Spring Cleanse
Day 1
Preparation
Here we go!
Welcome to the Rainbow Cleanse, a 21-day detox to help you shed the winter funk and feel more vibrant again. This is a classic elimination diet with a special emphasis on getting in lots of phytonutrients by eating a rainbow of foods on a regular basis.
I recommend taking 2-3 days to prep and do your meal planning and shopping to set yourself up for success. Pick your start date keeping this in mind too! Some people like even longer to prep. Totally up to you 😉
Below are the links to your cleanse material. Today we start by digging into all things food so that you can begin to get your kitchen stocked and ready! The materials are from the Institute of Functional Medicine, where I have studied for years and am a member. They were created by Dr. Dreanna Minich for IFM mambers and modified by me - just for you!
Action Steps
- Become familiar with the ins and outs of the Rainbow Cleanse Guidebook.
- Download the Weekly Planner and Recipe Book here
- Fill out the Medical Symptoms Questionnaire. You’ll be repeating this at the end of the cleanse to see your progress, so doing it now will give you a good baseline! All the symptoms on this form can be food-related.
- Download and print the Tracking Journal (or you can type into the forms directly via your computer)
- Prepare your kitchen by getting rid of all foods you plan to eliminate over the next month and stock it full with foods that you CAN eat!
You may find it helpful to print out a copy of the Elimination Diet Food Plan (found in the Weekly Planner and Recipe Book) and put it on your refrigerator, keep in your pocket or purse, or anywhere that will let you pull it out at a moment’s notice when you have to make a decision about food.
Also, review the information in your Guidebook about the importance of phytonutrients. We will be dedicating different days of the Rainbow Cleanse to each color of foods! Your Tracking Journal provides boxes to track the colors in your meals—aim to eat all colors every day!
You may also want to check with your healthcare practitioner to see if you need to supplement your diet with any nutrients, such as those from a medical food or dietary supplement. While the Rainbow Cleanse does not include dietary supplements, you may benefit from specific products that increase your body’s ability to detox.
Here is a quick overview
of the foods to remove from your diet
and the ones to eat:
Foods to Remove
- Corn
- Dairy
- Eggs
- Gluten Grains (Barley, Rye, Spelt, Wheat)
- White (Table) Sugar
- Shellfish
- Soy
- Beef
- Pork
- Processed Meats
- Coffee, Tea, and Chocolate
- Alcohol
Foods to Eat
- Fruits
- Healthy Oils
- Lean Meats
- Legumes
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Vegetables
- Non-Gluten Whole Grains
- Fish
Sweeteners
What to Avoid:
Table sugar and other highly processed sweeteners such as brown sugar lead to inflammation because they cause a dramatic surge in blood sugar, so they are not advised on this program. Artificial sweeteners are not acceptable under any circumstances. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and corn syrup are derived from corn, which is eliminated on this program. Overall, these sweeteners can perpetuate a need for sweet-tasting food and make it difficult for you to enjoy the natural sweetness in all fruits and certain vegetables.
What to Use:
Certain sweeteners, in very small amounts, are acceptable —brown rice syrup, blackstrap molasses, pure maple syrup, raw honey, coconut sugar, agave nectar, lo han, erythritol, and stevia. Please have no more than 3 teaspoons daily of all sweeteners combined. Stevia is a high-intensity sweetener that requires no more than a pinch for maximum sweetness
Many of the foods on the “remove” list are food triggers, which means that they may evoke a physical and even an emotional response when you take them out of your diet. One of the goals of the Rainbow Cleanse is to help you become more aware of your body, moods, and emotions. Journal these findings in your Tracking Journal.
Read the sections in your Guidebook on your shopping list, label reading, and strategies for food preparation. This information will give you what you need to know to go to the store and start buying foods for the Rainbow Cleanse. Preparing your kitchen in advance will make you more successful and prevent you from eating foods you should be avoiding and eating processed, quick foods on the run!
Here’s to your transformative journey about food & eating!
Xo Ana
Once you’ve started the cleanse:
Now that you are underway with following your food plan, you need to be thinking about how to “move” toxins through your body! In other words, get them out in poop, urine, and sweat!
Action Steps:
- Implement gentle movement and exercise in your daily life
- Consider scheduling a massage
- Share your personal discoveries about your own flexibility and mobility in life
Besides eating more whole, unprocessed plant foods and drinking more fluids, one of the ways to encourage movement is to physically move. Make sure you do not overdo it. Easy ways to move your body include yoga or tai chi, hiking, or just walking around the neighborhood. The lymphatic system is actively involved in toxin movement and clearance, so daily exercise is key to getting the most from your detoxification and cleansing experience.
Try whatever feels good for you. During the Rainbow Cleanse, you will also want to rest and restore your body, so it is not the best time to start a new exercise routine. You may want to continue what you are already doing, or try some mild movement that is within your capacity. Check with your health practitioner if you have questions about physical activities that would be best suited for your physical condition.
If you have aches and pains, or if you suffer from fatigue, you might want to consider body work or massage to support your Rainbow Cleanse. During the next month, consider scheduling at least one massage to keep your muscles and connective tissue oxygenated.
During this time, think about other factors of mobility in your life. Where are you flexible and fluid in your thinking? Where do you feel stagnant and stuck? Check your Tracking Journal, make a list, and if you feel you’d like to, share it on the private Facebook page to see how many other people are like you. Perhaps you’ll get some ideas on how to move back into the flow of life!
Wishing you more flow and fluidity,
Ana
Track your progress...
Make sure you stay on track with your objectives!
- Download Rainbow Cleanse Guidebook.
- Download the Weekly Planner and Recipe Book
- Fill out the Medical Symptoms Questionnaire.
- Download and print the Tracking Journal
- Prepare your kitchen