Doing a Simple Spring Cleanse

During the big season changes (Winter to Spring and Summer to Fall) we are often inspired to cleanse our body in addition to our homes. Some people go all out and subject themselves to very strict regiments of fasting, juicing and even enemas. That is not my style. I am a fan of moderation and I prefer a simple and gentle seasonal cleanse.

Why Do a Spring Cleanse?

A Spring cleanse, or Spring reset is part of living in rhythm with the seasons. Coming out of winter and into Spring, kapha energy is high. Kapha energy is dull, slow, heavy, oily, and sticky. When Kapha's energy is out of balance, we often feel tired, overweight, and uninspired.

{Kapha is a common Ayurvedic term. You can check out this previous blog post or YouTube video to learn more.}

To bring balance, eat a diet that is light, pungent, bitter, and astringent. We also cut down on or cut out the things we know are making us feel worse (alcohol, sugar, fat, sedentary habits). Instead, we focus on eating fresh seasonal foods, getting more exercise, meditating, and taking on projects we feel good about.

Watch Me Discuss It

When To Do a Spring Cleanse?

While you can do a cleanse anytime, late Winter/early Spring is always a good time. I prefer early April.

What Does a Cleanse Look Like?

Like I said above, I think it is best if a cleanse is simple and gentle. However, if you want to do a 24-hour water fast or a juice fast, you can. It's up to you. But this is what cleansing looks like in my house:

It is typically 3-5 days long.
I often alternate between a regular (but healthy and light) eating schedule and intermittent fasting (skipping evening snacks and breakfast). Note: throughout the year, I use intermittent fasting (IF) as a way to keep weight down and avoid mindless eating. If you haven't tried IF, this might be a good time to experiment. You can learn a little more HERE.
I plan a menu that is mostly seasonal vegetables, lean protein, and some fruit and whole grains. I try to get my fat from things like fish and avocados. I avoid anything processed and/or sweetened. I avoid store-bought bread.
In addition to eating healthy, I avoid alcohol and caffeine. Instead, I drink herbal teas with supportive herbs like dandelion, nettles, and chamomile.
I often include some sort of digital detox. This could be staying off social media for the entire cleanse or simply setting rules about when I can and can not have access to my phone.
I prioritize sleep and self-care habits like self-massage, evening baths, daily walking, and yoga.

Planning Steps

Decide how many days you want to do. This can depend on what's on your calendar (don't cleanse when you have a celebration to attend), how strict you plan to be with yourself, and how different your regular lifestyle is vs your cleansing plans.
Decide if you plan to add in a fast. If you do, plan your fast day to be in the middle of your cleanse. That way you ease in and ease out. Note - you can incorporate juicing into the meal plan without fasting. Consider making breakfast a big glass of freshly juiced produce.
Decide if you plan to experiment with intermittent fasting. This will affect your meal planning.
Plan out exactly what you intend for a digital detox, meditation, exercise, etc. What will you include and what activities will you stop?
Plan your meals out, including any possible snacks. Meal prep as much as possible to be sure it's easy to stay on plan.

Springtime Foods

This is just a partial list, for inspiration.

apples, asparagus, baby greens, beans, beets, berries, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chives, dandelion, eggs, fish, garlic, ginger, grapefruit, lemons, limes, mushrooms, parsley, pears, peas, pumpkin seeds, radishes, sprouts, tofu, zucchini.

Food Preparation Options

When incorporating a ton of veggies into your diet, you need to consider how you want to process or cook them. Pick the options that sound the most delicious to you while also keeping the current weather in mind (ie, If it's still cold out maybe consider more cooked veggies and soups. If it's warm, juices and salads might hit the spot).

Steamed
Roasted
Grilled
Raw/Salads
Soups/Stews
Juice

Sample Meal Plan

Breakfast Ideas:

1/2 grapefruit, slice of vegetable quiche
Oatmeal with berries or apples
Poached or fried egg over a small salad with a slice of whole wheat toast
Green juice (spinach, celery, zucchini, cucumber, parsley, green apple)

Snack Ideas:

Raw veggies and hummus
Whole wheat crackers
Avocado toast

Lunch/Dinner Ideas:

Big salad with fish, a slice of cornbread
Grilled Cod or Salmon with grilled asparagus and mushrooms, topped with lemon and parsley
Buddha Bowl - greens, quinoa, boiled egg, chopped veggies dressed with tahini and lemon dressing
Grilled chicken breast with roasted or steamed vegetable medley, quinoa
Vegetable & Barley Soup
Borscht (beet soup)
Cabbage Soup
Green & Beans
Taco Soup
Vegetable Pizza made with homemade crust

Summary

Don't overcomplicate it. The goal is simply to give your body a break from the garbage we feed it.

If this is your first attempt at a cleanse, start gently. Just reduce or eliminate processed foods, alcohol, sugar, and caffeine. Add in some seasonal vegetables. Focus on taking care of yourself.