Spring is upon us! If you’re interested in cleansing you can read more about my 7 Day Ayurvedic Whole Food + Self Care Cleanse here. Learn what past cleansers had to say here. Want to connect and learn more about it? Schedule a free consultation call here.
Seasonal cleanse round 2 has just ended and WOOF that was a trip! Not in a bad way, but in a super amazing holy-wow-I'm-learning-so-much-about-myself way. And this is coming from a chick who's been cleansing for years. I learn something new each time I cleanse.
All of my cleanses are whole foods and self-care based. You're able to pick your level of cleansing: beginner, intermediate, pro or traditional Ayurvedic kitchari cleanse. I chose something between intermediate and pro. I eliminated: coffee, grains, gluten, dairy, sugars (except maple syrup, honey, and stevia), and animal products (including eggs).
The food aspect is delicious and lightening but once I integrated self-care into the food cleansing, my world changed. Of course, it makes SO much sense to take care of myself holistically in a time of cleansing. Dry brushing and oiling my skin helped detox and nourish my skin, muscles, and joints simultaneously while scraping my tongue showed me what's going on in my gut while cleaning out toxins, improving oral health, and stimulating digestion. FYI I tongue scrape every day now. It's the most rewarding practice because it's impossible to forget and fun to see how my tongue changes morning to morning.
We cover so much in 1 week that I'm thinking this cleanse should last for longer. What do you think? Maybe 2, or 3 weeks? I feel like once 1 week goes by there's so much more work to be done!
A lot of people suspect a cleanse to be filled with gross, boring, tasteless food. I wanted to give you a peek at what a Natasha Wellness Spring Cleanse menu might look like. Here's what I ate for 7 days. P.S. I DID NOT STARVE. I was actually more satisfied than I have been in a while. I got to experiment with new recipes and taste new food combinations. My new favorite thing is adding herbs into my smoothies and using my Vitamix to puree soups. Last week was a real treat. I feel lighter, less bloated, less agitated, have less cravings, more energy, better digestion, and I'm more deeply connected to myself and the world around me. I always hear about how vegan yogi's are so enlightened which made sense but I'm an occasional cheese and meat eater so I didn't totally get it... until now. I actually feel connected to something more expansive. I hope you join me next time.
This cleanse is running all season long so hit me up if you want to start feeling amazing this Spring!
*Side-note: I got my period on the 5th day of the cleanse and had NO symptoms before or during which is unheard of. This is because I cut out sugar and coffee (I was still drinking matcha) and upped my leafy green intake. PMS is common but not normal. If you're having PMS symptoms, eliminating these foods will help you with tender breasts, cramping, mood swings, and cravings.
ALL these recipes are in the Spring Cleanse Guide!
Key: B - breakfast, S - snack, L - lunch, D - dinner
Monday
B - matcha, green smoothie
S - dried strawberries (sweetened with apple juice)
L - zucchini soup and a kale, beet, cucumber, avocado, vegan caesar salad
D - Miso soup w/ zoodles, snow peas, and bok choy
S - 2 dates w/ almond butter
Tuesday
B - matcha, kapha's best smoothie (grapefruit + greens)
S - raw cacao latte (dandy blend, maple, almond milk)
L - Adventure Bowl (no grains or cheese, add avocado) from Life Alive
D - pea, broccoli, asparagus thai soup w/ zoodles
S - 1 date w/ almond butter
Wednesday
B - matcha, kapha's favorite smoothie (grapefruit, apple, greens)
L - Sweetgreen avocado + lentil salad, 3 dates w/ almond butter
D - leftover soup, roasted carrot "fries" w/ spicy brown mustard
S - golden mylk latte
Thursday
B - matcha, kapha's best smoothie
S - pre-yoga ceremonial cacao drink (thanks to my yoga teacher)
L - leftover Sweetgreen salad and leftover Whole Heart Provisions bowl
S - 2 dates w/ almond butter
D - leftover soup, black bean pasta w/ tahini, garlic, lemon, basil
Friday
B - matcha, green smoothie w/ greens, frozen zucchini,
L - roasted fennel bulb, carrots, brussels over arugula w/ avocado, sauerkraut, tamari almonds, lemon + EVOO
S - 3 of Alison Wu's golden chip bliss balls - SO YUMMY
D - Life Alive GF Adventurer demi (no cheese)
Saturday
B - matcha, green smoothie w/ greens, frozen zucchini, 1/4 banana, grapefruit, 2 tbsp flax seeds, mint, parsley, water, stevia
L - daikon ginger salad w/ avocado
D - mexican quinoa salad cups w/ creamy cilantro lime dressing
Sunday
B - matcha, green smoothie w/ spinach, grapefruit, 2 tbsp flax seeds, water, stevia, bee pollen
L - detox salad (veggie packed!)
D - peruvian quinoa stew w/ avocado
Curious about cleansing but don’t know where to begin? I offer complimentary consultations to new clients. Schedule yours at www.natashawellness.com/appointment. <3
“Natasha provided amazing information that let me tailor the cleanse to my own health goals. She was available to answer my questions and was just fun and encouraging through the entire process. I loved the self-care aspect and the gentle encouraging attitude. It was a far cry from some of the more serious attitudes that I've encountered in the nutrition world. This was about taking steps that are sustainable and lead to over-all better health - not about doing everything exactly right! The whole process felt nurturing. I eliminated my sugar cravings, vastly increase my water-intake, implemented a healthier breakfast routine and got my kids drinking smoothies again!”