Demystify how to Detoxify

Have you considered a detox? For most people, the word cleanse brings to mind an image of a bottle of pills, powder or drink that smells terrible and is meant to send you running to the bathroom to “clear out” your intestinal tract. Not a very pleasant visual is it? I’d even say it’s quite a bit off track.

While an element of detoxifying your body does involve flushing out the system form the toxins it is holding on to, it does not have to be so intense. In fact, these colon cleanses can sometimes be dangerous because they can cause dehydration, disruption of the natural GI flora and nutrient loss.

a cleanse shouldn't have spending a lot of time in the bathroom

That’s not to say that there isn’t a safe way to cleanse your system. In fact I’m a big proponent of regularly hitting the “reset” button and detoxifying. The trick, however, is knowing what is appropriate for your body, your level of toxicity and your lifestyle. That’s where a little coaching comes in handy. Working with someone who is experienced in the field can not only be helpful in navigating the dozens of various options, but can also ensure you achieve the best results with minimum discomfort.

Some practitioners call these cleanses hoaxes and declare them all dangerous. I’d have to say, some are absolutely ridiculous and even border on dangerous. But I believe when conducted correctly, there’s overwhelming evidence that they do work. By following a detoxifying diet, people have corrected conditions like hypoglycemia, arthritis, irritable bowel disease, and infection; they’ve even fought cancer (and won!)

Fasting (see the blog on fasting and Ramadan for more,) is one way to achieve your detox goals. By abstaining from food, we allow our bodies a break from food breakdown and metabolism. During this break, our body can begin to “clean house” and eliminate any deposits or toxins that might be slowing it down. This break from digestion also gives our digestion track a much deserved rest and opportunity to restore. The problem is, when we fast we'll also releasing toxins at a very fast rate, possibly faster than our body can keep up with the safe elimination. And let’s face it, being hungry sucks.

Fear not! Abstaining from eating is certainly not our only option. There are juice, raw food, and fruit and veggie cleanses as well as cleanses with pre-made shakes and powder supplements. These options allow for various foods, and usually promote eating only foods that are detoxifying in nature. Some examples of foods with natural detoxification properties are:

• Cayenne pepper- along with a couple of cousins like jalapeño and habanera, have shown detoxifying and liver cleansing properties. 
• Lemons and limes- have antiseptic properties, loads of vitamin C (antioxidant) and properties that stimulate the liver to cleanse more efficiently (this is the premiss behind the famous Master Cleanse.) 
  
• Cruciferous vegetables- due to the amount and quality of phytochemicals/anti-oxidents, vitamins and minerals contained in these veggies, they have been used to help repair DNA damage and therefore block cancer cell production.   
• Spirulina- I can write an entire article on the benefits of this single super food. Aside from its super nutritional benefits, its antioxidant qualities make spirulina a potent free radical scavenger. It also has been shown to increase immune system function, making it able to fight cancer, infections and viruses including the flu and even HIV. 
• Wheat grass- one of the highest antioxidant activity of any plant organism. Also, its abundance of chlorophyll has been exploited to cure diseases including Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBS), cancer as well as side effects of chemo from traditional cancer therapy.

These natural food detoxifiers are powerful, and sometimes used in various formulas that can be found in the health food store. Please be careful when using those formulas- due to lake of regulation, many formulas could be misleading. I highly recommend using a tested and proven line like Metagenics. Not only is the quality guaranteed, but you're getting the support of a healthcare provider's guidance to tailor a program for your particular needs as well. 

It’s important to choose your method carefully to ensure you’re achieving your goal without causing harm. For example, some cleanses are better for removing heavy metal toxicity, while others are better for stabilizing blood sugar levels. And most importantly: Make sure you're getting the right liver and kidney support to ensure you don't overwhelm your system. Again, seek out the help and guidance of someone who’s experienced in this field. Besides, dietary restriction, even for a short period of time is hard! We can all use a coach in our corner! Find out more about my detox programs.

The secret to soft, summer skin... Hydration

You’ve heard it before, drink more water! The importance of drinking enough water cannot be emphasized enough. Getting our daily dose of water:

• keeps our skin clear, hydrated and youthful
• helps our cells and organs perform their functions
• and allows our gastrointestinal tract to flow smoothly (if you get my drift ;)
  

Despite this information, most people have a hard time getting enough water into their daily routine. In the summer, when it's nice out and we're taking advantage of the weather to exercise and play outside, we're also sweating more and prolonging out sun exposure. It's critical we up our water consumption to meet this demand.


In case you need more motivation, the downside of not drinking enough H2O: poor digestion, sluggish thinking, skin breakouts, dry scaly skin, headaches, bad breath and general fatigue.  

Thirsty yet?

So you know you need to drink more, how about some tips on how to incorporate more water into your day:

I love my filtered bottle

1. Start your day right, set a large glass of water by your bed each night and drink it when you wake up. Drinking water first thing in the morning pulls out toxins from the previous day and freshens your system for the day ahead.
3. Keep a bottle of water accessible throughout the day, whether you are on the go or at a desk. Invest in a filtered bottle so you have a clean, economical source available all the time (see below.)
4. Take sip or two even if you’re not thirsty. Sometimes that sip might help you realize how thirsty you actually are- especially when you're not used to drinking much water.
5. Try to drink as much of your water before the evening. This way you won't wake up in the middle of the night rushing to the bathroom- and disturbing a perfectly good dream.
6. Add flavor to your water with lemon, orange, mint, cucumber or other fruit. Who needs artificial flavor when you can add the real stuff and some extra phytonutrients along with it.
7. Drinking (decaffeinated) tea or juice (fresh if possible- definitely avoid the sugary processed stuff) and eating raw fruits and veggies totally counts towards your daily water goal.

What about quality?Bottled water vs  filtered water?

Honestly, you gotta drink what you like AND what fits into your budget. Although plastic containers are not perfect, they could seep toxins into your drinking water, sometimes they're your only option.

One solution could be portable filtered water bottles. They can be found with less toxic BPA free material, and come with a reusable filter. Refilled from the sink or water fountain and you're all set with fresh, filtered water.

Do you have any tricks that you use to get and stay hydrated?

The Home Stretch of the Fast Diary: Days 6-10

Continued from Diary of a Fasting Woman Part 1

4/9/12 Day 6- More than Halfway Done!

Honestly, today has got to be my best day so far! I woke up after 7 & ½ hours of sleep, on my own and totally refreshed.

So folks, it is time to talk poop. It’s inevitable that it will come up when we’re discussing cleanses. A little basic background first. Our gastrointestinal tract (GI) is designed to “go” when stimulated by a combination of fiber, fat and pressure. Obviously when doing a cleanse such as the master cleanse or a juice fast you’re not consuming much fiber or fat. Because of that, contrary to popular opinion, you won’t be “running to the bathroom.”

This is actually a problem, because even though you’re not consuming any solid food, we still need to eliminate. Our system will still deposit waste in the GI tract as a means of eliminating byproducts, toxins and waste. To make sure that this stuff gets out during the cleanse, I recommend either using Smooth Move senna tea and/or a saline flush (pour a generous amount of salt in a glass of water.) Here’s the disclaimer: The saline flush is very effective, however it tastes horrible. I personally only use that as a last resort. I stick to the tea, which is safe to use occasionally like this, and drink that every other day during the last 5-6 days of the cleanse.

Pain and inflammation scale (1-10) 4- I really feel good. I’m starting to think it is completely reasonable to expect my symptoms to drop to 1 or 2 by day 10.   

Sleep- Slept great, woke up feeling super refreshed after 7 & ½ hours of sleep.

Skin- decided to add this category since I’ve been noticing some changes to my skin lately that are worth highlighting. I’ve been noticing my skin is more flaky and dry than usual. My face is breaking out a bit, mostly in small whiteheads. I’m trying to keep it clean and moisturizing with jojoba oil.

In NYC, it’s almost impossible to go a couple days, let alone 10 days without going out to dinner. So far I’ve turned down 2 or 3 offers for dinner this week. Honestly, I’m craving the social component more than the food. I don’t like missing out on the time together with people I love. So instead I’m trying to socialize in non-food related settings (like having friends over.) And although I don’t mind people eating around me, it does seem to make others uncomfortable. The food smells great! But I know it’ll be there next week when I’m done and ready for it. Right now, my commitment to completing this fast is greater than my temptation to eat. But I am already making dinner plans for post detox ;)

One thing I decided to take away from this experience: I hope that my continued commitment to eating a clean diet and juicing outweighs my temptation to make bad choices and overindulge. I have a better grasp on what tempts me to overindulge and what emotions trigger my cravings for comfort foods.

4/10/12 Day 7- the Home stretch!

My first Master Cleanse was the entire springing board for what would eventually be this blog and Wealth of Health RX. It was what forced me to not only view food and traditional healthcare differently, but also it was what started my transition into nutrition. It should stand to reason, that when I do this cleanse this time around that it might spawn some more inspiration. When I first started to learn about nutrition, It seemed like no matter what I knew, I couldn’t seem to do better. I was trying to understand not only how I could improve my habits, but the reason for my making them habits in the first place.

Of course, like most human beings, my eating is triggered by emotions. That should come as no surprise since the link between emotion and food is as primal as any other instinct. Emotional triggers like stress, insecurity, loneliness, boredom for example, are common reasons that make many turn to snacks and comfort foods. After all, we’ve made these associations for centuries:

• In times of stress we reach for energy to get us through a hard patch.
• When we’re bored or lonely we look for comfort foods that remind us of childhood and family.
• When we’re not feeling fulfilled, certain foods can make us feel more powerful just by triggering feelings of satiety and/or nostalgia. 

So knowing all this, what sets me off? Why can I go 10 days without being tempted by great smelling food right in front of me, but I can’t resist a good piece of chocolate normally? What makes me randomly want ice cream every so often?

What I realized is that I don’t have any control over my emotions. Yup, that’s it. Now, mind you, I’m not saying I’m a crazy woman running around having emotional outbursts all over the place. What I am saying that I have emotions, reactions, wants and needs. And I can’t always fulfill them (at least not immediately.) But what I can do, if fulfill a craving for ice cream, chocolate, sweet potato fries- you catch my drift. So for me, when I find something I can control, I give in to it. But when I’m on a cleanse, they’re not an option, they’re off the table, my will power is ironclad.

•  Step 1: Identify cravings- mostly sweet like ice cream and chocolate. Sometimes it’s savory like fries (although I do prefer sweet potato fries, so that’s still kind of sweet.)
•  Step 2: identify cause of cravings- stress, worry and anxiety. It’s times when I just need support, kind words and a hug.
•  Step 3: now what? Now that I can recognize those feelings, I can find ways to sooth them by talking to my amazing friends, continuing to keep a journal or doing more yoga/stretching to help relax.

Pain and inflammation scale (1-10) 4- I had planned on doing yoga this morning, but instead I spent an extra few min in bed- pretty much not doing anything but procrastinating and by then ran out of time. I will say, I’m normally too stiff and achy in the morning to do any stretching without a big warm-up, so this is a plus!

Sleep- Slept well; somewhere around 7 or 8 hours.

Skin- Noticed today that it’s much more clear than yesterday! That was quick. There’s one or 2 blemishes I could do without, but overall skin tone is pretty even. Actually went to work today without any eye concealer- and DIDN’T look like a zombie.

4/11/12 Day 8- Feeling Great

I wake up on Mondays and Wednesdays and I totally indulge in morning ritual. After I work out, I make myself a great breakfast and just hang out on my coach working or reading. So obviously this week breakfast hasn’t been an option- I find myself trying to find other ways to spoil myself.

I slept in an skipped my usual morning class and opted to go to the gym later this afternoon. I’m hoping to use my extra time to get a couple of errands taken care of this morning before my first client meeting.

hoping to get back to running soon

Pain and inflammation scale (1-10) 3- After I sprained my foot in February, I’ve had limited mobility and flexibility in my right foot. Not only has the pain subsided. I have much better range of motion. I’m at the point where I feel like I can start working to strengthen it!   

Sleep- Slept in a little later than usual, got around 9 hours! Woke up once around 5AM to use the bathroom, but fell right back to sleep.

Skin- Skin tone and clarity is pretty similar to yesterday. Down to one annoying blemish.

I’m not going to lie, I woke up thinking it was Thursday at first, and was very excited for it to be day 9.

4/12/12 Day 9- SO Close….

Pain and inflammation scale (1-10) 2- I debated if this was a 1 or a 2.. I went with 2 only because since my foot is still week from my previous sprain, it doesn’t feel 100% better. Otherwise, I don’t have any real pain to speak of. I really honestly feel really GREAT!    

Sleep- Set my alarm to wake up at 6AM in an attempt to get to the gym before work. Woke up after 7 hours of sleep feeling fine… did I get to the gym? See below.

Skin- Skin tone and clarity is pretty good. That annoying blemish from yesterday is smaller, just need it to heel. The bruises on my legs have faded tremendously, the left is still noticeable, the right is pretty much gone.

One question I get constantly about this, is if I’m doing this to lose weight or if I could recommend a detox/cleanse for weight lose. The blanket answer is, no. I have lost weight over the past week and a half, but the weight loss stopped on day 4 or 5. Over all I’ve lost about 9 pounds, and I fully expect to gain back at least 4 or 5 over the next week once I go back to eating normally. So no, this is absolutely not meant to be a “crash diet.”

Cleanses in essence will require you control what you’re eating and drink lots of water- a perfect cocktail for weight loss. This is especially effective when you haven’t been eating a good diet and have a few excess pounds to drop. However, cleanses should never require a drastic drop in calories and you should never consume less than 1,200 calories a day. A drastic drop in your daily caloric intake below your basal metabolic rate will result in a “crash” and any weight lost will be a combination of water, fat and muscle. And since this drastic change is not sustainable, once calorie consumption goes back to normal, the body will try to stabilize and the weight will come right back.

A detox/cleanse is meant to clean your body, and reset, physically. Please remember a detox/cleanse is great time to reflect on your diet and to set your intention and make a promise to yourself that you’ll take better care of your body. Don’t use it for the wrong reason solely to lose weight. If you need help taking off extra pounds, seek the help of a licensed nutritionist ;)

Honestly, I couldn’t be happier with my progress... I’m going to go ahead and pat myself on the back! Despite all the obstacles and the temptations, I was pretty committed and stuck to it! I have to say, this journal has been largely to thank for that. Your support though Facebook and Twitter has been unbelievably encouraging! And those of you that shared that you’re starting your own cleanse... greatest of luck! 

4/13/12 Day 10- Finish Line

Pain and inflammation scale (1-10) ONE! – Unbelievable… Sure it’s easier to pop an anti-inflammatory than go through a 10 day cleanse to be pain free. But constantly popping ibuprofen isn’t my thing (it’s got some serious GI side effects) and still has NEVER produced these kinds of results. This is actually correcting the problem- not just dulling the pain sensation and inflammatory response. 

Sleep- Slept pretty well, got to sleep in a little bit more than yesterday, but got up and got a great workout and stretch in before I started on my busy day.

Skin- A little disappointed that my skin isn’t as clear and bright as I’d like- Hmm I think a visit to a spa for a facial (with organic products of course.) is in order. I think this would fall into the “pampering myself” category ;)

I feel like this girl!

WOW! I am done! I feel so accomplished and energized. Technically, tomorrow would be my first day chewing- but I’ve decided to have a modest dinner tonight to celebrate with two of my good friends. Since I can’t just jump into eating full meals, I started with a grapefruit. I ate it 2 or 3 slices at a time and it took me about 2 hours to finish the whole thing! Next, I grabbed a ripe avocado since I’ve also been craving protein- a great source of vegetarian protein (5g) and healthy Omega 3 fat. I was able to eat one half at a time over the course of a couple hours. In between, I continued to drink my lemonade and veggie juice.

Dinner was also vegetarian: Bok choi and shiitake mushrooms in a fresh ginger coconut sauce, over lentils and quinoa. OMG! It was so good… easy to digest, made sure to chew extra well and take my time. I was really craving the protein, and this way I was able to pack in about 35g in this meal:

• Lentils ½ cup 25g
• Quinoa ¾ cup cooked 5g
• Shiitake mushrooms 3-5 g

Easy to digest and satisfying! And even better, I got to enjoy it with great company.

So what happens post detox? I get that question a lot these days- both from my clients doing their own detox and my friends. Well I’m craving the weirdest things, like avocados and lentils- and feeling great without caffeine. So far I’m going to stick to giving in to my cravings, a few grains and avoiding processed food (as usual.) I’m also going to keep up juicing in  the morning, since now I’m in a committed and very serious relationship with my new juicer. I’ll keep posting more updates on my progress over the next few weeks as I transition back to my daily routine.

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