Everywhere you look, someone or something is telling you that your body is toxic, filthy, dirty and you need to clean your gut and diet. Working out and eating right is just not enough. A crucial part of living a healthy and fit lifestyle now consists of blending, juicing and cleansing. Skeptics think cleansing is a fad and only out to make money. While others stand behind the benefits of cleansing. So what are these benefits?
Here are just a few:
#1 Get rid of the crap. We don’t eat healthy all the time. Years of drinking, fried foods, cheesy pizzas, and drowning brownie sundaes get stuck in our system, particularly in the lining of our intestines. Cleansing helps to clear out the pipes and flush out the crap so we can eat more and digest effectively.
#2 Make a healthy change. Doing a cleanse is a wedge between our old ways and a new way. Eating the same foods day in and day out puts the body in a slump (especially the wrong choices in foods). Daily habits can also become addictions (need for coffee, sugar, fried foods, etc). Deciding to make this change prompts other physical changes in the body such as improved skin, higher energy levels, stronger immune system, healthy and strong hair and nails, increased vitality and an overall improved sense of well being.
#3 Boost weight loss. Cleanses are great to help drop those few extra pounds. The shift in your usual eating habits and focus on eating clean or raw will help you lose that last bit of weight…plus more.
*I love MindBodyGreen’s article on more great benefits of cleansing.
The rage of cleansing has brought on numerous juice bars with their own line of cleanses and nutritionists/holistic doctors concocting their own program. Making the choice for the right cleanse to be very overwhelming. Here are a few cleanses I highly recommend and who they’re perfect for.
~ Be Well by Frank Lipman’s Cleanse and Dr. Alejandro Junger’s Clean
These two are my fave because you can actually eat on these cleanses. In order for me to function, I need to be able to put solid food in my mouth and chew. Both programs ask for clean eating supported by daily shakes and supplements. A week to 3 weeks long of dedication and commitment is necessary for completion.
Perfect for: (1) active people (2) those looking for a permanent and overall change in their diet and lifestyle
~ Organic Avenue’s Love Easy and Cooler’s Raw Cooler
These cleanses are short and sweet (offered in 3 or 5 day programs)! Both provide a one stop shop with juices and foods, although a bit pricey. But nonetheless their options are fresh, mainly plant based, gluten/dairy free, and most importantly delicious.
Perfect for: (1) those new to cleansing (2) those who don’t cook or are limited on time (prepared and ready to enjoy) (3) Looking for an easy transition cleanse that won’t take up too much time or energy
~ BluePrint and Suja’s Original Fresh Start
Purely juice based, these cleanses sound easy but can be pretty challenging. Although both programs are stocked with yummy fresh juices, relying on liquid alone is a tough feat especially for those new to cleansing or have had poor diets all their life.
Perfect for: (1) those that have cleansed before, have restricted diets and looking for a re-boost or reset (2) looking for quick results in short time (increased energy, weight loss) (3) not too serious about cleansing but are curious
~ Ejuva
This is for the no joke, “I’m super serious about my gut health”, and raw/vegan advocates that want to intensely clean out their guts. Ejuva is an herbal body cleanse that eliminates and detoxifies from your throat to your bum. Designed in 4 phases, each step prepares you for a deeper detox into the next phase for an overall gradual cleansing that is easy on the body. This program takes you through all steps of cleansing: fasting to juicing to raw meals. Most have reported Mucoid Plaque as their end result. The accumulation of partially digested and putrefying matter sits in the intestines and is extracted during this intense colon cleanse. Eeeekk…did I mention that this was a serious cleanse?
Perfect for: (1) those who have done cleanses and are really looking for a more substantial and intense cleaning (2) those with chronic ailments, allergies, digestion problems and have tried everything else.
Especially with Autumn underway, most are looking to cleanse for several reasons: post summer binge drinking, bored, needing a challenge, lose weight before they put it back on for the holidays, or taking their health and wellness to the next level. Whatever the reason is, be realistic and choose a cleanse that will best fit your lifestyle. Don’t set yourself up for failure only to feel worse in the end. If you’re not ready for the longer cleanses, start short and work your way up. Cleanses are here to stay and will be there when you’re ready. Happy Cleansing!