PHOTO BY ANNE MENKE
“Spring cleaning” is the annual ritual of a thorough house cleaning as the seasons change. The practice dates back to a time when homes were heated by burning wood and coal, and a spring cleaning was necessary by winter’s end to get rid of the soot and dirt left behind. The tradition has continued, and is a perfect seasonal ritual for body and mind as well.
When most people think of a cleanse, an extreme deprivation or fasting program comes to mind. But a cleanse can be just as effective, and much more doable, by simply eating the right foods. Silke Tsitiridis has created a 3-5 day bySILKE cleanse and wellness program based on the science of “mimic fasting”.
“I don’t believe in dieting and never have”, says Silke. “You should be able to eat, process, and enjoy every kind of food. But I do believe in seasonal resets where we give the body a break so it can function at its optimal capacity. Change of seasons are a great time to really stop and pause. It’s a reset for the body and mind.”
Intermittent fasting has become a very popular and effective health and weight loss tool in the last few years. Fasting for a specific number of hours each day boosts the metabolism and increases fat burning. “16-8” is one of the most practiced intermittent fasts — a 16 hour fast followed by an 8 hour eating window. Mimic fasting differs in that it restricts calories for a set period of time, but you don’t stop eating entirely. It kind of tricks the body into a fasting state without totally depriving it of food. Silke’s program combines calorie restriction with intermittent fasting.
We all get into routines, whether with food or exercise, and sometimes start to find what was working previously isn’t anymore. Whether it’s an injury or weight gain or health issues, you try modifying those routines but what you really need is a break. “It’s like when you have a system update on your phone. You power it off and reboot, and it runs so much smoother”, says Silke.
Silke’s 3-day spring cleanse which we have highlighted below is an express reset and detox. There is no sugar, gluten, dairy, caffeine, or alcohol. The most restrictive meal is dinner which is bone broth or soup, and that’s the core concept of her program. The combination of eating about 800 calories per day with a liquid-only dinner, gives the digestive system a chance to rest and restore itself.
But the spring cleanse is not just a reboot for the body. It’s a reset for the mind as well. Simple rituals like putting your phone away during meals, chewing every bite 20–30 times, and eating slowly, allow you to really appreciate the food you’re eating. Even after a day you’ll notice your palate is cleansed by the simplicity of a meal that only has 4 to 5 ingredients.
And then there is the wellness component to maximize the benefits of a bodily detox. Restorative routines like dry brushing, self-oil massage, and epsom salt baths can all be done at home and are wonderfully relaxing rituals to enhance the cleanse.
So why not take the weekend off for a little spring cleaning with Silke’s 3-day program outlined below. Even if you just do it for one or two days, you’ll be feeling better. If you really want to indulge, she’ll home deliver all the food to you (trust me it’s delicious!), or you can make her delicious plant-based recipes yourself. Find out more here. Check out her upcoming Hamptons retreat May 8-12 as well!
The bySILKE program:
1. NOURISHMENT
Breakfast: Steel-cut oatmeal, plain or with local honey, self-made almond milk, berries and walnuts; goat yogurt with buckwheat crackers
Lunch: See recipes below like tuscan kale with chick peas, sweet potatoes with charred lemons and hazelnut, roasted cauliflower with turmeric and parsley
Dinner: Liquid only, bone broth or soup
2. SELF-CARE
~ Dry skin brushing
~ Self oil massage
~ Hot and cold showers
~ Epsom salt baths
3. MINDFULNESS
~ Digital detox
~ Breathwork (see Andrew Weil’s 4-7-8 technique)
~ Daily exercise like walking, yoga, Pilates, and stretching – or power it up with a HIIT class or run
~ Meditation
And I’ll add one to the list: Get outside! Nothing is better than sunshine and oxygen to restore mind and soul.
SILKE TSITIRIDIS
RECIPES:
Roasted Cauliflower with Turmeric and Parsley
Ingredients:
1 small cauliflower, sliced into 1-inch florets
1 tsp. turmeric
1-2 cloves garlic
Minced fresh parsley for garnish
Salt (fleur de sel, real salt, or himalayan sea salt)
Ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Organic lemon
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, add the minced garlic to the cauliflower florets. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, salt, pepper, and turmeric and stir. Drizzle the mixture over the cauliflower and mix until coated. Spread the cauliflower over a parchment paper lined baking sheet and roast in the oven until tender and browned, for 25-30 minutes. Serve warm with a garnish of parsley and squeeze fresh lemon to taste.
Butternut Squash Soup with Ginger
Ingredients:
1 butternut squash
Halved and seeded 1 thumb-length piece fresh ginger
1 medium-large onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic
3 cups water or stock of your choice fresh parsley, sage, or rosemary for garnish (optional)
Salt (fleur de sel, real salt, or himalayan sea salt)
Ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
In a large pot, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the sliced onion and cook until tender and translucent, about 5-10 minutes. Peel the butternut squash and cut into cubes. Peel and cut the ginger into small pieces. Add the garlic, squash, ginger, and 3 cups of water or broth to the pot. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes.
Purée the soup using an immersion or a blender (ideally vitamix) until smooth and creamy. Return the soup to the pot and season with salt and pepper to taste. Let simmer and adjust thickness with broth if necessary. To serve, garnish with parsley, rosemary, or sage, drizzle extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle salt and pepper to taste.
Tuscan Kale with Chickpeas
Ingredients:
1 bunch tuscan kale
15 oz can chickpeas
Pure sea salt (fleur de sel, real salt, or himalayan sea salt)
Ground black peppe
Extra virgin olive oil
Fresh organic lemon, cut in half, squeezed directly on the finished dish
Directions:
Open the can and wash the chickpeas thoroughly. Wash and dry the kale before removing the tough stem. Shred the kale into thin strips. Coat a non-stick pan with olive oil and add the kale over high heat for about 2-3 minutes until tender. Remove the kale from the heat and plate immediately.
In another pan, coat the surface with olive oil and add the chickpeas to gently warm them. Season with salt and pepper to taste. To plate the dish, place the kale first and pour the chickpeas over it. Squeeze a small fresh lemon to finish.
Sweet Potato with Charred Lemon and Hazelnut
Ingredients:
3 small-medium sweet potatoes
2 small lemons, unsqueezed
Organic hazelnuts
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
Pure sea salt (fleur de sel, real salt, or himalayan sea salt)
Ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Wash and peel the sweet potatoes carefully. Chop into 2-inch pieces and toss in a large bowl. Add 1 tbsp. olive oil and minced garlic. toss to combine. Spread the sweet potatoes over the baking sheet and roast in the oven until tender and browned, for 40-45 minutes, flipping occasionally to cook evenly.
In a small non-stick pan, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil over medium heat. cook 2 unsqueezed lemon halves, side down, until well caramelized, about 5 minutes. then, transfer to the baking sheet and cook until charred, about 10 minutes. To serve, top the dish off with organic hazelnuts and drizzle with sea salt and olive oil if needed.
