first & foremost let’s replace the word “fast” with CLEANSE! the word “fast” has received such a negative connotation over the years that people hear it & immediately think DEPRIVATION – when in actuality it is not deprivation - but instead is an effective & proven way of cleansing the mind, body & spirit.
mind, body & spirit/energy all benefit greatly when you go into any type of cleanse. an effective cleanse flushes out toxins from the physical body; strengthens your willpower on the spiritual level & on a mental level it trains the mindset & clears mental/brain fog.
in order to receive, you must be willing to release & cleansing/detoxing is one of the ways in which you can release. you are essentially making space for NEW things/experiences to flow into your life.
TIP#1: SET AN INTENTION
in my opinion, the most important thing to note before doing any kind of cleanse is to set an intention. FIND YOUR WHY! if your why is not big enough then your willpower will not be strong enough! why are you cleansing? what are you attempting to achieve? are you manifesting something? it can be anything – this is a personal decision that only you can make.
TIP#2: BEGIN, MAINTAIN & CONCLUDE THE CLEANSE CORRECTLY
How You Start & End a Cleanse is Vital!
based on the teachings of Dr. Laila Afrika – how you begin & end a cleanse is just as important as the cleanse itself. to effectively go on a cleanse reduce the combination of foods & how long you cook the food. that means, keep removing different foods up to the day before your cleanse where you are only having one type of food. for example, the day before beginning your cleanse – eat only mangoes, drink only mango juice or eat only melons or oranges, etc. to help your body gain the most benefits from a cleanse, as you get close to beginning the cleanse - steam your veggies less or even try to have only raw foods.
when ending a cleanse use the same method - 1 fruit the day after (or juice), then 2 fruits then 3 fruits. ending a cleanse & going straight into having cooked meals whether light or heavy essentially hinders the maximum effects of the cleanse you just completed. if you have access to coconut water & SOFT coconut meat this is also very good to have when going in or coming out of a cleanse.
depending on the type of cleanse you are doing – water, juice, raw foods, soups/broths etc it is also vital to maintain the fast correctly. for example if you are on a 3-day water cleanse and have juices prior to the culmination of the 3 days then you have broken the water cleanse. the general idea with cleansing is to be consistent! of course, listen to your body & know if you ought to break the fast & start again - this too is COMPLETELY OK!
GO ON THE FAST CORRECTLY! MAINTAIN THE FAST CORRECTLY! COME OFF THE FAST CORRECTLY!
TIP#3 USE NATURE TO AID YOU!
Practices that Can Aid Your Cleansing Experience
if you have never done a cleanse before, try to give yourself room & time to do fewer physical activities, especially during the first 1-3 days – or at least until your body is used to the cleansing. over-exertion will cause you to burn out & would not make the cleanse as effective as it can be! as with everything, cleansing/fasting also takes practice – you get better at it the more you do it.
nature & the elements are beautiful tools that can be used to your advantage during any cleanse. when you are cleansing use the sun to aid in stimulating the pineal gland. to do this go out into the sunshine before midday & blink at the sun (don’t look directly at the sun, but instead right beside it). a few days of this & you will realize that you rest better due to more melatonin production.
get barefoot, go outside & ground yourself! the best time to walk outside barefoot is in the early morning when rain dew is still on the grass. however, if this is not possible for you then any chance you get to be barefoot outside take it!
TIP#4 JOURNAL DURING YOUR CLEANSE
journal during your cleanse – when you feel like you are hungry sit with yourself silently for 5-10 minutes and ask the question “am I really hungry?” – then listen to the subtle signs from the body as it will actually tell you. an empty stomach does not mean hunger – being empty is a good thing! your body is very intelligent & it will know the difference between dire hungry & just an empty stomach. write about how you feel each day - you can do 1 journal entry in the morning & one before resting at night.
TIP#5 DRINK UP YOU WATA!!!!
feeling hunger is inevitable, especially in the first 1-2 days - deep breathing will help to control your appetite. when you start to feel hungry, before running for a bite of something sit quietly and take several deep abdominal breaths and then drink some water. many of the times when we think we are hungry it is actually thirst.
HELPFUL REMINDERS!
over several years i’ve attempted, failed & succeeded at many types of cleanses. the above guidelines are things that have aided me greatly on this journey. the most important thing i would like to promote as it relates to cleansing is TO GIVE YOURSELF GRACE, RADICAL AMOUNTS OF SELF-LOVE & SELF-CARE & BE COMPASSIONATE WITH YOURSELF. during a cleanse there are numerous things that may come up (physically, mentally, spiritually/energetically & emotionally) that you are meant to release – it is vital that you are not too hard on yourself when these things arise. take your time, be patient with yourself & you will be ok!
YOU WILL STINK! - just putting that out there. especially if you have been consuming a lot of processed foods! (Pro-Tip: get some fresh limes & use as your deodorant, or find natural deodorant alternatives because those store-bought ones are NOT GOOD FOR YOUR BODY!)
sending you lots of love, strength, willpower & success for whenever you decide to embark on this journey.
if you have any questions or need any further guidance or advice please leave me a comment below & i will be more than happy to help in the best way that i can. also, if you need more one-on-one support & guidance on cleansing then check out our "Clutter to Clarity - A Journey" launching March 1, 2023!
- santana chevel
"infinite spirits expressed in the IAM. iam in you, as you are in me"
disclaimer: please note the information provided in this piece is in no way medical advice. seek the help of a medical professional based on your personal lifestyle and also listen to your internal guidance - you know your body best!
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