Mono cleansing and how it can help your healing journey
Mono cleansing, what’s that, you might be thinking? Or, perhaps the photo gives it away!
Mono, meaning ‘one’, simply means sticking to one or two, or sometimes three, very specific foods for a period of time, in order to help the body recover. It is an incredibly powerful, but also gentle tool, especially for certain health conditions, such as gut issues or food allergies and sensitivities.
There are so many people suffering with digestive issues from bloating to constipation and diarrhea, to SIBO, Coeliac, Chrohn’s disease and IBS. Almost every person I work with has a gut issue of some sort, and I too suffered with my gut for many years.
When you’re challenged with digestive issues, trying to figure out what to eat, or not to eat, can be a minefield.
It creates a lot of fear and tension over food because you don’t know what the reaction is going to be. Quite simply, it can be limiting, distracting, tormenting and scary.
But the only way out is through (quite literally!). And when it comes to gut issues, cleansing is absolutely critical.
Why? Because most digestive issues stem from a combination of viral and bacterial activity that needs halting. These pathogens feed on troublemaker foods, such as dairy, eggs and gluten, among others, as well as toxins, and as they move through the gut the pathogens thrive, irritating and inflaming the intestinal lining. Another aspect of gut issues is an overburdened liver. Pathogens live in the liver, burdening the organ, along with improper foods and high level of toxin exposure that the liver has to contend with.
Simplicity is also key for healing the gut and there is nothing simpler than mono cleansing. By making one or two foods your focus, for example bananas, it exponentially helps the digestive tract recover. It brings the stomach glands, which produce hydrochloric acid necessary to break down food, back to life; it improves the condition of the liver, giving it a chance to restore bile levels, necessary to break down fats; it starves out pathogens; and it’s extremely soothing on the gut.
CLEANSING IS NOT ABOUT STARVATION!
Just remember that cleansing is not about starvation, even though the process helps to starve out pathogens. Cleansing is about using specific foods and/or drink protocols to heal, but in a way that supports the body and is deeply nourishing.
THE HOW-TO OF MONO CLEANSING
As with any cleanse, it’s important to know what you’re doing otherwise it can backfire. If you would like to try mono cleansing, I suggest first reading the mono eating cleanse chapter from Anthony Williams’ Cleanse To Heal’ book, or if you feel this is something you would like embark on with support, please feel free book in a call with me, using the button at the bottom of this post.
MONO CLEANSING FOOD OPTIONS:
Banana (with optional lettuce)
Papaya (with optional lettuce)
Banana and papaya (with optional lettuce)
Steamed potatoes (with optional lettuce)
Steamed peas (with optional lettuce)
Steamed winter squash + steamed green beans, brussels sprouts or asparagus (with optional lettuce)
In addition to whatever combination you decide to choose, always start your day with 400ml (or more) of celery juice and lemon water on waking (optional).
HOW LONG FOR?
Anthony William recommends a minimum of one week at a time but you can also trial it for a few days first to see how you go and to figure out which foods might work best for you. How long you continue for will depend on what you’re dealing with.
This approach is safe in the longer term, mono cleansing will not create deficiencies. If your gut is in a poor way, the chances are you’re deficient anyway. By backing off and simplifying with highly nourishing foods, you give your gut a chance to heal and absorb the nutrients on offer more effectively.
I love this quote from Anthony in the mono cleanse chapter:
‘’Right now you’re working on fixing what you’re living with in the moment. Until you fix that, you won’t be able to benefit from wide variety in what you eat’’.
WHAT ABOUT PROTEIN AND FAT?
There are fats and proteins in all foods, including fruits! The small amounts of fats in the mono eating foods are plenty to sustain your health. And time away from radical fats such as nuts, seeds, oils, olives, coconut, avocado, animal foods, dairy and eggs is what helps the body to recover. The liver can’t recover with large amounts of fat coming in, from whatever source, healthy or unhealthy.
WHAT ELSE IS MONO CLEANSING GOOD FOR?
Mono cleansing is also a valuable tool for recovering from flu, stomach bugs, food poisoning, food allergies or sensitivities, eating disorders, cravings, fasting and ulcers.
It also helps to heal your relationship with food at the same time as healing your body because it frees up the mental energy around food and limits time spent in the kitchen. Anyone who criticises you for being food obsessed or strange for embarking on this has no idea what it is like to suffer with their health, or if they do, they’re not prepared to take the necessary steps to heal. Don’t be put off, keep strong and do what you feel is best for you.
MY FAVOURITE MONO CLEANSE
My favourite foods to mono cleanse with are bananas and papayas. Sometimes I just do bananas and sometimes I combine them with papayas.
Bananas have been and continue to be my most powerful healing ally, which makes them my perfect mono cleansing food! They’re soothing, filling, nourishing, satisfying and powerful weapons when it comes to starving out pathogens!
A MONO CLEANSE DAY MIGHT LOOK LIKE THIS:
Lemon water with raw honey on waking
Celery juice
Breakfast: 3-4 bananas (and papaya, if including)
Lunch: 3-4 bananas with lettuce blended with a little coconut water (coconut water is fine to include)
Snack: 2 bananas
Dinner: 3-4 bananas blended with lettuce (with or without coconut water)
Pre-bedtime snack: 1 banana
I eat anywhere between 10 to 18 bananas in one day, depending on size and hunger levels. But there is no right or wrong when it comes to how many. As many as you need to eat to fill satisfied is what’s right for you.
I hope that leaves you feeling inspired to try a little mono cleansing! But please feel free to get in touch if you need help with figuring out the right approach for you.