Continual Cleansing for Optimal Health & Vitality

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

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

There are many excellent articles and books dedicated to cleansing so I won’t go into much detail in this article. (Interesting to note, however, all of them prescribe complete abstinence from animal-based foods and focus solely on plant-based nutrition during the cleansing process.) So how do you extend and expand upon these cleansing benefits for long term optimal health and vitality? If we feel so good after a cleanse, then why not adopt a “continual cleansing” type diet? I call it the Thrive Diet, a common-sense, simple approach to eating based on whole plant derived foods.

After you do a cleanse, here is a great first step towards continual cleansing.

Begin by consuming lots of raw, alkaline-forming fruits and vegetables. Eaten on a regular basis, these foods start the natural transition process away from processed foods which cause the body to become acidic.

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

When you get to the point where you no longer have to restrain yourself from eating unhealthy food you will feel great. It is a telltale sign that your body is cleansing itself and making a smooth transition to a healthier lifestyle. Constantly fighting cravings is not a mentally healthy way to live. Changing your perception about what your body desires is fundamental to permanently ending these cravings.

One way to include more fruit and vegetables in your diet is by making smoothies and drinking them as snacks or meals. Beginning your day with a smoothie made with alkaline forming, plant-based whole food ingredients is one of the best ways to get the body going, and provides clean-burning, easily absorbed fuel to jumpstart your day.

Smoothies are easy and convenient to prepare. They can pack a lot of nutrition into a glass - plus their great taste appeals to almost all palates. Note, however, some smoothie recipes are much healthier than others. Many smoothie recipes contain mostly carbohydrates. I like my smoothies to incorporate all the elements of a complete meal - including protein and EFAs.

Try following these basic guidelines for an ideal smoothie:

• Ensure only plant-based ingredients are used to benefit from continual cleansing.

• Use ripe whole fruit and fruit juices for flavor and sweetness instead of sugar or artificial sweeteners.

• Include multiple sources of protein for a balanced amino acid profile.

• Add a source of Omega-3 and 6 EFAs for their health benefits.

• Try adding some “green foods” to provide extra servings of vegetables.

For example, I like a chlorophyll-rich smoothie that tastes good. You can use hemp protein because it is complete, raw, contains chlorophyll and is alkaline-forming. From there add pea and rice protein to balance the amino acid profile of the hemp. Soluble fiber and ground flax seeds for Omega-3 EFAs are also great additions. Blend with a banana, fruit juice, and some berries. The result is a complete liquid meal that facilitates continual cleansing!