There’s no better way to boost your health than to simplify your diet with a cleanse. Here are some tips and pointers for a very basic cleanse – aimed to emphasize whole and organic foods, reduce inflammation, and eliminate food intolerances. This kind of cleanse is great for busy people who want to feel lighter, feel more mentally clear, and want to easily optimize their overall health.
Here are the basic rules of my current cleanse:
- No processed foods
- No alcohol or coffee
- No sugars or sweeteners with the exception of some Stevia
- No dairy, eggs, wheat/gluten, soy, or corn. These are the most common food intolerances for most people.
- Minimal chicken and fish, no other animal proteins
So, what’s left?
Whole foods – veggies – both cooked and raw, fruits, veggie/fruit smoothies, whole grains, nuts and nut butters, broths, teas, some chicken and fish.
I’m also taking an herbal liver cleanse supplement, probiotics, and a bioflavonoid supplement. *I recommend doing a medically supervised cleanse to get support in finding the right cleanse for your body and your lifestyle and to get advice on which supplements may be helpful to you.*
Here’s a sampling of what I’ve been eating:
B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner, S=Snack
Day 1
B: green tea; quinoa, black beans, sauteed spinach, mushrooms, and leeks, topped with my favorite cleanse pesto.
L: raw flax/pumpkin seed crackers slathered with walnut butter, large apple, raw kale chips
D: macadamia nut encrusted salmon on a bed of mixed greens with lemon and olive oil as dressing.
Day 2
B: yerba mate tea; same breakfast as day one (leftovers); very small portion of a gluten free, egg free, dairy free berry cobbler that I made for a friend’s birthday – (Yes, it had sugar and yes, this is cheating – it happens!)
L: spinach salad with chicken with pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds. Seasoned with lemon juice, olive oil, and herb/spice blend Herbamare. I cooked a whole chicken in the crock pot the night before and broke it up to use for the week – a great time-saving trick!
D: homemade kitcheree – Indian inspired soup made with mung beans, brown rice, chicken broth (from the crock pot chicken), carrots, and spinach.
Day 3
B: green tea/yerba mate blend; gluten-free steel cut oats, slivered almonds, 1 peach, 1 turkey sausage patty
L: homemade kitcheree (same as last night)
D: Green salad with olive oil and lemon juice as dressing, sliced beets, chicken (leftovers).
Days 4 – 6 – Much of the same as mentioned above
Days 7-9 – Similar veggies and grains as mentioned above, but no animals products and I added in my favorite protein powder Mediclear Plus+
Days 10-14 – Same as the foods on days 1-6
Days 14 and beyond – gradually introducing new foods 1 at a time and monitoring for any changes in my body. Changes can be anything from fuzzy thinking or post-nasal drip to bloating or constipation.
Unsure if cleansing and detoxification is safe/appropriate for you?