With spring nearing full swing, people naturally want to look their best. It’s the time of year when we trade pants for shorts and oversized jackets for breezy tank tops and t-shirts. Over the course of the winter, it’s easy to lose your way with all the holiday treats and rich, hearty foods that keep you cozy on chilly days. But now that the sun is shining more prominently, it’s high time you feel 100% again. Even if you strayed into “avoid” food territory on more than one occasion, you can revive your body with a cleansing Blood Type Diet based detox program. It’s like your own personal version of spring cleaning!

For a generally healthy person, I suggest a one-week program of whole, organic foods and supplements and against starting a fasting routine. Fasting is one way to detox your body, but probably not the best way. I would only suggest fasting if you are under the guidance of a physician. While entirely avoiding food will naturally flush your body of toxins, doing it without professional guidance often has negative effects. This process is simpler and much easier to follow and doesn’t carry the risks of fasting.

Start by choosing foods listed as beneficial and highly beneficial for your blood type. If you need some guidance on which foods are best, refer back to the 20th Anniversary edition of Eat Right 4 Your Type or the TypeBase. Both of these are newly updated with the most recent, relevant information. The Blood Type Diet app is another option, available for Apple and Android devices. Though it doesn’t have the 20th Anniversary edition updates yet, it will soon have a free update - and it’s handy when grocery shopping, eating in restaurants and meal planning.

By eating beneficial foods and taking supplements that are compatible with your blood type, you will be cleansing and detoxifying your body and allowing all of its systems to function at their very best. Purchase organic when possible and stick to buying whole foods, rather than processed foods from a box, bag or can. The closer the food you buy is to its natural state, the better it is for you. Avoiding preservatives and other chemicals is paramount.

Water helps with cell regeneration and plays a huge part in cleansing the body. Start the day off with a glass of lemon water and continue drinking plain water throughout the day. Aim to drink eight to ten glasses every day. To make reaching this goal easier, bring a personal water bottle with you wherever you go and know how much it holds. By quantifying your goal in relation to your own water bottle, it becomes much easier to keep track of and in turn attain your goal amount.

Avoid being around harsh chemicals and steer clear of chemical cleansers – try vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda when cleaning around the house. Not only are these natural cleaners better for you, but they are better for the environment too.

Get some fresh air! Take advantage of the ever-improving weather. You’ll get your blood circulating, your muscles pumping and the clean, crisp air will revive you.

As part of your detox protocol, I recommend some herbal supplements for each blood type. Each protocol is to be done for 7 consecutive days.