So, why do a cleanse? Why Detox?
We live in a very toxic world, surrounded by potential toxins in the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the food we eat, that build up in our organs, cells, blood and body. The body tries to protect itself by storing those foreign substances and toxins as balls of mucus or fat in its fatty deposits to prevent triggering adverse immune reactions. People can actually be carrying up to ten or more extra pounds of unhealthy mucus-harboring toxic waste!!! No wonder doing a cleanse can make you lose weight!
But the body can only do this for so long before the toxins begin to seep into the bloodstream and into cell membranes causing all sorts of trouble.
All those toxins can make you tired, give PMS, digestive disorders, headaches, joint pains, bad breath, allergies, intolerances, constipation, brittle nails, skin eruptions, poor memory, depression, insomnia, excess weight, and other health issues.
Any of the following will also increase the toxic levels in your body:
If you live in a city; work in an office; frequently walk/jog/run alongside busy traffic roads; use a cell phone, use a computer; live near high-voltage power lines; smoke cigarettes or other substances; use prescription drugs or medication; drink alcohol; never exercise; drink coffee, milk, unfiltered water, carbonated or fizzy drinks; eat sugar, sweets, white bread, canned foods, microwaves foods, fried foots, meats; add lots of salt to cooking; consume lots of preservatives and additives in foods.
Again, we live in a very toxic world so it is important to cleanse your body and to properly detoxify it regularly. What better way to kick-start the new year than with a nice fresh detoxified body? :)
Any cleanse that basically suggests that you starve yourself is no good. And all the big health gurus say the same. Here are the cleanses that I most recommend...
Juice Fast: It's easy on your body, you're putting amazing super nutrients into your system, and you still get a magnificent cleanse while doing so. People have cured themselves of cancer and all sorts of other illnesses just through juicing! It's magical! It may take a little getting used to the not actually eating part since your brain is so used to the mechanical eating process, so it may still feel like you're hungry. Remember, if you're feeling hungry then drink more juice. Oh, and you'll need a juicer for this one. ;)
Raw Diet: If you can actually just plain have a raw diet all the time then all the power to you, I don't have the will-power yet, but maybe one day. There is probably nothing you could do better than eating a purely raw diet. Lots of people do it, and all that do remain looking youthful with clear skin and no digestive problems. Score! Raw foods are Living foods; they have not been cooked, boiled, stewed, microwaved, frozen, baked, or steamed. They are still in their original state and contain all their natural food enzymes. Food enzymes are essential for digestion, to nourish our bodies, provide us with energy, and balance our metabolism. So you can see how beneficial a raw diet is.
WildRose Cleanse: I've done this cleanse myself a couple of times and have always found great benefit in it. Not only does it detox your body, but it also teaches you better eating habits that you can continue even after you're done the cleanse. The key points are what you are eating; cutting out certain foods while taking supplements to aid the colon. It lasts 12 days, although you can do it in 7 days too and just do half instead. But this cleanse is really quite easy in comparison to other detox systems.
Dr. Gillian McKeith's One Day Detox: This cleanse is for just one day, although you can take it longer. It's a bit of a combination of the cleanses above. You are mainly drinking juice, eating a bit of raw fruit and veggies, drinking lots of tea, and you're allowed a little bit of grains. Pick up her book
"You Are What You Eat
"
It's amazing and incredibly helpful!
"You Are What You Eat
"It's amazing and incredibly helpful!
I am really only brushing the surface of these detox programs, I encourage you to look into whichever method you choose.
Things to remember while detoxing...
*Make sure you drink LOTS OF WATER no matter what detox you're doing. Drinking at least 8 glasses a day is vital to a healthy body, but especially when you are trying to detox. You have to keep those toxins moving out of the body remember?!
*Because your body has a build up of toxins, quite often you may feel undesirable side-effects while doing a cleanse. This is known as a "healing crisis". The more badly you need a cleanse, the worse the side-effects usually are. Let it be a wake up call to eat better and cleanse more ;). Just remember that while these symptoms can be uncomfortable, but they are a part of the cleansing process.
It is quite normal to feel one or more of the following; mild nausea, rashes, headaches, irritability, joint pains, or other indications of detox. You can also sometimes feel weepy or emotional--that can be years of pent up tensions releasing.
But the possible side-effects pass fairly quickly and are insignificant when you think of the rewards.
Afterwards you will be be blessed with feeling energized, clearheaded, rejuvenated and revitalized! Your body and your mind will thank you for it! Hugely!!!
My Plan:
As part of the 30 Day Self Challenge, I am starting the cleanse with a juice fast all day (today). Tomorrow I will be doing Dr Gillian's Detox system, and from there I will continue to drink lots of juice and stick mostly to raw foods for the week. My personal intention is to keep my diet amazing! I will very slowly introduce other foods to my diet while paying close attention to how my body feels. I highly recommend doing this. You often don't realize the negative effect of certain foods have on your body until you have the chance to cut them out and then reintroduce them.
Peace & Love,
xo
~Bianca
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