When the ancient Greek physician, Hippocrates of Cos — considered by many to be the father of allopathic medicine — said, "Let food be your medicine and your medicine be your food," he obviously wasn't aware of the condition we would be in by the 21st century. Pesticides, chemical fertilizers, polluted water supplies, genetic modification of seeds and degradation of the soil — not to the mention the fast-food shops that line our highways and the highly processed prepared foods that fill our supermarket shelves — have, some think, not only reduced the nutritional value of our food supply but also shifted it from health-giving to health-robbing status.

The organic- and raw-foods movements that have been growing in popularity and influence over the last decade are, at least in part, a response to that situation — and Deva Kaur Khalsa, the chef behind Food on Purpose, is passionately committed to both.

Food on Purpose snacks — available locally at Whole Foods Market, Wild Oats, La Montañita, Vitamin Cottage and Body of Santa Fe — are not only organic and raw, they are also gluten-, sugar- and dairy-free, making them ideal for people with a range of food sensitivities. The fact that the eight different products — including three types of crackers, granola, nori chips and three dessertlike cookies — also taste good is a bonus.

The product line grew out of the need of people who were participating in The Cleanse of Santa Fe — a detox program Khalsa has been facilitating here with her husband, doctor of oriental medicine Kartar S. Khalsa, for more than a decade. "People were seeking more options for food choices," Deva Kaur Khalsa said, "and before we knew it, we were making raw, gluten-free, sugar-free alternative foods for people with food sensitivities as well as for people who were cleansing."

The foods she prepares for people following The Cleanse protocol, Khalsa said, "are basically a lot of vegetables. We use two grains, quinoa and millet and some nuts and seeds that have been soaked. The whole idea really is to take a lot of stress off of the digestive system so that the body can have a rest. Eating fast-food or highly processed food or even a lot of meat can create a lot of stress on digestion," she added, "so the idea is to make the food very, very simple, but to do it an a gourmet, organic, delicious way."

The Cleanse of Santa Fe is a three-part program, including Kundalini yoga as introduced to the West by Yogi Bhajan; specific combinations of raw and partially cooked alkaline, organic, vegan foods — prepared from a cookbook written by Khalsa or ordered from the company in a ready-to-eat state; and The Cleanse kit itself — a combination of nutritional supplements, homeopathic tinctures, ayurvedic and Chinese herbs, teas and other beverages designed to detoxify the body — specifically the liver and colon — along with a very detailed day-by-day instruction book.

Although it is not an accepted part of Western medicine — and not recommended by even such alternative-medicine gurus as Dr. Andrew Weill — practices to regularly remove accumulated toxins from the body for mental, physical and spiritual benefits are traditional to ayurveda — the ancient Hindu approach to medicine — as well as to many forms of yoga and to other indigenous healing systems.

The Cleanse and Food on Purpose moved its offices from Española to Santa Fe a few months ago, and will hold an open house, free introductory programs and the opportunity to sample both the gourmet cleanse food delivery as well as the crackers, cookies and other snacks available in local markets to introduce both its foods and its special New Years Cleanse to interested residents on Jan. 10.

Paul Pennell, the company's director of marketing and new-product development, said that the special New Year's program starts Jan. 14, and that the group plans to follow-up by offering additional cleanses on a monthly basis.

Although Khalsa prefers that people do the full program —
"so it's not just another diet where you are eating healthy food," Pennell said it is possible for newcomers to sign up for any one or two of the three pillars of The Cleanse — the food, the yoga or detox program.

"A lot of people don't want to cleanse and don't want to do yoga," he noted, "but we don't have a lot of good raw-food options in town and Deva is an amazing chef. So a lot of people just want the experience of cleaning their body by eating raw, organic food — and that's fine with us."

Eventually, Pennell said, the group would like to have a storefront where people can come by to pick up their food at any time during the week, but for now, food is only available at the company offices at 2021 Piñon St. during the days of the month when The Cleanse is in process. Prices for the prepared food vary by the number of meals per day that are ordered and the number of days requested. Two meals a day for 10 days is priced at $300. Because of the labor involved, a three- to five-day commitment for one, two or three meals per day is requested, Pennell said.

The open house, he said, is a great opportunity for people to find out more about cleansing, yoga and raw food in general, as well as to sample some of the food they would receive during the program or be able to make themselves using Khalsa's cookbook.

Recipe

Everybody loves this soup, Paul Pennell says, "and nobody knows how to make it. It's not one of the 100 percent raw recipes, but it is on The Cleanse food program. And it's yummy," he adds. We tried it, and we agree.

A note on the page of Deva Kaur Khalsa's Cleanse cookbook that contains this recipe says "Celery juice is an excellent internal cleanser." It may be eaten on all 10 days of the program. To be true to the spirit of The Cleanse, use only organic produce.

CELERY SOUP FOR THE GREENS DAYS

(Makes 2 servings)

1/2 head celery

1 onion or 2 leeks

3 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon fresh parsley

1 teaspoon fresh basil

1 teaspoon fresh sage

1 piece kombu or other sea vegetable

4 cups water

Optional additions:

1 teaspoon Bragg Liquid Aminos

1 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter)

Simmer all ingredients from celery through water in a saucepan for 30 minutes. Blend in blender. Top with Bragg and ghee if desired.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Free introduction to the New Year’s Cleanse, with free Kundalini yoga session, followed by Food on Purpose open house, with samples of gourmet, vegetarian raw foods and snacks

WHEN: Jan. 10; 11 a.m. Yoga class followed by Introduction to The Cleanse of Santa Fe at 12:15 p.m., both at 1505 Llano St. — Yoga Santa Fe; 2-5 p.m.: Food on Purpose open house at 2021 Piñon St. (next to Yoga Santa Fe).

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO RSVP FOR YOGA CLASSES: Call 505-988-7076 or send an e-mail to info@thecleanse.com.