Most people, especially college students, associate spring break with binge drinking, sleepless nights spent partying and general debauchery. Time away from school can, however, be spent allowing your body to have a vacation, too.
I challenge anybody reading this to commit all their spring break to “cleansing” their system. This isn’t a Gwyneth Paltrow cleanse that only permits you to sip cayenne pepper seasoned lemonade. (In fact, don’t ever use a cleanse that requires you to fast.)
The kind of cleanse I’m talking about is one that prohibits alcohol, soda, processed foods and caffeine. In other words, avoid your typical Friday night mixed drink(s), Saturday morning’s carb binge on frozen waffles and take your CC’s IV drip out for two weeks. You won’t be waking up early for class, and you won’t need the extra energy after a night out, so dropping caffeine shouldn’t be a problem, anyway.
If you’re confused about the foods you can still eat on this cleanse, think “raw.” Vegetables and fruits are great during this time. The best vegetables are leafy greens, and when it comes to fruit, consume something water-dense like watermelon.
Try to incorporate organic meat, but limit your red meat intake.
Carbohydrates shouldn’t come from a processed product liked bagged bread but from whole foods, like oatmeal. Here’s a tip: instead of buying the bagged brand that’s flavored with sugars, try plain oatmeal and make it more flavorful with organic agave or peanut butter and fruit. Other great sources of carbohydrates are couscous and quinoa.
If you’re “addicted” to soda, try club soda or seltzer. Herbal teas are also beneficial during your cleanse. Whole Foods carries a bunch of great brands, but remember to try to avoid the caffeine.
When it comes to snacking, grab your fruits or veggies or a handful of almonds or walnuts. The fat in these nuts are nutritious and essential to brain function.
One of the most important elements of this cleanse is to avoid alcohol. In addition to making you act like an idiot, it makes your breath smell. It also breaks down into some nasty stuff in your body, and it makes your blood sugar drop, making you hungry. That’s why crepes stuffed with twelve pounds of cheese are so easy to devour after a night out on Maple Street.
Cleansing your body isn’t about losing weight. Fitness, health and wellness are not measured by how skinny you are. The food you feed your body influences your mood, academic performance, energy level and much more. Eat to live; don’t live to eat.
Caitlin Spieker is a sociology senior and personal trainer who is working on certification from the American College of Sports Medicine. She can be reached at [email protected]
