“It’s not what we abstain from occasionally but how we make our daily choices that will create our well-being.”
Thoughts on Cleanses and fasting
Hello Beautiful,
I hope you are enjoying your summer. It’s an important time to *choose* to slow down, reflect, replenish, and play. Life will always be full of opportunities and the social momentum of being busy can make summer as busy as any time of the year. Only if we recognize the essential quality of rest and play, will we have the clarity to protect sections of our calendar for replenishment. I encourage you to block off parts of the day or days of the week for this. 20 minutes on the porch listening to birdsong, a nap, an after dinner stroll in the cool of the day can all be little summer pleasures that deeply replenish us. Nothing enhances our long term trajectory or short term fulfillment more.
Whether it’s a new headline on the dangers of chemicals we are exposed to, or an article on slimming down to look better in a swimsuit, cleanses and fasting are often encouraged. Having done both for varied duration of time over the past 30 years & counseling clients for the last 20 years on how these tools might serve, I have some things I would like to share with you on the uses of both that have worked best for me. Note* – you should consult your medical professional about diet, nutrition, and health related matters. I am not offering medical advice. I am simply sharing what has worked best for me. Everyone’s situation is different.
Thoughts on Cleanses
A cleanse is generally the elimination of foods/drinks that contribute to inflammation and the buildup of unhealthy effects in the body. Often herbs or supplements (like glutathione, charcoal, milk thistle, spirulina, etc.) are added to support the organs of elimination during the cleanse. When we research the toxic load our system is likely carrying, or we experience low energy, skin issues arise, or our digestion/elimination is problematic—we may hit a point where we want to unload some of the metabolic excess and allow the body to heal. Common cleanses eliminate alcohol, sugar, caffeine, grains or gluten containing foods, dairy, night shade vegetables, packaged foods, refined oils, and most/all meats.
Cleanses can be truly valuable when they allow us to reset our baseline. Once a person gets through the cravings related to things that were eliminated, they realize what feeling good really is. Most people struggle with low energy, poor sleep, uncomfortable digestion, and brain fog so regularly that they don’t realize they feel bad. They just feel normal. A cleanse is a chance to create a new normal. Call me a hedonist, but I want to feel good ALL of the time. Cleanses can help us extricate ourselves from bad habits and decide what to permanently reduce or make quality substitutions for. Once you create a new normal (which usually takes a month or two), it’s not tough to sustain a cleanse equivalent lifestyle. Occasional exceptions are no big deal, but always choose quality splurges—make it luxurious and enjoy it guilt free.
Thoughts on Fasting
In nature, when an animal is sick or injured, they hide out to rest and fast. Our bodies know how to heal. Our minds and habits can get in the way. A fast is abstaining from food or other things (like screen time, news, etc.) for the purpose of healing the body and/or strengthening our Spirit. Most people (88%) aren’t metabolically flexible (able to burn glucose OR ketones without drops in energy, headaches, nausea, etc.) and this makes fasting difficult for them. If we transition to a blood sugar balancing diet like the one outlined in Kelly LeVeque’s book The Fab 4 Diet it will gradually teach our body how to comfortably alternate fuel sources (like a hybrid car) and reduce systemic inflammation (and therefore address the root cause of most disease).
Fasting is a powerful tool to break addictions, reset the digestive system, support deep healing, and free our Spirit towards breakthroughs. If you are interested in using Time Restricted Eating/Intermittent Fasting as a tool to prepare you for 16-36 hr and longer fasts, a terrific book is Intuitive Fasting by Dr. Will Cole. I like to eat my meals in a 6-9 hr window most days and do a 20+hr fast each week. I also aim for a 3 day fast with each season change—using my intuition as to which days to do water only and which to allow blended soup, green juice or a smoothie. The physical benefits of fasting are many (reduced inflammation, increased cellular renewal, improved mitochondrial function, appetite reset, etc). Fasts also free our time and energy away from eating/meal prep and towards regeneration, creation, or breakthrough.
Fasting for spiritual purposes is powerful. When we have a big decision to make, when we are focused on shifting a deep seated way of being that isn’t serving us, when we are in solidarity with the suffering of others—we may choose to fast. We must be self aware of our motives. If there is a history of eating disorders, distorted body image, or control issues, we may be doing more harm than good by fasting. Take informed counsel and use self awareness to know what is right for you at this time.
As with so many things, it’s the intent/energy behind the action (self loathing or self supporting? Control based or surrender to the Divine?) that causes different effects from the same action. It’s your responsibility to take appropriate medical counsel and create a path that supports every level of healing.
It’s a myth that a fast or a cleanse will “fix” anything. Breakthroughs, insights, the initiation of a healing process can all begin with a fast or cleanse. They can shine the light on a better path forward, give us new perceptions, and free us from the emotionally and physically powerful habits we have around food. True freedom is found in being connected to your body and knowing what it needs to flourish. Clearing out the damaging habits & ignorance that negatively effect our ability to make informed and intuitive choices is key. In the end, it’s not what we abstain from occasionally but what we make our daily choices from that will create our wellbeing.
I hope you feel motivated to nurture your body, soul, and Spirit in whatever cleanse or fast you choose. Or, perhaps, you won’t cleanse or fast at this time in your life but instead you’ll deepen your understanding and intuition about what will create health in your being. Our health gives us energy to change and grow. When we are depleted, we don’t have the energy to make important shifts. Creating and directing energy is the currency that fuels all of our endeavors. Choose wisely, because your life is precious. Your dreams matter. The world is a better place when you can bring your highest contribution.
Cheering you on,
Rachel