Detoxing doesn’t have to be extreme. Here’s how to cleanse your body.

I’m not a big fan of cleanses because the idea of them screams immoderation. And moderation is the key to my life. But sometimes healthy eating just isn’t enough. Pollution, stress, and holiday decadence can cause a build up of toxins in your body and a cleanse may be just the way to start your New Year. Here’s how to cleanse your body in nine steps. It’s a cleanse you can actually stick to.

1. No booze.

This is an obvious one. You’ve likely enjoyed a cocktail or two over the holiday and now it’s time to get it a break. Alcohol dehydrates you and makes your liver work overtime.

2. No caffeine.

Caffeine stresses your nervous system and like alcohol, it dehydrates you. If you’re super addicted to caffeine and giving it up completely is going to cause withdraw symptoms like headache and general agitation, you may just want to cut back. Either switch to half caffeinated coffee or even better, switch to green tea.

3. No meat or dairy.

Both meat and dairy can built up in your system so when you’re trying to cleanse, it’s best to give them up. A good cleanse can serve to push out small bits of meat that have become stuck in your system over time.

4. No processed foods.

Processed foods have less nutrients than whole foods as well as hidden additives and sugar. Stick to whole foods during your cleanse instead of reaching for processed junk.

5. Choose veggies, especially cruciferous veggies.

Cruciferous veggies are great for detoxifying your body, especially your liver. Not to mention that studies have found that cruciferous vegetables have the ability to stop the growth of cancer. While you’re cleansing, enjoy leafy greens, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage.

6. Enjoy legumes.

Legumes are great for cleansing because they push junk out of your body. And they’re a source of plant-based protein to replace meat and dairy. Add in lentils, chickpeas, adzuki beans, lima beans, and black-eyed peas.

7. Enjoy quinoa.

Quinoa in particular is a great addition because it contains protein to keep you satiated so you can actually stick to a cleanse with the addition of iron and magnesium. It’s also versatile so it goes well in all sorts of cleansing dishes. Also consider barley, rolled oats, farro, and bulgur.

8. Snack on raw nuts and seeds.

Raw nuts and seeds are potent forms of protein that contain fiber, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin B6. Make sure you buy raw nuts and seeds because roasted, salted, and otherwise flavored varieties are depleted of these nutrients and can have added sugar and fat.

9. Fruit should be your only sweet.

Don’t overindulge on fruit but a serving or two of raw fruits each day can provide your body with all sorts of nutrients while you’re cleansing. Consider those that help to repair DNA like blueberries, blackberries, and cranberries.

Related on EcoSalon

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Image: Jennifer

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Rainbeau Mars, the health guru, artist, yoga instructor and author, has released her first book called “The 21 Day Superstar Cleanse: A Rejuvenating Lifestyle Program to Help You Feel Younger, Healthier, and Ready to Rock the World!”

EcoSalon caught up with Rainbeau recently to ask her about her book, cleansing and why it works.

Jill Ettinger: A 21-day cleanse! Isn’t that, like forever? Aren’t most cleanses just a few days? Why is this one so long?

Rainbeau Mars: It’s important to commit for that amount of time because it takes 21 days to actually make or break a pattern, as with all recovery programs. This cleanse  is designed to:

*Make us examine our habits & patterns with clarity, over enough time to make a permanent shift.

* Allow participants the time to make enough good choices to see positive results, without calorie counting or restriction.

* Support us in our commitment to being the best version of ourselves with verbal and visual affirmations.

JE:  How does this compare to the 5 day Master Cleanse? 

RM: That’s like comparing a rabbit with a lion. They’re both animals, but definitely different. The master cleanse can be difficult for many people because they’re reducing their calories so much that when they break the program, often with pizza, they don’t have their metabolism revved up enough keep everything in check after. The Superstar Cleanse is a 21-day zero calorie restriction vegan cleanse, with lots of nourishing, alkalizing, mouth-watering recipes, which are alternatives to addictive and unhealthy foods. Also, with the Superstar Cleanse, there are beginners, intermediate and advanced versions, so we hope that some version of it works for everyone.

JE: It’s nice to have options! Why do people need to cleanse anyway? And what about people who already eat a healthy diet? Should they consider this program?

RM: We accumulate toxins in the air we breathe, and by ingesting foods that contain chemicals, synthetic sweeteners, white sugar, nitrates, antibiotics, and toxic oils creating free radicals. Cleanses works to give our bodies a much-needed break so they get a chance to do what they do best. Live foods and high fiber plant based foods act as a broom, sweeping out pockets of yeast, mold, undigested food and parasites. Even if you eat clean, the Superstar cleanse works as preventive medicine. I eat pretty healthy all of the time, but its just not the same as truly doing this program, which offers a world of benefits each time I do it… Even my daughter does the kids version regularly to give herself a boost and clear her skin. In fact we have about 300 kids participating in 14-day health Challenge as we speak.

JE: Your cleanse is broken into 3 distinct parts (one each week): vegan, raw foods and blended foods. How did you determine these stages worked so well together? 

RM: Since the latter parts of program may be difficult for beginners, it’s designed so that people can ease into the 2 more challenging phases over time. For me, I sometimes skip straight to week 2 or 3 for quicker results. Eating 100 percent live foods is when the detoxification process truly begins and the benefits become obvious, bringing us into a more alkaline and more flexible state. Doing phase 3 the whole time allows me to feel lighter and more part of the solution to our planets problems

JE: Why is veganism so important to the cleanse? 

RM: Most yogis do not eat animals for spiritual, physiological and mental reasons. Plant based foods tend to be more alkaline than acidic and don’t have cholesterol like animals products do. There are many studies linking unhealthy colons with diseases like cancer and diverticulitus. As an alternative, I encourage eating plant based FIBER, which isn’t found in animal products but instead from fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts, which act like a broom cleaning out the system. Plant-based foods, which also don’t contribute to green house gases [as much as animal products], lead us in the direction of what nature intended and readily providing for us, filled with vitamins and nutrients for the system.

JE: You write in the book that when you started eating clean, like the recipes on the cleanse, that you experienced more luck: job offers came to you, for example. Why do you think that is? Have other people reported similar experiences on this program? 

RM: YES AND YES! We are often in our own way, being partially drugged on stimulants, sugars, chemicals, even yeast in our body, coffee or just exhausted from continuously eating foods that we’re allergic to. When I stopped getting in my way all the time, or even for periods of time, that’s when it seemed like the universe opened up for my life. The health and clarity I was creating inside manifested on the outside and this is the case with most people who try it. Each time I do the cleanse, I almost need to slow down the amount of energy coming to me…

 JE: Wow. Sounds amazing! How often can people do this 21-day cleanse? 

RM: I do the cleanse four times a year…Typically once every season. That said… you should never let your diet become a religion or something that you end up feeling superior about or even attached to. There’s a time to cleanse and a time to build, so listen to your body and master how to thrive. Cleanses are an important way to distinguish what your body needs from what it’s addicted to.

JE: You bring a very spiritual (but not religious) tone to the program. You talk about loving yourself as being so important. Is there one overall benefit that you say you value most of all about this program? Either for your body or spirit? Or both?

RM: Good question! I think it’s important to work on ourselves and know who we are so that we can make a contribution. The first question to ask is what would our contribution look like? Food, and healing through it, allows my mind to calm down and feel comfortable with just being. My mission is not about myself at all, but something far bigger and that’s why I can continuously dig into my core stand for the transformation that is possible for us all.

JE: Do you have a favorite recipe from the book? 

RM: Kale Salad is a constant go to… and I like mine the best! You can make it many different ways and it’s so hard to mess up. Lemon, olive oil, sea salt, avocado… add PONZU sauce and I am feeling clean and vibrant. Other then that Vegan pizza…it’s fun and easy and always a crowd pleaser.

JE: For the person who’s never done a cleanse before and may be fearful of such a commitment, what do you say to them?

RM: Do you want to stay the same? For how long? Everything is our choice. Free will is pretty amazing! And why the planet is so diverse! CHOOSE COURAGE, TRANSFORMATION, BEAUTY, LOVE. Whatever we focus on expands. Lets focus on being part of the solution and being a contribution. We get to Believe it to See it!

Want to give it a try?

Order Rainbeau’s “21 Day Superstar Cleans:Rejuvenating Lifestyle Program to Help You Feel Younger, Healthier, and Ready to Rock the World” now.

Find Jill on Twitter @jillettinger

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Images courtesy of Rainbeau Mars

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Planning a little detox cleanse before winter’s officially over?

We often associate cleansing with spring or fall, when the weather is in a transition phase and we take the cue to renew our health. Winter is put on the back burner as the season where we cling to comfort, and thus emerge with the love handles and the sniffles to show for it. But, winter can indeed be the season for detoxing and keeping the body clean and lean. Follow these eight cleansing tips and see for yourself!

1. Wake Up to Morning Detox Tea

Give your liver a boost in the morning with a tea elixir that cleanses your system. On an empty stomach, sip on hot tea  mixed with the juice of half a lemon, a dash of cayenne, a dash of turmeric and a dash of cinnamon. Sweeten with stevia or drink as-is. You could also give the morning detox tea more flavor with the addition of an herbal tea bag, such as peppermint or ginger, which are excellent for the digestive system.

2. Drink Your Greens

Shower your cells with living enzymes, nutrients, and alkalizing chlorophyll for breakfast. Drink a juice or smoothie that contains green leaves, which are highly cleansing and a powerful way to improve digestion, as well as having positive effects on every other bodily system. While the green smoothie packs fiber, the green juice will digest more quickly and more directly and quickly affect your blood. Here are two recipes to try. Modify as preferred.

Green Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients

Hefty handful of green leafy vegetables such as kale or spinach
½ cup water
1 large banana, peeled
½ cup frozen berries or mango
¼ avocado

Directions

Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Green Juice Recipe

Ingredients

6-8 kale leaves, including stems
1 apple
1 carrot
1 lemon
1 cucumber
Stevia to taste (optional)

Directions

Put all ingredients, except for the stevia, through the juicer, beginning with the kale leaves and ending with the cucumber. Sweeten with stevia afterwards and drink after stirring.

3. Embrace Warm Vegetable Soups

Cleansing is all about giving your digestive system a break and letting it relax and strengthen so that your body can focus on other organs and processes. For this reason, soups are an excellent way to pack both nutrients and taste without burdening digestion with chewing and breaking down solid food.

And there is no need for a complicated recipe; simply boil in water or bake your favorite vegetable until softened, put it in a food processor with salt, pepper, a drizzle of olive oil and process with enough of the water until the soup reaches the consistency you like. Broccoli and sweet potato work great for this!

4. Savor Denser Vegetables

Eating light in the winter is harder than in the summer. Cold temperatures demand the warmth that comes from comfort food. But that doesn’t mean you have to indulge in heavy, fatty foods. Instead, take advantage of denser vegetables such as cauliflower, carrots, broccoli, cabbage, sweet potato, squash, and celeriac to get the bulk without the diet bust. Steam, bake, or sauté them and enjoy them aside a light marinara sauce or a dab of butter and you’ll never feel like you’re missing out.

5. Avoid Dairy

Simply cutting out dairy for a period of a few days or weeks can drastically change how you feel. Some people have allergies and don’t even know it, and that could be the very reason for stubborn weight, sluggishness, or indigestion. Refined and processed milk has its risks, and it’s important to note that while some people handle dairy better than others, in general it is not an ideal food and can curb your health goals. Avoid dairy or switch to goat and sheep milk yogurts and cheeses, which have a lower amount of casein, a hard-to-digest protein prevalent in dairy products. Raw dairy is also richer in healthy bacteria and worth a try if you aren’t planning to cut dairy out altogether.

6. Drink Enough Water

Just because it’s not sweltering outside doesn’t mean you don’t need as much water. Keeping yourself hydrated is one of the most important rules in cleansing. Always carry a water bottle with you and you’ll never forget.

7. Skip the Antiperspirant

Considering it’s chilly outside, the level of sweating is at bay and any aroma is buried under layers of clothes, so not applying a strong antiperspirant or deodorant isn’t the end of the world. Antiperspirants contain aluminum, which stops sweat glands from doing what they do best – sweat, which is another way the body releases toxins. There are fears that the skin absorbs the aluminum and can cause breast cancer, despite further studies needed to draw a definite link. Besides aluminum, antiperspirants and deodorants can contain other harmful ingredients including parabens, propylene glycol, triclosan, TEA, DEA, FD&C colors, and talc. Use winter as an escape from the dangerous effects of most deodorants and antiperspirants on the market and go bare or make a homemade version.

8. Lather Up with Coconut Oil

Winter leaves the skin dry and moisturizing is key to keeping it supple and smooth. Most commercial lotion products, however, contain ingredients that do more harm than good. The skin is the body’s largest organ and is like a sponge in that it absorbs whatever is applied to it, toxins included. Take this as a cue to go as natural as possible. Virgin coconut oil is an excellent choice, not only because of its pureness but also for its emollient and antibacterial properties.

Photo Credit: Vanessayavonne

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This week’s top reads from our friends at Elephant Journal. 

Elephant Journal loves serving up green with a side of sass as much as we do. To make sure you get a taste of all the good things they’ve got going over there, every week we bring you a round-up of their top picks. This week it’s all about that crazy feather hair extension trend and acts of civil disobedience. Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy!

One Stylist Explains: Why I’ll Never Do Feather Hair Extension -Tamara Kerner

The trend: clipping feathers that can be curled or washed in your hair has a dark side that’s causing some stylists who specialize in funky extensions to refuse including them in their services.

The Sexiness of Seva -Chelsea Roff

Donating money alone isn’t service. Are we increasingly falling into a model of service that is disconnected from human beings?

5 Ways to Reduce Waste through Sharing -Beth Buczynski

If we want to create a more sustainable life, there are plenty of sharing services and online communities that can help us reduce waste, make a little money, and reconnect with what’s really important: people!

Why I Went to D.C. to be Arrested at Age 64 -Ellen Gunter

At 64, I’d never been arrested before. I was bricked and egged during anti-war protests in the Vietnam War days, even shot at in a high-speed car chase during the sixties because I had the audacity to be in a car with black friends. But I had never been handcuffed and taken to jail until that day.

Spirit Cleanse: One Girl’s One-Month Journey to Self Love -Dani Larson

In order to gain back My Self, I knew that it was time for something I knew best: cleansing. But I needed something more drastic than a food cleanse. Thus, I began to ruminate over the idea of a “Spirit Cleanse.” Unlike the ones I design for others, I resolved that this cleanse would not be focused on the body, for it was my spirit that ultimately needed a recharge, and my mind that sought quietude.

Image: Elephant Journal

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