Time for a spring cleanse..

Before becoming a mother, almost seven years ago, I was the queen of a cleanse!

I loved experimenting with different ways of eating and saw it as fun (strange I know!). But as I am fascinated by the body and how incredible it is, it gave me the chance to see how eating differently changed things for me. It was interesting, if uncomfortable, to feel the withdrawal symptoms and the cravings, and how eating more cleanly affected my mood as my body eliminated toxins i.e. mood swings, grumpiness, irritability! (Luckily, my husband did many of the cleanses with me, so we could be grumpy together!)

Over the past years, I haven’t felt the inspiration to plan a cleanse. As good as I knew it made me feel, I had to direct my time and financial resources differently. No longer have I had weekends to soak cashew nuts to make a raw dessert or been able to justify the expense of a cleanse kit. Yes, we eat healthily with lots of organic vegetables and fruit, beans and pulses and organic meat once a week, but I will also happily tuck into a bowl of crisps if one is offered, and can’t really imagine a day without a few squares of dark chocolate. Dairy has come into my diet a lot more and although I don’t drink a lot of alcohol, I do enjoy it. I’ve also started to question the ethics of ‘superfoods’ that often come with a staggering carbon footprint or the decimation of forest. So, I’ve reached a place of happy acceptance around my body and my diet. It’s mostly good, I feel good, and I’m ok with that.

But over the past few weeks, something has been stirring. As the light has returned, I’ve felt ready for a spring clean - of myself. Secrets from a Herbalist’s Garden, a book that I bought in Glastonbury last year, has inspired me to meet the energy of the Spring Equinox, to eat a cleansing diet and to use the power of plants and herbs that are growing around me. I’ve set myself the manageable challenge of ten days - as that’s when the Easter school holidays start - without sugar, dairy, wheat, meat, alcohol or coffee (easier as I’ve only drunk decaf for years) and enjoying the cleansing effects of herbs and plants such as dandelion, nettle, ginger, burdock, celery and parsley.

And today is Day One.

When I woke up this morning, a little bit groggy from the hour’s clock change, I felt a sinking feeling as I realised I was starting today! But I caught myself. This is a choice and I can also choose to do it with positive curiosity. It’s such a short time and so easy in comparison to my Muslim friends’ Ramadan fasting. I get to see what I’m capable of and I give my precious body some time to rest and repair. The mindset shift made me feel better straight away!

I also found a note book last week when I was spring cleaning my office, filled with recipes that I’d put together in 2014 when I was doing a month-long cleanse. It was a timely reminder of how creative I became then and how cooking was more experimental and nourishing as a result, and gave me ideas and inspiration for now.

I’ve also been feeling that it has been linked to a cleanse of the energy of the past three years. Of course, we don’t want to feel that the energy of Covid times is STILL hanging over us, but on some level, I feel that we have never had the chance to recover. Yes, we can get on with our lives now, but we all experienced a trauma that hasn’t been resolved. So I am also using this time, exactly three years from the first lockdown, to consciously clear out any of the heaviness and stagnation of that time that still lingers in my cells.

I’m looking forward to feeling lighter and brighter! You can track my progress on Instagram @lorna.clansey