This is an interview about cleansing I did for Gurupak.com. I think it reflects my unique perspective on colon cleansing, and full body cleansing in general - including the fact that cleansing is a natural process that is not dependent upon products!
What are the top five benefits of cleansing my body?
There are many, many benefits to cleansing. I think I can summarize them in this way: When you cleanse, you do something very natural and healthful for yourself that results in greater spiritual, mental and physical vitality.
What are the biggest myths about cleansing?
The biggest myths about cleansing are one, that a cleansing diet has to be a fast or a diet where you go hungry, which it doesn’t’; and two, that you need an expensive cleanse supplements to do a cleanse.
When should I cleanse my body?
Cleanse your body when you tune in and feel like you need to cleanse. Seasonal cleansing is a good idea. Though you might enjoy cleansing more often, you should not need to do a cleanse more than 4 times per year unless you are working on a special health issue. If you feel you need to cleanse more than 4 times per year, it is time to rework your general lifestyle and diet. Don’t depend on cycles of cleansing to make up for an excessively toxic lifestyle.
Are there different types of cleanses for different areas of your body? Like Liver, colon, bladder, etc.? Or will one overall cleanse take care of the whole body?
There are cleanses that focus on different areas of the body like the liver, colon, or skin but a good cleanse should address the whole body - even if it emphasizes a certain area. Also, it is important to look at the order one approaches cleansing different organs in. For example, it makes little sense to do much cleansing without attention to the intestines and colon. A lot of toxins get circulated back into the body from there so if the intestines and colon aren’t working well to get everything out, you’ve got a problem that no amount of skin brushing or liver herbs is going to solve.
Can you explain the different approaches to cleansing the various organs we discussed?
What are the best methods for cleansing and why are they the best?
The best method of cleansing is to support your body’s natural, self-cleansing abilities. A light, pure, alkalizing diet that provides the nutrients and fiber your body uses to cleanse itself will be sufficient for most purposes. And, it creates a foundation for more extensive cleansing if that is necessary.
Furthermore, the best cleanses take some time. I know people don’t want to hear this but it’s true. Our bodies are not machines and the western fixation on doing things fast and easy is not necessarily in alignment with the natural rhythms of the human body. Of course, a brief cleanse is better than no cleanse, and short cleanses can be a good booster. But the best cleanses take some preparation and go on long enough to let the body get to the toxins that get stored in the tissues. That part needs to go slowly or the body can become overwhelmed. Then you feel sick and the body goes back to storing the toxins rather than getting rid of them. We want to support a natural cycle of cleansing that goes deep enough to get the job done. That takes a little time.
What are the worst methods for cleansing and why are they the worst?
One of the worst ways to cleanse is to jump into a fast. This is a common mistake. The reason a sudden fast is a problem is that when you fast, especially without appropriate preparation, your metabolism slows down and a lot of body-cleansing processes that you want to be working will actually stall. Fasting can make you feel high, and that can feel like cleansing, but it isn’t always. When we cleanse we want to get at toxins that, for example, have been stored in the liver and stuck in the colon. A sudden fast won’t get to that.
The next worst way to cleanse is to buy one of the cleanse supplement programs that does little more than give you diarrhea. Sometimes people think they are getting cleansed just because they are going to the bathroom a lot. Well, that is the most elementary form of cleansing but it will do little to address the toxins stored in the body that ultimately drag down ones health. Diet must be addressed. Supplements cannot do the job alone and there are big differences in the quality and action of supplements on the market.
What are the biggest mistakes people make when they cleanse?
Yo-yo cleansing. People do a cleanse, come off it and go back to eating a toxic diet. Then they do a cleanse to counteract that and the cycle goes round and round without any real beneficial result. Similarly, people engage in “bargaining” during their cleanses. This happens when people are in a cleanse phase but go on and off it all the time. They cheat a little and then do some excessive fasting the next day to make up for it. This is unhealthful and doesn’t work. A little “falling off the wagon” is OK, but I see people who seem to be on a non-stop cleanse because they are always making up for taking big liberties with their cleanse the day before. Choose a cleanse that is realistic for your lifestyle and stick to it. Be gentle with yourself but be consistent.
Is it hard to cleanse? What’s the most unpleasant part about it?
Cleansing doesn’t have to be hard. It can be delightful. Usually after the first few days people start to feel lighter and have more energy and really get into cleansing. The most unpleasant part is usually the first few days. If you are dropping food addictions that cause withdrawal symptoms, like sugar and caffeine, there can be headaches, tiredness or other symptoms. These usually go by within a couple of days. I usually recommend that people work on those basic addictions before they even begin their cleanse.
What about cleansing for children? Is this safe?
Children
should not need to cleanse. They should be provided with a natural,
high fiber, low sugar, nutrient rich diet that allows their bodies to
cleanse as they go along. If a child does need to cleanse because of an
illness or being exposed to some toxin, the cleanse should be monitored
by a health care professional. A cleansing diet can certainly be safe,
but it must include enough calories and a full spectrum of nutrients so
that the child can grow and heal. Remember, that children have greater
caloric and nutritive needs than adults do.
Should I expect adverse reactions from cleansing?
That depends on how toxic you are. If you are doing a well designed cleanse program, you should not have a strong adverse reaction, though some cleansing reactions can occur. The question then becomes: How adverse is it? After all, a little headache or tiredness might be your body getting rid of toxins that have been stored in your fat and tissues and slowly eroding your health for a long time. That headache would be cause for celebration! Symptoms like headache, fatigue, and bad breath (sorry) are fairly common and should resolve within a few days. If a cleanse reaction feels truly adverse, like you are really sick from it, then you should definitely back off your cleanse and review the principles of the cleanse you are on with a wellness professional to make sure that it is the right program for you.
Contact Marguerite: Om@compassionatewellness.com