A New Year & A Fresh Start

Chances are that one of your resolutions for the new year is to "be healthier". I hear so many people saying that they want to make positive changes to their diet and lifestyle around this time of year, yet many people are unsure of where to begin. A cleanse is an excellent tool to transition into a sustainable healthy diet.  It's a wonderful way to get back on track after eating less than ideally, perfect for after the holidays. 

Drastic forms of cleansing such as fasting and juice cleanses are inappropriate for this time of year, because our body requires more calories to regulate body temperature in the frigid temperatures of winter than the warmer temperatures of spring, summer, and fall. These types of cleanses are wonderful during the warmer months of the year, but not right now. It's too cold! Luckily there are other options for cleansing, if you want to feel lighter, cleaner, and more energized after a few too many holiday indulgences. 

An excellent choice for a cleanse during this time of year is a brown rice cleanse. Based in Macrobiotic principles, the brown rice cleanse promotes balance within the body. The brown rice cleanse is a gentler form of cleansing than juicing or fasting, because you get to enjoy the benefits of eating while detoxifying. The brown rice cleanse involves lots of brown rice, steamed vegetables, water, and not much else. Brown rice is a naturally detoxifying food because of its high fiber content. Fiber is the cleaning tool of our intestines, it removes chemicals, pesticides, and heavy metals which might have found their way into our bodies from our diet and environment. 

So how do you do it? It's quite simple, really. Every morning upon waking have a glass of warm water with lemon juice. This stimulates the liver and kidneys (the two primary detoxifying organs) and cleanses the digestive tract. This should be the first thing that you eat or drink in the morning. Breakfast will be your choice of steamed organic seasonal veggies and brown rice. Lunch and dinner will be the same thing. I told you it was simple. You can season your vegetables and rice with cayenne pepper, organic seaweed, grated ginger, or raw shoyu. You can also drink miso broth before meals. Feel free to drink as much lemon water or fresh ginger tea as your please. Freshly grated ginger with lemon juice and cayenne pepper makes an excellent detoxifying tea. Most importantly drink lots and lots of water to help your body flush out toxins!

Your cleanse can last from three days to one week, it's entirely up to you. When finishing the cleanse incorporate other foods slowly, eat small portions, and avoid artificial ingredients and processed foods. Why not consider giving them up permanently? Use this cleanse an an inspiration to make eating clean a long term commitment. You'll reap the benefits of increased energy, ease maintaing a healthy weight, and improved moods.

Here's to a happy and healthy 2012! xx