CLEANSES

What Is a Cleanse?

“The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest her or his patients in the care of the human frame, in a proper diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.”—Thomas A. Edison

Cleansing is quite the buzzword these days. So, what is it really about? And who should do it? A cleanse is simply about giving your body a break. It’s a chance for your body to work a bit less than it does every day. There are varying degrees of cleansing. For some, switching one day from a cooked meal to an organic, raw, fresh smoothie is a cleanse. For others, staying on liquids for a week is detoxing. What’s best for you depends on what your starting point is and what you are looking to gain.

When cleansing, we benefit not just on a physical level, but also on spiritual one. It is a time to go deep inside yourself and clear your mind and head space. Let go of the distractions. Rest and re-energize. Again, just switching out your morning bagel for a green smoothie with fruit is a great step in the right direction.

There is an idea in the health arena called crowding out. It does not necessarily mean leaving things out, but instead advocates that the more nourishing and real food you put into your body, the less room and desire you have to fill it with junk food. When you start to pay attention to how you feel after you eat, you often start to make healthier choices.

Ideally, I recommend a three to five day cleanse to start. During the cleansing process, you have to pay attention to your body. Pay attention to if you are actually hungry or whether you might be bored or anxious. When you are cleansing, it is a great time to examine your habits around food because we often eat for reasons other than actual hunger.

10 Rules For Cleanses

1. Have at least six drinks a day (more if you are very active) but I do not recommend less, even if you do not feel hungry. Remember, we are trying to rest the body, not starve it.

2. Drink half your weight in ounces of water a day.

3. A juice takes about thirty minutes to digest, so wait at least that amount of time before you go on to the next.

4. Smoothies and nut milks take about an hour to digest, so wait at least that amount of time before you go on to the next.

5. Let the drinks sit in your mouth so they can start to digest there. Your mouth is the key to digestion.

6. Do use mindfulness when drinking them—do not just gulp any of them down.

7. Try to start your first drink within an hour of rising and the last within four hours of sleeping. Again this is ideal, but not a must.

8. Do your best to stick to the plan. It is easy to get frustrated and completely toss in the towel, but don’t do that. If you slip up, forgive yourself and then just get back on your cleanse.

9. If you are active, add a vegan, grain-free, plant-based organic protein powder to your nut milk.

10. Be good to yourself!