All Natural

Spring Cleaning, Anyone?

By Amber Niswonger

I'm sure you have heard of spring-cleaning houses, cars, rooms, apartments, etc. What about spring-cleaning our bodies? A good healthy detox-cleanse is a great way to spring clean your body. If you don't regularly change the oil in your car, the engine will eventually wear out. Our bodies are the same way. Think of detoxing and cleansing as a way of changing the oil in your body.

Toxins build up very easily in our bodies, and without a cleansing every now and then they build up and cause problems. Toxins come in many forms - from the foods we eat to just breathing the air around us. Toxins that build up in the body can cause anything from acne to depression. You may search for all sorts of solutions to your health problems and find that all you needed from the beginning was a good cleanse.

Once a body's system is weakened, the other glands and organs become stressed, resulting in chronic and degenerative diseases. When our bodies are clean and healthy, it is easier to eliminate toxins. Effective cleansing and body detoxification are the keys to a healthy, balanced system. By eliminating the toxic accumulation, the causes of many health problems are also eliminated. The body is then able to fight off infection and bacterial invasions more efficiently.

There are a variety of ways to cleanse and detox your body. Start by eating raw fruits and vegetables in the morning. You can eat as many raw fruits and vegetables as you want because they are very low in fat, low in calories, high in fiber and vitamins, and help rid the body of toxins. Some diet plans suggest eating only a protein bar or drinking a shake for breakfast and lunch. Eating raw fruits and vegetables is a great way to start off the day and encourages you to eat healthier the rest of the day. I know it does for me.

When you start a fruit or vegetable juice cleanse it is best to use fresh juice, but if you don't have access to a juicer or a juice bar that makes fresh juices, you can use natural juice (organic if possible). Fresh fruit and vegetable juices have not been pasteurized, so they contain more live enzymes.

It is best to gradually work into a cleanse. Start with regular wholesome food, then switch to raw food. When I say raw, I mean fruits and vegetables in their natural state that haven't been cooked or canned. Next, drink only juice for a day or two, then switch back to raw food, then back to regular food. By doing it gradually, your body will be better able to adjust to the changes. During a cleanse, you may become sick, but it is just your body's way of getting rid of toxins, so it is actually a good thing.

During the cleanse, it is good to drink eight ounces of water, alternating with juice the next half-hour. If you do get severe hunger pains, you can eat a piece of fruit or some vegetables. Doing a cleanse like this even for one day may be helpful to you. After you have tried it for one day, you may want to try it for two or three days the next time.

Did I mention the positive side effects of cleansing? These include weight loss, increased energy, a boosted immune system, release of toxins from the body and more. Plus you just feel good afterwards. Balance, moderation and persistence are key to successful cleansing and detoxification. So go for it!