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To cleanse or not to cleanse?

Do you have difficulty waking up in the morning and find that you have low energy all day long? Are you unable to concentrate at work, feel sluggish and depressed? Do you suffer from poor digestion, bloating or constipation? If so, you could be a good candidate for a cleanse. Cleansing your body of accumulated toxins can help you gain energy and improve overall health. Many people report more clarity, greater alertness, overwhelming joy, and incredible insight after a cleanse.

A simple test you can do to determine whether you would benefit from a cleanse is to eat a few leaves of a dark, leafy green vegetable such as kale or down a couple of shots of fresh wheatgrass juice. If you can get it down without cringing, then chances are your system is already alkaline. If however, these foods taste horribly bitter and nearly cause a gag reflex, you will certainly benefit from a cleanse.

There are many excellent articles and books dedicated to cleansing so I won’t get too much into the details in this post. What is interesting to note, however, is that all of them prescribe complete abstinence from animal-based foods and focus solely on plant-based nutrition during the cleansing process. My take on this is that if you feel so good after a cleanse, then why not adopt a “continual cleansing” type diet? That’s what I call the Thrive Diet, a commonsense, simple approach to eating that is based on plant-based, whole foods.

You’ve decided to take the plunge and do a cleanse. That is a great first step. Once you have completed the cleanse of your choice, you will likely feel much better and you won’t want that great feeling to go away. How do you extend and expand upon these cleansing benefits for long term optimal health and vitality? Start by consuming lots of raw, alkaline forming fruits and vegetables. Eaten on a regular basis, these foods will start the natural transition process away from processed foods that cause the body to become acidic.

At first, however, the body will not naturally crave plant-based foods when it is accustomed to processed and refined foods. You have to simply begin by adding more raw natural plant-based foods to your diet but without subtracting anything. Over time, you will naturally and painlessly have less interest in eating the more processed foods and you will gravitate towards the least processed whole foods. I know this sounds overly simplistic but it is a scientific fact that when the body has all its nutritional needs fulfilled, cravings will dramatically decline.

To get to the point where you no longer have to restrain yourself from eating unhealthy food is a great feeling and a telltale sign that your body is cleansing itself and making a smooth transition to a much healthier lifestyle. Constantly fighting cravings is not a mentally healthy way to live so changing the perception of what your body desires is fundamental to breaking cravings permanently.

While the idea of cleansing has really caught on over the past decade, I prefer to focus on a lifestyle approach. By consuming plant-based, whole foods on a regular basis, you’re body will thrive. For those who haven’t read my books – The Thrive Diet (Canada) and Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide (USA) – provide details on how you can make plant-based, whole foods a part of your continual cleansing lifestyle.

Tags: brazier, brendan, cleanse, nutrition, thrive

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Comment by Dorette Sommer-Franks on April 15, 2011 at 8:23pm: After a long day of a busy routine at work and not getting in enough calories for the day, I left to instruct cycling class with only a banana in my bag to eat. This single banana came to be know that evening "the magic banana." My focus went from dull to alert; my energy went from sluggish to vibrant. I've never experienced so much energy from a single banana, it was intoxicating, truly! My diet has changed drastically since last October…so drastic that my body could actually feel living energy at work in my body from this banana whereas before, it would have been eaten purely for calories and satiation. Credit goes to eating “clean”; bring on the veggies and say good bye processed foods!

Comment by Jodi Baxter on August 18, 2010 at 4:38pm: What do you think of the Master Cleanse (The Lemonade Diet)? I would like to cleanse my body and begin the Thrive 12 week Diet to prep for better health, digestibility, and a fitness competition. What do you feel would be the best for a person who still needs to train (weight training, running, cycling) - is it better to begin the Thrive Diet week one and skip the cleanse, or to do the Master Cleanse and then proceed with the Thrive Diet.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Jodi

Comment by Jeri Taira on April 10, 2010 at 2:47pm: I totally like the lifestyle approach. It's a process, but like you, Dr. Campbell, and Dr. Esselstyn are teaching...it's worth the long-term results. Little by little my health is progressing. I like being able to see the results like this. Tried it all, but complete truly whole foods diet is healing me.

Jeri - Oahu

Comment by Bonita on March 21, 2010 at 8:56pm: thanks for clearing up the confusion. I have been on several cleanses and I also teach a food based detox class. I also recommend a continual cleansing type diet, instead of the deprivation felt during a regular cleanse.

Comment by Michelle Butler on March 19, 2010 at 4:47pm: I offer seasonal cleanses in my nutrition practice. I truly believe they are absolutely vital to our health and well-being. Check out http://www.yogimichelle.com under Spring Detox for a whole foods-based gentle cleanse!

Comment by Anne de Champlain on March 16, 2010 at 3:41pm: I did a few 5 days cleanses last year - the cleanse wasn't too hard to follow but impossible for me to do for more than 5 days (the cleanse suggested 10) as it didn't involve any solid food and I was training substantially right through it. Although, these cleanses worked for me then, I wouldn't recommend them to anyone now as they were not balanced and quite draining. However, the rapid weight loss (10 pounds in five days) indicated something was wrong in my diet and I soon had a blood test which showed that I was highly sensitive to foods I was consuming regularly including all gluten foods (Wheat, rye, barley, kamut, spelt), Soya (yes tofu, tamari, soy sauce, braggs etc), eggs, almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds and pistachios and dairy. I already suspected wheat and dairy so avoided them prior but was surprised by of few of those.
This of course prompted me to change my diet further and without considering myself a raw foodist (I still consume either quinoa, amaranth or buckwheat porridge about 4 or 5 mornings a week), I otherwise realize the rest of my diet is raw and this has been effortless. Brendan's books and Vega have been of great help.
For anyone eating Soy everyday I would suggest you find other sources of plant based protein including hemp, pea, rice and at least introduce these into your diet to avoid creating intolerances.

Comment by Elizabeth Hardisty on March 16, 2010 at 12:34pm: Thanks Kim!

Comment by Kim Tintinalli on March 16, 2010 at 8:44am: For Elizbeth...It is recommende that you strat cleanse on a weekend or hen you have at least a day or 2 where you do not have anythng to do. this is because of the sode effects. Yes they go away. I have been cleansing for a few years now and the headaches and lack of energy are not pleasant but do go away. It is your body's response to ridding the toxins from your system.
good Luck

Comment by Andrew Williamson on March 16, 2010 at 8:22am: For Cheryl - I've now made lots of the recipes and they're easy and good. Energy bars are simple and the perfect snack. Worth the little bit of prep to get them made, for sure.

Comment by Elizabeth Hardisty on March 16, 2010 at 7:23am: I've a question from you experienced "cleansers". At pushing-70, I know my body craves to cleanse (and I do too!). But every single time, within hours, I go into fatigue, some nausea, feeling really cold and shivery, raging headache, listlessness (yes, I drink coffee! and haven't been able to quit that either). Unable to function, I quit the cleanse. Apart from coffee my diet is fairly enlightened and I was checked out as 'healthy' by my naturopath. How do other people manage to get their work done while on a cleanse?! and does this 'sick dishrag' feeling go away eventually?