How do I achieve...
- improved energy?
- improved mood?
- clearer skin?
- regular bowel movements?
- improved digestion?
- weight loss?
- increased concentration and clarity?
- stronger immune system?
These are some of the benefits of cleansing, or detoxing, the body. There is much information out there about detox. You can spend a chunk of your paycheck buying the latest detoxification kit, and the specialty foods and drinks that you need to consume while you are on that expensive detox. My advice...Save Your Money!
Actually, cleansing is an action that occurs regularly and naturally in the body. Generally the body will cleanse itself sufficiently. The problem is our repeated exposure to environmental toxins, chemicals and processed foods will often interfere with our body's regular cleansing function. When that happens, your body may need some assistance. The key to keeping the body clean and healthy is prevention - you must establish a healthy lifestyle that, as much as possible, limits your exposure to toxins.
Your liver and your colon are your body's major detoxification organs, responsible for helping your body to process waste and toxins while metabolizing nutrients. Most everyone should cleanse or detoxify their liver and the rest the body from time to time. How you approach this is up to you.
So, where should you start when it comes to cleansing your body? Body cleansing is both a short-term and a long-term process. In the short term, try periodically implementing a healthy detox program such as a fresh juice fast, smoothie fast, raw food diet, or liver cleansing diet to help flush toxins that have accumulated in the body. Long term, you can make changes in your daily habits and lifestyle. This can occur gradually over time. You can choose to change a few habits each month, or each year. These changes could include more positive thinking, eliminating sodas, getting more exercise, or eating more vegetables and fresh fruit.
Short term cleansing is best done each spring and fall. If you have any health issues you will need to check with your doctor before beginning any type of fast. You should also allow yourself three to five days of down time when choosing to fast. Personally, I don't encourage long term fasting when cleansing. Three days at most will be sufficient. Many people have excellent results from fasting one day each week. If you choose to fast longer than 3 days you should definitely check with your health practitioner.
If you choose to go with a liver cleansing diet you could begin by consuming only raw food (fruits and vegetables) until about noon each day while your body is still in its elimination cycle. For the remainder of the day make sure you are following a high fiber, liver cleansing diet plan such as the one outlined on Liverguru.com. Follow this plan for at least four weeks and see how you feel. Be sure to consume plenty of pure water and add some physical activity to your day, every day.
Actually, cleansing is an action that occurs regularly and naturally in the body. Generally the body will cleanse itself sufficiently. The problem is our repeated exposure to environmental toxins, chemicals and processed foods will often interfere with our body's regular cleansing function. When that happens, your body may need some assistance. The key to keeping the body clean and healthy is prevention - you must establish a healthy lifestyle that, as much as possible, limits your exposure to toxins.
Your liver and your colon are your body's major detoxification organs, responsible for helping your body to process waste and toxins while metabolizing nutrients. Most everyone should cleanse or detoxify their liver and the rest the body from time to time. How you approach this is up to you.
So, where should you start when it comes to cleansing your body? Body cleansing is both a short-term and a long-term process. In the short term, try periodically implementing a healthy detox program such as a fresh juice fast, smoothie fast, raw food diet, or liver cleansing diet to help flush toxins that have accumulated in the body. Long term, you can make changes in your daily habits and lifestyle. This can occur gradually over time. You can choose to change a few habits each month, or each year. These changes could include more positive thinking, eliminating sodas, getting more exercise, or eating more vegetables and fresh fruit.
Short term cleansing is best done each spring and fall. If you have any health issues you will need to check with your doctor before beginning any type of fast. You should also allow yourself three to five days of down time when choosing to fast. Personally, I don't encourage long term fasting when cleansing. Three days at most will be sufficient. Many people have excellent results from fasting one day each week. If you choose to fast longer than 3 days you should definitely check with your health practitioner.
If you choose to go with a liver cleansing diet you could begin by consuming only raw food (fruits and vegetables) until about noon each day while your body is still in its elimination cycle. For the remainder of the day make sure you are following a high fiber, liver cleansing diet plan such as the one outlined on Liverguru.com. Follow this plan for at least four weeks and see how you feel. Be sure to consume plenty of pure water and add some physical activity to your day, every day.
Dewanna Abshure is a Certified Nutritional Counselor, and the "Guru" at http://www.liverguru.com. She is passionate about helping children and adults live a healthy, happy, high energy lifestyle through improving and maintaining one important part of their body...their liver.
To learn more about the amazing benefits of maintaining a healthy liver, consuming a liver cleansing diet, and a list of foods to include in the diet to improve liver function, please refer to the Liverguru.com website.
You will also find healthy, liver-friendly recipes; health information for women, men, children, and athletes; organ donation information; supplementation advice; diet & detox plans; disease prevention tips; information on anxiety and liver function; and you can subscribe to the free quarterly newsletter, The Liverguru's Health Message.
