Spring is finally here and we know what sort of cleaning crosses your mind first, but your house is not the only one needing some work done. Your body too is in desperate need for some fresh start and there is no better season than this to clean your organism. Some of the signs that are warning you your body is in dire need for a cleanse are constipation, bloating, body odor, insomnia, light sleep, headaches, migraines, fatigue, poor skin, acne, brittle nails, thin hair, puffy eyes, frequent colds, allergies, and trouble losing weight. The combination of healthy diet choices, proper hydration and enough fresh air will help you revitalize your energy, restore balance and lead to overall improvement in health.

Pre-Cleanse Period

Before you start the actual “hard labor” you should have some period that will prepare you for the challenges ahead. Depending on how toxic and harmful your current diet is, that period should last between one week and one month (sometimes even longer). During this time your diet should be based on alkaline foods (organic fruits and vegetables) and grains (millet, quinoa, buckwheat and amaranth). Steer away from processed foods, refined sugars, candy, sodas, etc. Other healthy habits, such as exercising, staying in nature and drinking plenty of water are recommended.

Cleansing Time

This stage can last between 5 and 10 days. If you have done everything right before, by now you are ready to exclude solid foods from your diet for certain period and base your nutrition on smoothies, coconut water, shakes, broths, fresh juices and other healthy beverages. Your body should still receive all the important nutrients, just in another form. Because your body does not have to process any solid food, your digestive system will have some time to rest and you will reach optimal gut health.

Post-Cleanse Period

If you think your work is done right after the cleansing period, you are wrong. The post-cleansing period is the time you will need to slowly introduce solid food back in your diet, and it usually lasts between 2 and 4 days. It is important to drink enough water in between the meals or on an empty stomach. You can add some lemons for the taste and extra vitamins. Start your post-cleanse time with watermelon, papaya, soaked cherries, prunes and other easy-to-digest foods.

Best Foods and Drinks for Cleansing

If you are looking for some simple, delicious and healthy ingredients for your cleansing meals, look no further than sweet potatoes, beets, mustard, kale, spinach, bananas, tomatoes, kiwi, cold potatoes, grapefruit, artichoke, cabbage, cauliflower and legumes. Do not underestimate the power of liquids and consume water with lemon, coconut water, ginger juice, beet juice, green tea and hibiscus tea. You can drink all of them during your entire detox period (pre-cleanse, cleanse and post-cleanse). All of these foods and drinks should help you in the process of breaking down the toxic elements in your organism.

Bonus: The Super Cleansing Green Smoothie

This 15-ingridients smoothie is a true miracle-worker when it comes to body detox. What gives it superpowers are the magical ingredients which are low in saturated fat, low in sodium, free of cholesterol, high in dietary fiber, high in magnesium and manganese, high in vitamins A, B6 and C and high in potassium. All of them have amazing cleansing properties, and, when joined together they make a delicious way of cleansing your body.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup torn kale leaves
• 1 cup torn romaine leaves
• ½ cup chopped celery
• ½ cup chopped cucumber
• 1 chopped banana
• 1 cored and chopped small pear
• 1 cup coconut water
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp fresh mint
• 1 juiced lemon
• ½ tbsp chia seeds
• 1 slice peeled ginger root
• Pinch of cinnamon
• Pinch of cayenne
• Pinch of turmeric

Instructions:

Place all the ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. If you are a sweet tooth and need some extra flavor, sweeten additionally with liquid stevia. Bon appetite!

Giving your body time to recover, refresh and cleanse occasionally will be rewarded with better digestion, higher energy levels, improved immunity, quality sleep, better-looking hair and nails, smoother and younger-looking skin and improved overall health. These should be reasons enough to give your organism a full-blown detox as soon as possible.