When I used hear the word “cleanse” I tended to recoil. I’d picture myself of miserably wasting away for days on end, being constantly “hangry” and not having the energy to do the outdoor activities I love. Unsurprisingly, I wrote cleanses off for years. But being someone who follows a lot of health, wellness and yoga pages on Facebook the slow tirade of cleansing benefits articles eventually wore me down. I decided to do a raw food cleanse.
To me, as someone who easily bonks, a raw food cleanse seemed like the best bet for keeping my body nourished and healthy. Those weight-loss juice cleanses are way out of my reach. I’m a hungry girl by nature and there’s no way I’d last, or be a productive member of society, just drinking lemon juice and cayenne pepper for a week.
When I actually looked at all the food options available on a raw cleanse, I was pleasantly surprised. I could do this. And you can, too. Have a peek:
On the List
- Vegetables: no baking, steaming or frying (you can have beans, but they must soak in water to soften before consumption).
- Fruit: preferably in season (ie citrus and pears are currently).
- Nuts & Seeds: unroasted, unsalted.
- Honey: raw, locally produced and sweet.
- Raw Apple Cider Vinegar: check out Bragg’s (good for making salad dressing)
- Water: helps to keep you feeling full and hydrated.
Off The List
- Meat
- Dairy
- Oil (unless it’s cold-pressed)
- Caffeine
- Sugar
- Booze
Get ready to eat a lot of salads. But hey, it could be worse, you could be hangry and famished with nothing to comfort you but lemon juice and cayenne pepper.
Here’s one of my favorite raw salad recipes:
Fruit/Nut Salad
Mixed Greens or Spinach
Almonds (or whatever nuts you have)
Mango
Apple
Red Onion
Avocado
Cherry Tomatoes
Salad Dressing:
2 teaspoons finely chopped, fresh ginger
Bragg’s Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tablespoon Honey
Salt/pepper to taste
The toughest part for me was the caffeine. I did experience some headaches, but I worked through it and the I felt incredible afterwards.