5 Reasons to “Conscious Cleanse”

My shopping list was full of food for the cleanse!

Because life hands us stress, fatigue, potato chips, cookies, and excess weight. Because I was vain and wanted to look fit for an upcoming family wedding and a college reunion.

And because I want to eat tasty foods.

The back drop: a discerning person who doesn’t get into cooking, who tends to spend time thinking/writing, who did the rotational diet years ago due to allergies and chemical sensitivity, who eats gluten-free, and who gets hypoglycemic when hungry. Not an easy customer.

Several months ago, I went to a book reading by Jules and Jo of  The Conscious Cleanse. Impressed by their radiance and Jo’s personal healing, I bought the book. I waited until late April to seriously consider the cleanse -it seemed daunting for this first timer.  This was a 2 week deal, not the typical 3 weeks endeavor. I was also encouraged by CC’s simple stance on food: eat clean and green; don’t combine grains and protein; be mindful about why you eat… It wasn’t about starvation.

My teenager was going on a school trip for 10 days, which was good timing for CC. I went through the menus in the back of the book, and was excited for the dishes I got to try: curry carrot celery soup, cinnamon chard smoothies, hemp almond date balls, spinach sesame ginger turkey burgers. I had a long list of ingredients to procure from the supermarket.

The first trip to get supplies was kind of costly. Starting a new diet can be like that, but subsequently the food bill got cheaper -I wasn’t buying beef, pasta, cheese, and treats. My shopping cart looked different from the usual: full of dark green veggies, mint, dill, fruits, ginger, grains like buckwheat, hemp seeds, sesame, chia seeds, maca powder, goji berries. I had raw nuts, quinoa, and brown rice at home.

On Day 1 my beloved and I took the plunge: drinking a quart of warm lemon water first thing in the morning. A quart. The fullness I felt, as a slightly impatient person who drank it in one sitting, kind of made me nauseated. But over the days I got used to it. I loved how the systems got going at the beginning of the day. The lemon water was perfect before a bike ride. We sweat out toxins while staying hydrated. A win-win in dry Colorado.

In the earlier part of the cleanse, I was concerned about doing it right. I kept checking the book and planning ahead. That subsided as I got into it. CC also featured helpful information like ingredients of the day: nettles leaf, coconut oil, and turmeric; and recipes for natural household cleaners.

There is a mindful component in this cleanse. The authors urged contemplation on life: relationships, body image, eating habits, love, creativity, renewal, and being present. There was a journal topic for each day. This was connecting to the self at one of its best.

As a triple-fire personality (full of enthusiasm to learn and do), I noticed how much time it took to chop vegetables, plan menu, measure ingredients, and clean up after cooking. Patience indeed is a virtue.

What I learned from The Conscious Cleanse:

1. Eating green and clean made me a lighter machine. I didn’t need to eat as much as I used to. I lost 6 pounds+ from a 5’6″, 138 lb frame.

2. Feeling lighter made exercising easier. I was psyched to exercise. My body went with me instead of dragging behind me.

3. The body communicated helpful info -listen. During CC, my stomach felt bloated when I ingested too much avocado or when I combined protein and grain. Without the noise of junk food and un-mindfulness, I could actually tell what food caused what symptoms.

4. Slowing down to chop, prep, and feed the family great food was a privilege. Even for a busy-minded person.

5. After a layer of garbage came off my body and psyche, I could resolve some demon-angst. To the point where I wanted to forgive and ask for forgiveness in a 2-year feud. I owned my part in the discord without wanting anything from others. I let go of the misgivings. Freedom.

Months after the cleanse, I still drink lemon water daily and try to eat the same kind of foods. There is a 80/20 post-CC rule that is comforting. (20% of the time you can eat non-CC way, if desired).

Overall, The Conscious Cleanse was a fabulous experience. There are still recipes in the book I want to try. Just these nourishing, mostly raw food ideas are worth the price of the book.

The wisdom and learning from it, though: Priceless.