Winter Cleansing Practices ~ Tips & Do's and Dont's
By Amy Lupton
As we near the end of the year, as Christmas aisles empty and go on clearance, we see the supplements and weight loss gimmicks roll in.
The promises of losing 25 pounds in two weeks, getting you fit not fat in 30 days, and telling you the latest vitamin craze and you must take this or that to get rid of everything that ails you.
We have all been suckered into it, and find ourselves juicing kale and celery by the multiple pounds. While these therapies have their benefits in certain seasons, many people begin therapies that are radical to their bodies in January, right after they have had two months of sugar, alcohol and junk.
So what is the best way to ease into the New Year? What are the best cleanses for January and the New Year?
While every body, mind and soul are different, honoring the seasons and climates have been the way humans have been doing it since the dawn of man. Oh wait, scratch that... until the Industrial Revolution began.
At Liferoot, we honor the seasons and try to eat as seasonally as possible.
This can't happen all the time, but it helps set into motion what our bodies were designed to consume at certain times of year. Think about winter and what is growing where you live. If you live in America, you will find fruits are limited, and leafy greens and root veggies are abundant. If you live in the southern United States, citrus makes its way to harvest near a hard freeze, which can be as late as mid-January. Pomegranates are abundant after a freeze and are very high in vitamin C. Herbs for immune function such as thyme, oregano, bay, sage are hearty, as well as st. johns wort (a great herb for depression and source of shikimic acid), loquat (vitamin c source), garlic and onions (more immune function) are growing readily.
Funnily enough, the seasons often hand you what you need for the season now and the season ahead. What the body needs to support itself and the activities that the season requires.
So what is the best way to support your body in seasonal cleansing?
There are a few guideposts that can help when you are prepping for a cleanse whether it be at the New Year, or anytime with seasons.
If you are doing a raw cleanse, juice cleanse etc, what type of foods are in season now? Typically in January, fruit is scarce naturally (but often grown in greenhouses or shipped from other countries). Fruit is very cooling and can throw off the body's temperature balance if it's cold outside. Best to stick to juicing things that are in season, such as celery, spinach, and citrus. And even if you decide to do one of these in January, it's best to balance with broth, soups or warming foods. A short juice cleanse is recommended for summer and warm months.
Are you prioritizing digestion? Many cleanses require supplements or different foods you might not be used to. Optimizing digestion is paramount. Many say you are what you eat, we say you are what you digest. Making sure you are properly assimilating your food is best for any cleanse, even in juicing, raw diets etc. We have a digest tea HERE and Zen Bitters HERE that can help. Also, lifestyle habits around digestion can help such as being relaxed when eating, saying a prayer or meditation before a meal, not drinking much liquid 30 min before and after eating, and a few deep breaths after eating can really help assimilate your food properly.
Are you prioritizing rest? Cleanses can be demanding on the body, as it must do extra work to release toxins. Especially in the winter months, make sure you are not overdoing it. This means exercise, work hours, stressful situations etc. These can mitigate and cancel out the beneficial nature of a cleanse.
Are you pooping often? A little TMI it might seem, but what you are cleansing must come out. If you aren't pooping regularly (every day at least), then a certain type of cleanse might be needed to help your detox pathways open. This usually includes more fiber, less sugar, and more cooked nourishing foods. If a cleanse you're doing clogs you up, then you might need to re evaluate a pick a different avenue.
Will you be able to move your body, and lymphatic system? This is very important as the body must move in a positive way to dump toxins. There must be a balance with it, overworking out can stress the body, underworking out leaves toxins to circulate. Do what feels right to you, then give it a 20% push. As always, if your body is tired on a cleanse, honor it.
Use Herbs! Herbs are so amazing to help the body in the seasons. Herbs will always acclimate to seasons and offer the best amount of nutrients for what's needed. Gentle herbs can help the liver filter through the sea of toxins, digest what is needed to assimilate the nutrients to cleanse, and move the toxins out. Consider a cleansing tea, bath or tonic to assist in your cleanse.
Alternate therapies are amazing cleansers! There are many therapies besides a juice cleanse, fast or diet that can be highly effective at cleansing the body in a gentle but effective way. We highlight them in our seasonal cleanses, and encourage you to work them in your day to day. These practices such as tongue scraping, clay masks, detoxing bath soaks and Gua Sha and Dry skin brushing can really make a difference. See all these and more on our Cleanse & Balance Page.
Our three cents:
In January, we love doing broth and soup cleanses. You can accompany this with raw seasonal salads, rich proteins, and grass fed butter on root veggies.
We like Amanda Love's The Nourishing Cleanse for a New Year switch. You can find that link to purchase at amandalove.com (not affiliated).
Whatever cleanse you decide on, make sure it works for you. Using guidance from nature can help a lot!
Check back with us in spring as we talk about Spring Cleansing Practices.
xoxo