Diary of a Spring Cleanse

This post is different, because I am writing about something I did for myself—an early spring cleanse. When winter’s bluster is over, most of us get the urge to bring out the feather duster and chase out the dust in our homes, but it’s also a great time to flush out the body. There are hundreds, probably thousands of cleanses available to us, but I chose to go on a 3-day cleanse with juice made from my local juicery (tonicjuicery.com). I decided not to juice at home due to my busy schedule, but also because our local juicery offers cost-effective variety, saves me from dishpan hands, and uses a hydraulic press that maintains the plants cellular structure so each and every sip is fresh and alive. Plus, I get to support a community business. Here’s how it went down.

Day One:
7:30 a.m. Drink #1 Spicy Apple Lemonade: lemon, ginger, green apple, jalapeño, pink Himalayan salt. Followed with two capsules of activated charcoal to absorb toxins and settle my stomach a bit. Feeling excited with thoughts like, “I got this” and “How hard can this be?”

10 a.m. Drink #2 Ruby Spice: carrot, beet, apple, turmeric, ginger and garam masala. Lunch Time I forgot that I’m not eating food, so with time on my hands I soaked in an outdoor hot-tub, caught some Vitamin D and enjoyed a few back and forths between the steam room and a cold shower.

1 p.m. Drink #3 Emerald City: cucumber, celery, green apple, kale, collards, parsley, ginger and lemon. By two o’clock I’m feeling light-headed and hungry and have reoccurring daydreams about a luscious plate of steamed vegetables with lots of butter, MCT oil, salt and pepper. I start to ask myself why am I doing this?

4 p.m. Drink #4 The Brazilian: Brazil nuts, cinnamon, dates, vanilla, filtered water and pink Himalayan salt. This drink gets me through the rest of the workday, feeling energetic.

6 p.m. Drink #5 Golden Sunrise: carrot, orange, lime, pineapple, and turmeric. I feel chilled, so I indulge in a long, hot shower and wrap myself in a few layers to rest for the evening. I enjoy Drink #6 a 2-Ounce Recovery Tonic: turmeric, ginger, lemon, pineapple core and coconut oil.

7 p.m. Time to reap the rewards of Intermittent Fasting. Good night.

Day Two:

Woke this morning feeling sluggish. I picture scrambled eggs and steamed vegetables dripping with butter, olive oil and fresh herbs. Mouth watering, I acknowledge my attachment to whole foods and give thanks to the abundance provided by the dedicated organic farmers of the land.

9:30 a.m. Drink #1 Spicy Apple Lemonade

11 a.m. Drink #2 Cacao Bliss: almonds, raw cacao, dates, coconut sugar, vanilla, Himalayan pink salt, water. What a treat! I felt the nut milk would serve me better today as I head to work.

1 p.m. Drink #3 Golden Sunrise. Tired, but after drinking half of this juice I feel refreshed and content. Half way there!

3:30 p.m. Drink #4 The Brazilian. WOW, what a boost. I’m grounded with no hint of fatigue.

5:30 p.m. Drink #5 Cucumber Cooler followed by a Recovery Tonic. The recovery shot is a serious wake-me- up and increases my evening internal heat. Feeling good.

6:30 p.m. Drink #6 Emerald City. Not feeling thirsty or hungry, but I want to keep my blood sugar stable to see me through work, writing and life in the morning.

Day Three:
I wake up feeling chilly and follow the same morning and afternoon routine as Day Two. I have energy, but cannot get warm for most of the day. I decide to break the juice only fast this evening and save the remaining two drinks tomorrow morning.

5 p.m. 1 cup brown rice, 2 TB Kerrygold butter, a quarter of a chicken breast shredded with two cups of chicken broth. I choose to eat solid food because I feel my body needs protein, fat and  warmth. The main physical challenge for me during this Spring Cleanse has been staying warm. Feeling cold in my bones, I give myself permission to eat a nourishing bowl of food.

A Few Pointers:
Cleanses can be tricky with uncomfortable physical and emotional feelings (such as my chills) complicating matters. To ease into the cleanse and remain more comfortable during it 1) drink plenty of water. My daily goal was 40-50 ounces. 2) Go to bed by 9 p.m. and wake without an alarm clock. 3) Clear your schedule as much as possible to give yourself time to address bodily and emotional upsets. 4) Ensure a daily bowel movement. If this proves difficult, add one of the following to your cleanse regimen: 1 gram vitamin C every 20 minutes until bowels move, simmer 3 prunes in 2 cups of water for 5 minutes, let cool and drink the prune water or take 500 mg magnesium citrate every 30 minutes until you have a bowel movement. If none of these works, consider an enema.

Finally, ease into your cleanse with an open heart. You may experience some ups and downs, just like me (the doctor) did, but embrace these challenges. You will emerge on the other side, lighter, brighter and very likely having learned something about yourself, maybe even something you can integrate into your daily rhythm of life. Happy Spring cleaning.