Ideally, all we’d ever have to do is focus on eating healthy, exercising our bodies and minds, and thinking happy, healthy thoughts. With summer right around the corner, now’s a great time to lighten up, break some bad habits, and kick-start a new routine, but incorporating change can seem overwhelming when there are little things called “work,” “family,” and “needing to do 800 things in the next five minutes thank you very much” in our lives. Enter the online cleanse. In the new world of digital everything, the spa comes right to your screen with tips, recipes, and support. VN talked with healthy-living guru Moira Nordholt about an online 21-day cleanse that she’ll be supervising.
VegNews: Is it important for everyone to do a cleanse?
Moira Nordholt: Yes. No matter how healthy we think we are, we can always go a step further toward impeccable health. We’re living in a toxic world. Almost everything we inhale, ingest, and absorb contaminates our body. But the awesome thing about our body is that it’s self-healing. When given an opportunity, it will perform miracles.
VN: What kinds of foods should one eliminate when on a cleanse?
MN: All fast food, fried food, processed food, packaged food, most restaurant food, meat, wheat, dairy, coffee, sugar, white flour, white table salt, any refined sugars—like corn syrup—alcohol, tobacco and recreational drugs, anything that irritates or inflames, of course, anything that’s been proven to be an allergen to you, soda pop, hydrogenated and saturated fats, empty calories like chips and crackers, anything with more that one or two ingredients listed on the can, ans basically anything refined beyond recognition as a whole seed, nut, grain, or plant.
VN: What foods will you feature throughout the cleanse?
MN: I’ll be featuring super, simple, seasonal, and sustainable foods throughout the 21 days. “Super” are foods recognized to have awesome healing benefits to the body, like garlic, ginger, pumpkin seeds, tomatoes, walnuts, spinach, kale, hemp, shiitakes, sea vegetables, and miso. “Simple” are everyday fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and seeds you can find in their whole form at your local farmers’ market or health food store. “Seasonal” is what’s available in North America right now. “Sustainable” means realistic, down-to-earth preparation that won’t overwhelm or have you spending all day in the kitchen.
VN: How do participants balance their cleanse with their real lives?
MN: This cleanse is designed for people at home who can’t make it to a spa for an intensive cleanse. The way I integrate it into my life is to let everyone around me know I’m doing it (that in itself often inspires others to do it along with me and now I have a support group of friends). I prepare mentally in advance by clearing off my calendar as much as possible and literally booking time for myself as if it’s the highest priority. I refrain from eating in restaurants as much as possible, but of course it’s almost impossible to go three weeks without having to meet someone for lunch or coffee, so I just choose the healthiest restaurant in town. And I don’t beat myself up if I screw up a day.
VN: How have you benefitted from regular cleanses?
MN: Cleansing has become an essential part of my healthy lifestyle. Four times a year, I look forward to preparing food from scratch, spending more time in the kitchen, eating very consciously, pampering myself as if I’m at a really nice detox center. It’s done wonders for me and I’m convinced that when practiced regularly, cleansing can stabilize weight, bring emotions into balance, strengthen your organs, energize your spirit, and jump start your life into new areas you may have once found too challenging.
