How To Cleanse Without Greens

In response to recent posts on cleansing with freshly pressed juices and green smoothies, a number of people have written to me (benkim@drbenkim.com) asking for a way to cleanse without a small mountain of leafy greens.

As long as you don't have issues with blood sugar and insulin regulation, you can experience a solid colon cleanse as well as a systemic cleanse of all of your cells with a number of regimens that aren't "greens-centric" - our Apple Cleanse would be one such protocol if you skip the small amount of greens with your dinner meal as suggested.

But for those who want a super simple cleanse to follow, I have long found a 2 or 3 day mono diet of fresh papaya to be highly effective and easy to get through.

Papayas are best known for being a rich source of papain, a naturally occurring enzyme that facilitates optimal digestion of protein in food. As papayas ripen and take on a brilliant orange colour, their papain content rises. When ripe, papayas have a soft melon consistency and are deliciously sweet.

Papayas are also abundant in vitamin C, carotenoids, vitamin E, folate, and fiber - regular intake of these nutrients is strongly correlated with decreased risk of colo-rectal cancer, likely via improved comfort and regularity with bowel movements and through neutralization of excess free radicals that make their way into the gastrointestinal tract.

Cleansing With Papayas

For your cleanse, simply eat as much fresh papaya as your appetite dictates - three to six meals is typical for most people. Be sure to rinse well after each meal of papaya to prevent wear of your enamel by naturally occurring fruit acids.

If you don't mind some greens in your diet, enjoy your papaya with celery sticks and fresh lettuce. You can even add ripe avocado slices to the mix.

If you have time to jazz up a few of your papaya meals, try adding fresh cilantro and even some jalapeno peppers, and drizzle a bit of fresh lime or lemon juice to create a lovely salad of bright colours and flavours. Actually, ripe papaya chunks, creamy avocado slices, crisp celery, and a bit of cilantro, jalapenos, and fresh lime juice make for a highly satisfying meal. Cilantro is particularly useful to add during your cleanse for its ability to draw heavy metals out of your tissues.

Papaya is optimally ripe and ready for eating when its outer skin takes on a blend of yellow, orange, and even a bit of red colour, and is slightly soft to gentle pressure. If its skin is pale yellow, it should ripen over time at room temperature; papaya that is green and very firm to touch is best chosen for cooked papaya dishes.

When you cut open a ripe papaya lengthwise, you'll see hundreds of black seeds that are too bitter to eat. Use a spoon to scoop the seeds out to compost, then slice each half lengthwise three times to create four rows of sweet papaya flesh. While holding each row down on a cutting board, run your knife between the bottom of the soft flesh and the skin to easily remove the skin, and cut the flesh into bite-size chunks.

As can happen with most effective cleanses, don't be surprised if you experience headaches, a change in stool consistency, or even a skin rash as your body stirs up and eliminates stored toxins while doing this papaya cleanse. Such reactions are simply a function of your body putting its resources to work to cleanse your cells. If you feel well enough to continue past 2 or 3 days, continue with your papaya diet until you desire something more substantive. Don't forget to rinse well after every meal to preserve healthy teeth and gums.

Beyond cleansing your digestive tract and stirring up accumulated toxins, loading up on papaya will improve the health of your cardiovascular system; carotenoids and vitamin C in papaya are helpful for preventing atherosclerosis and oxidation of healthy dietary cholesterol. These nutrients are also useful for reducing inflammation and improving immune system function. The truth is that eating papaya will enhance the health of every group of tissues in your body, from your maculae to your reproductive organs - such is the consequence of injecting your bloodstream with the plethora of phytonutrients found in ripe papayas.

Just one additional point to be aware of before beginning a papaya cleanse: papayas contain chitinases, which are natural substances also found in avocados and bananas. People who are allergic to latex can also show signs of intolerance to foods that contain chitinases, so it's important to be mindful of how your body responds to each meal, and if you experience any overt signs of intolerance, it's best to avoid potential irritants until you consult with your physician.