How To: Mindful Gut Cleanse

As some of you may know I recently completed a 3 day Virtue Cleanse with Orchard On Long. I chose to spend the time as mindfully as possible in order to cleanse using the app Headspace and be more aware of my actions and thoughts.

So what brought on the need to do this? Unfortunately an old injury has recently resurfaced and I couldn't help but ask why. I was healthy. happy and exercising regularly so just how had this injury managed to reenter my life? So I did what an frustrated human would do and dragged myself to the physio. After a look-see and a prod here and there she started to chat about how blocked energies in the body are able to leave a physical wound. As this is something I truly believe in, I put aside any misconceptions and listened to what she has to say.

Simply said, the nerve damage in my right arm was in the same place as the blockage I had acquired by storing up anger through passive aggression and by not addressing things that needed to be addressed. This was also the arm that breaks barrows in life - what my physio likes to call the hugging arm. After allowing this new information to process, I made a conscious time and date to spend come much-needed energy healing myself from gut to mind.

So how would a cleanse kick-start this new kind of mindfulness?
I need an enforced structure in order to find my own rhythm again. For me I find structure through cleansing - although for the purpose of each persons journey I guess it depends but since mine is connected to my health a cleanse made sense to me. Bearing this in mind I went to the best place I know, Orchard On Long and ordered myself a 3 day Virtue Cleanse.

So why the Virtue Cleanse over the other juice cleanse?
The Virtue Cleanse tends to work better for me mentally and physically. When doing a normal juice cleanse I find myself missing the sensation of chewing along with the much needed fiber and sense of 'fullness' that carbs and protein leave me with. Not to say you cant get these feelings from juicing, but personally I've found that they just dont offer the amount I need to physically function without eating my cellphone cover as a snack.

What does the Virtue Cleanse include?
The Virtue cleanse contains "an abundance of easily digestible fiber, probiotics, healthy oils, vitamins and minerals"

But lets break it down:
Greens, Activated Almonds, Halo Shot, Black Magik, The Panda, Kale Chips, Ginger Kombucha, Health Crackers & Hummus, Lemon Powerball.

How does one eat before and after a juice/virtue cleanse?
The best advice I was ever given regarding the preparation before a 'cleanse' was to cut back on meat and dairy - if you do of course include those in our lifestyle. However, to keep it simple, try to go vegetarian two days before the cleanse and then vegan the day before. Complete the cleanse course and then return to the vegan diet the day after, and then back to vegetarian the next day before slowly reverting back into your normal lifestyle.

Now before we move on I do need to mention that completing a cleanse is a great opportunity to commit to a plant-based lifestyle or an oppurtnity to cut back on your caffeine intake. I personally have been aiming for an 80/20 ratio of plant-based eating and I have to admit that cleansing is a great way to make the conscious choice of changing your lifestyle.

What to expect when on a juice/virtue cleanse?
1. The obvious is going to be your bowel movements! If you follow my advice on eating in the previous question your bowel will function more smoothly than ever before! HOWEVER if you choose to go cold turkey and eat everything left in your house out of 'fear' of no food over the next few days you will indeed clog up like an old drain. Not a pretty picture -,rather take my advice and eat well for the two days before the cleanse. Not only will this benefit you physically but it will also mentally prep you for the next few days. Which is a damn sight better than entering the Virtue Cleanse with apprehension. Rather grab it head-on an 'I gat this' attitude.

2. If you are a coffee drinker or your daily eating plan consists of highly processed goods then I'm afraid you will have one heck of a headache on the second day. Why is this? Well basically your body is dealing with some excessive cravings, which should be a huge wake up call as to exactly what your per-cleanse diet was doing to your body. But if things get unbearable, my best advice would be to up your water intake and possibly look at making a super juice from dark green leafy veggies as an extra detox method to aid your cleanse.

3. Possible bloating & flatulence. If you suffer from IBS make sure to invest n some extra probiotics and digestive enzymes to take daily. These will aid in easing in the change in your diet and give your body the extra loving it may need to adapt with less innovation.

4. You won't be as hungry as you think you will be. The Virtue Cleanse innovation gets rid of those insane cravings! You will notice that you ACTUALLY do eat during the Virtue Cleanse (activated nuts, kale chips, crackers & hummus and a bliss ball) and this was a huge game changer for me - as I was never able to complete a juice cleanse without 'failing' at just sticking to the juices.

Will completing a juice/Virtue Cleanse asset in my IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
While the short answer is no, the long answer is yes. The reason why I initially say no is because there isn't a quick fix or short-term change that will cure IBS. While IBS requires a lifestyle change, I do believe that if you commit to the cleanse by eating correctly beforehand and afterwards you are likely to see a substantial decrease in your IBS symptoms.

Now before all y'all IBS babies jump for joy, remember that everyone's symptoms can be triggered by different foods and the amounts eaten thereof. There is never going to be a cut-and-dried answer to curing IBS. I would strongly suggest purchasing and taking digestive enzymes and a probiotic both during the Virtue Cleanse and moving forward in your day-to-day lifestyle. I personally struggled with IBS and have found these additions to my diet to be amazing tools.

Tips on detoxifying the body that you can add to your cleanse or daily routine:

Morning ritual: ½ Lemon, chopped up ginger with hot water
Night ritual: 2 tsp apple cider vinegar in water
Daily: Digestive enzymes, probiotics
Food Tips: Cut back on caffeinated products such as coffee and chocolate. Take a break from meat and dairy for a few days, and slowly start cutting back on them in your general diet.
Mind Tips: Download the Headspace app, get a gratitude journal and fill your TV time with mindful documentaries such as Food Choices or What The Health.

At the end of the day this is not about "going on diet" but rather about knowledge - once you have relevant knowledge you then have the power of choice. Going forward, it is then up to you what you want to do with that knowledge.

I hope this sheds some light on my cleanse - if you have any questions please leave them in the comments below or tag me using #candibod in any of my posts.

All my love,
Cands
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