In Preparation for Spring

Spring marks a time of metamorphosis and enlightenment.  During this time, we make several changes to our lifestyle to help us transition from the heavy winter to the light, airy spring.  Normally, people think about ‘spring cleaning’ to prepare for the change in season, but one of the areas in which we should think about change is our diet. Winter weather causes us to gravitate toward heavy, building foods (meats and cheeses) because the fatty, protein-based foods help us regulate our body temperature. Spring weather, on the other hand, does not take the same toll on our bodies, so it requires us to move away from such heavier foods and to develop a mind-body connection through food cleansing.

Food consumption should be reduced to the simplest foods that are in season. Bitter greens, such as kale, swiss chard, and dandelion, can help cleanse the body for spring. Fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, and whole grains provide a milder cleanse for those who are not accustomed to a such light fare.

If you live in the South, you can begin cleansing early on in the season.  Those who live in the North, might want to wait until the warmer weather of May.  Please, however, consult a professional before beginning a cleanse and be careful not to cleanse too aggressively if you are not accustomed to it.

For more information on cleansing, please read Staying Healthy With the Seasons by Elson M. Haas, MD.

Spring Cleanse #4 – 2011

Thanks for waiting.  Here’s my final blog post on the remainder of my fast/cleanse.

I personally enjoy juice fasting.  My body feels less dense and heavy. Organics are important to use at this point.  Some say use just clear juices but I enjoy vegetable juices for a “full” sensation that clear juices do not provide.  There were challenges during meal prep for my kids. Several times I would almost taste the food while cooking as a pattern of the process. Patterns such as that shape our choices, portions, and ritual around food.  At the juice fast portion all of those attachments have come to awareness.  Also the social implications within friend and family circles attracts a lot of attention.  People are fascinated and have great questions.

I chose not to water fast this year because the weather was too cold and my children needed their parents to be physically able to do things like play with them so I stayed on juices for another two days instead.  The fast makes you slow down.  I felt calm and clear in many ways.  I enjoyed greater happiness and great dreams at night.  All that nirvana was great but after five days with no solid food I wanted a banana worse than anything.  Chewing was wonderful and the texture was... well... texture. So until about Halloween my eating practices will have improved tremendously.  The family holidays and cooler weather/shorter days will undoubtedly resurrect my old ways but shortly after the beginning of Spring I will do this once again to begin anew.  Thanks for reading.

Spring Cleanse #3 - 2011

A few days have past since my last “check in” and I feel quite different from the last time I blogged.  This cleanse is different for every individual.  Some people in poor health may not be able to go as far in the elimination stages as some others.  If anyone reading this is inclined to try the cleanse in Dr. Elson M. Haas’ book Staying Healthy Through the Seasons please seek a professional with experience in this area.  The cleanse essentially starts with me eliminating “building” foods such as meat and dairy over the course of two weeks.

Then last Friday, my diet went strictly vegan with the elimination of all eggs and dairy.  The key to remember is that there are a lot of choices at that time. Nuts and beans are very satisfying and the grain varieties available are nutritious and economical.  This is when I feel the physical ease.  I think some of the “foods” we consume put actual stress on the body.  This weekend the elimination continued with nuts and beans on one day then seeds next on Sunday.  The former is harder to loose than the latter.

Now is the point where I began a strict cleansing diet due to the percentage of fiber that is digested.  I am loosing weight in various ways.  Yes I am slimming, but I am eating as much as I want.  It helps to have referenced tasty things to eat and planned ahead to have sustenance within my reach at all times.  I’m lighter also because I feel much less “stuck” in my choices and attachments to food habits.  I feel free from foods that weigh me down.  Tomorrow is the last day of chewable foods I...just juices on Thursday, Friday & Saturday.  At Sunday’s transition things get real interesting.  Thanks for reading this.  I look forward to dialog.  Please ask any questions that come to mind.

Spring Cleanse #2 – 2011

Not a bad week all-in-all.  The day after my last entry was when sugars and bleached flowers were eliminated from the diet.  That practically eliminated the majority of processed or convenience foods. Essentially, the middle isles in the supermarket have food I cannot eat.  Fortunately, I have done this several times over the past ten years so diversity of food choices becomes the key to success.  The following day meat became the eliminated food category.

Protein now comes from dairy, nuts, beans and seeds as well as the grain quinoa.  Lastly, yesterday was elimination day for any dairy foods.  I do feel less tense over the pat few days but did experience some headaches apparently from a lack of caffeine.  Now the attachments I have about the standard/cultural ways of nurturing myself are the strongest.  These emotional patterns can be overcome.  I can eat, as much as I want of the types of food that are left so I am not deprived.  I’ll post on Tuesday so have a great weekend everyone.

Spring Cleanse #1 – 2011

Thanks for taking the time to read my fasting/cleansing first post.  Yesterday was the first day of about a two week dietary cleanse.  The first day is easy because the plan by Dr. Elson M. Haas requires you to eat your normal diet.  Not too difficult but is is a good day to look over the plan and visualize success.  Today is the first step in elimination.  Today I eliminate chemicals e.g. food additives alcohol, and caffeine to others this might also include recreational drugs and nicotine .  It is important to add that I have no medical reasons that permit me from taking this path.  My first elimination is seemingly my toughest.  I LOVE coffee and decaf, to me, does not taste the same.

This exercise is to increase my awareness of the attachments I have to what I put in my body.  I hope my transition from caffeine goes smoothly.