Taking the time to stop overburdening the body with food, and giving it a rest helps bring the systems back in balance. It is like having a blank slate to start with. This allows for easier absorption of nutrients, so your body can put them to work the way they should.
The digestive system is given a break, and cells have time to repair themselves. It is very healing for the body.
A gradual cleanse will often have fewer side effects than faster (and potentially harsher) cleanses. Herbal fiber supplements designed for cleansing are a great, gentle way to remove harmful toxins from the body without shocking the system. When taken regularly, fiber can also help relieve constipation and promote feelings of fullness (preventingovereating.)
Detoxification can also make you very aware of your body. Afterwards, you will know that what you are craving (so long as it’s truly healthy) is exactly what your body needs. You will be instinctively drawn to food with the nutrients that you have been lacking.
Discipline is key during cleansing. There are a few very helpful ways you can prepare yourself mentally, if you find it hard to control food cravings (especially in social settings).
The right mentality is very important. Here are some stratgies:
• Keeping a journal - Recording your meals every day makes you highly aware of what you are putting into your body. Writing down thoughts and feelings is very therapeutic.
• Meditation - As often as you can, lie or sit in a quiet place where you will not be disturbed. Tell yourself that the next (however long) minutes is dedicated to "quiet time" and nothing else. Going inwards will help you get to the root of some emotional eating habits, as you focus on your antioxidant diet.
• Keeping busy - Pack yourself a healthy lunch and stick to it. Get out of your kitchen and go do something fun! Go for a run, anything that helps keep your mind off of food.
• Being around supportive people - Choose to spend time with other health-minded people, or even pick a "cleanse" buddy. Avoid company who you know is going to tempt you into slipping off your antioxidant diet.
A cleanse can last from 3 days to 3 months – it depends on your will, and how fast your body eliminates the toxins. If you are pregnant or breast feeding, abstain from cleansing, but good nutrition is still vital at this point.
Reccommended Reading
Different types of cleanses
Juice fast
Juice fasting is the safest and most effective way to detox. It is safer than (and as effective as) water fasting, with fewer side effects. Prolonged water fasting is next to impossible for many of us, without the nasty side effects of vomiting, headaches, dizziness, hot and cold flashes.
Juices simply flood your body with minerals and nutrients that replenish at the same time as drawing out and flushing toxins. As a result, you are fully nourished and not dreaming about food the whole time.
With nutrients flowing directly to the cells (no energy wasted on digestion), their energy goes towards healing and rejuvenation. Goodbye chemicals, fat, mucus and cancer cells!
Only drink freshly pressed, raw fruit and vegetable juices, that you have juiced yourself or gotten from a juice bar. You can also include herbal teas, barley green and wheat grass juice, and any supplements that support your antioxidant diet.
You may add a tablespoon of ground flax or psyllium husks to your juice to prevent constipation.
This can be a weekend cleanse - for two days, maximum a week. Not recommended for diabetics or those with candida problems, since it is high in fruit sugar.
It's simple: Choose one fruit, and eat only that fruit and the juices from it. Drink only water (with or without lemon), herbal teas, and infusions. Strive for organic fruit, and it they must be ripe.
Eat greens with the fruit at least once a day, such as spinach, arugula, lettuce, kale or fresh herbs. This is to prevent your blood sugar levels from going too high, and to keep your mouth clean and fresh.
This is the “7-Day Primer” that Bryce Wylde details in his book The Antioxidant Prescription. Also not for diabetics, or if pregnant or breast feeding.
Each day of the week you drink only the specified liquid for that day. Drink 7-10 6 oz servings of the fluid. The juices should be organic, unrefined, and as fresh as possible.
Day 1: Turmeric Water. ¼ tsp of turmeric in 6 oz (a glass) of water. Cleansing and anti-inflammatory.
Day 2: Pineapple Juice. The bromelain enzyme cleanses the small intestine.
Day 3: Lemon and Water. Acidifies and detoxifies the liver.
Day 4: Carrot Juice. Lubricates liver, lungs, kidneys, and brain.
Day 5: Beet Juice. Pulls toxins from the liver into the bloodstream.
Day 6: Green Juice. Juice spinach, collards, kale, parsley, arugula or broccoli to flush the toxins from the body.
Day 7: Decaffeinated Green Tea. Detoxes and primes you for the antioxidant diet.
Apart from the drinks, Dr. Wylde recommends eating only the following per day:
2 servings of fruits, eaten on an empty stomach.
4 cups lightly steamed vegetables spread out throughout the day.
½ cup of your choice of whole grain with ½ cup any bean or legume.
1 cup unsweetened organic yogurt.
Read the book for a more detailed description of the diet, and the 7-21-Day cleanse that follows. Learn the science behind it, healthy lifestyle solutions, and the importance of antioxidant supplementation.
This is the diet recommended by renowned and respected physician Dr Gabriel Cousens. Follow it for three months, and you will be ultimately cleansed. The blood will be free of fermentation, and cells will begin repairing themselves. Not only is it “anti-candida”, “anti-mould” and “anti-aging”, but this diet has the power to reverse aging!
Also called Phase 1 or 1.5 of the Rainbow Green Diet, this cleanse consists of eating only raw vegetables, veggie sprouts, sea vegetables, non-sweet fruits (tomatoes, cucumbers, lemons, limes, grapefruit), vegetable oils, cacao oil, avocado, coconut oil, sprouted lentils and mung beans, super foods, caffeine-free teas, supplements, pure salt, stevia and xylitol for sweetener.
It's not exactly easy to do on your own, but the recipes in the book make eating this healthy low-glycemic cuisine a delightful experience! Also seek support from friends and family or online groups.
Colon cleanse supports all the other cleansing methods, just as the other methods have the power to cleanse your colon. Special measures can be taken to cleanse the toxic colon, as a companion to a healthy diet free of toxins.
A healthy colon is crucial to your overall health. If your colon is clogged with a buildup of mucus and toxins, waste cannot be eliminated and bacteria will enter back into the bloodstream.
A healthy colon produces a bowel movement after each meal. Most people have trouble with even a bowel movement each week!
Also recommended are psyllium husks or flax seeds, enemas, and bentonite clay – which acts like a plug pulling out the toxins from the gastro-intestinal tract.
If you are looking for natural colon cleansing, Inna from journey-with-crohns-disease.com has a very informative article about Natural colon cleansing.
It is normal to experience some discomfort while your body is being cleared of years of garbage. It begins to heal itself, which can be an unusual "side effect" too.
The cleanses mentioned above are designed to keep your body nourished to experience less of the severe side effects associated with fasting.
However, you can expect some of the following:
• Constipation or Diahrreah
• Aches in the joints
• Flu like symptoms: runny nose, nausea
• Headache (Drink lots of fluids to avoid this one.)
• Fatigue
• Healing Crisis (The body trying to get rid of toxins at a faster rate than they can be disposed. The symptoms might increase in intensity and make you temporarily uncomfortable, but you will feel a million times better afterwards!)
Don't let the "side effects" and symptoms deter you from cleansing on an antioxidant diet. You will thank yourself greatly later, as your blood becomes purified, your tissues repaired, and your body buzzes with vibrant health. Some people do not experience any, or only mild symptoms.
Done, doing, or going to do a cleanse? Share your experience here.
Write a bit about your detox experience. Tell us to keep us inspired, and so we know what to expect and where not to go!
• What were your goals? • How did you feel? • What was difficult? • What worked, what didn't? • What was the outcome and would you try it again?
You could even use this page as a mini-journal as you are going through the cleanse. If you are about to embark on the journey that is cleansing, feel free to post your questions here. I will answer them as much as I can, and other users can post comments too.
What Other Visitors Have Said
Click below to see other people's cleanse experiences...
Ayurvedic Cleansing
Not rated yet
Panchakarma (five actions) is a cleansing and rejuvenating program for the body, mind and consciousness. It cleanses the body's deep tissues of toxins....
The main reason I did it was just so that I could feel better. I basically just wanted more energy.
The ...
Dried fruit
Not rated yet
I spent 12 years working for a company that imported dried fruit. Over those years I discovered for my self the huge benefits of dried fruit in your diet....
45 pounds cleansing
Not rated yet
My name is Octavio. Our family has been vegetarian for years now.
However, I have found that you can be vegetarian and have unhealthy eating habits ...
Cleansing Salad
Not rated yet
I concocted this delicious salad one time when I had a lot of beets on hand.
Later I realized it had a superb cleansing effect on my body! If you read ...
Attempting the Rainbow Green Low-Glycemic Diet
Not rated yet
OK, so I decided to starve my body of candida once and for all. Also, I think I might have parasites, since over 90% of people do (and I have cats!)
The digestive system is given a break, and cells have time to repair themselves. It is very healing for the body.
