I know… winter can seem like it drags on forever! The summer finally gets here and we binge. Fresh summer cocktails, Barbecues, ice creams or whatever your little heart desires because you know it will all end again soon. lol Who can help themselves?
Oh yeah… and the days are longer! … That means we have more active and outdoor time, but it also means more hours to consume everything!!! Perhaps a few over indulgent evenings led to skipping a workout or two and now your whole routine is out of whack. I hear you… you want to get back in shape and to healthy eating, but where to start?
I have a simple plan for you to kick start your healthy routine…. check it out!
We will start with a 5 day cleanse to flush the system, regain your energy, and put you back on track!
Upon waking: warm water and lemon, this helps to stimulate the digestive system and gently cleanses the liver, gets you ready to take on the day.
Light stretching: moving the body is very important part of a cleanse too! We need to circulate all the stale fluids trapped in our joints, pooled in our lymph nodes, and settled in our organs.
Breakfast will be pure and simple fresh fruit. Enjoy some local goodness, fall is a great time for apples, pears, and raspberries. They are high in fibre so the perfect cleansing agent! Choosing local and in season means you are getting optimal nutrients, reducing your carbon footprint and supporting your local farmers. That seems to be a WIN, WIN, WIN situation!
Tip: if you can buy large quantities at a better price, go for it! Store apples and pears in a cool place, and freeze the raspberries.
Fresh, raw fruit consumed on it’s own is also the most simplest form of food. It requires the least amount of digestive energy and therefore will pass through your system within 20-30 minutes, providing you with fibre, vitamins and minerals essential for energy production and help flush the system.
Snack: make yourself a fresh juice combing vegetables with some fruit to make it more palatable. You can use a juicer if you have one, but in the blender is just fine! You will keep some of the fibre which we know is a great cleanser 🙂
Liver Cleanser (for juicer only): beets, carrots, green apple, ginger
Digestive Cleanse (Blender): spinach, pineapple, ginger, orange-squeezed
Lunch: Raw veggies… as much as you like!
Raw vegetables are an excellent source of fibre, vitamins & minerals.
Make a salad: Romaine, arugula, red leaf lettuce with shredded carrots, red pepper, red onion, cucumber, grated turmeric, grated ginger, add some raw pumpkin seeds and dress very simply with some fresh squeezed lemon/lime and a pinch of sea salt.
Vegetables are the second easiest food group on the digestive system. **Please note that if you have IBS or other related gut issues you will have to change this meal to lightly cooked vegetables. Still dress with fresh squeezed lemon/lime and a touch of sea salt.
Snack: Every made your own hummus? It’s easy… recipe attached. How about guacamole? enjoy these snacks with fresh chopped vegetables like cucumber, red pepper, carrots, celery.
Dinner: Time to get in some protein so your body can get to work repairing and rebuilding while you are sleeping! Choose plant based protein sources like beans, chickpeas, peas, quinoa, etc.
Try a Buddha Bowl: Black beans, sweet potato, avocado, grated radish, grated carrots, grated cucumber, red onion, dressed with a dressing made of fresh squeezed lemon, tahini, sea salt.
Get out for a walk, try a Yoga class, go for a swim… anything that will involve at least 20 minutes of exercise and movement.
Your last meal should be at least two hours before bed, I want you to have a full 12 hours of fasting from after dinner until your breakfast. However, if there happens to be time for a snack… try celery with almond butter.
Lastly, a nice warm bath with Epsom salts. Epsom salts are know to help detox the body. Massage all your main lymphatic passage ways, top to bottom. Perhaps add some lavender oil to the bathwater to encourage relaxation. A good sleep is key to great health!
So why cleanse???
We don’t hesitate to do a spring or fall house cleaning…. get the cob webs out of the corners and purge all the useless things we have accumulated over the year. why do we do that? Or think of your vehicle… it needs regular fluid flushes, oil changes, spark plugs need cleaning, etc. This keeps your vehicle running smoothly for you, avoiding breakdowns. Our bodies are miraculous machines, they really are! But we need to take care of it as well and give it a chance to cleanse to keep it running optimally.
So, do you think it will be too difficult to do this on your own? Convince a friend to join you! It helps to keep you both accountable, you can share your struggles and perhaps even have a laugh.
Or another fabulous option… join me on a Caribbean Wellness Retreat! Now that is something! I feed you healthy, organic food while you are vacationing. I mean, cleansing on the beach, can it get any better!
See the poster below for my April retreat, designed for spring cleaning. This will be on the beautiful island of Isla Mujeres, MX just a short ferry ride from Cancun.
I know coming from an executive job, working on a computer most of the day, this was something I really could have used! Time to get away, recharge, refresh, and get back to your job and family a new person. Bring your friends and have fun while doing your body good and treating yourself to some much needed self-care. By the way, if you can convince your partner to join you, I always have rooms available for couples.
I am Lucia Di Cesare, a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, Certified Personal Trainer, and Foodie, with a background in Chemistry. I take nutrition to the cellular level! Check me out:
www.simplyhealthyliving.ca
Facebook: Simply Healthy Living
IG: simplyhealthyliving_lucy
