The Quantum Wellness Cleanse: A Book Review
By Tory Wegner, LAc
There are many cleansing and detoxification products on the market. However, I just read a great book called “The Quantum Wellness Cleanse” by Kathy Freston that focuses on how to use food as a way to cleanse your system. Her premise is that by eliminating what she calls the “big five” (alcohol, caffeine, sugar, wheat, and animal products) for 21 days once or twice a year, you’ll cleanse your body of toxins and inflammation and have a great sense of well-being!
Trust me, I know exactly what you are thinking…if I give up those foods, what will I possibly have left to eat? I can’t do that! One reason I like the book is that Freston gives lots of great recipes and food ideas of things you can eat and it really makes you expand your horizons and experiment with different foods. She devotes a chapter to each of the “big five” and explains how they are absorbed in the body and how they affect brain chemistry, causing them to become addictive, lead to cravings, and create inflammation in the body. I know so many people who “can’t” start their day without a cup of coffee, walk by chocolate without sneaking a piece, or not have a drink when they get home from work. This is because these foods represent comfort, habit, and have become something our body craves, but doesn’t necessarily need.
When you eliminate these foods from your diet you are really left with a vegan diet: grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts and legumes. All these foods are very healthy and easily digested by the body. By giving your body a break from the “big five” your taste buds and brain chemistry reset and the cravings and desire for these foods becomes less intense. Besides being good for the physical body, Freston also encourages people to really take time for themselves and to look at the cleanse as an experience where personal growth is possible. At the end of each chapter she provides a meditation to do to help you stay focused and positive.
In the name of science, I didn’t feel it was right to write a book report without actually trying the program myself. I am pleased to say that I am on day 17 of 21 right now and it wasn’t as hard as I thought. Mind you, I grew up in Wisconsin where the four food groups are beef, cheese, ice cream, and beer, so vegan is a new way to eat for me. The first week was the hardest because, as Freston states, that is when you begin to break your “normal” eating habits. For me, most of it was mental, and deciding to do the cleanse and be committed to it was really the first step. Once I made that decision, following the program wasn’t hard and I’ve actually enjoyed trying different foods, making new recipes, and remembering that I am in control of what I eat (although I am looking forward to having some of my favorite foods again!).
Now, I will admit that I definitely had some withdrawal symptoms, I felt cranky and had a mild headache from day 3-5 of the program. Week 2 was much easier since I had a good sense of what I could eat, what snacks to have on hand, and the cravings for sweets, pasta, and cheese had lessened. Week 3 is even easier and while I haven’t done perfectly, I feel really good having stuck with it. I have good energy, am sleeping great, and have lost a few pounds. Now that the cleanse is almost over, my goals are to continue to eat consciously and listen to my body.
Realistically, not everybody is going to be able to do this cleanse. What Freston states is that even if you do it for only a few days or a week, you’ll receive some good health benefits. If abstaining from all 5 foods at once sounds too overwhelming then she says to pick the one you’d hate to give up the most and just tackle that. If you are interested in finding a safe and healthy way to cleanse and gently detoxify your system, read this book and give the cleanse a try (also check out Dr. Oz and Oprah as they’ve both done TV segments with Freston). You might just surprise yourself, and you’ll certainly feel better.