Jessica Sepel likes to do this cleanse a few times a year, ideally at the beginning of every month. And since we’ve all over-indulged during the festive season, January will be no exception. The JSHealth cleanse will give your system a break and help you to kickstart your resolutions with a happy and healthy mindset.
This is my easy three-step cleanse that I like to do a few times each year—the results can be amazing. I’m talking glowing skin, a cleansed liver, restored energy, deeper sleep and weight balance. It also just helps us get back on track and feel good about ourselves. Many of us drink too much alcohol and caffeine which often makes us feel pretty tired and bloated.
This simple cleanse can restore your energy and vitality. It’s a total body renew—perfect for giving your body some extra TLC and increasing vitality! Rather than a hard-core juice cleanse, it’s more like a beautiful way to give your body extra love and care.
Think of it as three days of self-loving.
People often find 7-14 days too intense (you can access a full cleanse week in my 8-week program) but often this is just too daunting for people. So I wanted to create a 3-day mind-body cleanse you can do at the start of each month preferably.
Get ready for a brighter, more brilliant you!
Step 1: Cut out the Nasties
You will need to cut out the following for the next 3 DAYS:
• Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Cow’s Dairy and Soy
• Refined sugar and sweeteners
• Wheat and Gluten
• Red meat (for now!)
• Bad fats: trans fats found in vegetable oils as well as processed and deep-fried foods
Instead, opt for seasonal veggies (lots of leafy greens), fresh fruit (berries and green apples are best), gluten-free grains (like quinoa, brown rice, buckwheat), nuts & seeds, high quality fish, organic eggs and chicken, and coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil in your cooking.
Step 2: Lifestyle tips and tricks
• Sweat! Get your blood and lymphatic system flowing to accelerate the release of toxins. Try and exercise for at least 30 minutes each day.
• Aim to drink 2-3 liters of filtered water a day to help your kidneys flush out toxins. Herbal teas are also great for increasing fluid intake and cleansing.
• Use herbs and spices to add flavor without extra oils or fats—my detox faves are turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg and cayenne pepper.
• Commit to 8 hours of sleep—it allows our bodies to heal and regenerate new cells – so important when you’re cleansing!
• Care for your emotional self: When we cleanse, our bodies flush out toxins and sometimes this can cause certain emotions to rise—we feel more sensitive, maybe a little more vulnerable so make sure you set aside time for YOU.
• See a naturopath to make up some cleansing herb tonics for you—they work really well
Vitamins I recommend for these 3 days:
To be guided by a health practitioner!
• A liver formula that contains a mix of herbs and nutrients to help flush your system. I like this one.
• Brassica sprout powder – found at most health food stores
• Fiber blend powder/capsule – Added to breakfast/before dinner. This is a good one.
• Magnesium Cirate/dyglincate at night
Step 3: Detox your environment!
Once you’ve started cleansing internally, it’s time to look at the outside factors contributing to the toxin build-up and remove those too!
• Be mindful of what you are breathing in. Make a point of looking at the contents of your cleaning products – switch to natural detergents.
• Use aluminium-free deodorant.
• Buy organic whenever possible. Wash or peel fruit and veggies to remove pesticides otherwise.
• Invest in a good quality water filter and use a stainless steel bottle instead of plastic.
• Minimise exposure to plastics: use paper bags to store food, mason jars instead of plastic containers and don’t heat foods in plastic!
• Choose cosmetics wisely – try switching to natural skin and hair products or even make your own! Don’t use fake tan and use natural sanitary products.
• Switch to all natural household cleaning products—I use Mrs. Meyers found on iherb.com
POST-CLEANSE TIPS
After the cleanse, you should be feeling lighter and more energetic. Let’s keep those good vibes going by giving your body even more love.
Do any or all of these things:
• Take an Epsom salt bath three times a week.
• Jump into the ocean whenever you can.
• Deep belly breathe every day.
• Get into a sauna or steam room whenever you can.
• Treat yourself to a lymphatic or Thai massage.
• Challenge yourself to avoiding alcohol for up to a month. Hello, clean liver and gut!
• Detox your environment – tips above!
• Schedule in the 3-Day Reboot for next month. Diarise it so you know it’s coming (and dare I say it, look forward to it!).
Now you’re equipped with the information you need to start cleansing – are you ready for a happier, healthier you? You can find a bunch of my favorite detox-friendly recipes in my 8-week program or in my books or blog.
CLEANSE SHOPPING LIST:
Pantry Staples:
• Spring/filtered water
• Herbal teas: Dandelion root, chamomile, lemon and ginger, green tea, rooibos chai tea (caffeine free version)
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Lemons/Limes
• Salt – Himalayan/Celtic sea salt
• Fresh ginger
• Garlic
• Peppercorns – ground pepper
• Fresh/dried herbs- parsley, mint, basil, rosemary
• Spices – turmeric, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, spice mix e.g.: Moroccan spice – spice mixes are great to season protein sources
• Organic and clean sources of protein – chicken, eggs, wild caught fish
• Ground Flaxseed/LSA mix
• Pysllium husk
• Chia seeds
• Almond meal/coconut flour for baking/cooking
• Extra virgin coconut oil and olive oil
• Rolled oats (organic preferably) or gluten free oats
• Miso paste – to make your own miso soup or to use as a marinade
Veggies:
• Brassica – kale, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage
• Zucchini
• Carrots
• Lettuce – of choice
• Lemons/limes
• Avocado
• Celery
• Cucumber
• Dark leafy greens – spinach, silverbeet, kale
• Bitter greens – rocket/arugula, endives, radicchio and dandelion greens
Fruit: (low sugar versions)
• All berries, fresh or frozen
• Grapefruit
• Coconut
• Green apples (Granny Smith)
• Paw Paw / Papaya
You can all access a whole JSHealth Prep week guide in my online program to help you learn how to set yourself up for a healthy week for a healthy life.
Get the full cleanse week in the JSHealth 8-week program and get 20 percent off the program using the code JESSLA.
