Mild breezes, longer days, brighter sunshine. Spring is gently but persistently nudging winter away. Spring is ready to be sprung and, after the coldest February on record, we are more than ready!

Spring is a beautiful season… As Nature renews herself our hearts embrace new beginnings and fresh possibilities, with hopeful anticipation. While I did not plan it this way, my liver cleanse has been a ’spring cleaning’ for my body – and I will be following it up with spring cleaning my home.

Here are some reflections on the experience… maybe they will encourage you to give it a try!

Emotional Toll of Physical Changes

Developing – or breaking – a habit is tough work! Change is a complex process that blends desire, visualization, motivation, planning, commitment and perseverance. Over the years, I have studied nutrition and applied much of what I learned. But the truth is, I can be lazy and grow complacent – so my results have varied. But since the flare-up of my eczema last fall, I decided that I have had enough. I am finally at a point in my life where I can answer Jesus’ question “Do you want to be made well?” with a hearty “Yes!”

I realized that I needed the guidance of a knowledgeable coach and health partner. Enter Dr. Soo my ND and champion. She is furthering my education and helping me to develop a healthy life plan that I can follow for optimal health, from now on.

Hypoallergenic Diet

I began to follow the hypoallergic diet in January 2015. This diet eliminates foods which are well-known allergens, including:  wheat (gluten), corn, dairy, eggs, soy, shellfish, sugar, peanuts, strawberries, tomatoes, orange, grapefruit, alcohol and coffee/tea (caffeine).

The foods that were on the approved eating list included potatoes, yams, rice pasta, oatmeal, quinoa, barley, legumes, nuts and seeds, as well as most fruits and vegetables. Lean proteins (turkey, chicken, organic beef) are allowed on the diet (but were eliminated during the liver cleanse).

Cleaner eating helped me feel better (removing the pesky digestive issues and late-afternoon energy slump) and this set the stage for the liver cleanse (following the Ultra Clear Cleanse program).

Confession Time. I built in some cheating (!) like: my morning coffee (one mug of half-caf dark roast with a dollop of half-and-half). On weekends, I allowed myself one beer with meals (no wine, and I miss my almost daily glass of red – my reward for getting through the day). Once or twice, I ate ‘no-no’ foods at meals served at family gatherings.

Results of the Liver Cleanse

This 17 day program involved a gradual decrease in certain foods, along with an increase in consumption of a rice-based protein powder cleanse (Ultra Clear Cleanse). The purpose was to cleanse, relax and restore the liver – liver performs many essential functions related to digestion, metabolism, immunity, and the storage of nutrients within the body.*  During the cleanse I experienced:

• less bloating and gas at mealtimes
• no afternoon energy slump
• no lethargy getting up in the morning
• better overall energy all day
• easier movement in my joints, especially knees
• slight weight/fat loss

Next Steps

I am seeing Dr. Soo this evening to talk about next steps. I know that we will soon begin adding back verboten foods, one at a time, to gauge their effect on my digestion and health. (Another confession – I had 2 scrambled eggs and multi-grain breakfast pita with organic butter on the weekend. Delicious – and no harmful side effects. I think the key for me will be moderation, but we’ll see what the doc says…)

* http://www.innerbody.com