Spring is an ideal time for a cleanse. Winter is a time of holiday binging, sweets, and rich foods. Then spring comes along and says be lighter, so here are many herbs and veggies to help you. Our modern world is packed with countless toxins, including processed food, pesticides, medications, heavy metals, and pollution. It’s a good idea to lighten our total load by using diet, herbs, amino acids, and vitamins to spring clean our system.

spring cleanse goodies

Many people turn to popular programs such as the Master Cleanse for their detoxification needs. This is a fast and is not a good idea for everyone, especially those who have blood sugar imbalances. If you are hypoglycemic (even borderline) or diabetic, then ingesting only simple sugars for many days can be dangerous. Another concern is for those with heavy metal toxicity (having mercury fillings increases this likelihood). Liquid fasts stir up the toxins quickly, so if someone is already highly toxic then they could become very ill. Some level of discomfort such as headaches, flu-like symptoms, and light-headedness are typical while fasting. If these symptoms persist for several days, or you feel very dizzy or confused, it is a good idea to pull back on the fast, and eat!

There are gentle yet effective ways to do your inner spring cleaning. An ideal detox program will consist of organic whole foods, herbs, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. There are many 1-4 week cleanse kits available at your local health food store. Some are very healing, while others are too harsh. You can also put your own cleanse together. Look for a product with liver, kidney, gall bladder, and blood purifying herbs such as milk thistle, dandelion, burdock, black radish, licorice root, yellow dock, turmeric, and parsley leaf. The amino acids methionine and N-acetyl cysteine, along with the antioxidant alpha lipoic acid, support the liver detoxification process. Fiber plays a crucial role while cleansing because it binds to the toxins and ensures their removal from the body. Look for a powder with a blend of soluble and insoluble fiber. Here are two excellent products: Gaia Herbs’ Rejuve Powder and Clary Sage Organics’ Fig Fruit Fiber.

What about the diet? Eliminating toxins can also remove beneficial nutrients. Therefore, it is important to eat food that is packed with nourishment for the body so that it does not become depleted. Stick to organic veggies, fruit, chicken, lamb, soaked beans, nuts, seeds, yogurt, and gluten-free whole grains (quinoa, brown/red/black rice, millet, and buckwheat). Due to high levels of mercury, limit fish consumption while on a cleanse. Herbal teas and potassium broth (recipe below) are packed with nourishing compounds. Fresh vegetable juice and green super-food powders with spirulina, chlorella, antioxidants, and herbs, are cleansing and energizing.

Ingredients to eliminate: sugar, gluten (wheat, barley, rye, spelt, and kamut), caffeine, alcohol, deep fried anything, and processed foods. These refined foods usually contain preservatives and additives for flavor and shelf life extension and have been stripped of nutrients such as fiber and minerals.

Once your cleanse is finished, don’t reintroduce the toxic foods and substances that caused the bloating, weight gain, and fatigue that made you want to detox in the first place. Maintain your newfound spring lightness through all the coming seasons!

Potassium Broth

8 carrots, scrubbed with skins on

6 celery stalks

1 bunch fresh parsley

1 bunch broccoli

2 medium onions

6-8 red or purple potatoes, skins on

1 head cabbage

Put all ingredients in soup pot, cover with filtered water. Simmer covered for 30 minutes. Let cool, and then strain solids. Add 1 teaspoon of miso to each serving. Store in glass jar in fridge. Drink one cup a day while cleansing.

Happy cleansing!