Back in Business
Two days until Meghan’s Green Smoothie Cleanse! See my blog post from earlier this week.
The cleanse starts on Sunday. Sign up today!
Gearing up for it, Meghan talks about Brussel Sprouts in her blog today. Yeah, I know you might not like them but they can taste good (or maybe I just like them). Meghan’s post also features a clip from The Cosby Show.
I’ve been eating raw for two meals out of three most of this week. Last night after getting full at dinner (healthy, consisting of salmon and vegetables) I had a second, unhealthy dinner. I need to remember to eat during the day and eat more. That part of the Green Smoothie Challenge will be a challenge. I’ll have to be constantly drinking.
To participate, download the e-tutorial and leave a comment in her post. The cost is only $12. I like that she charges a small fee for her e-tutorials and classes. By charging she applies – and implies – value to what she’s offerign while maintaining her position as a business, but by making the charge small it’s financially accessible to almost everyone.
Meghan is a nutritionist and, in talking to her and reading her blogs for months, I trust her. Some people say that eating raw is detox enough, others are into the Master Cleanse (or similar) system. A smoothie cleanse is in between. You’re neither starving yourself nor eating whole food. You can drink multiple servings of fruit at one time. At the risk of sounding like Jack Lalaine, imagine the nutritional benefits!
Why smoothies rather than juicing? Meghan explains:
Why Smoothies and not Juice? The difference between a smoothie and juice is that juice has the fibre removed, where as a smoothie has the fibre left in. This means that in this cleanse you won’t necessarily experience the same hunger as you would with a juice cleanse and may also not experience the same lightheadedness, headaches or nausea that can come from more extreme juice or water fasts and cleanses.
Also- quality juicers are expensive and most people have blenders or access to a blender so it makes this cleanse more accessibly and viable to more people. All about inclusion!
There’s more Q & A on that web page. Check it out, even if you’re just curious, and then decide. I don’t advocate just anything but I advocate this. You know that I’ll be blogging my experience.
Edit: I want to add a Twitter exchange that I’m having with Gary (user names omitted):
One of my new favourite people, Meghan Telpner, is leading her second Green Smoothie Cleanse starting this coming Sunday, June 7. There’s excellent information on the cleanse here where she answer the questions, “What Is a Green Smoothie Cleanse? Why Smoothies and not Juice? Why Three Days? Who Should Not Do This Cleanse?”
This time she’s offering prizes! But really, do you really need a prize as an incentive?
(Personally, I really want to try her granola and see how it compares to mine, even though for the last couple of months my weekday breakfasts have been exclusively smoothies.)
I’m in this time and I encourage you to as well, and not just because I get five extra chances to win if I get someone to register. If you do register, send Meghan an email with subject line “Cleansing Thanks To (your name here)”.
Go read her post and then register!
I’m drinking a fruit smoothie right now: Apple, pear, peach, banana, cocoa nibs, flax seeds, an EFA oil blend, the greens powder that I like so much, coconut water and water. Sadly, I recently had to throw out an entire pineapple that was showing mold. I look forward to living 2 blocks from a year-round weekly farmer’s market and up the street from Fiesta Farms. This Saturday I’ll have to check out the market at the Don Valley Brickworks to stock up for this cleanse!
It’ll be interesting to see how I handle 9 consecutive smoothie meals. I know I can do it once daily and that my breakfast lasts through lunch time. I know that I can eat raw three meals a day. Snacks might be a challenge. Maybe I need to look at it as a liquid version of my raw diet, thinking of salads but blended with water. I recall Meghan’s mother and others saying that they missed chewing.
Who can resist joining a cleanse that’s lead by someone this adorable (YouTube videos embedded, sorry if you work for the OPS and are reading this at work) and has a bike that’s decorated with flowers (the context for that photo is here)?
Reminds me, I bought a coconut at Fiesta Farms on Friday and need to open it. Maybe I should take it to Meghan. 
(Check out this video to see what I’m talking about.)
So, on May 12 I fell of my detox wagon, hard. Sushi for lunch was just the start. Fermented foods are forbidden in ht official “Wild Rose” detox, and combining grains and flesh (rice and fish) is not recommended in the raw food diet or in general optimal digestion terms. Things got much worse, though.
The croissant is chocolate (double – or more – whammy!) and the frothy drink is a decaf cappuccino with lactose-free (cow’s) milk. Wasn’t so good for my wallet either.
On to part 3 of this series, because I’m committed to it. Really, it was the laxative one that interested me the most:
Cleansaherb (tabs) – Red Clover blossoms, Burdock root, Echinacea herb, Mullein leaf, bearberry leaf, Parsley leaf, Marshmallow root.
Red Clover blossoms:
Red clover is also known as a blood purifier, useful for improving the overall health of the liver. It may also act as a digestive aid and stimulator of digestive fluids and bile production. It also does so much more!
From the product web page:
Red Clover, the primary herb in this formula, has been used successfully in many cases of heavy metal toxicity, lymphatic toxicity and mucous congestion. Cleansaherb is an excellent adjunct to fasting and other cleansing programs.
Burdock root:
A blood purifier which cleanses the body of bile, helping to detoxify the liver, kidneys and gallbladder. [Source]
Echinacea herb:
An immune system enhancer. I couldn’t find information that related it directly to detoxification, so I’m guessing that its role in the process is to help those who might experience “sick” symptoms during the detox process.
Mullein leaf:
The leaves and flowers have been used for treating respiratory problems such as dry coughs and bronchitis for many years. Mullein was a traditional treatment for diarrhea and rheumatism, and ointments for bums and earaches. [Source] I think that’s supposed to read “burns”, not “bums”. “Bums is too colloquial.
Bearberry (aka Uva ursi) leaf:
A diuretic and treatment for urinary tract infections.
Parsley leaf:
Parsley Root is an old-time remedy for digestive disorders, kidney and liver problems, menstrual irregularities, and cleansing the blood and body of toxins. It’s also a diuretic.
Marshmallow root:
See Part 2 of this series.
Truthfully, I’ve been using this one the least. Sometimes I throw some tablets in a bag to take to work but don’t take the extract. It’s liquid, it’s alcohol based, it tastes terrible. Smoothies mask the taste.
“CL Herbal Extract – Licorice root, Yarrow herb/ flowers, Uva Ursi leaf, Juniper berries, Corn Silk styles, Burdock root.”
All of the following are taken from the Wild Rose website.
Licorice:
Licorice has been used as a detoxifier for thousands of years by the Chinese, it is known in China as the “Great Detoxifier”. It is also well known as an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial herb. It has a tonic energy and revitalizes the body while supplementing and balancing the internal regions of the body.
Yarrow:
Yarrow works on cleansing the system, both through the urinary tract and by it’s well known diaphoretic action (diaphoretic-an agent that causes one to eliminate toxins through sweating). It’s diaphoretic action enables it to purify the blood of morbid waste material. Yarrow also regulates the function of the liver, and is especially beneficial through its influence on secretions throughout the entire digestion process. Yarrow has also been shown to have mild antibiotic action against bacteria.
Uva Ursi leaf (aka Bearberry):
Uva Ursi (Bearberry) is specific for the urinary tract, both toning and cleansing it. It is an effective urinary disinfectant and has been shown to be strongly antibiotic against many organisms including Staph. and E. coli bacteria.
Juniper berries and corn silk:
Juniper and corn silk are effective diuretics which means that they will cause a general increase of urine flow. This is beneficial in that is cleanses or flushes any infections or bacteria that may be present, or that are being discarded by the body because of the anti-bacterial and cleansing actions of the other herbs in the formula. Corn silk is also very soothing to the urinary tract.
Burdock:
Burdock has been used for centuries as an excellent blood cleanser with an especially positive effect on the liver. It rids the body of long term toxic material and is an antidote for acute poisoning. Burdock is also employed to cleanse the lymphatic system and soothe the kidneys.
Part 2 is pretty boring but I already committed to the series…
Biliherb (tabs) – Black Radish root bark, Dandelion root, Ginger root, Parsley root, Marshmallow root, Cramp bark, Wood Betony herb.
From the product web page:
Biliherb Formula stimulates bile production by the liver and its release from the gallbladder (where it is stored) into the small intestine. Bile is necessary for proper digestion as it serves to emulsify dietary fats, enhancing their absorption. It also makes metabolic wastes and toxins water-soluble, preparing them for elimination from the body.
Biliherb helps to decrease cholesterol buildup in the gallbladder and aids in the prevention and dissolution of gallstones. It is an excellent formula for detoxifying and strengthening liver function. This herbal combination additionally supports the spleen which, in turn, leads to greater overall blood cleansing and enhancing liver function.
Black Radish root bark
Black Radish contains a variety of chemicals that increase the flow of bile which play an important role in the digestion process. It also has an antibacterial effect on our digestive flora. Source.
Dandelion root
Dandelion has been found to stimulate mucus membranes, sooth the digestive tract, absorb toxins from the bowel, help friendly flora to thrive and inhibit unfriendly bacteria. Source.
Dandelion root is one of the safest and most popular herbal remedies. It’s supposed to strengthen the entire body, especially the liver and gallbladder, where it promotes the flow of bile, reduces inflammation of the bile duct, and helps get rid of gall stones. It helps indigestion caused by insufficient bile. Source.
Ginger root – see part 1.
Parsley root
Parsley has been used since ancient times to improve both the digestion and assimilation of food and is said to settle the stomach after a meal. The volatile oil in Parsley increases circulation to the digestive tract, easing stomach problems, indigestion and flatulence. Source.
Marshmallow root
Used to relieve local irritations, stimulate the immune system, slow down lung congestion in sore throat with dry cough, and relieve mild inflammation of the mucous membranes of the digestive tract. its tea is considered soothing to an upset stomach. Source.
Cramp bark
Muscle relaxant. Works to relax intestines. Considered the most potent uterine antispasmodic of the various Viburnum species. Source.
Wood Betony herb
Centuries of European herbalists used wood betony as a calming remedy and to treat eczema, hives, and shingles. Wood betony teas also treat sore throats caused by allergies or colds, heartburn, and inflammation due to infections of the urinary tract. The herb is used in combination with other treatments to remove intestinal parasites. Source.
