Hi everyone! Hope you’ve had a great week! We smell the first few signs of spring here in Sydney … fresh warm air, blue skies and a bit of sun. The season change is just around the corner and often warmer weather brings a renewed interest in the word “detox”. Getting fit, shedding some winter weight, giving up some bad habits and releasing some built up toxins are all catch phrases as we round the bend into summer.
So to make the most of your juice cleanse it’s important to prepare your body and mind prior to receiving delivery of your first juices! I’ve put together a checklist for those of you who are juice cleansing for the first time to give you every chance of having an effective and successful cleanse. And for those seasoned “cleanse” veterans I urge you to give it a read as well. The more we can prepare the body for a cleanse the better the outcome.
At Lucky You we call it pre-cleanse etiquette because it’s a protocol that should be used every time you embark on a cleanse regardless the duration of your cleanse.
The basics.
Ideally you can start preparing one week in advance. Abstain or cut down considerably the following:
- Coffee, all caffeine intake, nicotine, alcohol, and all carbonated beverages (including sparkling water).
- You can substitute coffee with green tea or yerba mate tea.
- Avoid all refined sugar, salts and processed foods. If you are not a vegetarian or vegan, greatly limit or omit the intake of meat, fish and dairy.
- Drink plenty of (filtered) water. Hydration is key to a successful detox.
- Continue with your normal exercise routine.
Start getting in the habit of chewing your foods well. During your cleanse you will “chew” your juices to help digest and absorb them so let’s get on top of things now.
Have an “elimination” or constipation plan on hand in the event the need arises. The cleanse affects everyone differently. The name of the game is “shifting waste”. If you are comfortable administering an enema – do so. If you are up for a colonic, and need a recommendation, please ask us. It’s very beneficial during and/or at the end of a cleanse. If you have a history of problematic eliminations (and this is a very private matter), you need to tackle it and make a life change. If it’s not being eliminated, you are reabsorbing it – prioritise the topic. Talk to us if you feel comfortable or look into it on your own.
Set Intentions.
What do you want to get out of this cleanse? When we have a clear picture of what we want to lose, gain, and strengthen the odds are we will attain these goals. Cleansing is also about going within.
Two days prior.
Start eating a cleansing diet of fresh fruits and veggies (organic, if at all possible) raw, cooked, juiced, and blended.
The last supper.
A large gorgeous, green, raw salad sounds amazing. Add any water-containing veggies you fancy (no beans, nuts or seeds, please) along with some steamed veggies if you wish. Avocado is acceptable. The dressing should be simple like olive oil, sea salt and fresh lemon juice.
For your cleanse you should always have lemons (organic if possible) on hand. You will begin each morning with the juice of one whole lemon in 6-8 ounces of hot water immediately upon rising (no sweetening). This is to assist in flushing the liver and the kidneys.
A sense of calm helps greatly with a cleanse (ie. you digest better when there is no added stress).
Eat clean.
Prepare your body for success.
That’s it for this week!
See ya’ next post … Heidy
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