Ah new years resolutions, some people love them, others hate them. I look at the new year as an opportunity to take advantage of the increase in motivation around you and make a few changes. Some kind of cleanse 2 times a year is a great practice to get yourself into. I am not talking drastic measures. You don't have to water fast for a week, choose a plan that sounds doable for you. Something you know you can accomplish for an amount of time you know you can do. Don't bite off more than you can chew! Maybe that means not eating anything that comes out of a package for 2 weeks, or cutting out dairy, citrus, corn, gluten, or soy, or all 5! They are the 5 most common food allergens in America and one of them might be causing you problems. I for example get sleepy when I eat soy, hyper when I eat corn, acne when I eat wheat, and gassy when I eat conventional dairy (that is why I stick to raw milk:) Food sensitivities can cause all manner of symptoms from bloating and gas, to constipation, brain fog, sore muscles, arthritis, skin problems, depression, behavioral problems, and much more. If there is a food you suspect might be a problem for you cut it out completely for 2 weeks and see how you feel. If nothing changes then congratulations it is a good food for you right now. It can be very helpful to keep a food diary whenever you eliminate foods or change you diet. Write down what you ate, how you felt, how your bowels reacted, your skin, your mood etc. In fact, if you are intimidated by a cleanse just write down everything you eat for a week. It is scientifically proven that paying that much attention to what goes in your mouth will shift your eating, often causing you to eat better. Then you can take that food diary to your friendly neighborhood Naturopathic Doctor and they can analyze it, make suggestions for you, and even help you figure out a food that might be problematic for you just by looking at your diary. I do this all the time for my patients. Other options for a new years cleanse- do a search online or go to the library and find hundreds of ideas for cleanses. Or my personal favorite, join a group cleanse with the expert guidance of a doctor, like the one I am teaching beginning January 1st. It is always helpful to have someone else "going through it with you" to help your motivation and maybe even share cooking duties. For details about my cleanse which runs 6 weeks and costs only $200 click here. For a copy of the diet diary I give my patients click here.
