After
a long family vacation and really making an effort to enjoy our summer I felt
as if all I had done for weeks was eat and drink wine (and basically I didn't
do too much else!) After a while I began to feel really icky, grouchy,
irritable and all over worn out. I decided to do a much needed cleanse, a detox
to get all the bad stuff out of my system. I felt amazing and it was the best
cleanse I have ever done! Many people began to ask which cleanse I was doing so
I decided to write it out and pass along the information to whoever may be
interested. I didn't follow any particular regimen and just listened to my body
and tried to give it what it needed and felt satisfied for most of the detox. I
believe the key was that I didn't go into the cleanse thinking of it as harsh,
but rather nurturing- a way to give back to my body.
Here
is my journal of the 5 day cleanse:
Goal:
Juice fast/cleanse for 3 days then raw foods for 2 weeks. Meditate/Reiki
nightly. At least 30 minutes of yoga/stretching a day. Hoping to clean my
mind, my body and my soul.
Day
1
• AM- Lemon water*
• Fresh Juice- Beets,
Carrots, Broccoli, Celery, Kale, Parsley- 48 oz mixed with water
• Apple Cider Vinegar- ACV
Shot
• Bentonite clay &
psyllium husks*
• Mason jar of iced green tea
(no sweetener)
• Evening- Fresh Ginger tea*
• Water- 100oz+ a day
• Extras- Spirulina;
Multivitamin; Chia Seeds
Day
1 Experiences- I feel optimistic and excited to cleanse. Im a little
hungry starting out but feel that once I get past the first day or so it will
be easier. I will be working to plan the next few days worth of
juicing/fasting.
*
Lemon Water- This was discussed in my previous
blog posts. I have been doing this almost every morning since the beginning of
the year. I love it and it makes me feel so great! I highly recommend adding
this to your daily regimen. You can get more information on how to make
lemon water and it's benefits by clicking HERE.
*
Bentonite clay & psyllium husks- This is another personal fave of mine. I
have been drinking this concoction for years. It isn't tasty by any means, but
its so good for removing toxins from your system through your intestines. It
pulls out heavy metals, pesticides and herbicides among other pollutants. You
add a tablespoon of psyllium husks to a glass of water. You then add a
tablespoon of bentonite clay into the psyllium mixture. Make sure not to use a
metal measuring spoon for the clay or to stir the mixture. Metal causes a
reaction in bentonite which decreases its potency. I usually just pour a small
amount directly into the mixture without really measuring and stir the mixture
with a plastic or wooden spoon (or end of the spoon)
*
Ginger tea- Peel fresh ginger and cut into pieces and boil in water. Once it
reaches a boil you can turn off the heat and allow it to sit for about 20
minutes or so. Allowing it to steep will help extract the beneficial properties
of the ginger. This tea helps to kill bacteria in the body, particularly the
intestines. I thought this tea was so yummy and enjoyed drinking it
nightly.
Day
2 & 3
• Drink 3.1 fl oz tepid water
upon rising
• 20 mins of oil pulling
• AM- Lemon water
• Fresh beet juice- 64 oz
mixed with water
• ACV Shot
• 1 apple & handful of
grapes
• Mason jar of iced green tea
(no sweetener)
• ACV Shot
• Water- 100+oz a day
• Fresh Ginger tea
Day
2 Experiences - I woke up feeling great and more refreshed than I have in
awhile. My husband said that I look more glowing too! It’s hard having to
prepare food for the kids and husband while I am fasting, but I keep telling
myself only 2 more days! Im sure I will be going crazy later tonight, but I
will push thru. I am very excited to eat a more raw, plant based diet
than what I have been feasting on lately. Its afternoon and Im pretty
hungry. Its hard when Im preparing food for my kids or my husband I want to
sneak a bite, but im trying to be disciplined. I look forward to my two hour
yoga session tonight!
Day
3 Experiences- Felt great. Lots of energy and not hungry for most of the
day. When I did get really hungry cooking food for the kids/hubby I ate an
apple and was fine. Drank 36 ounces of lemon water, ACV, cinnamon and cayenne
pepper. Tasted pretty nasty!
Day
4 & 5-
• AM- 40oz of sea salt water.
• 24 oz of carrot, ginger,
kale, oranges and apples.
• 100oz of water
• 32 oz Green tea
• 1 tomato & handful of
grape
• Homemade Ginger tea
• Extras- chia seeds
Day
4 Experiences- Woke up feeling fantastic! Decided to do a salt water cleanse
this morning. It was pretty crazy. You chug about 40 oz of water and 2 tsp of
salt as fast as you can. You want to try to get it all down at once because it
gives you an upset stomach for about a minute or so. I thought I was going to
puke but got over it quickly. Then you need to stay very close to a bathroom
for the next couple of hours. It definitely cleans you out. Today has been
tougher. I was only planning on doing the liquid cleanse for 3 days, now
that its midday on the 4th Im really craving a yummy, raw salad. Ive decided tonight after yoga
I will reward myself with one and continue on with raw foods and juicing.
Basically the regimin I have been following this week, giving my body what it
needs and not being too rigid. If I deny myself food then it will no longer be
enjoyable and that is not what I wanted. I really wanted to give my body a
loving, nurturing cleanse.
Day
5 Experiences- By the time I got back from yoga last night I wasn't hungry. I
felt satisfied and was excited for my evening tea. I woke up this morning
and did another salt water flush and felt so great afterwards. Around 2pm I got
pretty hungry and was really craving a yummy salad. I chopped up a bunch of
veggies and made a dressing with olive oil, lime juice and a little salt and
pepper. It was delicious and so fresh. Perfect for a hot, summer day.
I
really enjoyed this cleanse. Because I listened to my body and what I felt it
needed in order to be replenished, I never really felt that I was being
deprived. Because I had to still make food for my husband and kids, I faced
some temptations where sometimes I just wanted to sneak a bite of food, piece
of cheese, cracker, whatever. And if I did it wouldn't be the worst thing in
the world, but I kept reminding myself to be disciplined and try to fully
cleanse my body. Instead I would drink some juice or some water and try and go
do something to get my mind off food. If it got really bad I would eat an apple
because after a few days I was getting bored of liquids and the chewing
sensation and the delicious taste of the apple was perfect and satisfying! By
constantly consuming fluids I was able to control most cravings without feeling
like I was being tortured. This was by far the easiest, cleanse I have ever
done and really felt light and healthy after it was all over. I will definitely
try to complete this same detox at least a couple times of year whenever I
begin to feel like it may be needed.
Disclaimer: Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements
PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.
Disclaimer: Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements
PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.
