“The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.”  ~ Ann Wigmore

Starting next Sunday I am participating in a 21-day cleanse where we will eliminate: dairy, gluten, sugar, caffeine, alcohol and all animal proteins.

“What’s left?” is the first question I usually get.

The next is “Why cleanse?”

Here is why I try to commit to a cleanse at least once a year, usually in the fall and the spring:

1. I’m not gonna lie—I hope to jumpstart the loss of those last 10 pounds. But it really ends up being about so much more than mere weight loss.

2. There are all of the physical benefits: reduce inflammation throughout the body, create a more alkaline environment, give my liver a break, better digestion, sound sleep.

3. I like the structure of it. It’s like a class and since it is Fall the inner student in me is excited for the chance to learn something new about myself.

4. Setting and working toward a goal is so inspiring. If I can do this, then what else can I do?

5.  I learn how my energy is affected by what I eat. Eating so clean leaves me feeling alert, energized and focused.

“Health is more than just the absence of disease; it is the presence of vitality.” ~ Kris Carr 

6. I expand my recipe repertoire and try new foods.

7. It is revealing. Habits that I am not even aware of are exposed, like how many times I reach for a glass of wine while cooking dinner, or grab a sweet treat after eating.

8. I am more tuned in to my needs and emotions since I am not hiding them behind things like wine and sugar. I turn to my journal to help process whatever comes up instead of eating or drinking my way around it.

9. I learn to trust my body and its wisdom. Every diet is not right for every body. It is up to us to really pay attention to how we feel after we eat. A cleanse gives us a clean slate so that when we re-introduce certain foods back into our diet, we can gauge how they work for our particular body.

10. Not only do I become more mindful of my food choices and eating habits, I also become more mindful of what I ingest emotionally. Maybe I skip that violent TV episode or avoid engaging in a gossip session.

In the end, a cleanse ends up purifying not only my body, but also my mind and soul as well. If all of that can be accomplished in 21-days , then my question is:

“Why not cleanse?”

Love elephant and want to go steady?

Sign up for our (curated) daily and weekly newsletters!

Editor: Renée Picard

Photo: Trace Nietert via Flickr