Green Fasting

Spring is a time of reawakening. It is notable in the green reappearing after a long absence and the blossoms rendered visible in the trees. The outdoors reflects what our bodies yearn for this time of year: rejuvenation. We yearn to shed the husks of hibernation and feel fresh energy again. But our bodies need a way to get rid of the toxins built up in the system, and living in this fast-paced modern life, cleansing may not be a realistic endeavor for everyone. However, short regiments of fasting while only consuming microgreens and sprouts, can aid in ejecting toxins from the body on a weekly basis.

Fasting for one to two days, usually over the weekend, can boost metabolism, strengthening your immune system—as well as helping your digestion “reset” by giving it time to rest. When we fast, our bodies go into “survival mode”, using sugar and fat reserves to replace old damaged cells with new ones. While fasting, the body works to remove waste from functioning cells through a process called autophagy, which metabolizes dysfunctional proteins. Other studies have shown that fasting can improve brain function by promoting the growth of new neurons.

Many people talk about the discomfort of fasting and that is why it is recommended to not starve yourself and allow yourself to eat fresh raw vegetables and fruits. Citrus is particularly recommended as it works to help clean your digestive track and provides load of vitamin C to your body. Although you are consuming foods, your body should still enter survival mode. The trick is to avoid nearly everything and to eat only what your body really needs.

Avoid consuming the obvious like alcohol, sugar, salt, and grains, and be sure to stay well-hydrated, drinking plenty of water, coconut water, and green juices—even juicing wheatgrass or barleygrass if you’re familiar with the process and have flats of grass ready to juice. Supplements can be appropriate during the fasting period, such as dried grass juices and dried berry juices. We recommend loading up on sprouts and microgreens because they will provide hefty doses of nutrients without all of the filler material of full grown vegetables. Sprouts and microgreens make it easier consume nutrients while maintaining your body’s fasting disposition.

Eating a lot of Microgreens and Sprouts is perfect for fasting because they contain high concentrations of nutrients in a small, low-calorie, easily digestible form. In a way, you are fueling the positive processes in your body by fueling them with the compromised nutrients they need. For example, sprouts have loads of essential fatty acids, and they can contain up to 100 times more the amount of enzymes and vitamins than their full-grown counterparts. Microgreens have the same benefits as sprouts, but are older, therefore contain more chlorophyll and plant fibers.

Sprouts:

Broccoli / Alfalfa / Mung / Radish / Adzuki / Clover

Sprout Mixes:

3 Part / 5 Part / Bean Salad / Protein Powerhouse

Microgreens:

Cilantro / Basil / Lettuce / Amaranth / Sunflower / Radish / Mustard

Microgreens Mixes:

Spicy Salad Mix / Basic Salad Mix