Clean Program Cleanse Resources

Having just completed the 21 day Clean Program Cleanse I wanted to share some resources with you to help you be successful. You can buy a kit from Clean, but I have found it to be very cost prohibitive. I have always created my own kit and utilized the resources on their website. 

First of all the book Clean by Dr. Alejandro Junger is an absolute must. It really gets into the heart of why you are doing the cleanse and what can be accomplished by it. It is available in paperback and a Kindle edition.

Supplements that you will need:

• Probiotic – Get a great quality one with at least 50 billion bacterial count and multiple strains. Your local health food store should have a couple to choose from. You should look for ones kept in the refrigerated section. You can also order them online from Amazon, as it is okay for them to not be refrigerated for a short period of time. I really like the ones from MegaFood MegaFlora and Dr. Junger recommends Klaire Labs Ther-Biotic.
• Milk Thistle – This helps support the liver while you are detoxing. Jarrow Formulas is known for their high quality products and you can order their Milk Thistle here. This one is gelatin capsules, so if you are vegetarian you may want to buy a different product.
• Digestive Enzymes – These help your body break down and absorb nutrients from the food that you are eating. Again Dr. Junger recommends the ones from Klaire Labs Vital-Zymes. 
• Oil of Oregano – This is a great anti-microbial that will kill the bad things in your gut, allowing the probiotics to repopulate your gut with good bacteria. Learn from my experience and use the capsules and not the oil in a dropper. Whew! I have been using the Gaia Herbs Oil of Oregano. 
• Natural Calm – Magnesium is one of those things you probably don’t get enough of and it has many benefits. I can help with headaches while you detox, constipation, and it can help you get a really good nights sleep. The Natural Calm Raspberry Lemon flavor is very good. Just add to some hot water and drink before bedtime.

Protein Powder:

You will need a protein powder to add to your daily smoothies. Try to find one that is vegan and is based on either brown rice, pea, hemp, or cranberry protein. It should not have any added sugar or artificial sweeteners. Stevia is fine. I have used the Sunwarrior Warrior Blend Raw Vegan Protein Power and Garden of Life Organic Raw Meal Protein Powder. 

Blender:

You will need a good quality blender to make your smoothies in. While I would love to have a Vitamix, I have been making due with this Hamilton Beach Smoothie Smart Blender. It has a great pour spout and a smoothie button that does an initial three pulses and then a longer timed blend. Which makes it great for starting and then walking away. Which you have to do because it is quite loud. At the price point though, I find this inconvenience worth it for its smooth blend. If you have a choice though, always go with the Vitamix!

Additions:

• Flax Seeds – They are great sources of fiber and omega-3 and are a perfect addition to your morning smoothie. It is best to buy organic whole flax seeds and then grind them just before using. A simple coffee grinder devoted to this task is the perfect tool. You can also buy ground flax seeds as well. 
• Chia Seeds – Also a great source of fiber, omega-3, and protein too. They work very well as an egg replacer if you want to try baking clean, you just need to soak them first. In fact you can make a gel with them and store it in your refrigerator for about a week. They are more easily digestible in your smoothies that way too. Definitely get organic such as these Nutiva Organic Chia Seeds.
• Raw Cacao Powder – I generally buy Vanilla flavored protein powder to add to my smoothies, but sometimes I want some chocolate. This is a great addition to smoothies, baked goods, and making things like clean hot chocolate. I use Sunfood’s Chocolate Cacao Powder.
• Coconut Sugar – This is one of the only approved sweeteners on the Clean Program Cleanse. Use it sparingly, but it can be used in baked goods and the before mentioned clean hot chocolate. This Nutiva Organic Coconut Sugar in a three pack is a great deal.
• Almond Butter or other approved nut butter – Since starting doing Clean a few years ago, I have switched from using peanut butter on my sandwiches (not clean friendly) to using Almond butter for everything. Sandwiches, baking, and in my smoothies. So delicious! Make sure that there is no added sugar or oil from the disallow list. 
• Unsweetened Coconut – I love adding this to smoothies made with pineapple, coconut milk and some lime juice. It is almost like a pina colada. Definitely buy shredded coconut in larger quantities, it is less expensive that way.
• Coconut Oil – This is great for sautéing, baking, putting in a smoothie for a little extra good fat, a moisturized for your skin, and oil pulling. Buy a good quality cold pressed and organic coconut oil. 
• Gluten Free Flours – While the Clean Program stresses the importance of only eating when you are hungry, it does allow for small snacks if you need them. You should never feel like you are starving. So it is nice to be able to back yourself a special treat that is clean friendly. Many of the Clean Cleanse recipes call for some type of gluten free flour and two of the favorites are Coconut Flour and Almond Flour. I really like the products from Bob’s Red Mill. 
• Olive Oil – You will be cooking with olive oil, as well as drinking two tablespoons of it before bed. Put it in a shot glass and have a glass of water with lemon juice at the ready. Tip back and then immediately drink the water. It really isn’t so bad once you get used to it. You will probably be going through a lot of it during the 21 days, so a bigger bottle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil is better. 

Cost Comparison

I know that when I first looked into doing Clean, I was very put off by the price. To order a kit the current price is $425. I really wanted to do the cleanse, but I didn’t have that kind of money. So I put together my own kit. The recommendations above are what I have learned from successfully completing the cleanse five times. Here is what it costs to put together your own kit (approximately).

Protein Powder: SunWarrior Protein Powder – $41.61
Probiotic: MegaFoods Megaflora 30 capsules – $32.77
Milk Thistle: Jarrow Formulas 100 capsules – $7.39
Digestive Enzymes: Klaire Labs Vital-zymes 120 capsules – $28.60
Oil of Oregano: Gaia Herbs 60 capsules – $15.22
Clean Book: Paperback $9.60 or Kindle $3.99

Total: $135.19 (paperback) or $129.58 (Kindle edition)

You can use your savings on buying food and other extras. The support offered by the Clean team is available to you whether you buy the kit or not. They really are a company committed to a movement of change.