Pre-Cleanse
Week One
While you may want to dive right into the cleanse as soon as you receive your kit, please know the pre-cleansing is an essential aspect of the cleanse and can enhance your experience and lead to longer lasting results.
On this page you will find all the pre-cleanse instructions, as well as handouts, recipes and FAQ’s.
Body Prep
I strongly suggest eating all your meals and snacks from the list of ENJOY foods for 3-7 days before starting the cleanse, this is why we start one week prior ;-) Even if you are a pretty clean eater, the occasional alcohol, caffeine, sugar and processed foods contribute to inflammation in the body and accumulate as extra mucus and unwanted fat. Diving into the cleanse without the pre-cleanse days can make the detoxification symptoms stronger and more uncomfortable.
During the pre-cleanse and during the 14-day cleanse, you will stay away from gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, peanuts, alcohol, coffee, and refined sugars. See below for the complete list.
Enjoy and Avoid List
Below is a list of things you will ENJOY and AVOID over the next 3 weeks. Get familiar with the list. ;-)
I recommend printing it and having it in the kitchen, take a picture so you have it on your phone when you go to the grocery store.
Please know, depending on which cleanse you chose, these lists might be slightly different. (i.e. PaleoCleanse omits lentils, VegeCleanse does not. This is simply because if you are truly “Paleo” they stay away from beans, lentils etc in general.)
I have also put an asterisk * next to the nightshade vegetables if they are a concern for you. Some detox plans include eggs, other’s do not. Some detox plans include omitting citrus and shellfish, other’s do not. Therefore, I have highlighted the things that are optional depending on your unique situation. For example, if you know tomatoes, tomato sauce or peppers give you indigestion, it’d be a good idea to stay away from nightshades completely for the two weeks.
I’d recommend to either reach out to me for advice, or if you KNOW you tend to not do well with eggs, lentils, tomatoes etc.. leave them out! I also encourage you to go out of your comfort zone, for example, if you eat eggs every day and can’t imagine giving them up… that’s exactly why you should give them up! We are looking to not only remove items that commonly cause inflammation in most people but also to find more diversity in our diets.
Enjoy
Fruits and Vegetables
Unsweetened fresh or frozen whole fruits, sea vegetables, avocados, olives, tubers, and raw, steamed, sauteed, juiced or roasted vegetables
Dairy Substitutes
Hemp & nut milks, coconut milk, coconut oil/butter
Starch & non-gluten grain
Brown, red, black & wild rice, millet, amaranth, teff, tapioca, buckwheat, quinoa
Animal protein
Fresh or water packed cold water fish (trout, salmon, halibut, tuna, mackerel, sardines, pike, kippers), wild game, lamb, duck, chicken, turkey, collagen, bone broth
Vegetable Protein
Split peas, lentils, legumes, bee pollen, spirulina, blue-green algae
Nuts & Seeds
Hemp, chia, flax, sesame, pumpkin, & sunflowers seeds, hazelnuts, pecans, almond, walnuts, cashews, macadamia, pistachios, brazil, nut & seed butters such as almond or tahini
OIL
Cold-pressed olive, coconut, flax, safflower, sesame, almond, sunflower, walnut, pumpkin, avocado
Drinks
Filtered water, green, white or herbal tea, unflavored seltzer or mineral water, yerba mate, coconut water, green juice
Sweeteners
Stevia, monkfruit extract, coconut sugar/nectar, xylitol, whole/fresh fruit
Condiments
Vinegar, all spices all herbs, Himalayan or sea salt, black pepper, carob, raw or dark chocolate, stone-ground, mustard, miso, coconut liquid aminos, wheat-free tamari and nama shoyu, unsweetened whole fruit jam
Avoid
Fruits and Vegetables
nightshades* (goji berries*, tomatoes*, peppers*, eggplant*, regular potatoes*) - only if you suspect you have an issue with them!!
Dairy Products
Dairy (milk, cheese, cottage cheese, cream, yogurt, butter, ice cream, nondairy creamers, ghee, soy milk)
Starch & non-gluten grain
Wheat, corn, oats (even gluten free)
Animal protein
Cold cuts, frankfurters, raw meats, warm water fish
Vegetable Protein
Soybean products (tofu, soy sauce, soybean oil in processed foods)
Nuts & Seeds
Peanuts and peanut butter
Oil
Butter, margarine, shortening, processed oils, canola oil, store bought salad dressings, mayonnaise, spreads
Drinks
Alcohol, coffee (including decaf), non-approved caffeinated beverages, soft drinks, fruits (unless fresh pressed)
Sweeteners
Refined sugar, white/brown sugars, high fructose corn syrup, evaporated cane juice, Splenda, equal, Sweet’N Low, juice concentrate, agave nectar, brown rice syrup
Condiments
Regular chocolate (with dairy & sugar), ketchup, relish, chutney, traditional soy sauce, barbecue sauce, teriyaki sauce, breath mints, chewing gum
Kitchen Prep
During week 1, you will want to start to prep kitchen and clear the foods out of your kitchen that might be tempting for you to indulge in. It is best to just not have them in the house! The recipes we use throughout the cleanse will provide you with a handful of ideas to incorporate into your life after the cleanse, therefore, putting in the effort upfront now will pay off in the long run.
Cleaning Out the Kitchen
• Organize your shelves so there is a clear place for things you can ENJOY and things you are going to AVOID. That way you are not tempted.
• READ LABELS on any packaged food. Sugar, dairy and gluten are in almost EVERY product and condiment. This process alone is an extremely educational experience. I typically guide folks to only buy foods that have 5 ingredients or less and contain products you can read.
• GET RID of foods that are high in sugar, palm oils, have long lists of ingredients etc. Be ok with THROWING THEM AWAY!
• Get into the mindset that you are making CHANGE. A mindset that repeats you are “torturing yourself”, “depriving yourself”, or “giving up all the foods you enjoy” is not a helpful mindset to be in. Telling yourself you are making room for foods that are more nourishing and having an open mind to the possibility that you will NOT desire those foods anymore!
Stocking the Kitchen
Stocking the kitchen with some staples is key. The following as some basics:
Broth (mineral and bone)
Herbal teas
Rice (brown, forbidden, green and wild)
Organic nuts and seeds (including hemp seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds)
Fruit
Vegetables (leafy greens, sweet potatoes, seasonal vegetables etc)
Coconut water
Hemp milk (or other nut milks)
Frozen fruits to add to smoothies
Nut butters (I love raw almond butter)
The items you need to cook the recipes you want
Mental Prep
• Get a journal. This is a REALLY important part of the process. At the beginning, take some time to sit and think and write down what you want to gain from the cleanse, why you are doing it and what you think might be challenging about it. Following that, write down 3-5 things you can do when you feel challenged by the cleanse. For example, “when I want to reach for my cup of coffee, I can make some warm herbal tea instead.” At the end of each day in Week 1, write down 3 foods that were power foods and 3 foods that you could/should eliminate the following day/week. Write down how you felt, how much sleep you got and 3 good things that happened in your day. Remember this is not a just a weight loss tool, but a chance to kick start and build awareness and change habits. Taking time for these details is important.
• Prepare social calendar to prioritize your health over the next 21 days. This is time for YOU. While it may seem like a long and impossible task, commit to it and you will not be sorry.
Additional Tips
Take Epsom salt baths to increase detoxification
Exercise is important and great to increase metabolic activity and sweat to release toxins; but it is not a time for record setting. You want your body detoxifying and rejuvenating, not busy repairing sore muscles.
Prioritize sleep. Your body is going to be doing a lot of work instead to get rid of toxins, it is essential to get good sleep to assist with that process. Turn of the screen, read a book, calm the mind.
Having bowel movements every day is vital to remove the toxins from your body. If this is a challenge for you, throw some flax seeds, psyllium husk, or aloe vera juice into your smoothie, drink some Smooth Move tea and if those don’t work, please contact me!
FAQs
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Everyone’s number one question! YES! You can do it! Remember this is a short period of time and coffee does have an effect on your blood sugar, hormones, energy levels and gut microbiome. See additional handout on suggestions other than coffee for this cleansing week.
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You can continue to take your regular supplements during this cleansing week but should take a break from them during our 14 day detox. In your kit, there are supplements that you will take to promote and
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Yes! It is important you exercise and sweat. Sweating is one way our body releases toxins. However, it is a lot of work for our bodies to detox and that should be the priority and you should not expect heaving, intense “training”.
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Yes, I just encourage you to think about why you are snacking, are you really hungry? Is it out of habit? Are you looking for something to satisfy a craving? Bored? Sometimes it great to get up and take a 10-15 min walk, if you are truly hungry, you will be hungry when your done. If you weren’t the urge will likely pass.
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This is a normal and natural symptom of withdrawal and detoxification from caffeine, sugar, gluten or something else you may have been eating on a regular basis. Try to get through it by staying well hydrated, drinking herbal teas, broth and filtered water. Also allow the body to rest and go to bed a little earlier. It will pass. You can also put peppermint oil on your temples and your forehead.
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Bowel movements are one way the body excretes toxins and you do want to make sure this is happening every day. If you are having trouble, consider adding flaxseeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, or psyllium husk to your smoothies. Aloe vera juice can also help. Smooth move tea before bed can help move things along as well. You do not want loose stools. Please contact me if you need more ideas.
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Yes, you can. It is designed so that you can just mix and drink it. However, it doesn’t taste great and it’s not enough calories. I strongly suggest mixing the packet into a smoothie.
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This is going to vary for each individual. This cleanse is not about starving yourself or cutting calories so low you can’t function. This is a 2-3 week endeavor and about clearing inflammation, learning how to eat without the processed foods, extra sugar and functioning on no caffeine or alcohol! We are re-booting our bodies natural detoxification pathways and learning how good we can truly feel! That being said, it is not a time to make 3000 calorie shakes and bulk up either! If you bring the calories down too low for extended periods of time, you risk slowing your metabolism and lowering your metabolic rate. None of us want to do that. My suggestion, depending on your size, body composition, age and metabolism, shakes should be between 600-1200 calories… made with lower sugar fruits (berries, peaches etc) and include healthy fats (nuts/seeds/avocado…see smoothie handout) and even maybe a little extra protein. But DO use the kit packets. They contain vital vitamins and minerals to support your detoxification pathways.
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I’m with you! I don’t either. Unfortunately, the large population of people are used to sweeter things and to appeal to the masses, they include stevia as a sweetener. Usually, with the right combination of ingredients, you can find a flavor profile that suits your needs.
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The supplement packets are made of vitamins and herbs that support our detoxication pathways to ensure we are releasing the toxins from our systems. They also contain digestive enzymes to assist in easy digestion of the proteins in the shakes.
Have more questions? Send me an email at bewell@emileewise.com.