Spring cleanse!

A spring cleanse is a breath of fresh air for your body after a long winter. It is important for vitality and rejuvenation after winter. Even with regular exercise through out winter, many people will feel energy low during the cold, dark months of winter. Our bodies still reflect the ancient seasonal need to harbor more fat during winter for survival.

Many may experience mild depressions, with the shorter days, and having to stay inside, thus not being in the sun much. Our metabolism slows, as exercise routines may be slowed with the cold, and the need to rest is greater in winter. Our bodies tend to crave denser, fattier, comfort foods, to thicken our blood, and help us store fat.

Winter weather illnesses like colds, bronchitis and flu leave our bodies with accumulated toxins. With having to wear heavier clothing our skin in hampered with normal perspiration. Lungs build up toxins as respiration is slowed, and more shallow.

With the arrival of spring we are given leafy greens that liven up our metabolism. Herbs grow fresh bringing renewal, cleansing, and are anti-oxidant rich. Warmer weather lowers our appetite, and we become more active. A spring cleanse may be a lighter diet, herbal teas, fluid increases, or juicing. A 24 hour or 3 day cleanse is the best to consider when cleansing for the first time.

To know if you are in need of a spring cleanse consider the following. Do you feel bloated, constipated, or congested? Have you gained some weight even though you aren’t eating more food? Do you feel slow, and have low energy? Are you having digestive distress more frequently? Do your lungs feel clogged and swollen?

Deciding to do a spring cleanse with give your digestive tract a “wash and brush” effect for getting rid of accumulated waste. Your liver, kidney, and blood are purified. Your mental clarity gets a boost, and your stomach shrinks. This brings weight loss, and better weight control.

A suggested regiment follows for a 3-5 day spring cleanse. Educate yourself and be sure you are healthy enough to do a cleanse.

Start with a 3-day nutrition plan. First eat lots of fresh greens, fresh fruit and vegetables, and cultured foods. Drink at least 8 glasses of water daily for a week. Then to start your cleanse, the night before starting, eat a light salad with plenty of greens, and take a natural herbal laxative.

• On rising the next day take a flushing drink. Take 1 heaping teaspoon of a fiber mix in fresh juice, with 3000mg of Vitamin C with bioflavs. B

• Breakfast have fresh juice.

• Mid-morning take 2 TBS of aloe juice concentrate in water or juice.

• Lunch have fresh carrot juice.

• Mid-afternoon have a glass of fresh apple juice.

• About 5 p.m. have fresh vegetable juice.

• Supper - Have miso soup with 2 TBS dried sea vegetables snipped over the top.

• Before bed the same fiber mixed with juice and Vitamin C drink you had upon rising.

• On the last day you’ll finish your cleanse with a small green salad and fresh sprouts.

Cleansing boosters are, sauna’s, exercising, massages, aromatherapy, and deep breathing.

After this initial cleanse for the next 1-2 months emphasis should be on high fiber, fresh fruits and vegetables, cultured foods, green foods, and alkalizing foods shown in the included chart.

Avoid refined foods, saturated fats, fried foods, red meats, caffeine, and pasteurized dairy foods.

Contact you local Naturopath for more information about a 24 hour cleanse, or detox plan.

Angelyn Nienhuser has a doctorate in naturopathy and is a Mental Health Counselor. She can be contacted at 308-249-5520.