I Made It Through my 3 Day
Raw Food Cleanse
For me, the perfect way to rejuvenate and increase my energy level is to do a raw food cleanse. I eat a lot of raw foods anyway, but by focusing only on raw foods, it allows my body a chance to clear out any of the foods that are not the healthiest out of my system and start fresh. I have lost 100 lbs. over the past several years and have found a wonderful way of eating that gives me the energy I need to get through the day. But I also find that occasionally doing a reboot, helps me stay even more on track.
One of my favorite times of year to do my raw food cleanse is the beginning of the Fall. It's the perfect time to get my immune system ready for the winter. I used to get sick all winter long, but since going gluten and dairy free and juicing regularly, I rarely get sick. I didn't expect it to be so cold this week, so doing raw foods was a little bit hard, but I made it through! I am really looking forward to adding in some soups and warm foods...
I prefer to cleanse my body with real whole foods, rather than an all liquid fast. Raw and living foods nourish our body and help to alkalize you. I prefer to keep it simple and do not include a lot of nuts, but do use handfuls of raw sunflower seed and almond butter. I also use small amounts of raw almond milk.
How to Get Ready For A Raw Food Cleanse
First, you should always check with your doctor before starting any new diet plan, cleanse or detox.
Before you begin your cleanse, you should prepare your system. If you are not used to eating a lot of raw foods, then you need to start slowly. One suggestion is to start with breakfast. Since it's the first meal of the day and sets the tone for your day, try making a juice or smoothie out of some veggies and fruits or having a nice big salad for lunch. I love to just have a banana with some raw nuts and grapes. That is probably one of easiest raw breakfasts to make and one of my favorite!
It's probably best to do the cleanse when you do not have a lot of things going on, such as business meetings, dinners, etc. I recommend starting on a day you are off so you can see how your body reacts. Most likely, you will need to be near a bathroom.
You may want to cut down on caffeine the week before your cleanse, or you can include 1 cup of coffee in the morning. I usually do 1 cup in the morning during my cleanse.
I suggest planning out your meals ahead of time and doing your grocery shopping before you start. This way you can have all of your meals prepared. This helps to keep you from deviating from the cleanse. You can take juices with you, lettuce wraps and salads can also easily be brought with you to work. If you do need to eat out, try bringing a salad dressing with you. There are some wonderful raw granola bars that you can pick up at whole foods or a health food store. Some supermarkets are also carrying some raw food bars.
Next, you want to figure out how long do you want to do the cleanse. You can do 1, 2, 3 and even longer, depending on what you are looking to achieve. I chose to do 3 days. I chose to do 2 juices a day, then have raw foods for lunch and dinner and snacks. I also chose some raw nuts, fruits, kale chips, crackers and hummus for snacking.
During Your Cleanse
Make sure to drink a lot of water during before, during and after your cleanse. You will be eating a lot of fiber and you should always increase water when increasing your fiber intake.
You can also do an eat raw till dinner cleanse. There are some wonderful juice places you can go and we also have a few places here at the Jersey Shore that offer raw food cleanses that you can sign up for. They prepare your meals for you. I will list the links below.
Try to stick with fresh vegetables and fruits and raw nuts and seeds. Try to stay away from gourmet raw foods, because they can leave you feeling bloated and can have a lot of extra calories that you may not want. If you keep it simple, you will find it so much easier to follow.
Remember, there is no failure, if you simply just increase the amount of raw foods in your diet, than you already are a success.
Raw Food Sample Shopping List
When possible, try to buy organic. I was actually able to find a bunch of organic vegetables at Walmart. Here is my shopping list for the 3 days...
- Kale
- Spinach
- Romaine
- Carrots
- Zuccini
- Peppers
- Onions
- Celery
- Lemon
- Apples
- Oranges
- Pineapple
- Grapes
- Bananas
- Raw Nuts, Sunflower Seeds, Cashews, etc., hemp seeds
- Raw Almond Milk
- Raw Almond Butter
- Raw Crackers
- Raw Hummus
- Raw Coconut Aminos
- Raw Kale Chips
My Menu for the 3 Day Cleanse
Day 1:
Breakfast: Juice: Kale, Spinach, Romaine, Celery, Pear, Apple and Grapes
Snack: Small dish of grapes & raw pumpkin seeds
Lunch: Juice: Carrot, Orange and Celery
Snack: Hummus veggie lettuce wraps with Kale Chips
Dinner: Salad with Sweet & Creamy Tahini Dressing
Day 2:
Breakfast: Juice: Kale, Spinach, Romaine, Celery, Pear, Apple and Grapes
Snack: Raw crackers and hummus
Lunch: Juice: Carrot, Orange and Celery
Snack: Apple, Celery, almond butter, raw pumpkin seeds, 1 brazil nut
Dinner: Salad with Sweet & Creamy Tahini Dressing
Extra Snack: Raw Banana Ice Cream with Almond Butter on top
Day 3:
Breakfast: Juice: Kale, Spinach, Romaine, Celery, Pear, Apple and Grapes
Snack: Juice: Carrot, Orange and Celery
Lunch: Salad with Sweet & Creamy Tahini Dressing
Snack: Apple, Celery, almond butter, raw pumpkin seeds, 1 brazil nut
Dinner: Raw zucchini pineapple teriyaki (raw coconut aminos) stir fry
Snack: Almond milk with vanilla, cinnamon and raw honey
Design your own raw food menu..
Print our weekly menu form below.
© Copyright 2013 CarriesKiddieCloset
How to End Your Cleanse
When ending your cleanse, be sure to slowly introduce foods back, so you do not shock your system. I usually will do 2 raw meals for a few days after, then 1, etc. Since my regular eating includes a great deal of raw foods, I transfer back and forth smoothly. But if you are eating a traditional diet, it takes a little time for your body to adjust to all of the changes.
My Results
I feel much better and I did not have any headaches or any adverse affects from this, but that is probably because I do eat a lot of fiber and vegetables anyway. The next time I would definitely add more fat, i.e. avocado or coconut oil. I plan to continue incorporating as much raw foods into my diet as I can. Because it's cold here in New Jersey, it's hard to eat raw all the time. I am definitely inspired to continue though. My energy level has definitely increased.
Helpful Blogs and Videos and Raw Cleanses
I have found so many wonderful Raw Food blogs and you tubers out there that have helped me so much in my journey to health and wellness. A few of my favorite blogs/you tube videos that have helped me tremendously are listed below.
Raw Cleanses & Juices Here at the Jersey Shore
Some Helpful Blogs
You Tube Videos
All pictures and recipes are © Copyright 2013 CarriesKiddieCloset
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