Cleansing; just the word alone can inspire thoughts of starving yourself for days, and only drinking liquefied grass, all while sitting in a lotus position and meditating for hours on end. There are so many types of cleanses on the health food store shelves these days, everything from pills to potions promising success; how do you know where to begin? Surprising as it may be, not all cleanses require massive amounts of will power or deprivation.
So what exactly is cleansing (aka: detoxing)? Cleansing is a way to bring balance to the body and a way to release toxins and waste that can build up over time due to a poor diet. It often includes a rest from the standard American way of eating and enhanced elimination of waste. Why would one want to do this you may ask? Cleansing could possibly aid in weight loss, allows the digestive and internal organs to rest, could possibly prevent illnesses and improve your energy.
Spring is a great time to test out a gentle, nourishing cleanse; preparing the body for the warm months ahead and easing yourself out of the chilling hibernation of the winter. If your diet consists of mostly non-organic and non-whole foods, the “Raw Food” cleanse is an easy way to not only to detox, but also to introduce your system to a cleaner way of eating. This cleanse is quite nourishing and is perfect for people with chronic illness or deficiencies because it will not deplete your system of vital nutrients. It consists of eating 100 percent raw foods for a week to two weeks. You can have things like fruits, vegetables, raw nuts, raw seeds, green juices and smoothies. The amount of raw food you take in during the day and the combination of which foods will vary from person to person depending on the point you are starting from as well as your activity levels. This cleanse is great because you can really adjust it to work specifically for you.
Typically, once your body has a taste of what eating healthy and clean can feel like, you will begin to actually crave these types of foods, making a transition into a healthier way of eating a lot easier and smoother. So put away your snow boots, have some green juices and smoothies and welcome in the spring with a new you.
