CLEAN, The 21 Day Cleanse

Shortly after I moved to Israel Scott and I decided we needed to do a cleanse. We were both super healthy while living in Austin, however maintaining our clean diet and lifestyle in Israel was proving to be a bit more difficult. Whole Foods and organic farmers markets were out the window and replaced with weekly "Taco Night" family dinners, both of our July birthday celebrations, plus the 4th of July and an apartment infested with mold and bugs. All of this had us spraying chemicals, eating loads of sugar and grazing on processed foods that we wanted to eliminate from our diet. 
We needed to hit the reset button. 

Why Do A Cleanse?

The Standard American Diet, processed foods, GMO's, pesticides, toxins, chemicals, antibiotics and our fast-paced, stress-filled lives have (unfortunately) all become a normal and accepted part of modern life. All these things have the potential to interrupt and damage the body's natural functions and ultimately cause it to suffer in many ways small and large. Your detoxification system, comprised of your organs and psychological processes working together, is designed to keep you healthy, youthful and happy. With a little help from YOU this amazing system can become a super power center for healing, regeneration, restoration and rejuvenation. Doing a detoxifying cleanse helps to reactivate its potential and reset the whole mental and physical body. It delivers an all access pass to boundless reserves of energy and healing you didn't even know you had. 

Scott suffered from respiratory congestion, mild asthma and low energy, and I was dealing with IBS symptoms related to gluten, sweets and the stress of moving to a new and totally foreign place. Not to mention, we both have an insatiable sweet tooth that was self perpetuating monster. Rrrawr!  

On the hunt for a cleanse that we felt we could commit to and benefit from, I read the book Clean by Alejandro Junger and was totally sold. I liked several things about the program including:

• LONG ENOUGH: It is a 21-day cleanse which would give us enough time to heal, break bad habits and form new better ones.
• FOOD BASED: We wouldn't have to go vegan and totally starve ourselves on juice! We have a protein smoothie for breakfast, a healthy protein+veggie lunch, and a light veggie soup or fresh juice for dinner.
• MIND-BODY-SPIRIT INCORPORATED: It's not just a dietary cleanse. You are encouraged to meditate to cleanse the mind and change negative thought patterns that don't serve you. Online mediation resources: Mediation Experience and Living In Love Free Apps by Deepak Chopra; Mindful Meditation App; Check out other mediation apps HERE. 
• MOVE YOUR BODY: Exercise is also encouraged and since you are still eating real super healthy food you have the energy and strength to stay active, go for a run, or do yoga. 
• ADIOS CHEMICALS: All environmental toxins and chemicals including cleaning & beauty products are eliminated and replaced with safe natural products. This includes traditional toothpaste, antiperspirant, deodorant, all soaps & detergents, makeup, air fresheners, etc. 

This process was only slightly complicated by the fact that we live in Jerusalem and in the organic health food and nutrition department they about 20 years behind the curve. Fortunately, we are able to order most everything from Amazon. We also found an awesome CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program which delivers us two large boxes of local organic veggies once a week. As for meat... Well, we have to eat a lot of chicken as it is the only meat we can get organic. For best produce shop your local organic farmers markets or sign up for a CSA! 

OUR CLEAN PROGRAM

• Liquid Breakfast: Smoothie with greens, spinach, kale, blueberries & raspberries, cucumber, almond milk, vegan protein powder, chia seeds, super greens, coconut butter, maca powder, bee pollen, etc. 
• Solid Lunch: Healthy lunch with animal protein and veggies from the approved foods below. My lentil recipe is a great lunch option. Just switch the sausage for ground turkey, chicken or lamb.
  
• Liquid Dinner: Fresh veggie juice OR blended veggie soup
• 2 Tablespoons of Organic Extra Virgin Cold Pressed Olive Oil before bed

Olive Oil taken at night lubricates your intestines, improve bowel elimination, provide anti-inflammatory fats, kill germs and enhance fat burning, stimulate the gallbladder and liver to move bile clearing the liver system, promote bone formation, inhibit blood clot formation, and promote hormonal balance. 

• Fast for 12 HOURS between breakfast and dinner. If dinner was at 7 pm breakfast is at 7 am. 
• Drink at least 1 liter of pure filtered water a day not including tea.
• Snack, only if needed, on RAW veggies, fruit or nuts
• Supplement List Fiber, Probiotics, Liver Support, Antimicrobial, Digestive Enzymes, Natural Calm Magnesium 
• Printable Shopping List 
• PDF Cleanse Manual 

Clean Approved Foods 

ORGANIC as much as possible...

1. Fresh Whole Fruits
   
2. Fresh Whole Vegetables 
   
3. Non-Dairy Milks: Almond & Coconut Milks
   
4. Gluten Free Grains: Quinoa, Brown Rice, Buckwheat, Millet
   
5. Grass-fed Animal Protein: Chicken, Turkey, Lamb, Duck, Wild Game, Cold Water Fish, Rabbit 
   
6. Beans: Lentils, Legumes, Split Peas
   
7. Raw or Spouted Nuts
   
8. Cold Pressed Olive & Coconut Oils
   
9. Green & Herbal Teas, Yerba Mate, Mineral Water
   
10. Sweeteners: Stevia
    

Clean Forbidden Foods 

1. Oranges, Grapefruit, Strawberries, Grapes, Bananas
2. Night Shades: Corn, Tomatoes, Potato, Eggplant, Sweet Peppers
3. All Dairy: Milk, Butter, Cheese, Yogurt
4. Eggs
5. Beef, Pork, Veal, Cold Cuts, Sausage, Shellfish, Raw Fish, Hot Dogs
6. All Soy: Soy Milk, Tofu, Edamame
7. Peanuts, Pistachios, Macadamia Nuts
8. Spreads, Dressings, Margarine, Mayo
9. Alcohol
10. Caffeinated Drinks: Soda, Coffee, Teas
11. White & Brown Sugar, Honey, Maple Syrup, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Agave
12. Chocolate
13. All Processed, Packaged and Canned Foods

Since Scott and I were already pretty healthy and knew what we need to do to get back to baseline the results have not been super dramatic. We have felt hunger but never weakness. It has been hard not to eat solid foods after lunch. I am craving chocolate like crazy. More than anything I am still trying to break the habit of wanting something sweet after lunch and/or dinner. But it's not over yet and I am hopeful! 14 days into it here is what we have to report...

• Loads of energy, especially in the A.M. after fasting for 12 hours every night
• Feeling of lightness and ease
• My stomach pains and IBS symptoms are gone
• Scott's asthmatic symptoms and congestion is gone
• Skin is clear and radiant
• PMS symptoms (cramps, irritability, bloating) are lessened, if not gone
• Regular digestion and elimination (Sorry, but it's a good thing I had to mention!)
• We both have lost some weight, Scott much more than me. I don't weigh myself, but I can say my jeans slip on pretty easy right out of the dryer. 

We feel so good that we have actually decided to continue with the cleanse all the way to New Years just to end the year strong. We will be taking a three day break December 23-25th to celebrate a little and bake THESE gluten-free beauties. Check back here January 1st for the final report!