My own health has improved tremendously since I started cleansing regularly. In contrast to a decade ago, I am now filled with energy from morning to night. I am able to focus for hours at a time and I feel happier and more spry.
I have seen my patients, family, and friends experience similar benefits after completing a cleanse: My stoic dad chirped, my friend who was bloated and constipated became regular without bloat, my sugar-addicted patients no longer obsessed about sugar, and patients struggling to lose weight and have a healthy relationship with food met their goals.
There is an overwhelming amount of information and products available dealing with cleansing and detoxification of the body: Parasitic purges, candida eradication, maple lemonade tonics, fistfuls of capsules at specific times of the day, and swigging an unappetizing amount of olive oil are just a few examples. The options are many and making a decision about which cleanse to try or even whether or not a cleanse is safe can be intimidating.
As someone who cleanses regularly and has witnessed my patients, family, and friends feel the benefits of cleansing, I can assure you that undertaking a 3-week cleanse does NOT need to be a daunting regimen of calorie restriction and laxatives.
Instead, it can be an empowering and enjoyable experience filled with nutrient-rich, flavorful, REAL food that leaves you with a clean body, mind, spirit, and palate.
What is Cleansing?
Cleansing is a hot topic today and if you were to ask 5 different professionals to define it, you would most likely receive 5 different answers. I think of cleansing as giving our bodies a vacation. Our liver, kidneys, skin, colon, and lymphatic systems are always working to detox, neutralize, and excrete both environmental and internal toxins that we are exposed to daily. In simplistic terms, when we commit to a cleanse, we minimize the ‘bad’ in, maximize the ‘bad’ out, and optimize the ‘good’ into our bodies.
Common symptoms improved with cleansing:
PMS, low libido, brain fog, fatigue, allergies, constipation, bloating and gas, IBS, acne, anxiety, depression and moodiness, insomnia, headaches, joint pain, weight gain, food cravings and susceptibility to infections are affected positively through cleansing.
A Closer Look at Our Environment:
We are exposed to toxins everyday – both environmentally and internally through our body’s normal byproducts of digestion and metabolism. A toxin is anything that interferes with our normal physiology and has a negative impact on bodily functions. Humans have an amazing ability to adapt to challenging situations and environmental insults. Our own natural cleansing systems work constantly to keep our bodies healthy. When we are exposed to chemicals, our bodies can generally process and metabolize them without affecting our health; however, a lifetime of exposure to these ubiquitous chemicals taxes our natural cleansing systems. As a result, our health is adversely affected. We finally reach a boiling point when our bodies show signs of toxic overload. It is this toxic overload that underlies many chronic diseases by affecting our immune, endocrine, neurological, and cardiovascular systems.
Unfortunately, we are limited in controlling our environment, but we can certainly gain awareness of where chemicals are found and attempt to avoid them and find non-toxic substitutes. We can eat organic, nutrient-dense foods rich in antioxidants in order to optimize our body’s natural cleansing processes. We can purchase (or even make) nontoxic cleaners for our home and use cosmetics that are not laden with chemicals and “fragrances”. However, the reality is we live in a toxic world and complete avoidance is unrealistic. The exciting news is the easy accessibility to a cleanse where, for a period of time, we minimize exposure to chemicals and optimize our body’s natural cleansing processes.
3-Week Cleanse Suggestions
The most effective cleanse should be tailored to an individual’s unique health needs and goals by a doctor or health care professional experienced in cleansing; however, some general principles can be embraced by someone seeking to improve their health through a cleanse.
It takes 3-weeks to eliminate sugar cravings and other food addictions. I also believe that 3-weeks are necessary to cleanse the palate and experience the full benefits associated with cleansing. My recommendations for a 3-week cleanse include the following:
- Follow a hypoallergenic, anti-inflammatory and cleansing diet: Eliminate all common food sensitivities from your diet: gluten, dairy, soy, corn, eggs and citrus.
Anti-inflammatory: Emphasize foods high in omega 3 fatty acids (flax-seed oil, wild salmon, sardines, and flax seeds) and limit foods high in the pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids (vegetables oils, chicken, red meat and egg yolks). Also, avoid the nightshades vegetables (eggplant, tomatoes, bell peppers and potatoes) since they contain alkaloids that can contribute to joint pain in susceptible individuals.
- Drink filtered water: Generally 1/3-1/2 of your body weight daily in fluid ounces.
- Sleep: The goal is to fall asleep easily, sleep through the night and wake rested. Do not sacrifice sleep in order to stay up late to watch a movie, read or study.
- Exercise: This is not a calorie restrictive cleanse. You should move your body, break a sweat and get your heart rate up.
- Stress Management:It can be achieved through meditation, yoga, deep breathing exercises, walking or journaling. Find an outlet to express yourself and decompress.
- Fresh Air: Get fresh air everyday
- Joy: Nourish your soul and do something you enjoy each day. It can be as simple as reading a few pages of a book, painting, crafts, bike ride, walk on the beach – anything that brings you pleasure.
- Supplements: It is best to consult with a doctor or health care practitioner who is experienced in cleansing before starting a new supplement plan. However, some gentle cleansing products you may consider include:
Probiotic. Good bacteria for the gut. Probiotics are vital for metabolism, cleansing and immunity.
Fiber. Freshly ground flax-seed or psyllium support healthy digestion and elimination.
Liver support. Specific nutrients to support the phases of detoxification or herbs to facilitate the liver’s role in detoxification.
Green Superfood. A rich source of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants to facilitate cleansing.
When you follow this clean, hypoallergenic and anti-inflammatory diet with a nourishing and cleansing lifestyle you are giving your body, mind and soul a gift. You actively remove obstacles to health while giving your body the tools it needs to heal itself and reach a higher level of optimum well being. All of this, while experiencing a clean palate, less bloat, no food cravings and endless energy.
More information about our cleanse program, check out our 21-Day Online Group Cleanse & Detox or call (310) 451-8880
For our Cleanse Products, visit www.akashanaturals.com
