Guest column: What does it mean to go on a cleanse?

We live in a beautiful world surrounded by plants, animals, water, sunrises and sunsets. And in this world people have created many toxic chemicals that end up affecting our bodies and the earth.

There are more than 84,000 kinds of chemicals that are part of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) inventory. These toxic chemicals are found in our foods, beauty and skin care products, home cleaning products, as artificial scents, plastics, in carpets, in mold, vaccines, prescription and over-the-counter drugs, and in the air. These toxins place extra burdens on our bodies and the liver, lungs, kidneys, skin and digestive organs have to change the toxin into something non-toxic and then hopefully excrete it by the body.

Some toxins like pest and weed killers are neurotoxins and are thus toxic to the nervous system. These toxins are stored in the brain, nerves and breast milk of women. The more adipose or fat tissue a person has, the more toxins are stored in the body in those fat cells. Stored toxins in the body lead to chronic disease, cancer and death. One way to prevent chronic illness and feel better is to cleanse the body and your surroundings of toxins. What you do to your body to clean it up will in turn clean up the earth.

When someone decides to go on a cleanse it means that they are going to clean up their diet and choose to eat and drink chemical-free and make some lifestyle changes. This can take as long as three days or it can be a lifelong way of living. The reason to start a cleanse is to remove the burden on the body from the chronic exposures to toxins. This allows the energy in the body to be used toward other things instead of for heavy digesting and de-toxifying.

So, no fast food for three days, no soda, sugar, caffeine, cigarettes/tobacco or alcohol. During the cleanse, drink more water than usual, drink herb teas and eat only organic foods. Eat nothing that comes from a box, bottle, can or package. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables-juicing those is one way to cleanse. Another way to cleanse is to add in a supplement like a powder or capsule that contains vitamins, minerals and herbs that help the body to detoxify and aid digestion. Another more extreme way is to not eat any food and only drink either freshly made juices or do the Master Cleanse. This Master Cleanse entails drinking large amounts throughout the day of freshly squeezed lemon juice with maple syrup and cayenne pepper powder added to water. This can be difficult for some people to do for several days without eating and it is not a cleanse that is appropriate for everyone. Choosing to go on a cleanse can be a decision made by you and your Naturopathic physician.

Some life style changes to do while cleansing include:

• using simple household cleansers like vinegar and water for cleaning windows and glass;

• using chemical free beauty products like lotions, make-up, sunscreen, perfume, shampoo, etc.;

• keeping the home toxin free by not using any pest or weed killers, bug spray on the body ;

• avoiding all artificial colors, flavors, scents, preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners;

• eating: organic food and drinking pure, clean water;

• writing down thoughts and feelings in a notebook at the beginning or end of day; and

• stretching, getting a massage, acupuncture or doing yoga.

The skin is the largest organ in the body. It absorbs as well as excretes. What is put on the skin is very important because it will be absorbed into the body. Using ingredients made from plants and oils is the best for the skin. Paraffin, also called mineral oil, is a common ingredient that is found in cosmetics and lotions but is made from petroleum and is the final by-product in petroleum refining. Remember, what you put ON the skin, goes IN the body. Coconut oil, Shea butter and olive oil are better choices and non-toxic. These can be used alone on the skin. If your skin lotion contains a very long list of ingredients that are chemicals, then think about choosing a natural lotion. Avoid fragrances that are found in lotions. Instead, choose ingredients like essential oil that are fragrant but are natural. It is wise to read the labels of foods, drinks, beauty products and cleaning products so that you know what you are putting in, on and around your body.

Other ways to support the body to cleanse is to do dry skin brushing before showering to remove dead skin cells so that the body can breathe better through the skin. Getting plenty of rest and doing the cleanse when not much else is planned is beneficial.

More information about cleansing is available by attending the Health Workshop on April 29 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Dahl Chiropractic at 2717 N. 4th Street, Flagstaff, AZ 86004. The workshop is free and includes samples. Bring a friend.

Dr. Kimberly Landino is a Naturopathic Physician with Dahl Chiropractic. For more information please visit: www.dahlchiropractic.com

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