Spring Cleansing
ByToby Helmstetter, LAc
Warmer spring weather is inspiring. We want to get outside, exercise, get in the garden, and play more. Many of us feel the call to lighten the load internally, too. Spring feels like a natural time to do a cleanse, to temporarily change what we're putting in to our bodies so we feel healthier from the inside out. It's a wonderful idea, and for many people, it's worth doing. But what kind of cleanse is the best one to do? There are juice cleanses where we consume nothing but fresh vegetable and fruit juices; there are fasts where we consume nothing at all except water. And there's everything in between--eating only raw foods, drinking lemon water with cayenne, eating only brown rice! A cleanser could get lost in the options without ever beginning!
Thankfully, there are ways to do a cleanse without having to starve, or resort to harsh tactics that can shock the body rather than support it. I am a big fan of cleansing without hurting yourself, and by that I mean it is possible to do a thorough cleanse for the body just by eating pure foods and drinking plenty of water. Let's look at the basics of this 'gentle' cleanse:
Pick an amount of time for your cleanse. Typically, people will do a cleanse for 3, 7 or 10 days. But you could feasibly do this kind of cleanse for a month if you wanted. Be realistic about the constraints of your life: will you have time to cook? For how long will your family or friends and lifestyle support your doing this? Pick an amount of time that feels right for you; you can always extend it if you're feeling great and want to continue.
Clean out your kitchen. Before beginning, get rid of the foods you know you don't want to eat when you do your cleanse. If sweets, snacks, frozen meals or other prepared foods will be too tempting, then make sure they are nowhere in the house when you start. Even though you'll be feeling great, you'll still have moments where you are hungry or tired or both and the temptation to go off the cleanse will be hard to resist in those moments. It's a lot easier to stick with it if those foods are not around. Likewise, fill up your fridge with the foods you WILL be eating so you have everything you need on hand when you want it.
The gentle cleanse: eat only whole foods and drink plenty of water. It's that simple. During this cleanse, consume a plant-based diet, mostly a combination of cooked and raw vegetables, fruits, legumes and grains. You can consume animal protein if you want, but you'll want to avoid dairy products, and do so only for one meal per day. You'll drink only water, and lots of it, preferably filtered. And that's pretty much it! Avoid any processed and prepared foods, including breads, pastas--pretty much anything that comes in a box or a bag (unless its a grain or bean coming from the bulk bins). Seasonings are ok, as long as they're just the herb, fresh or dried, or seasoning themselves, and sea salt is also fine to use. If you sauté your veggies, use a small amount of olive or coconut oil.
Without overloading you with recipes, here are some sample ideas for what to eat during a day:
Breakfast can be a smoothie made with fresh veggies and fruits--try Swiss chard, carrots, apples, lemon or lime, and celery. Go with whatever sounds good to you, just be sure to rotate every so often so you're not getting bored. You can also eat brown rice with sesame seeds and sea salt. You can eat beans and rice, vegetable soup, or even a poached egg with cooked greens.
Snacks can be pretty much anything that sounds good. Nuts, vegetable sticks, a baked sweet potato, fruit.... When you feel like snacking, drink a glass of water before you munch, then if you're still hungry, eat something. You can also have juice--either make it yourself with a juicer or Vitamix, or get one made for you at the Whole Foods juice bar. One or two juices a day is plenty--they can be very detoxifying.
Lunch and dinner can be a combination of things. A lean cut of meat, fish or beans, lightly steamed vegetables, brown rice or quinoa or some other cooked grain if desired. You can season with salt, garlic, ginger, herbs and spices, nuts and seeds, lemon, or a little olive oil. Soup is always appropriate, preferably homemade, with salad or a side of veggies. Dress your salad with olive or flax oil and lemon.
Eat slowly, chew thoroughly (20 times for each bite is the typical recommendation), and drink only a little water during meals. Drink most of your water between meals, preferably room temperature. It sounds boring, but remember, that's the idea. You want to give your body a break from having to digest heavier, fattier meals, from processed and packaged foods, from caffeine (although if you really need it you can drink green tea), alcohol, and sugar.
A final note, before you decide to do any kind of cleanse, even this one, be sure to discuss it with your acupuncturist to see what's right for your constitution. It is possible, especially if you have a high stress life and typically consume lots of processed foods, caffeine and especially sugar, to have a bit of a detox reaction in the first few days. This can look like a minor headache, body aches or even fatigue and acne. These symptoms will pass, especially if you remember to drink plenty of water. And in their place will come a vibrancy, a clarity of mind, and a feeling of lightness that you never knew you had. A feeling of purity that comes from the inside out.
Here is one of my favorite detoxifying foods, the Bieler Broth. You can make this and sip it throughout the day or use it in a meal itself. If you decide that cleansing is not for you, you can have wonderful effects by just incorporating this broth into your daily routine for a while.
Ingredients
4 medium squash (zucchini, yellow or summer) cleaned, ends removed, and sliced
1 pound string beans, ends removed (frozen ok)
2 sticks of chopped celery
2 bunches parsley
4 cups filtered water
Directions
Place vegetables, water, and parsley in a large pot.
Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off froth, lower the heat to maintain a simmer, and cover.
Simmer for about 30 minutes. Veggies should be very tender and easily fall apart.
Eat veggies whole with cooking water or use a handheld blender to create a thick and chunky soup.
Happy cleansing everyone! Don't hesitate to ask your acupuncturist for more ideas and help.