Apple Cleanse

When apple season is in full swing, I enjoy following an apple cleansing routine two to three days a week. If cleansing with apples, celery, and other clean foods while having plenty of energy and strength to go about your daily activities sounds appealing, here's what you do:

Eat nothing but apples whenever you are hungry, from the time that you wake up to the time that you usually have dinner.

For dinner, you can have whatever your appetite calls for. But it would be best if you could have your dinner meal consist of at least 50 percent green vegetables.

Here are a few examples of optimal dinner meals:

Example A

Steamed broccoli
Brown rice
Avocado
Healthy dressing from our recipe archives

Example B

Steamed kale
Quinoa
2 organic eggs, scrambled
Healthy dressing from our recipe archives

Example C

Steamed asparagus, spinach, and green peas
Three ounces of wild salmon
Healthy dressing from our recipe archives

If you find yourself looking for a snack later on at night, go back to munching on apples or celery. And if you really need something more, have your crisp apple slices and celery with almond butter.

If you're using a green food powder or other whole food supplements, take one or both with your dinner meal.

That's it.

Many people who have followed this detox routine have reported losing unwanted weight, feeling more energetic, having clearer skin, and just feeling better than they have in a long time.

And because this routine will supply your body with healthy calories whenever you are hungry, the detoxification effects will not be so abrasive that you will have to take time off of work or from your daily routine to get extra rest.

Another nice feature to this routine is that you can benefit from following it for one day, several days, or even a few weeks.

Just one note of caution: if you have high blood sugar or any problems related to your blood sugar regulating mechanisms, you may want to substitute apples with non-sweet vegetables like lettuce, celery, tomatoes, and cucumber. And of course, before following this or any other detoxification routine for more than a few days, it's prudent for you to consult with a health care provider who can provide you with personalized guidance as you seek to get healthier.

I hope this apple cleansing routine proves to be beneficial to your health.

Addendum:

As of September 2015, I have been recommending eating one full rib of organic celery with every apple eaten, and have found that results are consistently more impressive than with apples alone. I encourage giving this a try if you don't have an aversion to eating plenty of celery.

Including celery improves overall hydration and intake of non-starchy polysaccharides like apiuman that provide powerful anti-inflammatory effects throughout the body, and especially within the lining of the digestive tract. With any cleanse, a primary goal is to restore full integrity of the mucosal lining of the digestive tract, which is why celery is an excellent choice with most detoxification programs.