Let us first answer the question: Why should I cleanse?
Cleansing is a great way to remove toxins from the body, eliminate 'extra', increase energy levels, reset the body, etc.
Our environment is full of toxins poisoning the body. It is almost impossible to completely avoid our environment's toxins from entering the body. The goal is to keep these toxins at bay as much as possible and out of the body.
Remember that our bodies are beautiful, self efficient machines that know how to remove toxins themselves. With this being said I am merely suggesting a way to clean up the mind and body to provide a clean environment internally for our bodies to work their magic.
Cleanse you SHOULD NEVER do:
1. cleanses that say you should only 'x' amount of calories (especially ones saying under 1500)
-these type of behaviors can lead to consuming more calories afterwards than you anticipated (i.g. binges, ragging cravings, etc)
2. Beverage based cleanses
-this works to loose weight in a short amount of time, but does nothing for the long run. The body can shift into starvation mode, which can lead to when the times comes to consume food again that the body will hold onto extra.
3.Regular Laxatives:
-for one no one wants to sit on the toilet all day or have those close calls while at an important meeting, in line for groceries, stuck in traffic, etc.
-your colon knows how to work itself clean, no need for extra help...you could be eliminating extra good bacteria in the colon
4. Diet Food
-these are some of the most unhealthy foods out there. Jam packed with processed ingredients and chemicals...aren't these the things we are trying to avoid on a cleanse? Don't fall into the Diet food trap!
5. Avoiding a Macro-nutrient
-you should not have to completely take out an essential macro-nutrient from your diet (i.g. fat, carbs or proteins). Yes it is good to monitor these to create a nice balances healthy diet, but completely eliminating one can do some serious damage to some of your organs.
Now on to the Good Stuff: What you SHOULD do!
This is just a guideline to follow that is shown on many
sources as a way to properly eliminate toxins and create a cleaner environment for our bodies to internally function in:
Eat Organic. There is evidence shown that you don't have to eat every vegetable or fruit organic, especially if you are on a budget or think the idea of organic prices is outrageous. You can use the dirty dozen as a guide to try and buy at least the produce listed on the list to be organic.
DRINK WATER. Drink more water. Even if you think you drink a lot of water, drink more. Make it a difference for your body to have to adapt to. The change will help the body get things moving through it quicker, eliminating the bad.
-a lot of people also worship by starting your day with a hot cup of water and a little lemon to help the body begin it digestion for the day
Foods to Avoid:
-Alcohol
-Dairy
-Caffeine: cutting cold turkey could lead to some killer headaches, if you can't risk having them then try dropping your caffeine down each day to slowly eliminate...switching to tea can help!
-Gluten: sorry ancestors but you have messed up our grains with this one
-Added Sugars and Artificial Sugars
-Processed Foods: I think that might be more of an obvious answer now :-)
-Hydrogenated and Saturated Fats (some is great, a lot of bad): our body has a hard time and with some fats it can't even digest it...If too much is consumed than a back up occurs in the body, clogging arteries, etc. For purposes of cleansing, cutting back is ideal, but in normal circumstances in small amount is good.
-Corn:
Natural Foods: eat as many natural occurring foods as possible: vegetables, fruit, fish, nuts, seeds, etc
Smoothies or Green Juice: adding in a smoothie is a great way to get in added nutrients, especially a green juice; definitely check out VEGA ONE (a plant based protein) to add into your smoothies or mix with a liquid. (***check out a previous post on my giveaway of Vega One to see your chances on winning some for yourself***)
POOP: Make sure your back door is moving. If it isn't try drinking more water or green juices. It is critical for the toxins and build up to leave your body through your exit.
SWEAT: another way to eliminate toxins is through your pore. Getting in some great exercise a few times a week will help in the elimination process as well as just an overall great thing for your body to always participate in
STOP FOR A MINUTE: It is important to relax your mind as well. Every so often throughout the day stop for a minute and just breathe. Concentrate on your breathing, pay attention to how the breathe works and how your body is feeling. If you can sit somewhere quiet and do so or even if you can lay down for a few minutes that is most ideal. Don't be afraid of naps...short naps. They are a good break for the body!
Some lessons to learn from this:
After doing this process for a few weeks, really take a second to evaluate the process. Was the process difficult? Was the process easy? Could you incorporate this into your life more regularly? On the things that were difficult, are there ways to adapt to still be effective?
You can slowly add some ingredients/foods back into your life. Slow is key, but what is more beneficial is to really monitor your body with these foods. If you have any adverse effect to these foods, then you know your body doesn't function well with them. With these foods try keeping them away, or only once in awhile. Learning your body is the most important lesson in all of this. Knowing what is good for your body and what is bad is the secret to a healthy body...not the newest diet trend, product, etc.
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