Autumn cleanse
In the concept of TCM or traditional Chinese medicine, autumn is a time of letting go. Many people use this time to “clean out” their bodies and prepare for winter. A good detox or cleanse can help your body better deal with assaults to the immune system as well as cope with the darkening days of winter. There are many plans out there and I encourage you to look to see what feels right for you. In the meantime, here are some tips when creating your autumn cleanse/detox plan. And remember, a cleanse or detox does not mean “fasting” but fasting can be a part of the program if you choose. Good luck!
Creating a cleanse plan
First, figure out how long you want to do your plan. I like to choose anywhere from a week to ten days in terms of time length. Second,be sure your plan is well thought out, and food and beverages bought a head of time or else it will be easy to sabotage it.
I also recommend journaling and taking walks in nature everyday to help you get in touch with your natural surroundings. Finally getting good sleep is important.
Food for thought:
Do not over-eat or under-eat, but rather try to eat only when you truly feel hungry.Chew slowly and mindfully. Do not read, watch TV, be on the computer or engage in any sort of agitating conversation while eating.Drink only water that has been filtered (and not stored or packaged in plastic bottles). 6-9 glasses per day is optimal.Eat 25-30 grams of fiber daily.Eat plenty of organic fruits and vegetables —go for color.Eat a lot of cooked vegetables.Organic eggs only.Free range/organic poultry only (no red meat).Nuts, seeds.Small fish (i.e., not tuna, shark, etc.), sea vegetables.Organic tofu.Organic brown rice, quinoa and non-gluten grains.Cold or expeller pressed canola oil, extra virgin olive oil.Spices: turmeric, rosemary, garlic, onion for example, when cooking (use salt sparingly and have it be a good sea salt).Drink herbal teas with clearing properties: dandelion root, burdock root, calamus root and chicory root.Cod liver oil (2 grams per day) (cod liver oil had Vitamins A, E and D) or the equivalent.
What you should be avoiding:
Cigarettes, alcohol, caffeine.All soft drinks, sports drinks, etc.Any food containing trans fats or hydrogenated oils.Any foods/products with gluten.Any dairy products if you have any sort of dairy allergy (if you must have dairy, go for raw milk and raw cheeses, if possible and a high quality plain yogurt). Also, try goat or sheep’s milk.Any processed foods.Red meat.Sugar, high fructose corn syrup, sucrose.All sweets including chocolate.The following oils: corn, soy, safflower, butter (unless organic), lard (for now).Water from plastic bottles.Large fish (tuna, mackerel, etc.).Shellfish, crustaceans.
Once you are done, try to continue to eat healthy–you’ve spent time and energy getting it to this spot and your body, mind and spirit will appreciate it.
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