End of Summer Body Cleanse - 4 days left to jump onboard.

Many of you have registered your interest to participate in the End of Summer Body Cleanse. The response has been wonderful - and now we are getting to the business end of the month.

If you haven't received an email from me, it is because I can't access your information from when you replied to the initial Cleansing post. You will need to email me directly at natalie@thepagodatree.com.au so I can email you the relevant information and organise your cleansing shake.

The cleanse starts this coming Monday the 21st of February and goes for 1 week in total. In this time we are aiming to get your body to function as alkaline as possible (a state free from toxic build up) - encouraged by the shake, consumption of alkaline forming foods and a pro-biotic. I will post recipes for you and support you along the way.

So if an email didn't arrive yesterday - please email me and we can get things started. Of course you can start the cleanse at any time, it would be ideal however, if we do this together to ensure you are supported. Initially it can be daunting - but with my help we will have you on the road to better health and increased fertility by March!

Day 2

Image from here

Day 2.
Were almost ready to begin - and I'm putting up these posts two days in advance so that you can be best prepared. I admit I have had a little headache because I have started eliminating foods already. But Im really excited and can't wait to feel 100% cleansed and well. It is truly an awesome feeling! I hope you are all organised and ready. You will find below the steps for day 2, which you will add to those outlined on Day 1.

Step 3. SHAKE IT BABY.
The addition of the ‘shake’ begins today. Have your initial glass of lemon water, then your shake, and then followed this with a glass of water. This doesn’t need to be gulped down in one go, but its best to get the cleansing shake down as it solidifies and makes it difficult to drink. To take this shake, mix 1 teaspoon in a glass of half apple juice and half water (or to your tasting).

Step 4. Moving the BOWELS – it’s a must.
Bowels need to be moved daily to rid of toxic build up in the body. It’s going to be up to the individual to asses this. Elimination should be at least once a day if not twice when cleansing.
Example of today’s meals would be: ¾ of your regular breakfast – i.e. fruit and yoghurt or porridge. ¾ amount of your lunch and same for dinner. An example of a good lunch is a salad of spinach leaves, tomato, capscium, avacado, dressed with oil and vinegar. Dinner may be organic chicken with veggies. Processed foods are out. Healthy food is in! Snacks may be hummus dip with carrot & cucumber sticks or perhaps nuts and dried fruit. Don't overdo it though, remember we are moving into the real cleansing phase tomorrow.

Today you practice steps 1 – 4. This means: Water, No stimulants, morning shake and moving the bowels.

Step-tember Body Cleansing - lets get this started!

Step-tember Body Cleansing



My Step-tember cleansing process will have you feeling ready for the summer months, however without face to face assessment, it can only be based on diet and lifestyle. Whilst I feel like I broken record at the moment, I've been inundated with emails, expressing the interest of newcomers. I need to make sure we are all on the same page, and so some of this you may already be familiar with.

Many of you would have received an email once you registered your interest. An email also went out last night with recipe ideas. Please let me know if you are yet to receive it. *Please note - the list of foods in the email shows two groups of foods. Alkaline forming foods (page 1) which you are allowed and Acid forming foods(page 2) which are to be avoided.

What you will need:
Cleansing mix (purchased from The Pagoda Tree – we can arrange this online, or over the phone to make it as easy as possible. The Shake mix is $20.00 plus postage)
Probiotic (purchased from your local health food shop or chemist)

Rough Outline: Pre Cleanse – 3 days - getting the bowels moving!
Cleanse – 4 days - the vegan stage
Post Cleanse – 3 days - gently re-introducing foods

We are to start this Wednesday the 1st of September.

Day 1.
Day of elimination – the first few days are difficult as your body rids itself of toxins. It’s not ‘difficult’ in terms of being limiting, but it’s time to cut out the crap! We are going to do this gradually so your body moves through this process with out too much stress.

Step 1. WATER!
Upon waking, start your day with a large glass of lemon water. This kickstarts the liver.
Do this each morning of the cleanse. Get ready for lots of liquids!
Then drink a small glass of water every hour, on the hour (or as close to that as you can) This will ensure that you will have 8 glasses of water from 9am – 5pm.

Step 2.. ELIMINATE STIMULANTS.
I've given you plenty of opportunity to have already cut this out, but if you haven't done so already today it is IMPERATIVE that you start this.
This includes Coffee, Tea or any form of caffeine. Choices for fluids are: Water. Herbal Tea, Freshly squeezed juices. Most of you should have already done this, but if you have been dodging me, you must do this now.
Diet is the key part of this cleanse. You will be slowly eliminating foods that are toxic. For today, there should be basic meals, bearing in mind we are slowly paring back.
My example menu for today would be: Porridge with Milk (preferably rice milk), cup of herbal tea. For lunch, home made spring style soup and for dinner some fish and veggies. There should be no refined or processed foods from today onwards, for the 7 days. Snacks may include nuts, veggie sticks with hummus or acceptable dips (from the list of foods sent through in the email), fruit, dates are my personal fave especially if Im craving sweet foods.

We will be introducing the shake on day two. You are going to need good quality, preferably organic apple juice to have with this. Its question time, so please ask away!

Day 1 & 2 will be the toughest. Im here for you.

Why cleanse?

There has been a lot of recent attention focused on 'cleansing' in relation to its necessity and effectiveness. I have to agree with some of what has been published; over the counter 'kits' don't properly support the body and may be harmful and damaging because not one size fits all when it comes to cleansing. However, I am here to tell you, your body can only benefit from the right type of cleanse.

Cleanses are absolutely necessary to rid the body of toxic matter that builds up and literally lodges itself right through the gut. Your gut is your bodies own cleansing mechanism, however, what we ingest, breathe and wash ourselves in, isn't doing our bodies justice. Potentially our bodies would do an awesome job of eradicating waste, if we put into it cleaner things including, less toxic food, water free from nasty pesticides, antibiotics and drugs.

By now you would know that I have put it out there that I am running Step-tember Body Clean Out. Im challenging all to join me in a very simple and basic cleanse that EVERYBODY can do. All you need is to give me 7 days (from September 1 - 8), where each day I will add 2 steps for you to add on. So, the initial day will be 2 steps, the second day 4 steps and by the time we get to day 5, all 10 steps will have been outlined. You will continue with these 10 steps for a further 2 days (or longer should you want to continue to feel awesome). Its that easy! Of course, should you require something more specific, its best to come into The Pagoda Treewhere we can dig deeper, with a supported Spring Body Cleanse.

On Monday the 30th of August, I will be posting the complete cleanse, with the aim of us all doing it together commencing September 1st. You can start at anytime, however I know it will be great to all be in a somewhat supported environment, where you can ask questions via my blog at anytime or email me. Its' going to be a perfect start to spring and a perfect start to an awesome you for September!