Strategies for a Successful Spring Cleanse
Springtime is a magical time with the blossoms bursting on the trees, the bright yellow of the skunk cabbage emerging in the wetlands, the return and migration of so many wonderful bird friends. It’s also the time when the media is filled with ideas and products aimed to help irrigate our systems during an annual “Spring Cleanse”. The manufacturing and marketing of “The Spring Cleanse” is a multi-billion dollar business promising to flush us out, shine us up and make us well.
Spring cleansing is not a new concept. It has been a ritual in humanity for centuries. After a long winter of consuming stored foods our digestive systems may be feeling stagnated, slow and tired. Bringing in the foods and herbs that help stimulate flow and encourage vitality makes great sense.
However, so many of the cleanse kits that are on the market today don’t offer strategies on the importance of preparing to cleanse. This is a very important step to a successful spring cleanse. It’s much like training for a 10K race. If you had never run a 10K road race, it’s doubtful you would just show up on race day and go for it. Suffice to say there would be weeks of preparation and training plus making sure you have the correct gear and supplies. This is much the same case for cleansing. In fact, certain cleanses are so efficient they can do more damage to a system when completed without proper prep.
FIVE KEY STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESSFUL SPRING CLEANSING
- Inventory your current state of health: Before you begin or even consider doing a spring cleanse you need to determine how you are currently feeling. What has your diet consisted of for the last 3 months? Are you currently under high levels of stress? Are you sleeping well, falling asleep easily, staying asleep and waking up rested? Are you moving your body on a daily basis? It is advisable to consult with a qualified health practitioner to help with this assessment.
- Remove all stimulants, caffeine, alcohol, sugar and processed foods from your daily diet: This means prior to completing “The Cleanse” remove the foods that slow and aggravate your body systems. Allow yourself time to detox and withdraw from these foods and substances as this, in and of itself, can be difficult to comply with. Stock your kitchen and larder with nourishing, healthful items.
- Drink Water: Now is the time to include healthy, clean water in your daily routine. What constitutes a daily recommendation for water consumption is a very individual amount. Ideally one is drinking between 6 – 12 cups of water per day. Certain Herbal teas count as water consumption as does bone broth.
- Strengthen elimination systems: The human body has essentially four major elimination systems. The bowels, the lungs, the urinary tract, and the skin. Each system is specifically designed to eliminate excess and waste. It’s important to evaluate how these systems are managing with this task. For example, if constipation is a concern this will need to be remedied prior to considering a cleanse. This single issue alone will determine your success with a cleanse.
- Organize time to cleanse: This point is very much overlooked in our fast paced, immediate gratification based culture. The action of completing a cleanse is stressful for the mind, body and spirit. Its essential during a cleanse to have enough time to rest and recover from the strain that detoxification puts on the body. The immune system is required to work harder, the digestive system takes a higher level of waste out, emotions fluctuate and moods can shift. A cleanse should not be completed during a time of stress or busy-ness or when the body system is struggling with illness or immune suppression or imbalance.
Proper preparation for a Spring Cleanse allows for one to succeed and gain the benefits that a detoxification program can offer. What’s even more exciting is that you might find by implementing the five key preparation strategies that you have completed a cleanse all on its own without a fancy packaged product.
