There are many different types of cleanses and fasts out there for you to try. I have listed a few below:

The Master Cleanser or lemonade diet as it is called by some is a fast in which you do not consume any food - only a drink consisting of lemon juice, cayenne pepper, grade B maple syrup, and water. I’ve tried this cleanse and did not have good results. After a few days I became very dizzy and spaced out. I would be in the middle of a conversation with a co-worker and would suddenly stop speaking. I can remember my co-worker looking at me funny and asking me to finish my story. I looked at him and said “I have no idea”. Some would say my reaction was the result of detoxing, however, it isn’t natural. I shouldn’t space out in the middle of a conversation and not remember what I was talking about!

Juice Fasting is a fast where you do not eat any solid food for any number of days. You can consume herbal teas, lots of water, and fresh-pressed juices. The premise of this cleanse is to give your digestive system a rest and allow it to clean out. Also, as with the Master Cleanser, because you aren’t consuming food and your digestive system is resting, you may notice much less bloating and all around water retention. Juice fasting doesn’t restrict calories because you are still taking them in with the fresh fruit and vegetable juice. This fast can be a bit difficult because you have to make the juices yourself, and anyone who owns a juicer understands what a nightmare they can be to clean! Of course if you live near a health food store or juice shop you can purchase your juices, however, this can be pricey. There are companies out there that will deliver juices every morning to your doorstep, however, make sure you investigate when the juices were pressed. As juices sit, even in a closed container, they begin to oxidize, losing valuable nutrients and living enzymes.

I’ve tried the juice fast and it wasn’t as difficult as the Master Cleanser, however, it was still hard! I missed chewing on something. But I did feel pretty good. It was something I did not want to maintain for more than a few days.

A Vegetable Broth Fast is a type of fast where one drinks lots of homemade vegetable broth, herbal teas, and water. The premise is also one based on giving the digestive system a rest. I’ve tried this and was ravenous all the time. Not for me!

A Whole Foods Cleanse is type of cleanse in which only whole foods are consumed. It is almost like an elimination diet because foods that are known to be responsible for causing sensitivities avoided. Foods like: wheat, dairy, eggs, corn, soy, citrus, meat, and grains containing gluten are not eaten. A whole foods fast is a gentler way to detoxify your body. It doesn’t give your digestive system a break as the liquid fasts do, but by eliminating the aforementioned foods your body does get a break and you will definitely notice less bloating, more energy, and weight loss.

A Raw Food Detox is a type of cleanse where one consumes only raw foods, namely fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and sprouted grains and beans. This is my favorite way to cleanse! Raw foods provide you with so much energy and consuming foods in their raw state helps to remove toxins quickly. Raw foods are also loaded with enzymes and more vitamins and minerals than their cooked counterparts. I am a huge fan of the raw food way of eating and eat a high raw diet. I am not 100% raw because there are days when I feel cold and crave a vegetable soup or steamed veggies and brown rice and I feel you have to listen to what your body needs. Many people experience the added benefit of a high raw diet: loss of unwanted pounds quickly, more energy, and glowing skin. 

Many people partake in a detox program in the spring and fall. Others prefer to detox every season, modifying the detox dpending on the season. For example: spring is a great time to cleanse from the heavier foods consumed during winter. Summer is generally a season where less food can be consumed because of hot temperatures, so a more extreme type of cleanse (like a juice cleanse) can be performed. Fall is a time when we start to eat more foods in preparation for winter, so a whole food cleanse before the holiday season can be helpful for some people. After the holidays, many people feel bloated and a whole foods cleanse may be helpful as well, with a focus on warming soups with lentils, beans, and veggies.