What to Eat After a Cleanse
How to Maintain a Healthy Diet Following a Detoxifying Fast
Jul 20, 2009
A good cleanse or fast can have a wonderful effect on the body, ridding the system of toxins and having a positive effect on both physical and mental well-being. But ordering a pizza to celebrate completing a fast can be seriously detrimental. Maintaining the right mindset after a cleanse is just as important as starting one.
Always consult a doctor before committing to a fast or cleanse.
Plan for a Post-Cleanse Adjustment Period Before the Cleanse
Before starting a cleanse, think about the weeks to come and plan accordingly. Fasting is a drastic change for the body, and great care must be taken to ease back into solid food.
The longer the fast, the longer the transition period after. Planning a fast to end the day before a celebration or holiday where indulging in food is imminent might not be the best idea.
In general, meals should be carefully considered for at least two weeks following any fast. With the digestive system essentially shut down, plowing the stomach with heavy food and drink can yield painful results.
For longer fasts, plan on a month of meals based largely around fruits and vegetables, with grains and proteins worked back in slowly.
Choose Foods Carefully
For those on a raw diet, add cooked foods little by little. Start with steamed veggies and brown rice, moving on to tofu, beans, dairy, and anything cooked in oil. Gorging on meat right away is likely to wreak havoc on the digestive system, as meat takes more time to digest.
After a serious juice fast or any liquid fast like the Master Cleanse, start with raw fruits and vegetables. To aid digestion, smoothies are always a good idea. Continue having juice or the Master Cleanse lemonade daily, adding solid foods gradually.
Soups can also be helpful after a cleanse. Boiled vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and onions can be blended for a satisfying hot soup. Try experimenting with raw foods recipes.
Continue avoiding soda and coffee, as well as white sugar, in the weeks following a fast.
Avoid Fasting Solely for Weight Loss
While losing weight is certainly a benefit to cleansing, it's certainly not a permanent solution. Fasting for a few weeks will most likely lead to dropping a couple of pounds, but they will slide back on if a healthy diet isn't maintained afterward.
Think Long-term
A cleanse or fast is a serious commitment. Too often, cleanses are begun with the wrong mindset. To be truly helpful, a cleanse requires a long-term commitment to change. The fantastic results of a ten day cleanse can easily be shattered by a falling immediately back into old habits.
If a cleanse is begun with a positive outlook and determination, the results can be amazing.
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