Yup, you read that right: you can give your body a beautiful, enjoyable and much needed seasonal tune-up for free. In fact, you can do this anytime you feel run down, lethargic, or out of sorts. All it takes is a little common sense, and a temporary shift in priorities.

First off, though, we need to talk about why it’s important to cleanse in the first place. Think about your daily routine – if you’re like me, first thing in the morning it’s caffeine and sugar. (Coffee and doughnuts, black tea and toast with jam, honey, or maple syrup – or maybe nothing on your stomach as you run out the door, and when your blood sugar crashes around 10 am, it’s right to the candy bar, or granola bar which likely has just as much sugar!)

How much awareness do you bring to your food during the day? Is it prepared with conscious intent, from fresh, organic ingredients, and eaten in a leisurely, unhurried fashion with family and friends? Or is your food merely “fuel” consisting of car-snacking, and one TV dinner, heated in the microwave, and eaten while checking your phone, in front of the computer, or alone in a sterile cafeteria?

To top it off, the Standard American Diet (SAD, really!) usually has one or two alcoholic beverages before bed (more sugar!) or with a late, heavy dinner – Mac n’ cheese, pizza, hamburgers. All these refined foods, are bereft of real nutrition, and filled with toxic chemicals and additives that burden our livers, gallbladders, kidneys, skin and hearts. No wonder we’re so sick!

“The more natural, or whole, foods are, the easier it is for our bodies to digest and assimilate them, providing the energy for our cells to work…Those foods which are factory-processed or heated lose much of their natural nourishment and are often more difficult for us to use, because we are not accustomed to many of the refined foods or chemicals and they have no specific function in our bodies…Those foods which are preserved with unnatural or chemical additives for ‘longer life’ clearly have no life at all.” (p 40, Staying Healthy with the Seasons by Elson M. Haas, MD. 1981)

Even if you try to eat healthy most of the time, our environment and culture are filled with toxic runoff, air pollution, and violence, intolerance, and denial. Now that you have a better understanding about what harms our bodies and makes us sick, it’s easy to see how you can start to “clean house” by simply bringing more awareness to your food choices, and shifting your priorities.

Let’s be a bit more specific….

For one week, completely give up:

• tobacco
• alcohol
• caffeine
• sugar
• wheat
• dairy
• meat
• make-up, hair products & deodorant

That should actually save you some money, for starters. Now, with your usual budget for food, stock your fridge and pantry with:

• Fresh fruits and veggies – preferably organic, and really go all out on the leafy greens
• Light, organic, vegan soups, and veggie broth.
• High fiber grains – whole rolled oats, oat bran
• Whole, raw, organic nuts and seeds
• A natural source of probiotics (look for dairy-free options like kombucha and GoodBelly)

Finally, shift your priorities – just for this one week – and really commit to: 

• drinking at least 8 glasses of pure, clean, filtered water
• walking outside in the fresh air for at least 20 minutes a day
• sleeping at least 8 hours a night
• taking a few luxurious, relaxing hot baths

That’s really it! That’s all it takes to give your body a full reboot as we transition from the stagnant, cold, contracted winter months, into spring – growing, expanding, waking up, stretching out, re-envisioning, re-inventing, and budding with potential!

Ready to take the next step? Sign up for our Annual Spring Cleanse – online and in-person! The online portion is on a donation basis – when you make a donation equal to the price of your daily chai latte, you will receive preparatory material to help you plan your Spring Cleanse for optimal wellness and daily recipes and inspiration during the week of your cleanse!

Click here to sign up today!