, so most fruits and vegetables can easily fit
• Easy to use and clean, especially good if the parts can go in a dishwasher and can easily be put back together after washing.
• Pulp ejection: Joe Cross, a wellness advocate, recommends purchasing one that ejects the pulp externally, which allows you to make larger quantities of juice without having to take extra time to stop your juices, open it up and empty the basket. 

Follow Emma Jackson on Twitter.