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Many of us have either engaged in cleansing, detoxifying and fasting or heard of people who have. Yet, not everyone believes in the necessity. It is true that the human body is well-equipped with natural and effective detoxification pathways and that these pathways work whether we turn them on. Your  liver works 24-7, performing about 500 complex biological functions, including moment to moment detoxification. Your kidneys are detoxification/elimination organs too, as is your colon, and to a much lesser degree, your sweat glands and lungs. To use the metaphor of a house, daily detoxification is like doing the dishes, sweeping the floor and putting away your clothes. It is a necessary daily task that keeps the system running smoothly. Yet,  many of us experience the psychological and physical benefits when our  house undergoes a deep clean. We remove the dust bunnies from under the bed and couch, and clean the dirt in and above the fridge. Amanda Love, The Barefoot Cook and author of The Nourishing Cleanse explains:

Humans have been cleansing for centuries. Islamic, Hindu, Jewish, and Christian religious texts each provide different instructions for purifying oneself through food choices, usually as a way to attain greater connection with the divine. Ancient Greek scholars like Plato and Pythagoras advocated cleansing practices to prepare their students for study, and Hippocrates, father of modern medicine, prescribed cleansing diets as a treatment for a range of ailments. These are just a few examples. Nearly every ancient culture has had guidelines for attaining health and clarity through food. Our ancestors recognized the healing properties of cleansing and allowing the body to rest. In our increasingly toxic modern world, it is especially vital to devote the necessary time to tune in to your body, reconnect with ancient wisdom, and rejuvenate yourself. By cleansing, you are setting an intention to return your body to its healthy, intelligent, strong state—how it is designed to be. You will be taking the time to reset old patterns and learn to savor nourishing, healing foods.

Amanda lists these Important reasons to cleanse:

  • Increase mental clarity and memory
  • Boost energy and feel more youthful
  • Lose weight and burn fat
  • Improve sleep
  • Rejuvenate cells and clear cellular debris
  • Regenerate the digestive system and improve digestive terrain
  • Gain awareness of food sensitivities and how they affect you
  • Reduce inflammation, allergies, and pain
  • Improve skin

My own experience

I have learned that our organs of elimination and detoxification can get clogged, even on a nutrient dense diet. Even though I eat well all year round, I have done a number of cleanses over the course of the last 15 years in order to “deep clean”.  One of which is called Panchakarma at the Ayurvedic Instituted in New Mexico, which includes a mono diet of ktichiri – mung beans and rice, daily enemas, and a number of therapuetic treatments. We took lab test before and after. The number of heavy metals in my body decreased dramatically as did pesticides such as DDT, that were revealed via blood tests. For thousands of years, Chinese medicine and other traditional healing practices have recognized the relationships between seasonal changes and our bodies. Spring is a time of rebirth and an opportune time to harness that transformative energy of renewal. Google spring cleanse and you will see countless entries. Last spring, I did a 21 day group Standard Process Cleanse lead by Anne Fischer Silva, the nutritionist I’d been working with for several years. My digestion and elimination was quite robust, I lost weight and definitely felt revived. This year I’ve decided to do another group cleanse – The Nourishing Cleanse led by Amanda Love. I loved the experience of cleansing with communal support and I like the fact that  a practitioner will be guiding us. Amanda is a Nutrition, Wellness and Real Food Cooking Consultant. She is a Certified Healing Food Specialist, Real Foods Chef, Nutrition Therapy Practitioner, past Weston A. Price Conference Chef, and recipient of the Weston A. Price Food Activist Award. She is also a board member of the food activist organization, The Cornucopia Institute. Amanda is also a long time supporter of Nourishing Our Children, having donated to receive every iteration of our educational materials since 2006. This year she became one of our sponsors. She has been one of my visual communication clients, is now a close friend, and has created some of the most delicious, nutrient dense foods I’ve ever eaten. BeefSp

So back to the cleanse …

On each day of the ten-day cleanse, you will eat nourishing, delicious and healing foods which focus on the following six healing pillars: broth, protein, healing fats, green vegetable juices, probiotic-rich foods, and hydration. Amanda explains:

This cleanse is different then other cleanses because it is centered on time-honored healing foods [all in alignment with the recommendations made by the Weston A. Price Foundation]. These foods specifically help to flush out toxins, detoxify and lighten the load of the liver and gallbladder, clean out the colon, remove yeast and bad bacteria, add enzymes and beneficial bacteria, and heal and seal the intestinal lining. The Nourishing Cleanse is also very gentle. It avoids the extremes many other cleanse programs recommend, like fasting or eating high-glycemic foods [i.e. juice-only diets, high-fruit diets, etc.]

I am excited about the fact that this cleanse also includes instructions for journaling, and workbook pages focused on self care rituals such as affirmations, personal intentions, and visualization, as well as additional detoxification methods including deep breathing, dry brushing, sunshine, salt baths and more. Amanda is offering our community members a discount on the group cleanse. She usually charges 159.00 but, we can enroll for 50% off – 79.50. Here is our discount code: spring. Please see this screen shot of the check out interface so you know where to enter the discount code. You’ll see the words in blue Have a discount code? Click here to enter it. Sign up by May 17. The cleanse is May 18 – May 27. We’d love you to join us! You many also cleanse on your own without the group for 50% off. The Nourishing Cleanse book is regularly 59.00 but, is offered for 29.50 during this promotion. Included:

  • Email Questions/Support with Amanda Love
  • Daily Email Inspiration
  • Secret Facebook Group
  • 15 Minute Phone Support with Amanda
  • Gently detox with the support of a group
  • Bonus: Free Spring Seasonal Menu Plan with purchase of Nourishing Cleanse [valued at $59.00]

Spring Promotion

In addition, all of Amanda’s products are currently 50% off during a spring promotion May 4 – May 11.  She offers:

  • Seasonal menu planners, as well as a year full of seasonal menu plans as .pdf files. I’ve downloaded them all and am excited to start to use them.
  • Brain Upgrade supplement
  • Soothin’ Infusion organic herbal ice tea – both sweetened with stevia and unsweetened, which I’ve enjoyed at home at at the Weston A. Price Foundation conferences
  • Here is our discount code: spring. Amanda has extended the discount through the end of May.

Giveaway

On May 8, Amanda will give 4 individuals one complimentary gift of their choice.

  • All Seasonal menus plans: spring, summer, fall, winter and the year of seasonal menu plans – a 199.00 value
  • 1 bottle of the Brain Upgrade – a 97.00 value
  • 1 case of Soothin’ Infusion organic herbal ice tea – either sweetened or unsweetened – a 99.00 value
  • 1 free group cleanse – 159.00 value

[Results – Heather T, gottdesirae, Pam P, and Lucy Tyrala’s  qualifying responses were randomly chosen for this giveaway.]

Enter by answering this question, with at lease 5 sentences, and the words cleanse in the body of your response.

Have you experienced a cleanse before? What were the results? If you haven’t, would you consider doing so and why or why not?