Frequently Asked Questions

~ Why a seasonal cleanse? What if I want to eat a summer recipe in the winter? Or crave more hearty food in the summer?

Eating foods that are seasonal, local, whole and fresh is one of the best ways to nourish your body. Seasonal foods harmonize the body with nature and with the environment. When you eat seasonally you will feel more energized, more relaxed, stronger and better.

But please remember that this cleanse is flexible and so are the recommendations and recipes. You do not have to follow them 100%. If you crave a crisp salad in the winter, have it! If you crave a hearty chili in the summer, have it! As long as you follow most of the recommendations, it is ok to make exceptions.

It is also important to understand that your body has internal conditions. It might need to feel cooler even if the weather is cold or it might need to get warmer even if the weather is warm. Listen to your body’s signals and needs and follow them as best you can with the seasonal recommendations as a general guide.

~ How often can I do this cleanse?

I recommend to do the cleanse once a season. I and many of my clients and the women in my health groups do. I also recommend to do a shorter version of it, 1-3 days, once a month.

~ Will I lose weight following the cleanse?

Very likely. However, the purpose of this cleanse is not to lose weight but to cleanse, repair and nourish your digestive system, to identify and change eating patterns that no longer serve you and create new and nurturing ways to eat and live. The only way to achieve a healthy and permanent weight loss is by transforming your eating habits and lifestyle.

~ I am vegan, will the cleanse work for me?

Yes. This cleanse does not follow any dietary agenda. You can follow it and modify it as needed to fit your food preferences. So whether you are vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, lactose intolerant, keep kosher or follow any other dietary system, you can do this cleanse. In the food recommendation and recipes I always include a few options, including a vegan option, to fit a variety of needs. Feel free to modify them even more to make it work for you.

~ Is it a liquid only cleanse?

No. This cleanse includes plenty of food. You will not starve. It emphasizes foods that will naturally support your digestive system and help your body cleanse, get rid of toxins, rejuvenate and heal.

~ Do I have to know how to cook?

Every day you will be given a list of foods to focus on and suggested meals and recipes. It is easy to follow and anybody can do it. It is best if you prepare your own food but you can also eat out and get prepared foods.

~ I am a compulsive overeater/emotional eater/binge eater, how will this cleanse affect me?

This cleanse is a wonderful and gentle opportunity to start transforming your relationship with food. It will clearly show you how certain addictive foods are affecting you and help you start breaking the bonds that those foods have over you.

Let your experience be your guide. If you are not ready to give up a certain food, that is ok, continue with the rest of the cleanse. If 7 days are too long, that is ok, do 3 days, or 1, or start with a cleansing meal. You can go back to this cleanse a few weeks later and do a little more.

There is no wrong way of doing this cleanse and anything is better than nothing. I highly recommend to get plenty of support and not embark on a health journey alone. Please contact me to schedule a consultation and/or join one of my women health groups.

~ Does this cleanse address food sensitivities?

This cleanse gradually moves you away from foods that many of us are sensitive to and towards foods that your body digests well. If you want to take a closer look at your food sensitivities I recommend to schedule a private consultation and/or join one of my women health groups.

~ Is the cleanse sugar free? Grain free? Gluten free?

I do recommend to get off refined sugar for the entire cleanse and use it as an opportunity to avoid it or at least reduce it afterwards. The cleanse includes healthier and more natural sugars that you can use in moderation. If you feel ready for more you can certainly avoid those as well. The recipes include a variety of natural sweets and treats that you can choose from.

This cleanse is not gluten free or grain free, it includes a variety of whole grains and grain products. I do recommend to focus more on whole grains and less on processed grain products. You can easily follow the cleanse with a gluten free version by focusing on gluten-free and/or higher protein grains like quinoa, buckwheat, millet, teff, amaranth and gluten free oats.

~ What if I want to follow the cleanse for a shorter or a longer time?

This cleanse is designed as a 7 day cleanse but you can follow it for 5 days, 3 days or even one day. You can follow it for 10, 14 or 21 days. Just make sure to follow the gradual progression of the cleanse and do not stay on day 4 for more than one day without a health coach’s personal guidance.

So for example, if you want to do the cleanse for 5 days follow day 1, day 2, day 3, day 6 and day 7. If you want to follow the cleanse for 10 days follow day 1, day 2, day 3, day 3, day 4, day 5, day 5, day 6, day 6, day 7.

Please feel free to contact me if you need me to structure it for you.

~ Should I eat smaller more frequent meals or bigger less frequent meals? Should I have snacks?

The menu plan is structured as a 3 meal plan but you don’t have to follow it that way. You might find that at different seasons your preferences change. I often prefer to eat a bigger lunch and a lighter dinner, so feel free to switch meals around.

I find that when I am following my hunger signals and when my body is happy and balanced I tend to eat 2 meals a day and sometimes have a snack.

Listen to your body and follow your own hunger signals. This cleanse will help you to do that.

~ I do not have time to prepare smoothies and juices in the morning. Can I make them anytime?

Absolutely. The daily recommendations are flexible, so make and drink your smoothies and juices any time of the day. You can also prepare them the night before and drink them in the morning. Do it in whatever way it works for you.

Who am I and what I do?

Short version:

My name is Rachel Kieffer and I am a certified holistic nutrition and health coach. I have been working with women for over 35 years, helping them create a healthy life with private consultations, group coaching, workshops and programs. I am a best selling author of 2 collaborative books ‘Unleash Your Inner Magnificence’ and ‘365 To Connect With Your Soul’, I write extensively on my blog, for Aspire magazine and for Elements For A Healthier Life magazine. I am a frequent guest speaker in podcasts, health summits and radio shows. My goal is to guide every woman I work with to heal her relationship with food, with her body, with herself and fall in love with a healthy life.

Long version:

My journey to food and health started when I was 10 years old and decided to become a vegetarian. It wasn’t a decision based on health, it was based on animal love. My mom started cooking more vegetarian dishes for me and for everyone in the family and through that learned about healthier eating. When I was in high school my parents opened 2 health food stores in our hometown in Israel and I worked there every day after school. As clients asked me for recommendations for their many health issues I learned how to connect the foods they were eating, how they were living and what they were missing to give them the right recommendations. We also had a clinic in the store where different holistic practitioners worked for one day a week and I learned a lot from collaborating with them. I became the health expert among my family, friends and townsfolk.

While I was helping everyone with their health problems I was struggling with my own issues of body image, relationship with food and taking care of myself. My relationship with my body and food got worse during my 20s and I started to develop patterns of compulsive eating and binging. My journey of recovery included many aspects that I combine in my work; nutritional understanding and guidance that I got as a student of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, support groups that I participated in and led and spiritual practices that helped me heal my wounded self.

I have studied at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition for 3 years and got my certificate as a holistic nutrition and health coach. After my graduation I worked there on staff for a few years, coaching their students, seeing private clients and teaching group cooking classes. While working there I started my own private practice and since worked with thousands of women with 1:1 consultation programs, group coaching programs and online programs. I absolutely love seeing women transform their relationship with themselves, prioritize their health and learn to thrive and shine with radiance. It is my life’s work to teach the message of self-love, self-care and health and to reach as many women as I can.

I live in New York City with my musician husband Izzy, son Gavriel, a dog named Teddy, a cat named Chance and 2 parakeets named Katia and Wendy who we found out later were males but decided to keep their girlie names.