Only consume fresh fruit and raw vegetable juices – at least six 300ml glasses per day. This can be in a smoothie or a juice form. In the winter you can make soups for extra sustenance.Power phase/days 7–9
This is the time during the 12-Day Plan when you really go for it and eliminate those toxins big time!
Well done. You’re nearly there. You should be feeling pretty good by now, having spent the last six days absorbing all those simple healthy foods.
Even though this part of the 12-Day Plan is where you will be taking liquids only, you should not feel hungry.
You’re only a few days away from feeling totally rejuvenated and energised. Keep going – it will all be worth it!
Only consume fresh fruit and raw vegetable juices – at least six 300ml glasses per day. This can be in a smoothie or a juice form. In the winter you can make soups for extra sustenance.
Remember to do your Mind Body Cleanse practice.
Try some skin-brushing.
Drink hot lemon water first thing in the morning.
Drink plenty of water.
Relax and enjoy the odd nap or two.
Remember to go for a walk to clear your mind. Meditation is great for clearing the mind too.
Book yourself a massage and/or go for a steam.
Try some gentle stretching.
If you’ve booked one, go for your colonic hydrotherapy session.
Continue your practice as described in the Pre-Purification Phase (see here). In the Power Phase we add a couple of more poses as well as some new techniques for pranayama and meditation.
Do the following first:
Sun Salutation (Preparation Phase, see here)
Triangle (Preparation Phase, see here)
Revolved Triangle (Preparation Phase, see here)
Extended Side-Angle Pose (Parsvakonasana)This pose is great to stimulate the liver and digestive organs as well as the kidneys. Along with all the standing poses, it’s great for stability in both mind and body.
Remain in this pose for 6–12 breath cycles.
Headache
High or low blood pressure
Insomnia.
If you have any neck problems, don’t turn your head to look at your top arm. Instead look straight ahead with the sides of your neck lengthened evenly, or look down at the floor.
Strengthens and stretches your legs, knees and ankles
Stretches your groins, spine, waist, chest and lungs, and shoulders
Stimulates abdominal organs and helps constipation
Increases stamina.
A partner can help you get a feel for the work of the back leg in this pose. Do the first step. Have your partner stand at your back leg, facing you, and loop a strap around your back inner groin (your partner can also brace your back heel with the inside of one foot). As you bend your front knee, your partner should firmly pull the strap against the inner groin, resisting it opposite to the movement of the front leg. Then, as you lean to the bent-knee side, he/she should continue to pull on the strap, helping you to keep your weight back, on the back leg and heel.
Just as the human body has adjusted to an upright position in the course of evolution, it can also learn to perform inversions without any risk or harm. In general, inverted asanas have a drying effect on the pelvic area and abdominal organs, while vital organs such as the heart and lungs are flushed with blood. They are important for the cleansing and detoxification process because of the role they play in stimulating the lymphatic system.
SEQUENCING YOUR INVERSIONS
Shoulder Stand (Sarvangasana) is often done after Headstand (Sirsasana) (although you don’t have to do it immediately after), because Sirsasana warms the body up and Sarvangasana cools it down. Additionally, in Sarvangasana the back of the neck is released and the vertebrae are extended, releasing any tension and compression in the neck that an incorrect Sirsasana may have caused. In a well-rounded practice session, Sirsasana should come after standing poses and before other intense work such as backbends and deep twists. If you have neck problems of any kind, it is better to do Sarvangasana before mild backbends because backbends can relieve any tension in the neck caused by Sarvangasana.
Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)Because your heart is higher than your head in this pose, it is considered to be a mild inversion. The flow of blood to the brain also calms the nervous system and can relieve feelings of stress that are often the source of gut-related problems.
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Pregnancy: do not do this pose late-term
High blood pressure or headache.
To get a feel for the work of the outer arms, loop and secure a strap around your arms just above your elbows. Imagine that the strap is tightening inwards, pressing your outer arms in against your bones. Against this resistance, push your inner shoulderblades outwards.
If you have difficulty releasing and opening your shoulders in this pose, raise your hands off the floor on a pair of blocks or the seat of a metal folding chair.
Improves digestion
Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression
Energises the body
Stretches the shoulders, hamstrings, calves, arches and hands
Strengthens the arms and legs
Relieves headache, insomnia, back pain and fatigue
Therapeutic for high blood pressure, asthma, flat feet, sciatica and sinusitis.
A partner can help you learn how to work your top thighs in this pose. First perform Downward-Facing Dog (see here). Have your partner stand behind and loop a strap around your front groins, snuggling the strap into the crease between your top thighs and front pelvis. Your partner can pull on the strap parallel to the line of your spine (remind him/her to extend their arms fully and keep their knees bent and chest lifted). Release the heads of your thighbones deeper into your pelvis and lengthen your front torso away from the strap.
Shoulder Balance (Sarvangasana)Shoulder Stand is a very effective posture when it is practised properly. If you haven’t done this pose before I recommend learning it under a teacher’s guidance before you try it at home. For our purposes this pose is important in detoxification for its effects, when you are inverted, of bringing the blood back to the heart. This inversion encourages the return of blood through gravity to remove toxins and revitalise the blood.
Headache
High blood pressure
Menstruation
Neck injury
Pregnancy: If you are experienced with the pose, you can continue to practise it late into pregnancy. However, don’t take it up for the first time after you become pregnant.
Rolling up into Shoulder Stand (Sarvangasana) from the floor might be difficult at first. You can use a wall to help you get into the pose. Set your blankets up a foot or so away from the wall (the exact distance depends on your height: if you are taller you will be further from the wall; if you are shorter you will be closer).
If you are a beginner you may find that your elbows tend to slide apart and your upper arms roll inward, which sinks your torso onto your upper back, collapsing the pose (and potentially straining your neck). Before coming onto your blanket support, roll up a sticky mat and set it on the support, with its long axis parallel to the back edge (the edge opposite the shoulder edge). Then come up with your elbows lifted on, and secured by, the sticky mat. You can also use a strap around your elbows.
Stimulates the thyroid and prostate glands and abdominal organs
Improves digestion
Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression
Stretches the shoulders and neck
Tones the legs and buttocks
Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
Reduces fatigue and alleviates insomnia
Therapeutic for asthma, infertility and sinusitis.
Fish Pose (Matsyasana)This is another great pose to lengthen the alimentary canal, and is most often used as an effective counterpose for the shoulder balance.
You can keep your knees bent or straighten your legs out onto the floor. If you do the latter, keep your thighs active and press out through the heels.
Stay for 15 to 30 seconds, breathing smoothly. With an exhalation, lower your torso and head to the floor. Draw your thighs up into your belly and squeeze.
High or low blood pressure
Migraine
Insomnia
Serious lower back or neck injury.
The backbending position in Fish Pose can be difficult for beginners. Perform the pose with your back supported on a thickly rolled blanket. Be sure that your head rests comfortably on the floor and that your throat is soft.
To increase the challenge in this pose, slide your hands out from underneath your buttocks and bring them into Salutation Seal (Anjali Mudra) with your arms outstretched and fingertips pointing towards the ceiling.
Beginners sometimes strain their neck in this pose. If you feel any discomfort in your neck or throat, either lower your chest slightly towards the floor or put a thickly folded blanket under the back of your head.
Constipation
Respiratory ailments
Mild backache
Fatigue
Anxiety
Menstrual pain.
A partner can help you get a feel for the movement of the scapulas in this pose. Perform the pose and have your partner stand straddling your pelvis. They should then lean over and spread their palms on your scapulas, pressing them firmly against your back. But be sure that they don’t pull you any deeper into the back bend; they should only support the scapulas against your back torso.
In this Power Phase we want to make sure that we keep the bioelectric energy in the body flowing, and backbends are perfect for this. In backbends, we come face to face with the boundaries of our flexibility, patience and equanimity. But learning to practise within our limitations instead of struggling against them can make backbending an exercise in self-acceptance. Using the breath to control the depth and apex of a backbend offers an interesting encounter with self-acceptance.
If you push too hard or skip ahead to complex backbends without first learning the simple, foundational ones, you run the risk of crunching your lower back, depleting your energy, or even stirring up anxiety. In short, your backbends will not feel melodic or harmonious.
Cobra (Bhujangasana)This gentle backbend opens the heart and lungs, stimulates abdominal organs and helps relieve stress and fatigue.
Hold the pose between 15 and 30 seconds, breathing easily. Release back to the floor with an exhalation.
Back injury
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Headache
Pregnancy.
If you are very stiff it might be better to avoid doing this pose on the floor. Brace a metal folding chair against a wall and do the pose with your hands on the front edge of the seat, balls of your feet on the floor.
Don’t overdo the backbend. To find the height at which you can work comfortably and avoid straining your back, take your hands off the floor for a moment, so that the height you find will be through extension.
Strengthens the spine
Stretches chest and lungs, shoulders and abdomen
Stimulates abdominal organs
Helps relieve stress and fatigue
Opens the heart and lungs
Soothes sciatica
Therapeutic for asthma.
Your partner can help you learn about the correct action of the pelvis in a backbend. Once in the pose, have your partner straddle your legs. Have your partner bend over and grip the sides of your pelvis, thumbs towards your sacrum, then spread the back of your pelvis, encourage your outer hips to soften, and push your hip points towards each other.
Locust (Salabhasana)This pose is great for toning the kidneys and adrenals as well as cultivating a strong and supple spine. It works the postural muscles of the back to improve the posture and therefore the nervous system and spine.
For this pose you might want to pad the floor below your pelvis and ribs with a folded blanket.
Stay for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then release with an exhalation. Take a few breaths and repeat one or two times more if you like.
Headache
Serious back injury (if you have had a neck injury keep your head in a neutral position by looking down at the floor; you could also support your forehead on a thickly folded blanket)
If you are a beginner you might have difficulty holding this pose. You can support the area around your lower sternum with a rolled-up blanket to help maintain the lift of your upper torso. Similarly, you can support the front of your thighs with a blanket roll to help support the lift of your legs. Alternatively, you can begin the pose with your hands resting on the floor, a little bit back from the shoulders, closer to your waist. Inhale and gently push your hands against the floor to help lift your upper torso. Then keep your hands in place as you do the pose, or after a few breaths, once you’ve established the lift of the chest, swing them back into the position described above. As for your legs, you can do the pose with your legs lifted alternately off the floor. For example, if you want to hold the pose for a total of 1 minute, first lift the right leg off the floor for 30 seconds, then the left leg for 30 seconds.
Fatigue
Flatulence
Constipation
Indigestion
Stress relief
Lower back pain
Strengthens the muscles of the spine, buttocks, and backs of the arms and legs
Stretches the shoulders, chest, belly and thighs.
A partner can help you get a feel for the work in the back of the upper arms. Have your partner stand straddling your torso while you perform the pose. They should then lean forwards and press their hands firmly against the backs of your upper arms (triceps). You then push up against this resistance. The partner might also, as they’re pressing down on your upper arms, draw the skin away from your shoulders, towards your wrists.
If you are at an advanced level you can challenge yourself a bit more with a variation of Salabhasana. Instead of stretching your legs straight back from the pelvis, bend your knees and position the shins perpendicular to the floor. Then, as you lift the upper torso, head and arms, lift your knees as far away from the floor as possible.
A challenging variation is Makarasana (often translated as ‘crocodile’ or ‘dolphin’, but literally ‘sea monster’). Your legs are raised in this pose exactly as in Salabhasana, but your fingers are clasped and then your palms are pressed against the back of your head, with your index fingers hooked up underneath the base of your skull. With your upper torso lifted, open your arms out to your sides.
Table Pose (Dwi Pada Pitham)This pose lengthens the entire line of the gut from mouth to colon. Creating space in the gut like this can help soothe and relieve reflux and bloating.
Stretches the chest, neck and spine
Calms the brain and helps alleviate stress and mild depression
Stimulates abdominal organs, lungs and thyroid
Rejuvenates tired legs
Improves digestion, helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
Reduces anxiety, fatigue, backache, headache and insomnia
Therapeutic for asthma, high blood pressure, osteoporosis and sinusitis.
An asana is not a position that you assume mechanically. It involves a thoughtful process, at the end of which a balance is achieved between movement and resistance.
Pranayama: Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Sodhana)A deeply cleansing and grounding breath that helps to balance emotions, move stagnation out of your lungs, increase lung capacity and purify toxins from the blood.
Lowers heart rate and reduces stress and anxiety
Said to synchronise the two hemispheres of the brain
Said to purify the subtle energy channels (nadis) of the body so the prana flows more easily during pranayama practice.
Approach the practice of all bandhas and body mudras cautiously, especially if you do not have the direct guidance of an experienced teacher.
SavasanaAfter you have completed the Sun Salutations, rest in Corpse Pose (see here) for 2–5 minutes.
MeditationNow, by consuming nothing but raw, fresh juices for these three days, you give your body a break from normal food and drink. This gives your system a chance to do its own bit of housework, gobbling up unwanted microbes, toxins and matter to leave you feeling rejuvenated and as though you’re making a fresh start.
During the Power Phase you can experiment with which juices and smoothies you take. I always have a smoothie for breakfast during the 12-Day Plan, for lunch I have a juice and for dinner I may even have a soup. This regime changes with the seasons. During spring and summer I may choose something lighter, like a juice, and during the colder months something more warming and filling.
Juicing lies at the foundation of cleansing and acts to rebuild and rebalance our entire system, delivering vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to the body in an immediate and effective way. Brimming with enzymes and vitality, raw, fresh juice is the most health-affirming, alkalising and rejuvenating food we can take. Most fruits lend themselves to juicing, but the best ones are: oranges, pears, apples, pineapples, lemons, grapefruits, cranberries, strawberries, raspberries, watermelon and pomegranates. Some vegetables are better for juicing than others. I recommend carrots, celery, beetroot, broccoli, cucumber, cabbage, kale, lettuce and fennel. The only rule to remember when juicing is not to combine fruit with vegetables (apart from apples and carrots, which may cross over).
When selecting fruit to juice, choose pieces that are almost, but not quite, ripe
Get into the habit of washing your juicer immediately after use, when it’s much easier to clean
Drink your juices immediately to retain optimum enzyme integrity
Try adding an ice cube or two for optimum flavour.
ABC of Detox
2 apples
1 beetroot
2 carrots
1cm ginger root
The Great Apple Cleanse
2 apples
2 kale leaves
1 stick celery
1 long cucumber
1cm ginger root
The Green Queen
3 carrots
2 sticks celery
1 bunch watercress
1 large handful spinach
1cm ginger root
Red Carrot Surprise
3 carrots
½ apple
¼ beetroot
1 stick celery
2 large kale leaves
1cm ginger root
Green Goddess
1 bunch fresh parsley
1 handful watercress
8 broccoli spears
2 stick celery
2 large kale leaves
1 long cucumber
1cm ginger root
Broccoli Gone Crazy
8 spears broccoli
3 stick celery
2 pears
1 apple
1cm ginger root
Florida Carrot
3 carrots
½ grapefruit
1 orange
1 small handful mint leaves
1cm ginger root
The Invigorator
2 pink grapefruit
Handful of berries, such as strawberries, raspberries and blueberries
Stomach Settler
2 carrots
1 pear
½ lemon
1cm ginger root
Zing-a-Zang Apple
3 apples
½ long cucumber
1 small bunch fresh mint
2cm ginger root
Carotene Catapult
3 carrots
1 red pepper
1 spear broccoli
½ sweet potato
1cm ginger root
Belly-Ease Delicious
2 white cabbages
2 fennel bulbs
1 small bunch fresh mint
3 pears
Optional ginger and lime, to taste
Melon Sour
1 melon
Juice of 2 limes
1 stick celery
5–6 mint leaves
2 apples
Summer Healer
3 peaches (or nectarines)
2 handfuls strawberries
1 guava pear
Heaven Scent
1 papaya
2 grapefruit
1 handful of raspberries
Juice of a lime
Sweet Green Melon
1 bunch parsley
¼ white cabbage
½ long cucumber
½ melon
Flat Tummy
¾ papaya
¾ sliced peaches
½ pear, sliced
2 mint leaves
1cm ginger root
Water, to thin
Watermelon Crush
1 small watermelon (the ground-up seeds add a nutty and nutritious touch)
2 handfuls of berries
Melon Twister
1 melon
Juice of 2 limes
1 stick of celery (remove string)
5–6 fresh mint leaves
2 apples
Skin-Saver
¾ blueberries
¾ pitted cherries
5 strawberries
¼ avocado, peeled and pitted
2 tsp ground flax seed
Water, to thin
Natural Skin-Tanner
160g cantaloupe cubes
160g papaya
Juice 1 orange
120ml carrot juice (or water)
1cm ginger root
Antioxidant Power
75g blueberries
75g raspberries
75g pomegranate kernels
60ml beet juice (optional)
Water to thin
By far the best way to optimise the effects of your 12-Day Plan is to consume nothing but fresh pressed vegetable and fruit juices. However, in the wintertime you may need some extra sustenance during the Power Phase. Liquidised soups can provide the extra nourishment you may require.
Spinach and Kale Soup
This is a beautiful and satisfying soup, perfect at any time of the year.
4 servings
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
2–3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
pinch of dried chilli flakes
500g fresh spinach or thawed frozen, coarsely chopped
300g fresh kale or thawed frozen, stem removed and finely chopped
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1 litre water or bouillion powder
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method
Immortal Carrot and Lentil Soup
Thick and filling, this soup can be kept in the fridge and is ideal for an instant meal. The bright-orange colour shows how rich this soup is in the antioxidant vitamin betacarotene, which will mop up free radicals to prevent them from damaging cells.
4 servings
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
1 tbsp coconut oil, olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 large celery sticks, sliced
4 medium-large carrots, sliced
200g red split lentils
Method
Heat the oil in a large pan and sweat the garlic and onion for a few minutes to soften. Add the celery, carrots, lentils, stir, cover with water and bring to the boil.
Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, then blend to your desired consistency.
Sweetcorn Soup
This dead-simple soup is filled with iron, good vitamins and antioxidants. It is also really delicious and perfect on a cold and rainy day.
4 servings
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
4 large sweetcorn cobs, husks removed
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 small leek, cleaned and thinly sliced
1 small carrot, chopped
2 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp coriander seeds
1 small, medium-hot red chilli, deseeded and very finely chopped
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp paprika
Method
Cleansing Cold Cucumber Soup
On a hot summer’s day this much-beloved soup will help you to think about what might lie beyond the 12-Day Plan.
2 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
1 large cucumber, chopped
1 ripe avocado, cubed
2 tbsp red onion, chopped
1 tbsp dill
Juice of ½ lime
Method
Smoothies make a fantastic and nutritious breakfast. They can include a variety of different ingredients: berries, watermelon, kiwis, pineapple, pears, apricot, cherry, dark grapes, lime, lemon and tangerine. You can add ground seeds too. If you want a thinner, more drinkable smoothie, then you can add one of the following: oat milk, rice milk, water or almond milk We have prepared some smoothie ideas to get you started and to inspire you to create your own favourites. All you need to do is place everything in a blender and blend until smooth.
450ml unsweetened almond milk
480g baby spinach
150g frozen blueberries
20g superfood greens
4 ice cubes
450ml coconut almond milk
480g baby spinach
1 tbsp superfood greens
150g blueberries
2 tbsp hemp powder
1 tsp hempseed oil
450ml unsweetened almond milk
480g baby spinach
½ apple
1 tbsp superfood greens
4 ice cubes
1 avocado
2 tbsp dark unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tbsp agave nectar
4 ice cubes
450ml unsweetened almond milk
150g fresh organic strawberries
300ml organic coconut milk
1 tbsp chia seeds
170ml cold water
1 tsp vanilla extract
Unsweetened shredded coconut for sprinkling on top ‘I have lost a staggering 8lb, having been made to feel wonderful as a consequence. I feel so much better in myself, my clothes are looser and I just feel flatter and less bloated. The colonic irrigation has been revelatory and I feel full of energy!’
‘My whole attitude to food has now changed and I plan to follow the Cleanse every six months. I now feel great, am much more alert from the moment my eyes open in the morning to the moment they close at night and still can’t believe how great I feel.’