Someone asked me the other day why cleansing is a good idea. If I had to answer with a single word, it would be inflammation.
You know those little aches and pains you feel in the morning? That elevated blood sugar or elevated cholesterol? Those pesky headaches and that stomach acid and bloating? These are all signs of inflammation.
Sometimes these kinds of symptoms are attributed to aging. More than aging, they are the direct result of lifestyle. If you are stressed, lacking adequate sleep, not moving much and eat poor quality foods, you will be inflamed. If you have lived this way all your life, it is more an accumulation of inflammation problem than an aging problem.
Change It Up with a Cleanse
If you are uncomfortable with the inflammation in your body, start with a simple cleanse where you remove inflammatory foods. You will be amazed at what can happen in a very short period of time. Your body knows how to recover when given the proper nutrients that put it back in sync with the seasons.
Not a Quick fix
You don't have to look very far to find a quick fix diet idea - Jillian Michaels 30 day ripped and Whole30 are just two examples of the latest diets that promise a new slimmer you. These are for serial dieters, and designed to keep you coming back. This cleanse is not designed for quick weight loss, though many cleansers do lose weight. It all depends on what your eating experience is going into the Cleanse. The main objectives of the Cleanse are to infuse your body with non-inflammatory, high nutrient foods that assist in the transition to warmer weather. It is coupled with inward focus and reflection on the effects of self-care with regard to food, surroundings and relationships.
Mary Beth’s Experience
After doing my Spring 2015 cleanse, Mary Beth said “I was particularly interested in achieving two things: 1) reduction in that sensation of constant bloating, and 2) lose a bit of weight. What I didn't anticipate was a complete transformation in the way I feel, and continue to feel weeks after the official end of the cleanse.”
Cleansing is not dramatic. There is no drastic fasting or diets with severe calorie restrictions. Instead, it is an experience of eating quality whole foods that help you transition from the warming foods of winter to the cooling foods that will support you through the upcoming warmer months.
This is important because when you are eating seasonal foods you are likely eating local foods, foods that are grown in the same soil, water and air that you live in. They are fresh because they do not have long transport times before they reach your plate, so they are more nutrient dense. Cleansing in this way deepens your awareness of your body and of your surroundings.
Support During the Cleanse
A good cleanse program gives you a context for your cleansing. A healthy philosophy around cleansing is that you look at it not as a fast or a time of deprivation, but rather as a time of taking gentle good care of yourself and getting yourself back in sync with Nature’s abundance. The Spring cleanse does offer support for those who want to include a brief fast in the program but it is not necessary, nor is it recommended for anyone with Type II diabetes or other debilitating conditions. A cleanse eliminates inflammatory foods and crowds in foods that will rest your digestive system and rebuild you for the coming season.
Reset Your Perceptions on Being 50 +
Cleansing will give you an opportunity to see that many of those aches and pains you thought were a normal part of aging can heal. Through cleansing you will see that food is the most powerful tool for healing an achy body. If fuels your muscles, tissues, organs and bones. When you change your food for the better you will be amazed at how quickly you will feel better. Just like Mary Beth.
2017 Spring Cleanse
The 2017 Spring cleanse is scheduled to start on Saturday April 15th. Follow this link to register and receive a startup package of materials that set the tone for the cleanse.