Would you like to take things up a notch?
It is day 3, how are you feeling?
For many of us, this cleanse is a pretty big change compared with regular dietary habits… I hope that you are already feeling some positive effects in these first 72 hours!
If you’re curious about going deeper, I’d like to share a few ways to bring even more benefits to your time on the cleanse. Here are some ideas from simple to more intense…
Add an organic green juice to your flow everyday! This is a quick way to flood your body with beneficial nutrients and reduce inflammation. It’s also an amazing energy booster. The only caveat is to carefully check the ingredient list… green juices should include mostly green things and not sweet fruits. A little apple is okay to balance out all the greenness, but I’ve seen many pre-made versions that are mostly fruit, despite being green. These will spike your blood sugar big time! If you are making your own juice, cucumber and celery are great bases (very juicy!) then add a few leafy greens, maybe half an apple for flavor, a little ginger and a squeeze of citrus. Mother Earth (Kingston), Green Bar (New Paltz), and Karma Road (New Paltz) all make organic juice in-house if you don’t have a juicer.
Simplify your recipes. Sometime less is more. Simple steamed veggies with a side of legumes or a pureed soup are incredibly easy to digest and very cleansing. Remember the 80/20 rule! (!!!) 80% of what you are eating should be veggies! Adding a couple tablespoons of healthy oil or a rich dressing is a good way to add a few more calories if you are feeling unsatiated and make sure each meal includes some protein. Stick with just a few whole ingredients and simple preparations.
Another option is intermittent fasting, which means eating all your daily food within an 8 hour window. For example, waiting till noon for the first meal and finishing all food by 8 pm, or 8am-4pm if your body loves an early breakfast. This gives 16 hours for the digestive system to rest and detox. Many people do this type of practice as a lifestyle, so it's not super extreme, but has many benefits (ask google)! :)
You could also do a liquid fast which might include green juices, tea, and vegetable broth. This gives calories and energy but is very easy on the digestive system. You can even add soupy vegetable purees for more calories if that feels right for your body.
A more extreme option is a water fast. This is all liquid with no calories, so basically water and herbal tea. Without any calories the body quickly goes into autophagy, which allows for major cellular clean up. Research shows the benefits of this type of fasting are pretty incredible, ranging from cancer prevention to anti-aging. It is also a great way to build willpower and self discipline! Probably not for folks who are new to cleansing and perhaps best under the guidance of a holistic practitioner…
For liquid or water fasting, 1-3 days is a good amount of time to learn how your body responds and to reap the benefits of a little more intense cleansing. If you’re new to cleansing, start with a shorter time period. This could even be just waiting till dinner for solid food.
The weekend could be a nice window to try the liquid or water fast. Its always good to start and end a fast with the basic cleanse, so the weekend is a perfect middle point if you’re feeling pumped to dive a little deeper.
If you are diabetic, have blood sugar issues, or a history of eating disorders please work with your healthcare provider if you are interested in exploring any of the fasting options.
Of course, it is also completely fine to just stick with the cleansing diet and not worry about this at all. You are doing great things!
I’m curious how many people are interested in this? Please share you thoughts or any questions in the comments section below…