The Diary of a Cleansing Man
I stopped here daily on my nature walk to reflect and digest.
March and April suck in Montana. Winter lingers, spring time barely exists, and summer still seems a distant way off. Hiking trails are muddy, the back country is still buried under feet of snow, and our furry bear friends begin coming out to play. What’s one to do?
Over the last several years I’ve partaken in a springtime Kitchari cleanse. An Ayurvedic detox which can last anywhere from 3-10 (I do 3) days and includes mainly a diet of a porridge mixture of basmati rice, mung dal, and kale. It’s not awful, but it’s not something I wanted to do again this time around. The cleanse is a nice change of pace for me, as it allows me to reset my digestive system from all of the heavier/denser foods that I tend to eat during the autumn and winter months. I thought briefly about doing a juice cleanse, which I’ve done before, but I wanted to try something different. A quick search led me to Dr. Oz. Yes that Dr. Oz, the one that a lot of us saw on our tv’s for many many years. A 3 day smoothie cleanse packed full of nutrients, antioxidants, fiber, probiotics, vitamins, etc… and I was sold. While I did modify the cleanse a bit, the basis of it remained the same.
Sunday, March 22nd:
8:30 AM - Gentle Detox tea: A cleansing blend that supports the liver and blood. Organic herbs: burdock, dandelion, yellow dock, oregon grape, licorice. If one could drink the earth, that’s what the tea tastes like.
9:00 AM Ginger, Cayenne, Turmeric wellness shot:
9:15 AM 45 Minute Infrared Sauna Session: 140 degrees, magenta light (calms the mind, lifts the spirit, encouraging creativity.)
10:15 AM Morning Smoothie (Lemon, Almond Butter, Banana, Raspberries, Spinach, Flax Seed, Water.)
1:00 PM Seaweed snack and Cashews
2:15 PM Afternoon Smoothie (Cucumber, Celery, Kale, Lime, Green Apple, Kefir, Coconut Oil, Pineapple.)
6:15 PM Night Smoothie (Blueberries, Mango, Kale, Avocado, Lemon, Flax Seed, Coconut Water.)
7 PM 12 oz warm oat milk, 1 teaspoon Chyavanprash. (A nutritive herbal jam, with its rich source of antioxidants and vitamin C, has long been a trusted source of strength and rejuvenation in the tradition of Ayurveda. It tones and nourishes the entire body, providing energy, vitality, and bolstered immunity.)
I sweated out buckets in the sauna, feeling like a melting Gumby afterwards. I found myself craving pizza, burgers, and crunchy snacks. I felt a little bit of a headache in the early evening, but it passed quickly. I peed A LOT! Fell asleep by 9pm!
Monday, March 23rd:
Woke up around 7am. I’d say close to 10 hours of sleep.
7:30 AM - Gentle Detox tea, ½ avacado, wellness shot.
10:00 AM Morning Smoothie (Lemon, Almond Butter, Banana, Raspberries, Spinach, Flax Seed, Water.)
12:00 PM A very slow 5k run I decided on a walk instead. I felt weak, but not in a bad way.
12:30 PM Seaweed snack and Cashews
2:00 PM Afternoon Smoothie (Cucumber, Celery, Kale, Lime, Green Apple, Kefir, Coconut Oil, Pineapple.)
4:00 PM Celery and Almond Butter snack
6:00 PM Evening Smoothie (Blueberries, Mango, Kale, Avocado, Lemon, Flax Seed, Coconut Water.)
8:30 PM 12 oz warm oat milk, 1 teaspoon Chyavanprash.
Felt a little weary today, added some electrolytes to my water to give me a boost. The lunch shake seems to be the heaviest, so mornings can be a little rough. Fell asleep by 10pm. A little restless over night, but finally woke up around 7am. One more day to go, and I’m already salivating at the thought of my meals for Wednesday.
Tuesday March, 24th
7:30 AM - Gentle Detox tea, wellness shot.
10:00 AM Morning Smoothie (Lemon, Almond Butter, Banana, Raspberries, Spinach, Flax Seed, Water.)
12:00 PM Nature walk
2:30 PM Afternoon Smoothie (Cucumber, Celery, Kale, Lime, Green Apple, Kefir, Coconut Oil, Pineapple.)
4:00 PM Celery and Almond Butter snack
6:30 PM Evening Smoothie (Blueberries, Mango, Kale, Avocado, Lemon, Flax Seed, Coconut Water.)
7:00 PM 12 oz warm oat milk, 1 teaspoon Chyavanprash.
Felt energized today. Still opted for a walk instead of a run. Will get back to running routine on Thursday. Passed out by 9PM.
Wednesday March, 25th
Day 4, just kidding! I find myself in a nice groove and could continue on, but I’m ready to dive back into substance. Detox tea and gentle yoga to close out my three day cleanse. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will remain light over the next day or two. Immediate noticeable effects: Overall I feel lighter, while my mid section feels tighter. I feel more alert and attentive this morning, as I failed to mention I also detoxed from social media these past three days. The world becomes a much more interesting place when you put down your phone, everything tends to slow wayyyyyy wayyyyyy down. Long term this is just what I needed to transition into the spring and summer.
If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below in the comment section.
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