Spring is here! Which means that mixed with our lingering snow are crocuses and moments of sunshine. It dawned on me today that I could use a light spring cleaning. I've never done a "cleanse." I enjoy food too much so I wouldn't be any good at one. What I do think is in store is a transition from the warm, building foods of winter to the cooling, cleansing foods of summer. Think fruit salad and hummus platters instead of steaming bowls of chili and baked potatoes. The body is constantly going through phases of cleansing and building. Most foods and activities are not entirely one or the other. For example, nuts are high in fats and proteins so we might consider them building. On closer look we see that they are also high in fiber (cleansing). Weight lifting might seem like a very building activity. However, it is also cleansing as it breaks down our muscles and burns up fat. Aside from a few extremes (all liquid diets, diets composed mainly of animal product) most of us eat a diet somewhere in the middle of the build-clense spectrum. Spring is an excellent time to move towards more cleansing foods. Personally, I am choosing to cut back on animal products (a near vegan diet), include more fresh fruits and veggies, and drink a lot of liquids. I became aware that this change was necessary because I found myself feeling sluggish, feverish, and thirsty. It is amazing how our bodies can give us signals.
For more information on this subject, check out this article by Michael Fisher:
Michael has a lot of excellent information on his website (including a post from me! see Sprouted Wheat Soup). I wish I had written the article, but, alas, at least he did. Check it out. And consider in what ways your body is asking you for a cleaning. It doesn't have to be anything big. You could give up one food for a week (i.e. animal foods or coffee), or simply switch out bread and crackers for fruit. Remember- we want to moisten, alkalize, mineralize. Now take care, and give thanks for all the signs of life poking up from the wakening earth.
