Clean Eating Challenge FAQs

The eating plan for the Conscious Cleanse Clean Eating Challenge is filled with whole foods – things like veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, non-gluten grains (like brown rice and quinoa), organic lean cuts of meat, wild game and fish.

It’s possible to experience some symptoms of detox as you come off of sugar, alcohol and caffeine. If you feel bloated, gassy, fatigued or headachy, consider that your Challenge is working. Try to move your body, drink more water, get to bed an extra hour earlier than normal, take a hot epsom salt bath to move past this phase more quickly. After the initial detox phase, you should feel lighter, mentally clearer and energized.

There is no guilt or shame with having a bad day or a slip-up. If you have a bowl of ice cream, notice how you feel afterwards. Let go of the negative self-talk and realize that just because you ate something not “challenge-friendly,” it’s doesn’t mean the entire day is shot. Remember to come to the private Facebook group for support. Connecting with Jo and Jules and other participants of the Challenge will help you to stay engaged, motivated and accountable to your intention.

You don’t need a Facebook account to participate in the cleanse. Although many people do enjoy the community engagement and the sharing of ideas and recipes, it is not imperative for a successful Challenge.

In general, we encourage you to take a break from things you’ve been ingesting everyday – whether it’s vitamins or certain foods.  Supplements, while often beneficial to health, can include the very allergens (soy, gluten, dairy, etc) we’re trying to eliminate!

Bottom line, is whether or not you continue to take supplements is really up to you, just be sure to read the labels. Looks for any fillers or suspicious ingredients and make sure you’re not taking anything that contains any of the common allergens.

If you’re on doctor-prescribed medication or supplementation, we encourage you to discuss this with your doctor.

If you’re experiencing detox – gas, bloating, fatigue, headaches, first and foremost, get excited! It means it’s working. You can also try increasing your water intake, soak in a hot epsom salt bath, get some extra sleep and/or buy some activated charcoal from your local drugstore. Be sure to read the label before using, as it will contraindicate with medication.

If taking a nap is out of the question, honor your body and go to bed at least 30 minutes early tonight. While nobody likes to feel fatigued, it’s completely normal while going through detox. Try to take it easy, get some fresh air, go for a walk, get some mild exercise, drink at least half your bodyweight in ounces of water and soak in a hot epsom salt bath for 20 min tonight.

Constipation is no fun but can be a sign of an underlying problem with your gut health.  If you’re used to drinking coffee to stimulate your bowels, it can take some time for your system to readjust. Look at how much water are you drinking and be sure to drink warm lemon water in the morning and evening? Check out some other great tips here.

If you’re really bloated it may be that the increased fiber in the form of vegetables – especially raw, is too much on your system at this point in your healing journey. Feel free to steam, boil, or bake your vegetables to make them easier to digest. To help alleviate gas and bloating, activated charcoal is a miracle worker! You can find this supplement at your local drugstore.

First, be sure to check out our blog posts for Healthy Tips for Traveling and Cleansing From the Road for some helpful tips on traveling during the Challenge.

Secondly, be sure to plan ahead. That may mean cutting up some raw veggies, or even a baking a chicken breast, and packing it in your carry-on bag. Pack a small bag of raw nuts and seeds and a Lara Bar too.

Before you leave, scope out the healthy restaurants (you can likely pull up their menus online too), a juice bar and the nearest health food store so you know what your options are ahead of time.

Great question! Check out our blog here on that very topic.