Here are a few pointers I have put together while guiding myself and many clients through cleanses over the years. While detoxing most people will feel hungry and irritable, have headaches and body aches, experience emotional swings and can feel so tired and depleted they just want to curl into a ball and sleep. Hopefully some of these tips will help you through these rough patches which are (unfortunately) just part of the process when the body is releasing toxins. Be assured that in the end, you will feel better even possibly better than you have in years. You will look better, with glowing skin and natural radiance. And one of the greatest benefits of cleansing, you will gain mental and emotional clarity. YEAHHHH.
CUT THE CRAP
This is the ideal time to rid your body of cravings for such things as excess sugar, caffeine, alcohol and cigarettes. For most people, the greatest challenge is passing up on the ritual morning cup of coffee. You will experience headaches and irritability, with proper hydration and nutrients, this discomfort will last only about three days. Satisfying, ‘allowable’ alternatives to coffee are Herbal Teas and Teeccino. If you are simply DYING without caffeine then a Macha Green Tea or Yerba Mate contain caffeine that is absorbed by the body more easily and does not cause a spike and crash effect.
DRINK WATER
While fresh organic fruit and vegetable juices are a powerful part of most detox/cleanse programs, your body still needs plenty of pure, clean water to maintain function. As a general rule of thumb, you should drink 1/2 oz of water per pound of body weight (i.e. a person weighing 150 lbs should drink 75 oz of water PER DAY). While you will be drinking a lot of juice you should still incorporate water into your daily diet. Try to drink only between meals so that you do not compromise the digestive system by diluting it with water (juice is treated like food so may be taken with a meal). Juice and water are absorbed differently in the body and are not the same.
DETOX SUPPORT
I found it helpful to seek out additional methods to detoxifying my body.
Oil Pulling: it is super simple and I found it to be really effective, especially for relieving some emotional tension and challenges. Simply swish around 1 tablespoon of unrefined oil (sesame, sunflower or coconut) in your mouth for 15-20 minutes, then spit out the oil mixture and rinse/wash your mouth thoroughly. There are lots of sites and video on oil pulling, look it up online. It’s worth a try.
Sweat it out: Dry or wet sauna are a super addition to the regimen.
Move your body aka Love your Lymph: the Lymphatic system, like the blood stream is responsible for moving stuff through the body. Most of that stuff is waste, pathogens, fluid, and toxins. It also delivers good stuff like nutrients, oxygen and hormones. The lymph provides it’s own filter found in the lymph nodes, and flows in a upward direction. Unlike the heart and blood, lymph fluid does not have a muscle (or engine) pushing it through the body; this must be done with movement or physical manipulation. Massage and daily ‘dry brushing’ are excellent ways to get it moving ‘by hand’. Dry brushing is just that, using a soft natural bristle body brush or loofah, ‘brush’ your entire body in a upward direction and towards the heart. This is ideal to do before your bath or shower and done twice a day. Exercises like, walking, bouncing on a mini-trampoline, yoga, pilates and swimming are great choices when it comes to stretching and moving the lymph.
Get some help: Colonics are a very useful and effective tool to help the body remove toxins. If you have never had this experience before, treat yourself, you won’t believe what you will see. We have made special arrangements for discounts with some caring and gentle colon-hydrotherapists. I suggest 4-6 appointments during the month.
If a colonic just doesn’t seem like your cup of tea there is another option to help with elimination. (now hold on, ‘cause this is where I am going to tell you how to poop) Invest in a small stool or toilet footstool to raise your feet while on the toilet. This posture imitates the natural squatting position our bodies need to align the bowel and eliminate effectively. The traditional ‘throne stance’ places a kink in the rectum (there I said it) and causes tension and strain to what should be a very simple body function. Sit upright, hug your knees as close to your chest as possible, relax and go.
TAKE IT EASY
This is not the time to train for a marathon, plan a wedding or entertain the in-laws for long stretches of time. Make sure you are getting a full night of sleep (7-9 hrs) and take little stress breaks during the day. These might include a 15 minute walk, a lay down on the grass, some intentional breathing exercises, reciting a mantra, meditation or dancing naked to your favorite song. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER is to honor your body, mind and spirit; carry a positive and loving attitude towards yourself and others.
