If you want to rejuvenate, find new energy and bring a sense of well being into your life, plus lose a few pounds, what better way than through undertaking a raw food cleanse?
How good is a Raw Food Cleanse?
Raw food is almost always healthier than the foods that most of us are choosing every day. If you eat only fresh, unprocessed foods, you will automatically cut out all refined sugars and flours and most fatty foods. During a raw cleanse, you will eat very simply and your body will thank you for that!
The raw food cleanse can last from 7 to 10 days. You will need to do some planning ahead of time.
Social occasions can be difficult when you are eating raw so if you want to make your detox as easy as possible, try to pick a period of time when you do not have any business lunches, restaurant meals or visits to family.
If people are visiting you that’s fine because you can control what you eat. It is possible to take your own food when eating at somebody else’s house but it can be hard for them to understand so it will be much simpler if you can find a clear week in your diary for your cleanse.
Preparing For Your Raw Food Cleanse
The day before your raw food cleanse begins, try to eat as simply as possible with plenty of fruit and vegetables. Avoid eating a lot of meat or fatty, sugary foods and stay off alcohol.
If you drink more than two cups of coffee/tea per day, cut down gradually in the days leading up to the cleanse to avoid caffeine withdrawal headaches during the cleanse.
Then begin your raw food cleanse with a 24 hour fast, starting from the time that you finish your evening meal on the last day before the cleanse. So imagine I am starting a cleanse on a Saturday.
I eat dinner on Friday evening, finishing at 7.30 pm. I don’t eat or drink anything else after that except water, until 7.30 pm on Saturday, day 1 of the cleanse. Then I will have my first raw food meal.
Fresh Food on a Raw Food Cleanse
During the raw food cleanse you will eat anything that is the fresh, non-fatty fruit, leaves, stem or roots of a plant, without cooking it. This includes salad, vegetables and fruits. You can have as much of these as you like, whenever you like, but do be sure to include at least one pound of green vegetables each day. This will give you a broader range of minerals than if you eat fruit only, which means you will have fewer cravings. Celery is great if you have cravings for salty foods.
Be sure to have a wide variety of ripe fruits and vegetables in the house at all times during your raw food cleanse. It is important to be able to have whatever type of fruit or vegetable you feel like eating.
Foods to Avoid on a Raw Food Cleanse
There are a few fatty fruits that you should avoid. These include avocado, coconut and durian (jackfruit). You will also avoid nuts, seeds and oils. There is no need for any dried herbs or seasonings, although you can use fresh herbs in small quantities if you want.
You will not need any drinks other than water. Be sure to wash all foods well.
You can make a simple salad dressing by blending equal quantities of tomato and cucumber in the blender. Add a few herbs or red bell pepper if you want.
If you want to continue eating a raw food diet after the end of the cleanse, you can add some fats in the form of nuts, avocado, unpasteurized cheese etc. The cleanse program does not contain all of the fatty acids and other nutrients that are needed for a long term diet.
Be aware that you may have some detox symptoms in the first few days of the cleanse and in some cases these can be quite severe. Check with your medical adviser before going on a raw food cleanse, especially if you are pregnant or nursing or have any pre existing medical conditions.
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