Spring Cleansing
By Lisa Shanken
March 31, 2023
Hooray, spring is officially here! Spring is a time of renewal, growth, and starting over. Our bodies start to adjust to the warming weather, and we shift our diets from hearty warming foods to lighter spring foods such as arugula, asparagus, artichokes, and peas.
With the season of regrowth and renewal upon us, I also believe it’s a great time of year to cleanse and detoxify. Your body has its own built-in cleansing system in your liver, so consider these food/beverage-based cleanses to be health boosters. There are many different ways to approach a cleanse, so let’s dig in.
First, it’s important to determine your goals for your cleanse before starting. Realistic goals for a cleanse/detox diet include helping to fast track a transition to a healthier lifestyle by reducing inflammation, taking on new, healthier habits, discovering food sensitivities, and exposing yourself to new foods, tastes, and textures.
Please note that a short-term cleanse is not a healthy and realistic approach to long-term weight loss. The weight that may be lost during a cleanse is mostly water weight rather than losing body fat. But a cleanse can serve as a great way to transition to longer-term, more sustainable healthier eating and lifestyle habits.
After you have determined your goals for your cleanse, it’s time to choose the type of cleanse you want. There are many choices out there, and it can be overwhelming to figure out what will work best for you. Factors to consider include how long you want the cleanse to last, if you want to include foods or strictly consume liquids during your cleanse, how much cooking is required and if you have the budget/time/desire to prepare the necessary foods.
Once you have honed in on these different aspects, it is then time to decide which cleanse best fits your needs. Some types of cleanses I recommend include:
- Tri-Wellness 10 Day Challenge (Whole foods based cleanse) - Designed to help people reduce inflammation, figure out suspected food sensitivities, and jumpstart a new healthy eating lifestyle this cleanse is affordable, includes healthy eating, requires some cooking, and is manageable when eating out. For further details, please reply to this email.
- Fasting - Fasting for 1-3 days (maximum), which does include staying hydrated with water and clear liquids and broths, is another way to cleanse. Fasting has been scientifically shown to help reduce inflammation and control blood sugar. Always check with your doctor before embarking on any type of fast since certain medical conditions can worsen with fasting.
- Juice Cleanse - A short-term juice cleanse (which can look many different ways from starting your day with a fresh pressed juice to relying only on fresh pressed, raw juices for a few days) can be full of nutrients and can aid digestion since all the insoluble fiber is removed. However, a few drawbacks of juice cleanses include the large expense (since they require so much organic produce) and the large amount of natural sugar in juices, which can make blood sugars spike.
Cleansing can have not only physical benefits, but mental health benefits as well, like the psychological impact of knowing you are putting in the work to shed excess toxins, expediting the clarity you can get from a healthy gut-brain connection, as well as the positive and productive feelings following a regimented and structured plan, like you are taking control of your health. I encourage you to try a cleanse this spring. As always, please reach out if you have any questions or want to talk through your options.
Lisa Shanken
My passion is to help you live your healthiest and most harmonious life, but in a way that’s realistic and practical for you as a unique individual on this planet. My philosophy is all about “balance,” never a diet since a diet is not sustainable for life, aka Kill The Diet.
Loneliness Is a Mental Health Crisis and Neurodivergent Adults Are Hit Hardest
By Jay Balan
May 30, 2026
A few months ago, I wrote about loneliness, what the research says, what it costs us, and why connection is not a luxury but a genuine health need. If you missed it, I recommend starting with this article on loneliness and mental health. For Mental Health Awareness Month, I want...
The Neurodivergent Brain and Mental Health: Why the Conversation Is Overdue
By Lisa Shanken
May 27, 2026
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and every year, I notice the same thing: the conversation around mental health becomes louder, more visible, and more public, while still missing a large group of people who need support the most. Adults with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and related executive functioning challenges experience...
Testimonials
Lisa’s weight loss plan really gave me a new insight to healthy eating and living. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2015. Healthy living/easting/exercise has become very important to me and my family and this program really helped me get even more on the course with this and helped me lose weight.
Danielle D, Great Neck, NY
When I heard about the 10 Day Weight Loss Challenge, I wasn’t sure if it would be a good fit, since as a physician, I understand nutrition and health (and therefore knew the dangers of fad diets, etc…), and I do my best to exercise (though not always enough). But as a single mother of 2, it’s still very challenging ti “fit in all in” (including cooking healthy meals for my children) due to my busy schedule. And when my time is short, bad habits crop up and weight gain follows.
Dr. Gila Ackerman, Boulder, CO
Psychiatrist
Lisa has made an enormous contribution to my health and strength. I have seen and felt the most fantastic changes in an amazingly short time.
Chessie F, Boulder, CO
I just wanted to say you were amazing through this 10 day process! I learned so much from you! You were very thorough in all areas of the challenge and got back to us in such a quick manner with our questions. It was a great jump start into a more healthy life style that’s for sure!
Colby E, Boulder, Colorado
I LOVE the recipes, simple, few ingredients, appealing. I like the idea of using the list of staples you provided when i was tempted to cheat!
Phyliss S, Spring House, PA
I worked with Lisa to develop a holistic wellness plan that has allowed personal growth without having to completely change my lifestyle. Her programs are designed around your personal needs, so I always feel like I've gotten the most from my sessions and leave with manageable goals. Lisa's three-prong approach to wellness (fitness, nutrition and health) is helping me live a balanced and grateful life.
Ali S., Boulder, CO
I’ve been through the ringer with different dieting plans through the years. Some helped me lose weight and some didn’t – but it didn’t matter because I would always gain it back. I didn’t know if this 10 day Weight Loss Challenge would be the answer since everyone says they have the “BEST” way to lose weight. But this one seemed to be more doable – like instead of starving myself, keeping track of calories (“been there done that – VERY annoying!”) and things I know I wouldn’t stick to.
Jill W, Park, NY
Lisa, you have been a very positive role model for me! Through the exercise and diet I’m becoming healthy and more positive about my life!!! Thanks!