When it comes to cleansing, two of the biggest complaints are that they take entirely too long and people tend to feel hungry while they’re on them. But here’s the thing: Cleanses can make all the difference in the world! Take me for example – Last week, I came down with some awful bug that’s been going around for a while now that I’d been desperately trying (and obviously failing) to avoid. It left me bedridden and wishing that I could just sleep until it was over.
Although I couldn’t keep much down, I knew I had to eat something. Enter this cleanse. Not only did it help me feel better by providing my body with a whole lot of vitamins and nutrients, but it also gave me the energy I needed to recover. Within a few days, I was back on my feet and feeling better than I had in quite some time. Here’s a quick rundown of the cleanse and why you should consider doing it yourself (because, of course there’s more reason to than being sick!).
What Is The 24-hour Cleanse?
The one-day cleanse was designed by nutritionist Kimberly Snyder. The way that this one-day plan is laid out, you’ll be able to detoxify your body all day long without feeling like you’re on some sort of starvation plan. One of the main benefits of this cleanse is that because it only lasts for one day, you can easily work it around your already too busy schedule without a lot of work.
The entire plan is laid out for you in a way that’s super easy to understand. Here’s what your entire day will look like if you decide to do this cleanse yourself:
First Thing In The Morning: Drink Hot Lemon Water
Warm water has been shown to aid proper digestion, and lemons are chalked full of Vitamin C. Put them together and drink them down first thing in the morning, and you’ll have a fantastic start to your day! To make the concoction, simply squeeze the juice of half a lemon into a mug of warm water. Remember to brush your teeth when you’re finished, though – the acidity in the lemon isn’t all that great for your teeth.
Have A Glowing Green Smoothie For Breakfast
This smoothie is absolutely jam-packed with a whole bunch of vitamins and minerals and is probably the entire reason I’m feeling better now.
In fact, I’ve been drinking one every day since, and my skin is beginning to literally glow. I’m also feeling more energized and happier overall. Think of this as less of a drink and more of a whole food – There’s definitely enough fiber in it to keep you feeling full for quite some time.
The included enzymes will also continue to help cleanse your system. Here’s what you need to make the GGS:
- Romaine lettuce.
- Spinach.
- Celery.
- Apple.
- Pear.
- Banana.
- Lemon.
- Cilantro.
- Parsley.
- Water.
Click here for amounts and a more detailed recipe from Kimberly Snyder herself.
Drink Detox Tea Midmorning
Instead of heading to the vending machine for a bag of chips to consume as your mid-morning snack, try out this detox tea instead. All you’ll need is a lemon, some ginger, some cayenne pepper, and a little bit of water.
Trust me when I tell you that this combination sounds a lot less appealing than it really is (and if you really find it to be that bad, I’d imagine you can tweak the measurements within reason to suit your own individual needs). This tea is supposed to help break up mucous and toxins in your body while at the same time creating a shield for unwanted bacteria.
Click here for exact measurements and more detailed instructions from the creator of the cleanse.
Have A Salad For Lunch
A lot of cleanses encourage you to stay away from solid foods, which is ridiculous when you think about it because there are so many foods that are amazing for you.
Dark leafy greens top that list of impeccable foods, which is exactly why you should turn them into a salad along with some of your other favourite vegetables. The more you pack on, the better – They’ll provide you with more vitamins and minerals, and the crunch they provide will help you get over any cravings you’re having for potato chips.
You’ll probably still be full from your morning smoothie by this point in the day, so you might want to keep that in mind if you’re planning to make your salad before you head off to work for the day.
Snack On Veggies Later In The Day
You’re probably going to be fine, but if you’re starting to feel hungry before you leave work you can always snack on some raw veggies (chances are that the hunger is really just a craving anyway). To add more fiber and enzymes, you can dip your veggies in a vegan dip.
Have A Warm Vegetable Salad For Dinner
The day is almost over; you’ve certainly made it through the worst of it and you might even be feeling pretty good right about now (those vegetables can give you all kinds of energy in almost no time at all).
Don’t quit now – Dinner should be light and have no meats or oils (because adding them would defeat the purpose of cleansing). This salad will fill you up while continuing to detoxify you. Here’s what you’ll need:
– Purple Cabbage.
– Radishes.
– Bok Choy.
– Broccoli.
– Cauliflower.
And here’s the recipe. Still, feeling hungry after finishing your salad? Fill up with a steaming bowl of warm tomato and basil soup which will pack in even more vitamins and keep your blood sugar stable.
As you can see, you’re going to be a far cry from hungry if you decide to participate in this cleanse. I would wager that any hunger you do feel is simply a craving and should pass shortly.
When To Cleanse
Kimberly Snyder suggests cleansing between seasons to help boost your body’s nutrition. I did it because I was feeling under the weather, but there are so many other reasons to cleanse your system occasionally! Here are a few of them:
- To help you quit sugars. (you can also try our sugar detox plan)
- To help you transition to a new diet more easily.
- Anytime you feel like your body needs a nutritional boost.
- Whenever you begin to feel ill help up your vitamins.
- Before a big event for optimal skin, nail, and hair health.
- Just because you feel like it.
Is It Safe?
Overall, this seems to be a safe eating plan. That said, if you’re someone who eats a typically over-processed Western diet and doesn’t get a whole lot of vegetables, you might want to consider doing this cleanse on a weekend when you can be in the comfort of your own home – The cleanse might do an exceptionally good job of cleaning you out; you might want to be near a bathroom.
Before you start any cleanse or diet, though, I always recommend that you check with your medical professional – You never know what kind of underlying health conditions you could have.
Does It Work?
I suppose the answer depends on what you’re looking for, really. It helped me feel better, but I assure you it won’t make you drop 25 pounds overnight. That said, it could be an amazing first step to reaching your good eating goals. It’s a lot easier to stick to a clean eating diet when there’s been a bit of a ‘buffer zone’ to help you get started.
Have you ever tried a cleanse before? How long did it last and what did you think about it?
