I have BEGUN to write this blog numerous times, but I want to make sure you are getting something new out of this one and so today I figured it out... this time, I figured out my own cleanse that works well for ME and maybe YOU!
Last year my husband and I did the 'Master Cleanse' a multiple day fast (I did seven days) in which all you drink is liquid in the form of tea and at least 4 times a day you drink the lemon, maple syrup, cayenne tea (which is delicious) and then at the end of the seven days you flush everything out with a salt water gallon gulp! It's crazy but I thought it was great and I felt terrific at the end. I would love to do this again, but it was pretty intense. You need to have a good amount of low-key time and take it easy, not too much stress and sometimes its hard to find that time.
 |
| (my homemade rice cream after cooking for 5 hours) |
This year, after reading a bit about Dr. Junger's clean program which sounds great and very interesting, I thought to myself I think that I can do this on my own. I'm not a doctor or anything but I felt that I could find a 'sound' way of cleansing for 21 days that would work for me. I like the idea of a 21 day cleanse because it's not so intense and I hoped that I could be a normal person (lot's of work to do!) as I make my way through it. I am now on day 11 of my 21 day cleanse, which consists of tea, my homemade rice cream (click here for recipe here) and apples (I wouldn't really feel too bad about any fruit actually but in the winter we are kind of limited to apples around here... maybe a kiwi here or there or an orange..) for the daytime and then I eat dinner with the family, which I cook so it's usually millet or brown rice 'anything' or soup of some kind. If I am feeling hungry I have a raw almond or two.
This cleanse has been fantastic! I feel fine and with tons of energy, my eyes are so clear and I have been able to keep up with the running that I started in December (it's only a mile so it's not that big of a deal, but I love it) and then I alternate running with skin brushing 3x a week (click here to read more about skin brushing). The rice cream is a very effective way to cleanse your organs as well, and in a very gentle way. I just make sure to drink the, what I call 'tea', from top the rice cream before I go to bed and then again when I get up in the morning. Each batch of rice cream lasts me about 3-4 days (it goes bad after 4 days) if it's kept refrigerated in a glass container. I like my rice cream with adzuki puree but I just purchased Natto Miso which is slightly sweet and delicious and another great way to enjoy the rice cream, you could also top it with steamed carrots.
My teeth felt funny on the second day (something I remember from pregnancy) so I started to take a good calcium supplement (Cal-Mag bone health by New Chapter Organics). I have developed a very good selection of teas as it can get kind of boring and it's your only source of excitement in a food-way. I have also been drinking a kukicha-ume tea every once in awhile (which can almost feel like a meal).
I hope that this can be inspiring for you to do some kind of cleanse and re-start your system in some way or maybe come up with your own cleanse that works for you! If you DO come up with your own cleanse, please share it with us!!
My friend Gunn has this suggestion as a good elixir when you need one and to help with the cold and flu season. I think it sounds delicious!
Ingredients:
1 lemon
2 cm fresh ginger
1 tea spoon turmeric
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cup or so of water
Split the lemon in half, press the juice of one and cut the other in pieces.
Mix all in a food mixer and add 4dl quality water. Mix and filter. It is fine using a tea strainer. Drink a bit before breakfast and the rest during the day.
This will give strength and energy during the winter months.
(visit her blog: unmomentonordico for more healthy, good, clean ideas!)
