Animal Protein, Liquid Nutrition, Raw Foods - Your personal path to a happy, healthy and delicious life

Moderate amounts of animal proteins, such as chicken, turkey, beef, bison, lamb, pork, eggs, and fish, are acceptable during your cleanse if you’re a Healthy Omnivore or Flexible Vegetarian. Modern Vegans on the cleanse will still rely on plant-based protein and should eliminate any yogurt or cheese in their diet.

During your prep week, cut back on your animal protein by having meatless days and by having smaller portions. This is a good way to become aware of how much animal protein you’re eating and find ways to cut down. Begin to gather your meatless recipes and alternatives, so once cleansing occurs, you can substitute some, but not all animal protein sources with plant-based ones. Take care not to stress your body by eliminating animal proteins too fast.
Once you begin your cleanse, it’s important to listen to your body. If you start to feel lightheaded, you may need to eat a small amount of animal protein. What this cleanse is not meant to weaken you—it’s expected to strengthen. Find your balance and do what feels best.

This cleanse is not meant to weaken you—it’s expected to strengthen.

Liquid Nutrition

Each morning during your cleanse, start your day with a smoothie or, if you’re a Modern Vegan, enjoy a fresh vegetable juice. Your smoothie will be loaded with high-quality protein, fresh fruit, organic nondairy milk, such as almond or hemp milk, and some superfoods to boost your energy and your immunity. This will help you begin the day healthy, with high levels of satisfying nutrients to provide sustainable energy and diminish your cravings. (Check the smoothie recipes on page 178.)
Having a liquid breakfast allows your body to awaken gently. Blending or juicing your foods assists your body by breaking down the food, liquefying it, so your stomach acids don’t have to, and therefore easing the digestive process. Smoothies can be a problem for people who have high blood sugar or diabetes, however. If you’re unable to enjoy a smoothie or juice because it makes your blood sugar spike, then eat a meal that is free of the foods we’re eliminating, and try to add in some vegetables for fiber. For example, scrambled eggs with sautéed spinach would be an excellent cleansing alternative for Healthy Omnivores.

By adding in one liquid meal for Healthy Omnivores and Flexible Vegetarians, and at least two liquid meals for Modern Vegans (actually, if you’re a Modern Vegan, you can have unlimited green juices or smoothies), you’re giving your digestive system a rest by doing the work for it.

For a Healthy Omnivore, this could take some time. Begin with the creamy smoothies that contain hemp seeds or an organic plant-based protein. For Flexible Vegetarians, try a green smoothie. If you like it, and it agrees with your body (no digestive upset from it), add it to your daily meal plan.
You may be afraid of the idea of a liquid breakfast, and wonder if it’ll be enough to sustain you throughout the day. I’ve worked with elite athletes and top-level business executives who learned to start their day with a smoothie, and it’s now a healthy addiction for them. Give it a try. We’re discovering your personal Nutritional Style, and your cleansing style, so it’s important that you feel satisfied as you begin your day. If you find a liquid breakfast isn’t enough for you, add some protein in the form of a vegetable omelet or warm quinoa with nut milk and cinnamon.

Feel completely free to adjust the quantities of your meals and experiment with the smoothie recipes included in this book or at my website. If you need to add an apple for sweetness, go ahead, unless you’re sensitive to sugar.

Raw Foods

Raw vegetables, fruits, and plant-based proteins like nuts and seeds contain live enzymes, the natural proteins your body needs to break down food in your digestive tract. They’re therefore often referred to as living foods. Heating food to above 115 degrees Fahrenheit destroys live enzymes; most cooked food, therefore, doesn’t have any. This doesn’t mean that you should never eat cooked food because you make plenty of your enzymes. But the more raw food you eat, the less your body needs to produce its enzymes to digest your food. That means more energy your body can put toward other things, like making metabolic enzymes to build healthy tissues and organs, and to carry away waste. By adding in one liquid raw meal for Healthy Omnivores and Flexitarians, and at least two liquid fresh meals for Modern Vegans, you’re allowing your digestion to become more efficient.
All three cleansing styles will add in more natural and liquid foods for your cleanse. For Modern Vegans, a few items on your cleansing foods list need to be consumed in moderate amounts, because they are commonly cooked. Go easy on the beans, lentils, grains, and yams. The purpose of the cleanse for everyone is to add in a high percentage of raw food. If you’re a Modern Vegan, you already do that. If a primarily raw diet feels too restrictive, or if you crave warmer or more solid foods, enjoying these foods in moderation is fine.