Twice a year or so, I do a full 21-day Cleanse.

Gradually, over the course of years…these 3 week journeys have changed my life. Cleansing has completely shifted my palate. I no longer crave sugar (even dark chocolate) or bread. Most desserts are too sweet and I’m rarely interested. I never eat processed foods and lean toward a vegan, gluten-free diet with a lot of moderation. If I really feel like having a treat, I do. But, after a couple of bites, I’m usually done.

This is not some ‘Pollyanna‘ fairytale of green juice, wheatgrass, superfoods and smoothies (all of which I highly recommend). It’s a decade of small, gradual changes that led a homegrown, central Illinois girl raised on her grandfather’s cattle beef, weekly steaks (we had an extra freezer in the basement to store all the beef!), potatoes, corn and significant amounts of processed foods to a relatively vegan, gluten-free diet. I say ‘relatively’ because I still love my morning black tea with a little honey and cream, sushi and occasional fish, cheese and eggs.

These semi-annual cleanses brought my food patterns to light, unhinged subtle addictions and helped me process the underlying emotional entanglements belying my eating preferences.

Over the years, I’ve seen how closely my emotions are tied to my food choices. This is a double-edged sword. If I’m emotionally depleted, sad, lonely or insecure – I reach for comfort foods. Luckily, these comfort foods have shifted over the years from Chocolate Chip cookies to a bowl of kale/quinoa/steamed vegetables. On the other hand, if I indulge in alcohol, dairy, sugary or carbohydrate laden foods, I notice a huge shift in my mood. Depressive, negative, heavy thoughts roll in like a tsunami. (Alcohol and sugar are HUGE depressants!)

One of the reasons I am so passionate about cleanses is the emotional healing that comes when we uproot our addictive tendencies and are forced to feel, deal with and heal the issues buried in our tissues. When you can’t turn to a glass of wine, ice cream, pizza (insert your favorite food ________ ) to self-soothe – we are forced to find other ways of dealing and it’s not always pretty.

This year, I am thrilled that the exceptionally talented and knowledgeable Dr. Frank Lipman + Terri Cole, Licensed Psychotherapist have collaborated to create a one-of-a-kind 21-DAY MIND-BODY CLEANSE.

The best part about this cleanse is they’re drilling down the mental-emotional aspects of food. This is NOT a fast. It is NOT based on the deprivation model. It IS holistic. You are fully supported and held accountable in a group setting. You get a full box of supplements to support your organs in releasing and tonifying. I’ll be doing this 21 day cleanse with them…so hopefully, we’ll be in the group together!

***This cleanse starts today, so SIGN UP NOW! Enter Code: MBCAT1 for discount.

Yesterday, I interviewed the fabulous Terri Cole to dig deep on the importance of cleansing, how it works and:

• where specific emotions are stored in the body
• why eating/food holds so much emotional charge for us
• how to fully support yourself and provide adequate self-care

If you’re looking to go vegan, gluten-free, shed a few pounds of holiday sluggishness or just get clear – this cleanse is for you!

ENTER PROMO CODE: MBCAT1 at check out for a discount!