A Brave New World: (Juice) Cleansing

Amid the tide of cleansing rituals, supplements, and solutions presented to us by wellness culture, we continue to return to one clear, considered, and time-tested approach. A way to simplify the digestive load, improve energy and cellular nourishment, deepen rest, and access a renewed sense of calm. 

It has to be ~ it has always been ~ a nourishing cleanse.

At its simplest, a cleanse creates a pause in our everyday eating rhythm. For a day, or several, taxing habits fall away, replaced by a deliberate sequence of botanicals, vegetables, herbs, roots, broths, soups and yes, cold-pressed juice ~ nutrient-rich nourishment offered gently throughout the day.

On these sacred cleansing days, we pare things back. Less noise, fewer decisions, more plants, plenty of water and a little space from the coffee, wine, hurried meals and habits that can accumulate and deplete us in modern life.

Signs you might need a cleanse

There are a multitude of reasons people feel called to cleanse.

• Digestive discomfort: Bloating, gas, sluggish digestion, constipation or a belly that simply feels out of sorts.

• Feeling overloaded: A sense that your usual rhythms of digestion, elimination and recovery could use a little more support.

• Persistent fatigue: Waking tired despite adequate sleep, or feeling as though your energy reserves are running low.

• Mental fog: Difficulty concentrating, feeling scattered or simply lacking your usual sense of clarity.

• Food rhythms out of balance: Too many rushed meals, rich foods, processed snacks or indulgences that leave you feeling less than your best.

• Lacklustre skin: Dullness, puffiness, congestion or a complexion that seems to have lost a little of its usual glow.

• Feeling hormonally out of rhythm: Changes in cycle regularity, libido, energy or other signs that your usual hormonal rhythm feels unsettled.

What happens when we cleanse?

As you settle into your own unique cleansing rhythm, many people notice a greater sense of lightness and ease. Without large or complicated meals to digest, the belly may feel calmer and less weighed down. A soothed digestive system is better able to heal and recover, easing systemic irritation and inflammation along the gut-mind axis. As a result, you may also notice clarity of mind or a quietening of one’s harsh inner voice.

The body’s organs of filtration, metabolism and elimination continue their remarkable work throughout a cleanse. The liver processes nutrients, hormones and compounds for elimination; the kidneys regulate fluid and electrolyte balance while filtering metabolic waste; and the lymphatic system helps circulate immune cells and return excess tissue fluid to the bloodstream. Hydration, plant-rich nourishment, gentle movement and rest all support these natural physiological processes.

Our cleansers often report:

• Renewed digestive harmony

• A calmer, more settled belly

• A greater sense of energy and vitality

• An internal reset ~ letting go of unfavourable habits and routines

• Deep hydration and a glowing complexion

• Positive shifts in everyday rituals

• Greater peace of body and mind

But what about coffee?!

While we gently encourage a break from caffeine ~ allowing the adrenals to rediscover their baseline ~ the intention of a naturopathic cleanse curation is never one of stress or deprivation. Curiosity and non-judgement rule in this Elixir Bar®. All that said, we would encourage a gentle substitution of herbal tea or a dandelion latte.

Juicier than ever

Our new generation of Orchard St. cleanses are more than regular juice cleanses. They’re functional elixirs, smoothies, medicinal mushrooms, herbs, broths and soups alongside traditional, nutrient-dense cold-pressed juices. Meticulously formulated by Kirsten and crafted by the Orchard St. team, each cleanse also incorporates additions from kindred wellness makers including Sisuu, The Beauty Chef, SuperFeast, Foraged For You and LoveWell, Ora, Ritua and Imbibe.

Together, these ingredients add a new layer of care to the cleanse experience. Thoughtful, satiating, satisfying and, if we dare say so ourselves, delicious.

Begin again.

A good cleanse harmonises art and science: the beauty and poetry of plant medicine alongside the rigour of modern nutrition and physiology.

For a short time, we are invited to slow down, tune in and pay attention ~ to what nourishes the body, to our energy, sleep, mood and cycles, and to the small habits and rituals that help us feel our best.

A few days later, ordinary life returns. And perhaps, when we return to it, we feel lighter, clearer, more connected and a restored sense of calm within.