April Cleanse: 2 days away!!

Just a little reminder that April is just 2 days away. Which means, our spring cleanse is also only 2 days away!
Hopefully cutting out the sugar for Marvelous Me March proved to actually be possible, unlike your beliefs at the beginning of the month. Living with out sugar will prove to make your cleanse a lot easier as that will be one less item to get used to living with out. Remember, the key to surviving a cleanse is being prepared. Preparation = success! Time and time again, I have seen people cheat on a cleanse not because of a cravings or lack of will power, but because they were not properly prepared. As long as you have the right foods on hand and ready to serve, there will be no excuses. As April 1st lands on a Sunday, I suggest you use Saturday, a day off for many, to shop and prepare foods for your week. Sift through recipe books and stock up on veggies & fruits, gluten-free grains, nuts & seeds. This will make up the majority of what you will be eating for the next few weeks. Even for beginners, I suggest a minimum of 2 weeks. 1 week is simply not enough to get results. From my experience, things only begin to shift after 1 week and the real positive changes occur in the 3rd week. I am sympathetic to how difficult cleansing can be, especially if this is a first for you. However, as most of us spend 50 weeks of the year indulging and doing as we please, a measly 2 weeks of deprivation is nothing. Think of it as a gift, a reward to your body, for all the abuse it withstands the other 50 weeks of the year;)

I am re-posting the cleanse details. Take a look and start mentally preparing yourself. If you plan to do a 2 week cleanse, then pick the 2 weeks that work best for you. 2 consecutive weeks that don't include a lot of social events or a lot of over time at work. The food prep for a cleanse can be somewhat time consuming. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Now lets get cleansing!!

Getting Started

·      Because a detox consists of a break down diet, it is very cooling on the body. Therefore, you want to detox when it starts getting warmer out. That is why spring and fall are the best times.

·      Pick a time that is convenient and realistic for you. Don’t pick the 2 weeks where you have major events planned (i.e. weddings, parties). It will only make sticking to the detox program more difficult. Also, this program involves quite a bit of food preparation time. Don’t do it when you are scheduled to work over time all week.

·      Get rid of any temptations (i.e. chocolate, cookies etc.). This detox will be a real test on your will power so the easier you can make it on yourself the better.

Foods to Avoid

·      Sugar: all foods containing white sugar, brown sugar, glucose, fructose, corn syrup, cane sugar/juice/syrup, honey, agave nectar, rice syrup, maple syrup and definitely no artificial sweeteners (sucralose, saccharine, aspartame, neotame). Stevia can be used but only if really necessary – which I don’t think ever really is!

·      Coffee: it would be a good idea to slowly start cutting out the coffee as soon as possible to avoid headaches and coffee withdrawal. The only form of caffeine allowed is green tea.

·      Animal products: A purely vegan diet is recommended for a detox. This includes no eggs, fish, dairy products and honey.

·      Processed foods: pretty much anything that comes in a can or box is not allowed!! This includes tofu for vegetarians and almond, rice or soy milk. Some exceptions are organic Tamari sauce (make sure it is wheat free), olive oil, organic coconut milk and canned organic beans  (Eden). The better option would be to soak and cook all your beans but I do realize how time consuming that can be.

·      Gluten: follow a gluten-free meal plan. A detox should also be free from most grains with the exception of brown rice and quinoa.

·      Alcohol: sorry, no exceptions. Hey, the good thing is your friends will appreciate having a DD for the next 2 weeks!!

What to Eat:

·      Veggies, veggies and more veggies!! There is no limit except for potatoes as they are a starch.

·      1-2 grains /day consisting of brown rice or quinoa.

·      Fruits. Limit high sugar content fruits such as tropical  (banana, pineapple, mango) and eat fruits after lunch only to help balance blood sugar levels. Avoid dried fruit.

·      1-2 servings/day of beans or lentils.

·      Nuts and seeds with the exception of soy and peanuts.

Diet Guidelines

·      Drink water: first thing into your body every morning should be an 8 oz. glass of pure water with ¼ of a freshly squeezed lemon. Water should be drunk consistently throughout the day. The minimum requirement should be your body weight divided in half and that would equal the amount in ounces you should drink per day (i.e. weight=130lbs/2 = 65. 65oz of pure water per day minimum). Drink 6 oz. (177 ml) before meals. Water should never be ice cold. Warm or room temperature is best.

·      To break-the-fast, it is recommended you start each day of the cleanse with vegetables. 750ml – 1L of freshly juiced juice is recommended for breakfast everyday and to be drunk within an hour of making, as nutrients are lost. Carrot and beet juice, along with leafy greens are best.

·      Eat every two to two and half hours to balance blood sugar and energy levels (this is will help avoid the afternoon crash as well as night time munchies).

·      Eat organic. As we are trying to limit our exposure to toxins, we should avoid all pesticide-sprayed foods.

·      Finish meals and snacks by 9 p.m. Your liver detoxifies overnight and this time line helps its efforts.

·      Try not to overeat. To conserve time, you can make big batches of food to eat throughout the week. However, as fresh is best, try to add a fresh salad or veggies as a side to any leftovers.

·      As stress and anxiety can produce toxins internally, one should incorporate a program that will detox the mind as well. Balance and harmony is only achieved when there is a balance between mind and body. Incorporating Yoga, Reiki, Tai Chi and/or meditation are great ways to improve mental health.

·      Supplementation: Liver support during a detox is essential. Milk thistle or Hepato DR by St.Francis is recommended. Dandelion and parsley leaf is recommended for kidney support as toxins are flushed out of the body.

·      Enemas. Yes, you heard me correctly. As our livers begin to release existing toxins, we should assist to eliminate these toxins from the body and enemas are a great way to do this. Please feel free to contact me on how to preform an enema safely and properly.

What you might feel during the Detox

A Detox is a break-down diet designed to not only eliminate the toxins you ingest but release the toxins that already exist in your tissues. As this process occurs, it is possible to feel worse before you feel better. Some possible symptoms can be headaches, fatigue, gas, dizziness, feeling cold, irritable and/or emotional. Those with more toxins will most probably experience more symptoms.

 *Anyone pregnant, breast feeding or diabetic should not participate in this program. Those suffering from any other medical conditions please consult your physician prior to starting this program.

Please join me as I will be starting my 1 month detox on Sunday April 1. Whether you do 2 weeks or just 1, please join me and follow my blog as I will be writing about my experience. I will be able to answer any questions you have and help you feel supported through your journey to great health!
For those of you who are ready to feel great, The Green Blossoms Detox Program is a full a 7-day meal plan complete with all recipes including snacks and even a few treats. This program will guide you through a healthy detox with such yummy foods; you won’t even feel like you are depriving yourself! Sign up today and get ready to blossom!! www.greenblossoms.ca