If you are reading this section, that means you have completed the cleanse!
Congratulations! Your body is hopefully thanking you with a clearer mind, sharper focus, your are feeling lighter, your clothes are fitting better, you have brighter eyes and skin to match, your mood is lifted, anxiety levels are down and you feel clean on the inside. You may even see some positive differences in your quality of sleep, bowel movements, energy level and the way you look!
So, how do you stay on track when the cleanse is over?
Let’s start with looking back and thinking about why you signed up for this cleanse in the first place. What were your goals? Did you reach them or did you at least do some work towards them? Did you notice some other changes along the way that you didn’t expect? If the answer is yes to some or all of those questions, then you need to think about how you can stay on track and incorporate healthier habits into your lifestyle so you can continue to feel and look great.
Planning your immediate post-cleanse meals is a crucial step to staying on track so you don’t undo all of the cleansing you did for your body! Enjoy how your body feels and be picky about what you let back in. You worked so hard! You deserve to feel good.
Choose organic foods. We just got rid of so many toxins from our body, we don’t want to add them all back in! Pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides are widely used in conventional agriculture and we certainly do not want to put all those toxins into our clean body! Organic food is also often fresher because there are no preservatives added to make them last longer. Organic, especially plant based foods are also good for the environment. Yes, they are more expensive, but you are worth it. There are other things in life that you can cut back on, don’t choose the food you put in your body. You are worth it, start making your health a priority.
Keep your portions small.
Eat slowly. Be sure to chew your foods thoroughly so it is easily digested.
Stay hydrated. Continue to stay hydrated post cleanse. Sometimes we think we are really hungry when we are just really dehydrated. Always drink water before you sit down for a meal and have plenty of water throughout the day.
Avoid sugar, coffee, alcohol, wheat, gluten, dairy, meats and processed foods. All of these foods make your digestive system (your organs) work extra hard to break them down. Some of these foods are inflammatory and they will most likely effect your mood, may increase anxiety, make you feel sluggish, and some have even been linked to skin related problems, gastrointestinal issues, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and more…. the list goes on and on!
Post Cleanse – Day 1
The first day after the cleanse you will want to start with introducing foods back into your diet that are easily digestible and most importantly – CLEAN! Most of the foods referenced in the Pre-Cleanse Prep. Fresh or steamed vegetables, salads, avocados, nuts, olive oil, coconut oil, spices, etc…) are all great options when thinking about your next meal and/or snacks following the cleanse.
Post Cleanse – Day 2
The second day after the cleanse you can start introducing grains, beans, vegetable soup and other foods like sweet potatoes.
Post Cleanse – Day 3 and beyond
The third day and beyond you are hopefully enjoying healthier foods and your body is responding well. After the cleanse, eating a well balance and filling meal will feel like a cheat meal! With that said, and being realistic, you are going to reintroduce some of the foods you enjoyed prior to the cleanse (even if they may not be the healthiest, but we need to sometimes have those foods in our lives too). The key is to think about how you can add them in occasionally so your body will still be getting mostly nutritious foods, most of the time.
Introduce foods that were in your diet before the cleanse one at a time and slowly. Keep a small food log and take note of how your body feels and/or reacts in the first hour and then a few hours later. What do you notice? It may surprise you that some foods that you know to be healthy, may just not sit well with you. You may still be able to enjoy these foods, but maybe you will limit them or try different ways to prepare them or what you will pair these foods with.
Below are some things to think about if and when you do reintroduce some of the foods that are not so great for your body.
Processed foods: Continue to aim towards having whole foods vs. processed foods most of the time. When you do add in processed foods like bread and pasta, look for gluten free pasta varieties or sprouted grains when choosing a bread option. Try eating more grains like quinoa, millet and try different varieties of rice.
Animal protein: If you were consuming meat in your diet prior to the cleanse, consider cutting back and having it only a few nights a week. Try eating more plant based sources of protein like lentils, chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, tofu, tempeh, edamame, hemp seeds, almonds, quinoa, greens like broccoli and kale, peanuts, almonds, chia seeds, and spirulina. There are many obvious health reasons why animal protein should be limited or eliminated from your diet, but what most people don’t realize, is how harmful it is to our environment. If you are interested in learning more:
https://www.forksoverknives.com/animalproteindangers/#gs.sq4e5p
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/meat-and-environment/
Dairy: If you were consuming diary products in your diet prior to the cleanse, consider cutting back. Most dairy products are highly processed. Consider replacing your dairy products with alternative plant based sources. You may notice many of your ailments disappear when you eliminate dairy from your diet. There are so many healthier alternatives (nut, hemp and oat milks, nut based and vegetable based butters, nut based cheeses, etc. ) available. While these alternatives are also processed foods, they may be healthier alternatives depending on which products you are choosing. It is also very easy to make your own nut milk at home.
Alcohol: If you are consuming alcohol, limit your consumption and frequency so your liver can take a break and you can keep the symptoms of consuming alcohol to a minimum. When consuming too much alcohol, it can interrupt your sleep which can lead to anxiety, depression and fatigue. It may also cause gastrointestinal issues, headaches, muscle aches, sensory discomforts (i.e. sensitivity to light, vertigo) and impact cognitive functions like decreased attention and concentration.
Caffeine: If you quit coffee for the cleanse, consider sticking with it! The worst is over. Challenge yourself to keep going. Notice your energy levels. Even though you may miss the ritual or the comfort of your morning coffee, do you miss the afternoon crash, the head fog, irritability or the headache when you haven’t had your coffee? Consider trying Matcha, a healthy and natural caffeine that is cleaner without the crash. There are different ways to prepare it and it can be quite satisfying. Some of the benefits of matcha powder include a hefty dose of antioxidants which help reduce cell damage and prevent chronic disease, linked to preventing cancer, may promote healthy cholesterol levels, strengthen your bones and keep you focused throughout the day! There are some delicious herbal teas as well. If you didn’t give up coffee during the cleanse, but cut back, consider keeping things the way they are. You already proved to yourself that you can live without it.
https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/a27127259/matcha-powder-benefits/
Final thoughts and recommendations:
- Lean towards eating a mostly whole foods, plant based diet that is rich in lots of fruits and vegetables!
- Consider taking a multivitamin as an insurance plan to ensure you are getting all of your essential vitamins and minerals.
- Consider consulting with a licensed nutritionist if you are planning to change your diet to ensure you are incorporating what your body needs to function in a healthy way.
- Introduce foods back into your diet slowly so you can really pay attention to how your body responds when you reintroduce these foods back into your diet.
- Look at your daily food log to remind yourself how you were feeling during the cleanse and how you felt at the end.
- Consider doing cleanses periodically to “reset” and get back on track.
- Don’t forget that Sunflower is an organic natural food market and carries really amazing healthy foods products. When you are in a pinch, they have a cafe with healthy pre-made meals. Ask for your favorite cleanse smoothies and/or juices and they would be happy to make them for you!
- As a Breathe member, you get 10% off of one cafe item as long as you have taken a class at least 10 days prior to shopping. Remember to grab your stamped slip from Breathe before you head over to Sunflower!
Disclaimer:
We are NOT doctors, nutritionists or registered dietitians. The information we provide is based on personal experiences and independent research. We do not claim to help cure any condition or disease. We do not provide medical aid or nutrition advice for the purpose of health or disease nor do we claim to be doctors or dietitians.
Any product recommendation is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Our statements and information have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
We expressly disclaim responsibility to any person or entity for any liability, loss, or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly as a result of the use, application or interpretation of any material provided to you as the client.
