If I had a buck for every individual that has asked me what cleanse they should be on after every major holiday, I’d be writing this on a beach right now!  After a couple of weeks of low activity and Christmasturkey, everyone’s New Years resolution is to emerge from the winter season looking like a GQ or Vogue model.  Those of us who are health conscious seem to think this dream can be attained by adopting a cleanse program, usually in the form of a pre-packaged capsule or powder from your local health food store.  After you’ve paid upwards of fifty dollars, you run home hoping that the herbal magic in a box will melt off the pounds you gained, while you achieve optimal health and detox for the entire body.  Here comes the wake up call!

Firstly, while a cleanse can be beneficial to your body on a ‘seasonal” basis, you must remember that a real cleanse is not designed to cause dramatic weight loss.  There are some brands out there marketed for that purpose, and realistically, you must ask yourself what exactly it is you are looking for.  These cleanses are often full of herbs that will help your body ‘purge”, but sadly lacking in the nutritional support your body needs during the critical “breakdown” stage. 

A cleanse should be taken up in the spring/summer season.  We do this to purify our body of toxins and “excess” deposits in the colon. (Usually the primary site for toxicity).  Eliminating these makes us feel lighter and our bodies usually feel cooler as a result of fasting.  This is why it is better we do this in the warmer months.  You should also know that there is no reason to spend a lot of money on a packaged cleanse.  You can, if you really want to, but I’d rather spend the fifty dollars on new yoga wear.  Wouldn’t you?

If you want to do a spring cleanse to help “reset” your body for the new season and eliminate your winter toxins, here’s a fast and easy way to achieve that goal:

Spring Master Cleanse (Take for 3-10 days)

2 Tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice

1-2tsp pure maple syrup

1/10 tsp cayenne pepper

8 oz spring/filtered water

Mix and drink 8-12 glasses throughout the day.  Eat or drink nothing else except filtered water, laxative herb tea (available at health food stores), and peppermint or chamomile tea.  Keep the lemonade in a glass container (not plastic) or make it fresh each time.  Rinse your mouth with water every time to prevent the lemon juice from damaging the enamel on your teeth.

(Source: Dr. Elson M. Haas)