A Spring Cleanse
There is a certain logic to cleansing in the Spring. As the natural world begins to awaken, there is a change in energy—a release of waters as snow and ice melt, and an emergence of new growth from the ground and the trees as the days lengthen and warm. There is a burst of energy in our external environment, and, for many of us, a call to mimic that shift in our internal landscapes.
If you are eating in season, you will quickly realize that nature provides you with the foods you need to best perform in that season. Winter foods—root vegetables, squash, potatoes, winter greens—are foods that require cooking and, are thus eaten warm. They are starchier foods, providing the “comfort” quality we seek in winter months, and they are designed to store well and sustain your body through darker, colder days. It’s no great surprise that soups, stews, and spiced curries are appealing in the middle of January.
Spring foods are bright, green, light. The first vegetables to emerge are snappy and clean—young radishes, beets, asparagus, peas, carrots. Many of the most temporal spring foods specifically aid in liver detoxification and water retention. The earth provides us with just the foods we need to internally thaw and release the waters from our bodies. Spring is a great time to start incorporating more raw foods in your diet and to lighten up on fats and heavier starches.
My approach to cleansing in my Holistic Health Coaching practice is something I call Rational Cleansing. It’s about a gentle, gradual restoration of balance in your body through the temporary removal of irritants and allergens from your diet, and an emphasis on eating delicious, seasonal, whole-foods. Rather than shocking your system with a deprivation-style cleanse, Rational Cleansing is designed to harness the incredibly powerful detoxification system your body already possesses. It’s about nourishment, not punishment.
Download your 7 day Spring Clean Eating Program now.
