Well, I've decided that I am going to do it. A fast, that is. A modified type of fast. A fast that includes unlimited water, herbal teas, possibly black and green teas, and the rejuvenating broth whose recipe is found below.
According to Chinese medicine, there are two key times of the year when it is natural and desirable to cleanse the body. These are the transitions around the Vernal and Autumnal Equinoxes. The window is from about ten days before to ten days after each equinox. So for us, this includes most of the month of September, and is a perfect complement to the whole foods challenge.
Traditionally, this cleansing period would include some kind of fasting. I find it interesting that Yom Kippur (a Jewish holiday which includes a fast from sun up to sun down) happens to fall within this window. Fasting is a way of cleansing the body's organs, but it is also a method of purification on all levels. By stepping away from food, one is able to focus the attention and energy on "higher" matters of the mind and the spirit.
You may feel called this September to spend some time fasting. If a total fast, using only water, seems too stringent for you, I am including a recipe today for an Autumn Rejuvenation Broth. This recipe comes from The Detox Diet by Dr. Elson Haas. You might use this broth several times per day during your fast, or alternate it with water, herbal teas, and/or vegetable juices.
BROTH:
3 cups spring water
1 TB ginger root, chopped
1-2 TB miso paste
1-2 stalks green onion, sliced thinly
Cilantro (or parsley) chopped, to taste
1-2 pinches cayenne pepper
2 teas. olive oil
juice of half a lemon
Boil the water with the ginger root. Simmer 10 minutes. Turn off burner. Add miso paste and stir to dissolve completely. Add the rest of the ingredients. Cover pot and steep 10 minutes. Enjoy!
According to Chinese medicine, there are two key times of the year when it is natural and desirable to cleanse the body. These are the transitions around the Vernal and Autumnal Equinoxes. The window is from about ten days before to ten days after each equinox. So for us, this includes most of the month of September, and is a perfect complement to the whole foods challenge.
Traditionally, this cleansing period would include some kind of fasting. I find it interesting that Yom Kippur (a Jewish holiday which includes a fast from sun up to sun down) happens to fall within this window. Fasting is a way of cleansing the body's organs, but it is also a method of purification on all levels. By stepping away from food, one is able to focus the attention and energy on "higher" matters of the mind and the spirit.
You may feel called this September to spend some time fasting. If a total fast, using only water, seems too stringent for you, I am including a recipe today for an Autumn Rejuvenation Broth. This recipe comes from The Detox Diet by Dr. Elson Haas. You might use this broth several times per day during your fast, or alternate it with water, herbal teas, and/or vegetable juices.
BROTH:
3 cups spring water
1 TB ginger root, chopped
1-2 TB miso paste
1-2 stalks green onion, sliced thinly
Cilantro (or parsley) chopped, to taste
1-2 pinches cayenne pepper
2 teas. olive oil
juice of half a lemon
Boil the water with the ginger root. Simmer 10 minutes. Turn off burner. Add miso paste and stir to dissolve completely. Add the rest of the ingredients. Cover pot and steep 10 minutes. Enjoy!
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