SPRINGTIME JUICE CLEANSE

We are well into spring, and by now, we may have done some Spring Cleaning in our spaces. Maybe our closets, our garages, our offices, our cars…. but what about our bodies? Does our body need a spring cleaning too? Why clean from within? There are many reasons to clear out the cobwebs in our bodies – a desire to have more energy, to increase vitality, to access and maintain a heightened clarity of mind, to realign with our internal guidance systems, and to examine our food-body-mind relationship. Not only does a cleanse help us bring into focus our relationship with food but it helps us to break away from cycles of dependency on, or addiction to certain foods that may only give us a temporary high rather than a sustained energy level. A good cleanse is designed to provide plenty of nourishment but we consume it in a different form than we may be used to – the form of juice or smoothies composed of raw, natural, fibrous whole foods. While the juiced food will provide all the calories we need, the respite from chewing on food (food that makes us very comfortable) for an entire three days will be a significant challenge. We will feel uncomfortable at times. We will start to notice that our instincts (the itch we can’t scratch) towards snacking and chewing may simply a withdrawal symptom of not giving our bodies the sugar/carb highs it’s used to, or that we have temporarily lost this crutch, this activity of eating to pass the time or mask some other feeling that we don’t want to sit with. This temporary discomfort will be an amazing tool to help us to be more mindful of when and why we go to food and will help us, after the cleanse, to view food with new eyes - as nourishment, a good and enjoyable part of life and not a source of escape and potential guilt.

In addition to breaking the cycle of mentally and physically craving foods that are not sustaining, these three days of cleansing can do even more to boost our health and energy! The three day cleans allows the stomach and digestive tract to rest, allowing it to Re-equilibrate and find balance in the microbiome (flora and fauna balance) an acidity levels of the gut. The liver is also allowed to rest and finally release the toxins it has not been able to pass if overloaded with the toxins from the food of the average American diet. In three days, you will find your appetite reduced – that you find yourself satiated with less food than usual. This provides the psychological boost to help change habits for the long term.

There are so many good mental habits gained through the cleanse and likewise, poor habits broken. When we have a prescribed cleanse to follow, we do not have to waste our energy worrying or thinking about what the next meal will be. We break the habit of an unhealthy focus on food. It’s wonderful to enjoy good food, and this cleanse will help us do that all the more but nobody wants to be a slave to eating – thinking about it all the time. This way, we don’t have to, at least not for 3 days.

The cleanse will temporarily eliminate foods that take away our energy, cause inflammation or other harms to our body, such as dairy, wheat, gluten, alcohol and coffee. Instead, we will flood our bodies with all of the vitamins and minerals it needs, as well as the amazing phytonutrients that are the workhorses for our clean-up and healing process. Juices are by nature raw foods -- and retain nutrients that would be lost in cooking, including some B vitamins and especially (digestive and anti-inflammatory) enzymes. We may even lighten our load a bit with a few pounds lost along the way, providing the jump start we may need to a longer diet plan and/or clean eating lifestyle. With more energy from these whole, raw foods, more hydration (from the extra water and elimination of coffee and alcohol), we will feel like superman or woman in no time. Wake up and spring out of bed? What?!

Finally, the three days of cleansing and flooding the body with anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatories will allow maximum detoxification and restoration of our cells. The average American body carries 147 industrial chemicals in its bloodstream. This cleanse will help to remove the toxins that have accumulated in our bodies and allow our cells to function optimally – without the constant battle they face against free radicals and inflammation.

Get ready! We plan to start the cleanse on Sunday, May 3rd! The plan is this – it is up to you if you would like to do a 100% Juice Cleanse, drinking only organic, raw pressed juices or if you would like mix in homemade smoothies and raw, pureed soups. For ease and convenience, we are pairing with Juice Nashville, who will provide a 3-day cleanse packet including 5 juices per day, delivered in a refrigerated tote that you can keep. The package is offered at a discounted rate of $100. If you would like to make your own juices or supplement with smoothies or raw, blended soups, simply choose from some of the recipes we will be posting in the next few days. One person might drink the 5 juices per day and feel amazing. The next person might blend up a smoothie for breakfast, drink juices for lunch and snacks, and have a blended raw soup for dinner. This is a plan that you can adapt to your lifestyle and still receive all of the intended benefits. Just remember, no chewing. :)

While on the cleanse, drink as much water as you feel like or need, but be sure to consume at least 1½ liters throughout the day. Always begin the day with warm water with lemon, as this will assist in flushing your digestive system, preparing your stomach for food by increasing stomach acid, and alkalizing your entire system. Herbal teas are a great alternative to coffee, and you can choose ones that are particularly detoxifying, such as burdock, cleavers, chickweed, yarrow, nettle and plantain.

 RECIPES COMING SOON! STAY TUNED!!