Updates from Peter Minke

Have you heard great things about the 5-Day Nutritive Cleanse, designed by Young Living Essential Oils, but can't do the protocol because it has dairy in it?

Well, you have options! Here's the protocol I developed -- the recipes and the reasons behind it, so you can troubleshoot to fit your needs.

First, here's my blog post on the 5-Day Nutritive Cleanse, as designed. Most of the info is still relevant and helpful.

The Balance Complete is the part of the protocol that contains dairy since it has whey protein. I'll just note that Peter and I both can get overloaded with dairy fairly quickly, and 3 shakes per day would typically be problematic for us. However, the quality of the whey protein is phenomenal. It digests quickly and feels light in both the digestive and lymphatic systems.

If you are vegan or allergic to dairy, you can skip the Balance Complete with no worries and just substitute the Slique Shake from Young Living. The Slique Shake provides an excellent substitute for the NUTRITIVE part of the cleanse, and you'll need to add more fiber. Balance Complete has 11 grams of fiber per serving while Slique Shake has 7 grams.

I feel very full when I drink a Slique Shake. So, the thought of 3 shakes per day seemed like too much. I decided to do 2 shakes per day and fill in with raw and high-fiber snacks as needed.

With 3 Balance Complete shakes, I would get 33 grams of fiber per day. With 2 Slique Shakes, I would get 14 grams of fiber per day. So, I needed to add an extra 19 grams of fiber per day -- I rounded up to at least 10 grams of fiber per shake.

I went with berries because they have a lower glycemic index (or blood sugar effect) than most fruits -- I could also get them easily at the grocery store frozen. I liked adding seeds since they're lower in glycemic index and add some protein and fat.

I experimented with the JuvaPower powder. It was helpful in adding to the cleansing effect of the protocol, but it affected the taste of my shake (negatively), so I decided to just take it in smaller amounts (1 teaspoon) by itself once per day.

This recipe made a yummy shake that was very filling. I estimated that each shake had at least 17 grams of fiber, not including the "milk" of choice (which would make a total of 34 grams of fiber for the 2 shakes).

Vegan Shake:

I took the capsule of 3-5 drops of Peppermint Vitality essential oil WITH the shake. (Here's a link to enteric coated capsules available on Amazon.)

The NingXia Red shots were my snacks in between the shakes. Because of the timing, I ended up needing a more substantial snack in between. The Slique bars worked well. Another snack that worked well was carrots and hummus.

My goal was to create a protocol that felt similar in my body to the standard 5-Day Nutritive Cleanse protocol. Each time I've done that cleanse, there's a particular sensation of how the essential oil from the capsule feels in my body -- not just my digestive system, but up through my torso and into my head -- that I interpret as facilitating the cleanse. With this vegan shake and essential oil capsule combo, I experienced a similar sensation.

I also got a good cleanse from the vegan version. Yay!

Happy Cleansing! Blessings! 

- Amy

Want some community support while doing the 5-Day Nutritive Cleanse? Join our exclusive Facebook group, YL Wellness Program

You'll have access to other exclusive classes archived in the group, including a 3-part "Curious About Cleansing" seminar.

The 5-Day Nutritive Cleanse, designed by Young Living Essential Oils, is a doable and (in my experience) effective cleanse for the colon and digestive system, with positive results affecting the whole body.

The cleanse consists of 3 high-fiber (and tasty) shakes per day with Balance Complete meal replacement, accompanied by 1 gelcap of Digest & Cleanse with each shake, and 3 servings of NingXia Red antioxidant drink per day (in between shakes).

You can also supplement with snacks in between, keeping the snacks to raw and high-fiber choices, such as fruits, veggies, raw nuts, hummus, and rice crackers.

This cleanse fits into most lifestyles with ease and minimal planning and disruption. I can even make meals for my family and watch them eat... I just have my shake at the same time. The Balance Complete shake is tasty -- even if mixed with only water. I am usually seeking to maximize my protein intake, so I mix it with organic, unsweetened soy milk. It can be mixed with your "milk" of choice. It tastes like a vanilla milkshake -- so no hardship with cleansing this way!

When I stick to my schedule of 3 shakes, spread evenly throughout the day, punctuated by NingXia Red shots and veggie snacks, as needed, I don't get hungry and I don't feel deprived!

The cleanse is not meant to be a fast, but to be closer to a mono-diet -- to give some rest to the digestive system. And, it is a time to flood the body with nutrients to give your body the extra resources needed during a cleanse.

NingXia Red antioxidant infusion is a great way to get nutrients in a power-packed shot. The added antioxidants, both water-soluble (with berries) and fat-soluble (with essential oils), provide needed resources to help as toxins are mobilized during the cleansing process. NingXia Red also provides vitamin C and the bioflavanoids needed to help absorb vitamin C. Vitamin C is also a key nutrient in the cleansing and detoxification process!

Check out the blog post on my vegan (non-dairy) version!

I like to keep supplements on hand that support the detoxification process. My main support is Sulfurzyme. I take 4 capsules before bed EVERY NIGHT. When needing extra cleansing support, I take 2-4 capsules during the day, perhaps even two more times during the day.

 

Another favorite is Super C -- to provide added Vitamin C. I also rely on digestive enzymes from Young Living -- if you're following the YL Wellness Program, you may have some left over from Months 1, 2, or 3 -- Detoxzyme, Allerzyme, or Essentialzyme.

The first time I did the 5-Day Nutritive Cleanse, I was pleasantly surprised to be able to breathe easier after the cleanse. Say what?!? I know! The colon is right under the diaphragm, and if it's "dirty," it can basically pollute the tissue around it. So, as it cleaned out after the cleanse, my breath felt lighter and cleaner, as if every breath was fresher air!

I've talked with lots of people who have done the cleanse and shared my experience -- by the 4th day, we don't want any more fiber. I would look at the shake and think, "I don't think there's any more room in there..." But, I just kept going, following the protocol. Thankfully, there are only five days in the cleanse -- so it's do-able. The 4th and 5th days of the cleanse are usually when I experience a cleansing reaction, if I'm going to have one. That's when I take the extra supplements to help manage the cleansing and detoxification process. By the end of the 5th day and then the 6th day, my colon catches up and the poop gets moving out more efficiently -- and I start feeling lighter, fresher, cleaner!!

Generally, the cleanse isn't one that creates abnormal bowel movement -- generally, just a little slower as the fiber moves through the tube. So, I haven't felt the need to stay near the toilet. I can function normally in my daily life.

I have found it crucial to stay hydrated during and especially after the cleanse. If I don't keep the colon hydrated and moving, I run the risk of the toxins that got mobilized getting stuck in there. I have done this. It's not pleasant. And, drinking more water generally takes care of it! My goal is half my body weight in ounces -- and then pay attention to my body after that to see if I need more to keep up with the cleanse.

I hope these tidbits of my experiences help you on your cleansing journey! Blessings! 

- Amy

Want some community support while doing the 5-Day Nutritive Cleanse? Oue Facebook group has an archive of resources, YL Wellness Program.

You'll have access to other exclusive classes archived in the group, including a 3-part "Curious About Cleansing" seminar.

Here's one of my favorite cake recipes.  In general, we endeavor to reduce our sugar intake (in any form).  And, we still have birthday cakes.  This particular recipe makes its own icing.  This is a benefit not only for reducing the preparation time, but also because icing can be tricky if there are different dietary restrictions to deal with and varied levels of healthy eating.  This "Hot Fudge Cake" recipe utilizes whole grain flour*, non-refined sugar, and is vegan.  And, believe it or not, it passes the potluck test: most people will actually eat the serving they are given at parties and potlucks (rather than leaving it on the plate).

We've used this cake at family birthday parties. The adults tend to request it, but it has also been a "swamp" cake at a Shrek birthday party and for a no-theme-please-tween party.

Notes: The main recipe is for a 9x11 inch pan.  I've added a column to increase it to fit a 10x13 inch pan.  When spreading the batter in the pan, the batter will be thick, pasty.

* Young Living now offers Einkorn Flour (flour from non-hybridized wheat). We have switched to using that, and it works well with this recipe.