This week we are finishing up our Community Cleanse and preparing to celebrate at the annual open house on Friday, May 8th!  It has been so fun and effective that we plan to continue growing the Facebook group community and staying connected throughout the year.  Even if you are not cleansing or post cleansing this is a great opportunity to join a wellness community.  This ongoing circle of support and sharing is one very important way to make our results sustainable and brainstorm on “aftercare” ideas.

Cleansing “aftercare” is often overlooked.  Without it our efforts can feel somewhat in vain as we slip back into old habits.  Often times our bodies are unable to sustain the recent changes due to lack of ongoing support or an incomplete restorative program.  Cleansing is just the first part of a holistic wellness plan that takes a renewal phase to make it complete.  As well, aftercare programs can look as different for each individual as the cleansing programs preceding them.

The first important task in providing yourself effective aftercare is to review what you learned and observed during your cleanse.  Some people may have discovered that sugar cravings were their biggest issue.  Others may have discovered that they reacted to certain foods.  It’s common to come face to face with underlying emotional issues that were hidden under certain dietary or lifestyle habits.  Consider documenting your findings in a journal, daily planner, calendar, or google doc and develop a plan to address these items.  You may be able to start working on some things immediately post cleanse and others may be many seasons away from ripening.

I always suggest to build your ongoing wellness plan in a way that will give you momentum to address the next issue.  One of our Temple cleansers felt like the best thing that she got out of her program was giving herself more free time.  It’s likely that if she continues to focus on this, then it will give her more energy to achieve other goals like reducing bloating.  With more restorative time for herself she might eat with more awareness and have the time to digest her meals better.  The commitment to more “me” time could lead to achieving multiple wellness goals with ease.  Gaining clarity about what can bring the most relief the fastest is one benefit of cleansing.

If intense sugar cravings showed up during your cleanse, then specific yeast clearing protocols might be in order to sustain your results.  It’s important to take a deeper look at what the sugar is feeding; energy in the afternoon, emotional distress, a reward, etc.  Addressing intestinal pH levels with hydrochloric acid and digestive herbs can set the stage for proper microbial balance.  And lastly, repopulating with proper bacteria can take the healing to the next level. 

Maybe food sensitivities became obvious during your cleanse?  This is one of the most common reports with cleansers.  A gut rebuilding program could be the next step if sensitivities created significant reactions like explosive bowels, headaches or severe cramping.  You will find great advice in this newsletter regarding this topic in Jamie Lashbrook’s article and Heidi’s fermented vegetable recipe.  Gut rebuilding can take 6 months to a year or more of work, so pace yourself and settle in for the long haul.  The good news is that you feel better along the way and often other seemingly unrelated body and mood symptoms disappear.

If chronic stress is your biggest energy drain, planning for regular care and de-stressing could be the ticket to maintaining your success and creating more.  In today’s modern times there are many people living intensive lifestyles and expecting their bodies to just keep up.  At some point the body begins falling apart, and it can feel like your health is eroding quickly and uncontrollably.  This population is best served by regular self-care practices to reduce the snowball effect.  Planning in a massage once a month, a 10 minute walk every afternoon, or a basic stretching and meditation practice at bedtime can help to manage the damaging effects of extreme lifestyles.

Whatever the revelations of your cleansing program might be, take aftercare seriously.  Confused as to how to plan for continued success?  Get help.  Join our Community Cleansing Group on Facebook and share.  Call us 6 days a week (206-729-6211).  Someone is always available to give guidance and support.  Watch your awareness and wellness grow as you master the rhythm of cleansing and renewal practices!