Cleansing

Transform yourself this Spring with our 8 or 21-day food-based clean-eating group guided Spring Rejuvenation cleanse programs! Click here for details!

At VitalSelf, we support individuals and groups through a food-based clean-eating cleansing process. Our programs are really about cleansing your life!

We offer 8-day and 21-day cleanses throughout the year in alignment with seasonal transitions – fall, spring and also kicking off the New Year through our Jump Start program. In addition, we work with clients one-on-one for those who prefer individualized support.

During the cleanse, we will honor and infuse our bodies with nutritious movement, whole foods such as fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains, liver-cleansing elixirs, select legumes, select animal protein, yummy soups and other savory dishes as well as inspiring affirmations and movement to fuel and lift us … we’ll remove congesting, toxic food, liquid and thought – all processed foods, alcohol, caffeine, dairy, animal protein*, wheat, sugar (and other white foods), negative language and destructive thoughts. And, we’ll integrate meditation, restorative yoga and other techniques to deepen the cleansing and integration of your dedication to the self.

This is not a liquid or raw-food cleanse, it is a food-based cleanse where you eat when you are hungry and listen to your body. You will be preparing and enjoying nutrient-dense whole foods appropriate for the season … every day!

Reported Results from 2011 Cleanse Participants:

Weight Loss * Reduced Cravings * Reduced Body Swelling * Clearer Sinuses/Easier to Breathe * Better Digestion * Better Sleep * Healthier Digestion * Less Joint Pain * Reduced Stress * Glowing Skin * Clarity * Increased Energy * Inspired *Decreased Cholesterol and LDL levels

All cleanses are led by VitalSelf President & Founder, Amy Arnold, HC, RYT

Graduate of the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in conjunction with Columbia University in NYC and certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners

Every cleanse is gluten and dairy-free and provides vegan options.

They also include:

Customized Cleanse Guide with a sample menu and nourishing clean-eating recipes to energize the body, mind and spirit
Guided Classes*
Online Support Throughout Cleanse
Meditation, Breathing, Yoga & Energy Techniques to help you with the cleanse & Beyond
AmyA’s Green Smoothies e-book

*Number of classes will depend on specific program

SUCCESS STORIES:

“Amy, people are STILL commenting on my weight loss! I love it! I’ve kept up a lot of the principles like fruit only in morning, taking enzyme/probiotics, eat whole grains/veggies, try not to eat anything processed (i.e. in a bag), water, etc. And most of all, I’ve eliminated alcohol! Sure I’ll have a glass for an occasion but i have no prob now going out with friends and not drinking!!!! My happy hour smoothie is all i need. Basically the cleanse works, I’ve kept the weight off, and owe it all to you!!” JS in Alexandria – 2011 Spring Rejuvenation Program

“I’ve lost 6 lbs since the start and have seen a visible reduction in swelling (muffin top) since the start. My energy is much more sustained and higher and I do not have the cravings as I thought I would. I have less stress too.” MJ — 2011 JumpStart Program

“The Fall Cleanse has been a life-altering experience, affecting my mind, body and soul. My stress level is at an all-time low. I feel energetic and well rested each and every morning, and I am thrilled to have learned to eat so many delicious foods that I’d never tried before. Thank you, Amy, for teaching me so much about ways to improve on so many different levels. I will be eternally grateful.” C.R. Alexandria, VA

“My positive changes were remarkable. I started to crave fruit versus the alternative (bread, chips, etc.). I had never baked an apple, and it was MAGNIFICENT! An apple with some nutmeg or cinnamon was YUMMY! I lost 15.3 pounds and am SO SO SO happy with that result.” Kelly McKessy Trout **

**Note your typical weight loss – on average participants in past cleanses have lost 5-8 pounds over a period of 15-21 days

ABOUT CLEANSING

Cleansing has been around for thousands of years and has been used for many different reasons including purifying and healing the body. In recent years, cleansing has become a more common practice to help balance our bodies in a world where toxins surround us.

Today, we are all exposed to thousands of substances in the environment. There is strong and growing evidence that exposure to toxic chemicals in the environment contributes to many diseases of adult and children, among them asthma, learning disabilities, certain birth defects and childhood and adult cancer.

More than 80,000 new chemical compounds have been developed since World War II
Of these, 3,000 are high-volume chemicals, with annual production exceeding one million pounds. These chemicals are used extensively in our homes, schools, communities, and they are widely dispersed in air, water, soil, and waste sites.
Fewer than 20% of these high volume chemicals have been tested for their possible toxicity to children.
Over 2.5 billion pounds of toxic chemicals are released to the environment in the US each year.
Nearly 75% of the top 20 chemicals discharged to the environment are known or suspected to be toxic to the developing human brain. In addition, more than 4 billion pounds of pesticides – many of them neurotoxic – are applied in the US each year in agriculture, on lawns and gardens, and inside homes, schools, day-care centers and hospitals.
National surveys conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show measurable levels of high-volume synthetic chemicals in the bodies of nearly all Americans, including newborns, infants and in the breast milk of nursing mothers.
Tests show 287 industrial chemicals in 10 newborn babies. Pollutants include consumer product ingredients, banned industrial chemicals and pesticides, and waste byproducts. (EPA)

References:

United States Environmental Protection Agency. Chemical Hazard Data Availability Study: What Do We Really Know About the Safety of High Production Volume Chemicals? Washington, DC: Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, 1998.

United States Environmental Protection Agency. Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) Program. Washington, DC, February 21, 2008.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Third National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals. Atlanta (GA): CDC, 2005.

With the increase in environmental and household toxins (heavy metals, pesticides, phthalates, radon, etc.), our water, and our land is challenged to offer the quality and purity we need. This combined with frequent poor consumption choices and lifestyles with more and more stressors, provide a significant challenge to our systems. As a result, the very organs designed to help our detoxification process suffer, especially the liver.

Cleansing and “elimination” diets where you remove food and liquid that inflame your body are used to reduce toxins, inflammation in the body and identify culprits that can be causing major issues including stress, digestive issues, chronic inflammation, and more. Well-known and respected doctor and best-selling author, Dr. Mark Hyman, speaks about the issue and impact of inflammation and how it can cause disease in the body in his book ‘UltraMetabolism’. Dr. Douillard, another well-respected Ayurvedic doctor and a teacher at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition offers detoxification protocols into his programs as well.