To cleanse or not to cleanse....

Believe it or not, in some parts of this fine country, spring is near and the topic of “spring cleansing” is a hot one. In springtime, most people feel lighter, more energetic thanks to additional daylight hours, and realize that beach season really isn’t that far away. For those who are health-conscious, the question of whether or not to take on a cleanse or detox regime remains unclear.

In the natural health industry, the topic of cleansing the body has exploded in the past few years. Many manufacturers have jumped on board, producing & marketing their “unique” cleanse programs to anyone who will listen. This has certainly been one of the fastest growing trends in the last while. Rightfully so; many cultures have traditionally undergone periods of cleansing or fasting as a way to purify the body and mind and maintain a good state of health. Most people report feeling better after doing a cleanse, as it aims to optimize digestion & elimination while removing toxins from the body.

The body has 7 organs of elimination:

1)lungs
2)liver
3)kidneys
4)lymph
5)skin
6)blood
7)colon

Keeping these organs in good running order is paramount to a healthy body. No matter how well you eat, and how often you exercise, it is a good idea to periodically cleanse the body of unwanted toxins. These toxins can either be environmental pollutants that we are inevitably exposed to, or can be endotoxins, toxins produced within our own body as a byproduct of metabolism.

Some keys to a good cleanse program include the elimination of possible toxins. This means cleaning up the diet to eliminate refined, processed foods. Artificial preservatives and additives are mostly chemical ingredients that our bodies are not familiar with. Drinking lots of clean water is crucial, as this will help support the kidneys in their excretion of toxins while properly hydrating each and every cell in the body. Ensuring enough dietary fiber is very important to help guarantee that toxins released into the intestinal tract do not get reabsorbed into the bloodstream. Before starting any detox program, make sure your elimination is regular.

Some cleansing foods to include in your cleanse/detox program:

Greens: high in minerals and chlorophyll, green vegetables help to alkalize the body, while providing minerals necessary for optimal cell function. Because most greens are bitter to the taste-buds, they will stimulate the liver to work a little harder at removing waste material from the body.

Lemons and/or limes: great for stimulating the gall bladder to release bile, fresh lemon or lime juice acts as a great tool to help in fat digestion. Apple cider vinegar would also fall into this category.

Sea vegetables: these are often called ‘SuperFoods’, as they are extremely high in minerals, help to stimulate the thyroid gland due to their iodine content and act as powerful blood cleansers. Some examples include nori, kelp, wakame, chlorella or spirulina. Spirulina is one of nature’s best sources of vegetarian vitamin B12 and high in protein.

Flaxseeds: a great source of soluble fiber, ground flaxseeds help to bind toxins from the intestinal tract so that they are eliminated safely from the body.

While this list is not comprehensive, it is equally important to get rid of unhealthy foods during a cleanse. This includes: sugar, caffeine, alcohol, artificial sweeteners, refined foods, fried foods and poor sources of protein (i.e., non-organic animal protein).

So should you cleanse? Yes. Our grandparents were not exposed to the kinds of toxins and environmental pollutants that we are today. Visit a natural practitioner to choose an appropriate cleanse program before getting confused due to advertising.

If you have a question about what cleanse might be right for you, call (604) 357-7534 or email grassrootsnutrition@gmail.com

www.grassrootsnutrition.ca