Food for Thought While Cleansing

Regular Cleansing for Optimal Health

With so many modern conveniences today, especially with regard to how and where we eat, it is easy to forget how vital a role food plays in our health.  The foods we choose to expose our bodies to can either nourish us, or in some cases, contribute to underlying health problems.

Many people today are actually experiencing low grade food allergies or sensitivities that they are unaware of, which may be contributing to a general feeling of malaise, and could also play a part in more serious conditions.

It is a good idea to do a gentle cleanse once in awhile, which can reduce the effects of top allergy causing foods.*  Doing so will not only support your body in detoxing, but also help you to identify underlying food allergies. Dietary guidelines for removing specific foods that are known to cause sensitivity or allergic responses are offered below.

Along with eliminating potentially problematic foods, it is a great idea to include high quality, well rounded supplements in your cleansing program, to further assist your body in detoxifying and restoring itself.

Basic Dietary Guidelines:

1. Eat according to your appetite, but do not overeat.
2. Select whole foods as often as possible, they are the most nutrient dense when they are closest to their natural state [ie. Apple (least processed), apple sauce, apple leather, apple juice (most processed)].
3. Include foods high in soluble and insoluble dietary fibers.
4. Drink plenty of filtered water.
5. Include a probiotic supplement to improve gut flora balance.

Foods to avoid:

• Any food that you know you are allergic to.
• Dairy (commercial milk, hard cheeses), margarine and shortening.
• Gluten grains or foods containing gluten such as wheat, oats, rye, and barley normally found in breads, pasta, cereals, baked goods, packaged foods, etc.
• Corn and corn based products – corn is by nature gluten free,
  however, it is a top allergen to many people and it can be cross contaminated with gluten based grains in processed foods.
• Soy or products made from soy – such as soymilk or tofu, texturized vegetable protein (TVP), miso, tempeh.
• Peanuts or peanut butter – peanuts are one of the top food allergens in the US.
• Excess beef, pork, cold cuts, bacon, hot dogs, canned meat, sausage, shellfish, meat analogues made from soy.
• Refined sugar, including cane sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, and other forms of refined sugar.  Refined sugar is draining to the body, and can actually lower immune system function.

Foods to eat:

• A wide variety of fresh vegetables, 3-5 servings per day.
• Fresh seasonal fruit, 1-2 servings per day.
• Wild caught fish (no shellfish during a cleanse), and moderate amounts of chicken, turkey, and lamb.
• Legumes including navy beans, white beans, red kidney and peas.
• Hormone/antibiotic free or organic dairy in moderation including plain yogurt, butter & soft cheeses Note: dairy can be mucous forming and is considered a top allergen.  If you suspect you might have an intolerance or allergy to dairy, avoid it during your cleanse.
• Gluten free grains and grain based foods made from rice, millet, quinoa, buckwheat or tapioca
• Olive oil and coconut oil, in moderation.  Flaxseed oil may also be used, but only in salads, smoothies and dressings.  Do NOT heat flax seed oil.

Beverages:

Enjoy:

• Pure filtered water (8-10 glasses)
• Herbal teas or green tea
• Fresh pressed fruit juices. Pasteurized juice contains mostly sugar- if drinking pasteurized, water down with pure water.
• Fresh pressed vegetable juices, or if purchased, then choose low sodium.

 Avoid:

• Alcohol
• Caffeine (coffee, black tea, sodas). If you are a heavy coffee drinker, organic green tea is a good choice to minimize the effect of withdrawal.

ADDITIONAL CLEANSING AND DETOXIFICATION PRODUCTS

Read more about the cleansing and detoxifying process in our blog
Cleansing and Detoxifying for Improved Health