There are two types of headaches that you may experience. One is from the reduction and elimination of caffeine and sugars and the other is due to the body processing the toxins that are being released by this cleanse. If you reduce and eliminate your caffeine and sugar before you begin the cleanse, the headaches will be less severe and should only last a relatively short time. Bump up your intake of anti-inflammatory foods such as turmeric and ginger to see you through.

For a headache caused by the temporarily increased toxin load your body is trying to handle, help your liver flush them out by drinking plenty of water. Eat lots of vegetables and sip on herbal teas. Rest, take a walk and treat yourself with an activity you love. You’ll feel better in a day or two.

Here are suggestions to help with the headaches:
Drink at least 16 ounces of water upon rising
Place peppermint oil on your temples, wrists or under your nose (food grade organic)
Drink some ginger tea and take a power nap

Nothing relieves a caffeine headache except caffeine, so you just need to try to sleep it off when you can. This is why it’s best to cut down the caffeine gradually prior to the cleanse. Other detox headaches will come and go. When it comes down to it, you may just have to tough it out.

This cleanse is not designed to starve you and you’re not limited in the number of times you eat, or the amount you eat – only in what you eat. Use the meal plan for structure, yet eat more if needed! If you do get hunger pangs, make sure that you’re really hungry and not just bored or thirsty. If it’s a case of real hunger, go for one of the snack recipes, a piece of fruit, or a small handful of nuts or seeds. One tip to avoid hunger is to chew your green smoothie. This may sound silly, but the chewing action signals your body that food is on the way and triggers the digestive processes.

Bloating may be expected as part of the detox program, but should only last a short time. Our digestive systems these days are not in wonderful shape a lot of the time, so cleansing can certainly highlight issues that have been going on but haven’t been as noticeable until now due to a prolonged diet of processed foods. Detoxing has a lovely way of bringing all this to the surface.

Bloating is caused by a host of reasons. You may be intolerant to a particular food, you may not be used to so much fiber, you may have low stomach acid, or another underlying digestive disorder. If you consume a lot of coffee, then the caffeine has been stimulating your bowel movements rather than natural peristalsis. If you’re experiencing bloating (and by bloating I mean a physically larger stomach that feels distended and tight along with possible discomfort), consult with your doctor.

Here are some general suggestions:
Turmeric Tea helps to increase the release of stomach acid which aids digestion. Sip on this 10–15 minutes before a meal.
Dandelion Root Tea, or the combination of Chamomile Tea (from actual flowers not tea bags) and ginger root slices make a powerful detoxifying tea that aids your liver.

Probiotics can also assist with bloating. Talk to your health care provider about which ones are best.

If there’s no movement at the station, stay hydrated. Water is the liquid gold that this train runs on! Make sure that you’re eating lots of fiber, including vegetables and fruit, chia seeds, hemp seeds, avocados and almonds. And exercise! Physical movement may be the last thing you feel like doing when you’re “plugged up,” but it will help to stimulate the peristaltic action of the colon. Yoga and tai chi are especially good activities in this case.
If you experience loose stools, it’s really important to keep your fluids up. Add a pinch of good quality sea salt and a slice of orange/lemon/lime to your drinking water to help your body absorb the minerals and electrolytes. The main thing is to keep your bowels moving and the toxins leaving.

Don’t beat yourself up about it, but get straight back on the horse. Think about what you struggled with and try to work on that area of weakness. I want you to get the most benefit from the cleanse, so try to commit as much as you can.

The meal plan and shopping list has been designed for one person. You’ll need to double the ingredients on your shopping list if a second person in your household will be joining you on the cleanse.

You can move meals around as much as you like. For example, if your avocado or pear isn’t ripe when you need it, pick a different cleanse recipe to have in it’s place.

If you want the full benefit of cleansing your body, then follow this plan to the letter. I really want you to stick with the meal plan because it’s been created by our holistic nutritionist for optimal cleansing. This is not a vacation, it’s a cleanse. So I’m showing you some tough love. Still not budging with cilantro? Can’t stand the taste of ginger? Swap it for something you do enjoy, or choose another meal.

The short answer is “no,” but the more organic foods you can include in your diet the better. Clean foods reduce the chemical and pesticide load your body is exposed to, which means that it doesn’t have to work as hard to detoxify.

Feel free to use carton coconut milk and canned coconut milk interchangeably. Make sure the coconut milk is free of carrageenan and other additives like sugars and gums, if possible.

Stevia is a plant but the product is highly refined. I’d also rather you not use agave. It’s highly refined and is not a great substitute. Honey or pure maple syrup is best.

Yes, you can definitely blend the night before. Just make sure to use an airtight lid to limit oxidation. I do this all the time! You can also make smoothie freezer packs for every smoothie in the cleanse. See the prep guide for more time saving tips.

Create a natural meal replacement smoothie by adding 2 tablespoons of chia seeds, flaxseeds, or hemp seeds. If you really feel you need a protein powder, you can use one. We suggest a plant-based powder that’s organic, very simple and clean.

Kombucha has so many health benefits and we’re huge fans, however, store bought varieties contain a fair amount of caffeine and sugar even after fermenting. For the purpose of this cleanse, we prefer you stick with natural soda water or mineral water and call it good.

Cacao powder contains caffeine, which is why isn’t not included on the cleanse. It’s an absolutely amazing superfood and as soon as you’ve completed the cleanse, it’s totally fine to include it.

Calories are deceiving and not the basis for determining what’s healthy. Our meals are nutrient-rich and give back to the body. They’ll balance blood sugar, keeping your energy at a steady flow. Rather than focus on calories, it’s much more important to focus on having good quality protein, healthy fats and loads of vegetables and fruit to get all the goodness that you need.

If you’re craving certain foods, you’re often actually craving nutrients. Fill the gap with one of the snacks recommended in the recipe section and choose one with a lovely amount of protein and good fat — nuts and seeds, avocado, one of the dips, a green smoothie and nut butter with apple slices are all great choices. Make sure you hydrate yourself with water, herbal tea or fruit-infused water coolers. Keep yourself busy and it’ll soon be time for the next meal!

You may find that you have more energy than normal — and more motivation! Why waste it? Get moving! Light exercise is great during the cleanse. It pushes toxins through the lymphatic system, promotes bowel movements and encourages sweat—which purifies our skin and gives us a sexy glow. Stick with walks, hikes, biking, weights and slow runs.

Weight loss doesn’t happen in the same way for everyone. It’s dependent on an individual’s genetics, hormonal balance, past history, metabolism, fluid balance and exercise regime. Weight can also be tied up in emotions. It’s a complex one. If you don’t happen to lose weight during the cleanse, there may be a number of factors involved. Remember that this program is about a fresh start for your body. You’re working towards the best version of you possible and this cleanse is about more than weight loss. Any long lasting change takes time to establish and healthy eating is no exception. If you stick with it, you’ll eventually see results.

The cleanse gives you a wonderful opportunity to really listen to your body. It’s an individual experience that differs for everyone. Depending on the level of toxicity in your body, there may be some less-than amazing symptoms in the first 3–5 days, such as headaches, nausea, fatigue, skin irritations, etc. Once you hit day five, these should only be distant memories and you’ll be well on your way to greatness. But some people sail through the entire cleansing period with no side effects at all. You may feel amazing throughout the entire cleanse, or your energy may wax and wane a little.
A cleanse can also bring emotional feelings to the table, so remember to be kind to yourself during this time and understand that you may be more sensitive than normal. After the cleanse, you’ll often feel so good that you’ll be inspired to continue eating in this way to varying degrees. Typical upgrades include better sleep, a clearer mind, more energy, glowing skin and improved digestion. The happy side effects of cleansing make us jump for joy!

If you’re taking medication or supplements for a health condition, keep taking them! I also advise you consult with your doctor before cleansing to determine if a whole foods cleanse is right for you.

A healthy gut is the center of health and the importance of having the good gut bacteria outweighing the bad can’t be overstated. Many foods and lifestyle choices can damage our gut bacteria . Stress, alcohol, prescription drugs, oral contraceptive pill and antibiotics are just a few. Taking on the dietary practices of the cleanse is a great kick-start to great gut health. Other important factors are including fermented foods and drinks into your diet and managing your stress.
It’s not essential to take a probiotic supplement if you’re not suffering from any digestive disorders or distress. However, if you’ve taken a recent course of antibiotics, it’s worthwhile consulting your doctor to see what they would recommend.

Once you complete the cleanse and feel amazing, we recommend entering into “maintenance mode” with Rawk the Year, where we give you plant-based meal plans each week with 3 smoothies, 3 snacks, and 3 meals.. This helps you maintain or supercharge the results you’ve started to see the past seven days.