By the time March rolls around, I am ready for a fresh start. As the days get longer again and the bulbs start popping up through the cool muddy ground, I am reminded of renewal and growth in myself as well. Spring is an excellent time to do a cleanse, but many feel a bit intimidated by the whole process. Let me start by saying that there are many levels of cleansing! Those who are experienced in detoxing and who do so quite regularly may go straight for the Master Cleanse, a water, lemon, maple syrup and cayenne fast. For those of us not able or willing to go to that extreme, there are many options. Of course before starting any cleanse, you should consult your health care provider. If any type of cleanse is contraindicated for you, do read on, I have some ideas that could still help you!

This spring finds me at a point where I am really feeling the need to “clean out” after a long winter of cookies, muffins and hearty dense foods, but I am still nursing my eight month old baby, so a deep cleanse is out of the question. This doesn’t mean I can not eliminate certain things from my diet and make improvements though. I will share with you my personal plan, and offer some other choices that may suit you.

Cleansing is about way more than just what you put into or take out of your body, it is also about what you do(or haven’t been doing!) with your body too. A few weeks ago I returned to the yoga studio for some Ashtanga classes. My home practice is really relaxing and restorative, but the class I attend is more heat-generating and strength building. In other words, bring on the sweat! I have been making a point to go for walks at my local park more frequently too. I must say that I feel so much better already. Just adding a little more physical activity has given me more energy and revving up my heart rate is surely helping my body move toxins out and bring in more oxygen.

Let’s talk about water. The extra activity has helped me increase my water intake as well. Proper hydration is essential for our organs to work efficiently. This includes our intestines. We should be eating enough fruits and vegetables and drinking enough water to properly eliminate toxins. Did you know it is easy to get dehydrated in the winter? Think about all the dry heat you have been exposed to. Look at your winter skin. The best way to hydrate yourself is from the inside! Drink more water! At least 64 ounces of water is the daily recommendation. And at least once a day, usually in the morning, I am adding a squeeze of fresh lemon to my water. Fresh lemon gives me some flavor, for one, and two, it is cleansing and vitalizing. A hot bath with sea salt is another great way to use water for cleansing. My absolute favorite cleansing bath is available at the store. It is called ‘Detox Bath Crystals’ and is made by WiseWays Herbals. Ask any staff member and they can show you right where it is. They may also share their own personal experience with the product, as most people on staff also love this! It contains a wonderful combination of minerals and herbs to help your body detox, and is relaxing too!

So, as a nursing mother, I am definitely not going to take too many herbs or supplements. I want to keep it simple. There are some herbs and foods that I can incorporate into my diet that have cleansing properties though. In keeping with the season, my first choice is Dandelion. A cup of Dandelion Root tea is a lovely addition to my day, and of course lots of Dandelion greens are a wonderful thing to see on my dinner plate! Garlic is also a good cleansing herb/food, and so I add more of that into my diet, plus it goes great with all those greens! An increase in dark leafy greens is a must for me this time of year. I usually start up my morning smoothie habit again, adding a greens powder or a few leaves of fresh kale to it, and I also eat more fresh salads. A salad every night with dinner adds some essential roughage to your diet, and you can top it with a simple healthy dressing made from Olive Oil or Flax oil and Cider Vinegar or lemon. As mentioned earlier, some use cayenne in a deep detox, but adding it to your foods can help safely cleanse the body too. Or try some ginger. Both are great for circulation. A little fresh burdock root in a veggie soup is another delicious way to gently cleanse. I always make sure to have a lot of healthy snacks available too, like almonds and cut-up veggies for those times when I am really hungry and don’t want to think about my healthiest options.

Adding the cleansing foods into your diet is fairly easy. Eliminating the less beneficial foods isn’t. I don’t know about you all, but I get into some not so healthy eating habits in the winter. Oh come on! How can I resist my best friend’s divine cookies? And then it spirals downward from there. Before I know it, I have allowed myself quite a large ration of nightly sugar! So yes, folks, we are going to talk about the real elimination. The one that may be the hardest. All the things we put in our bodies that are not the optimal things for good health. Now, I truly believe in the motto of everything in moderation, but Spring is a good time to reconsider what moderate is. I am not suggesting something as ridiculous as to never have chocolate again, don’t worry. But I am suggesting avoiding things like sugar, refined flours, canned and processed foods, meat, dairy and alcohol for at least one week. One week is not a lot of time. It gives your body a rest and can actually give you more energy. What I usually do is set a goal of one day, then after getting through that first(and hardest)day, I go for a week. After that week, I will assess how I am feeling and go from there. The key is to be gentle and kind to yourself and listen to your body. Just remember that after abstaining from these things, your body may be more sensitive to them, so honor your body and if you feel the need, slowly reintroduce those things in moderation which you feel you can not live without!

Lastly, I want to mention another form of detoxification. If you are in a place where you just don’t feel able to cleanse physically, then think outside the box and consider another type of cleanse. Try cleaning up your negative language or thoughts. Read a book instead of watching television. Maybe spend less time on the computer. Spend quiet time by yourself each day and practice slow, deep breathing. Go to bed earlier. Cleansing is sort of like a reset button. Allow yourself to plant seeds of positive change this Spring and awaken to your true potential for healthier living. Winter is coming to an end , my friends, and it’s your time to shine!

~Kristin