This post is part of our multi-part blog series – New Year, New Gut.
Explore the benefits and process of improving your health with a diet cleanse.
The new year approaches, you decide to do a diet cleanse, but maybe you panic with all the information out there or you don’t know how to cook or it gets hard after a week or two and you give up. At Heart Spring Health, we offer Nutrition Counseling that guides you through starting, maintaining, and successfully completing a diet cleanse. Could a helping hand be just the motivation you need to clean-up your diet and transition into a way of eating that is sustainable and individualized?
Giving your gut a rest is a great way to feel renewed as you step into the new year.
Have you been struggling with?
- Digestive problems
- Chronic inflammation
- Blood sugar issues
- Fatigue
- Inability to focus
- Headaches
- Skin issues
- Joint pain
A diet cleanse could be your ticket to better health. Imagine increased energy, freedom from digestive distress, and a better relationship with food. Although this is not necessarily about weight-loss diet, you may be surprised by the changes. By eliminating all of the potential “trigger” foods that have been known to cause gut issues, your digestion will have a chance to rest and repair while you learn to feed it naturally and intuitively.
What can I expect from a diet cleanse?
Your first diet cleanse nutrition appointment does not mean you have to start right away. Maybe you are just thinking about doing a cleanse at some point in the future, and you want to learn more about taking the leap. You may even decide that this is not the best time for you, but now you have all the information you need to make a more informed decision.
Your Heart Spring Health Diet Cleanse Schedule
Appointment 1 - Diet Cleanse Introduction
Your first appointment typically lasts 60 minutes. The nutritionist will guide you through a full nutrition intake to assess your starting point, your goals, your diet history, current diet intake, likes/dislikes, and more. This process helps the nutritionist get to know you and your needs in order to recommend the best plan moving forward. The nutritionist will review the science behind how diet cleanses work and will share information around some specific cleanses for you to review before your next appointment.
Appointment 2 - Diet Cleanse Planning
Your follow-up appointments will be 45 minutes. During this time, the nutritionist can answer any questions you have after reviewing your cleanse options. Together, you will determine which option is best for you, and tailor it to your goals and needs. From here, it is important to establish a plan.
Your cleanse plan may include:
- Start & End Date
- Identifying your support system
- Having the right cooking equipment/to-go containers, etc.
- Pantry assessment and reorganization
The more preparation you do ahead of time, the easier your cleanse will be. This time can also be spent creating a 1 week meal plan and shopping list. Plan to start a few days after this appointment. If you do not plan to start that soon, schedule another appointment a few days before your start date.
Appointment 3 - Week One Check-In
Schedule this appointment 1 week after starting your cleanse. This will be a check in to answer any questions or symptoms that have come up, and to provide the necessary motivation and guidance to keep you on track. Together, we can also create another 1 week meal plan for the upcoming week.
Appointment 4 - Reintroduction Prep
Schedule this appointment a day or two before the reintroduction phase in which you will slowly reintroduce the eliminated foods one by one to assess any reactions. We will determine a reintroduction sequence and review the guidelines of when to reintroduce each food. We will review signs and symptoms of an intolerance and you will be instructed to keep detailed notes during this phase. This process can take up to 2 weeks.
Appointment 5 - Reintroduction Review
Schedule this appointment after your first food reintroduction. The nutritionist will review your experience and answer any questions you have around expectations, along with a final plan moving forward. The goal is to confidently take the skills and knowledge you acquired during your cleanse and apply this to daily life.
Appointment 6 - Ongoing Support
You may want to schedule a 6th appointment if you need more support transitioning out of your diet cleanse and back into daily eating habits.
If a diet cleanse is something that interests you, but you just need that extra push to get started, schedule an appointment today! Appointments with a nutritionist will keep you on track and learn skills that extend beyond the cleanse. Use this opportunity to not just complete a cleanse, but develop life-long eating habits to sustain a healthy you.
Mary Bailey, RDN, MS is a Portland nutritionist who believes you can be healthy and enjoy food. Mary will help you learn to trust and feel comfortable with your body with empowered, knowledgeable food decisions. She received her Masters of Science in Holistic Nutrition through the National University of Natural Medicine where many of the ND’s at the clinic also completed their education. Learn more about Mary
To schedule an appointment with Mary or any of our providers, please contact us at 503-956-9396 or [email protected]
