Tuesday, February 17, 2009

What is a Cleanse?


Many people have asked about the 10 day "cleanse" I went on last summer. I got my information from the book, "Quantum Wellness" by Kathy Freston. Being a cancer survivor I have become more interested in how to live a healthy life. I read this book, much of which I would never endorse or even recommend. However, I really liked her idea of going on a cleanse or fast, to "jump start the process of feeling good" in body, mind and spirit.

Here are some quotes from the book that I thought were interesting and worthwhile:

"Many toxins find their way into the human body and we have very few means of getting rid of them short of a cleanse. When you cleanse, you create a break in the workload so that the body's innate wisdom can tend to some of the old stored-up junk. Artificial flavors, synthethic coloring agents, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides are just a few of the many toxins regularly consumed by the average person. These chemicals are often stored in fatty and other tissues in the body, and build up over time. Add in environmental pollution and complex medications and you have a brillliant recipe for the impairment of optimal bodily function."

"...Increased energy, better digestion, and relief from various aches and pains (including headaches,muscle aches, and joint pain) are just a few of the known benefits."

"On a spiritual level when I first did a cleanse, I couldn't believe how difficult it was for me to give up the foods I had become attached to, even knowing that the cleanse would only last a couple of weeks. It became clear how enslaved I was by my habits inasmuch as my mood was ruled by my ability to eat the goodies that I loved and was used to. I realized that if I was to be on a serious spiritual path, I had to look at all my attachments, including food habituations. If I was to continue growing and evolving, I had to be able to see where I was not free. The cleanse helped me to identify some glitches where I was not able to choose out of freedom rather than habit, and so I was able to focus more effort on becoming more conscious."

"For the next several days, up to twenty-one, please avoid the following:

  • sugar
  • alcohol
  • caffeine
  • gluten
  • animal products (including all dairy)

(She goes into detail about why we should avoid all of the above in a cleanse.)

"At this point you may be asking, what can I have?

  • Water (...helps remove waste from cells and aids fat metabolism; keeps our brains functioning properly and lubricates and flushes our systems...)
  • Fresh, whole foods (...like sending scrubbing brushes through your digestive system, clearing away old, undigested foods, dead tissues, and mucus.

Try integrating brown rice and quinoa, steamed or sauteed vegetales, miso soup with rice noodles, buckwheat pancakes made with rice milk and lots of fresh fruits and fruit smoothies.... rice cakes with nut butter spread on them, hearty soups made with beans and vegetables, hot cereals with nuts and chopped up apples or pears on top, grilled or stir-fried vegetables and sweet potatoes served with tofu and a nice marinade, ... avocados... sliced and spread over a flax cracker and put tomatoes and sprouts on top for a nice sandwich.)"

"Plutarch, the Greek philospher, wrote, 'Instead of using medicine, rather fast a day.' Giving up the comfort of certain foods is a tried-and-true means of enhancing, preserving, and enlivening physical as well as spiritual well-being. It's not just good for the body, it's also a very important part of a general clearing and lightening that can have a considerable effect on our moods, our outlook, and our sense of spiritual connectedness. Again, this is all about body, mind, and spirit. They rarely act or react alone."

For me this was all about getting control. I realized that I was truly addicted to certain foods and had become an emotional eater. I still struggle, and probably always will, but I think this is a healthy way to jump-start a health and fitness regime. Weight loss is just an added bonus! The author recommends the cleanse last from 7-21 days. She also recommends that for optimal health we do a cleanse up to 3 times per year.

Good ideas, don't you think?

2 comments:

The Staub Squad said...

wow, my body is sure cleansing itself. amazing and disgusting at the same time. i had to put myself to bed last night due to my desire to binge, but alas i wa strong and didn't cheat all day.

Brent Manwill said...

I don't need to clean my colon, since I don't know where it's at. Seems I lost (or misplaced) it about 28years ago.