Last Spring, I felt a powerful need to go on a cleanse even though I’m a pretty healthy eater by American standards: Vegetarian, no alcohol, ample amounts of fruits and veggies and I do yoga everyday. I do confess to a slight sugar addiction. I followed a cleanse from a book on Ayurvedic health, the ancient Indian form of health and healing. I realized for my own body type, that a super stringent cleanse like the Master Cleanse would not work for me.
So the first day, I ate fruit for breakfast, a salad of raw vegetables for lunch and some steamed vegetables cooked with some spices like turmeric and coriander for dinner. During the day, I snacked on oranges. The next day, I opted for a total juice fast. Carrot juice was a main staple as were herbal teas. I also diluted organic fruit juice and sipped it throughout the day. I continued this for one additional day. At the end of my three days, I felt that I could go longer, but I chose to stop. I felt superbly clean on the inside and also had a new found trust and faith in my discipline.
You’ve heard of the runner’s high? I think there should be an analogous faster’s high. You just feel bright and very mentally strong. You don’t realize how much of your day and your expectations rotate around meal and snack times. It’s a scary thing to let go of that for the first day, but I kept telling myself that oatmeal and chocolate weren’t going anywhere. They would be there when I broke fast. Relinquishing that dependence on food can be a rush. Even if just temporary.
Even though there is no scientific evidence supporting its usage, it’s a personal decision that I was happy I made. Even though I resumed my morning coffee and other staples, the cleanse had a surprise effect on me. I exhumed my kitchen and office desk drawer of anything processed and artificial and tossed it out. I didn’t want it. Maybe it’s the box of Girl Scout cookies that I’m slowly, but gratifyingly, noshing my way through or maybe it’s the dawn of Spring, but I am subtly feeling my inner self tell me that it’s time once again for another cleanse. I haven’t decided what kind of a cleanse I’ll do. It will probably resemble this one, but maybe I’ll add an extra day or two to it. I don’t know. But I’ll keep you posted.