‘Tis the season for cleansing! You may want to undo some of the damage wrought by holiday overindulgence, or perhaps your body has been asking for the aid of a cleanse for some time. Cleanses are designed to help undo imbalances caused by the many toxins in our environment, foods, water, and medications. Our bodies are incredibly resilient and detox naturally, but in an era of plastic packaging, pollution, additives in our foods, heavy metals, and pesticides, cleansing from time to time is necessary and helpful. Let us not forget that our skin is permeable, so we aren’t just talking about cleansing based off of what we ingest! A New Year’s cleanse can improve our energy levels, sleep, skin, digestion, and so much more.

Embarking on a cleanse is more than simply buying a bunch of juice and hoping for the best… while staving off hunger. Cleansing is an all-encompassing term for many different types of cleanses which may serve very different, specific purposes in your body and overall health. It’s important to know why you’re cleansing. Is there a specific ailment you’re looking to fix? For example, have you had symptoms of candida overgrowth? It’s equally important to do your research so you know how to cleanse safely for your body’s needs. Cleanses should never be looked at as a quick weight-loss fix, which can be dangerous. 

How to cleanse safely and effectively.

One easy way to enhance the benefits of cleansing is to avoid toxins (environmental toxins and processed foods) as much as possible. The first rule of cleansing is to hydrate! Your body will be flushing things out. Think of your body as having a plumbing system, it follows that you’ll want to stay well hydrated. Water supports kidney function and helps carry away waste. In addition to upping your fluid intake, your diet should also be adjusted to support your cleanse. If the goal is to flush things out, don’t put back in things that will impede the cleansing process or add more toxins to your system while it’s working harder for you to flush them out. Reduce inflammatory foods such as white flours, white sugars, alcohol, and processed foods. It’s also important to supplement your cleanse with a good probiotic to keep your digestive system in balance while you cleanse. We carry a large selection of probiotics and can help you choose the best strength and strains for your system. You can also always come into Rebecca’s to discuss your cleanse with our staff!

Key cleanses:

Colon cleanses ~ Why? Colon cleansing is an excellent way to remove toxins and waste material from your system. We offer effective cleanses by Renew Life , Natural Balance and Nature’s Secret Super Cleanse.  If regularity is an issue, adding fiber, magnesium, triphala, probiotics, or an herbal laxative may help. The goal with these cleanses is to function normally in your day to day activities, but with more frequent, comfortable elimination. We also offer colon supportive probiotics like Garden of Life Colon Care.

Liver cleanses ~ Why? A liver cleanse improves and stimulates bile flow and helps remove toxins, supporting overall liver function. These cleanses are helpful if you have digestive issues, are on medications, have elevated liver enzymes or frequently imbibe alcoholic beverages. Liver support is also supportive during PeriMenopause and Menopause. We offer liver cleanses by Renew Life, Planetary Herbal, and Life Seasons. Natural Factor’s Liv-Gall Cleanse also targets the gallbladder. As a supplement, Milk-thistle is known to be excellent at liver cleansing thanks to its inherent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Parasite cleanses ~ Why? Parasite cleanses can be helpful to detoxify and rebalance intestinal microbes for better digestive health. These issues may flare up if you have recently traveled out of the country and returned bloated, with bowel or digestive issues. We carry parasite cleanses from Renew Life and Solaray to help you get back to feeling your best.

Candida cleanses ~ Why? Candida, aka yeast overgrowth of the normal yeast in our systems, can lead to many health issues like bloating, brain fog, skin rashes, and chronic UTI, yeast, or fungal infections. It can exacerbate gastrointestinal diseases such as Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis. If you have taken a lot of medications, been exposed to mold, have sensitivities to strong smells, or have strong cravings for sugary treats and bread, a Candida Cleanse may help. We carry both herbal and enzyme-based cleanses.  The enzymes are taken 2 hours away from eating and the herbal cleanses are generally taken morning and evening. To supplement a cleanse or simply get started softly, reduce foods in your diet that aggravate candida. These include refined and processed foods, high sugar fruits, sodas, sweets, nitrates, alcohol, foods containing gluten, and foods high in molds like cheese and peanuts. If this sounds like no fun, ease into it, and keep a food journal to note how you feel after eating. 

Heavy metal cleanses ~ Why? Not to be confused with listening to very loud heavy metal music, this is a cleanse to clear heavy metals out of your system. Our bodies accumulate various amounts of heavy metals which can be unhealthy over time, potentially leading to organ damage. If you have lived somewhere very industrial and/or polluted you’re more likely to be at risk for heavy metal poisoning. Other contributing factors include mercury fillings in your teeth, ingesting large amounts of char-grilled foods, and eating ground grown foods (lead is in our soils). Eating healthy, drinking lots of filtered water, and adding chlorella and cilantro to high-risk meals can help. You can also take a supplement such as Planetary Formula’s Cilantro Heavy Metal Detox. Saunas and regular exercise help eliminate toxins as well. Sweat it out!

Master Cleanse

This time of year we also get asked about the Master Cleanse. We carry all the ingredients necessary for this DIY cleanse: lemon juice, maple syrup, cayenne pepper, bottled water.

Armed with this information, it may be time to check in with your health and consider if one of these cleanses would be right for you! A New Year’s Cleanse is a great way to start the year off on a positive note, but you may embark on one any time of the year, of course.

Please come into Rebecca’s with your cleanse questions.

Before embarking on any major cleanse you may want to consult your physician. As always, we’re open to discussing your health and cleansing needs at Rebecca’s.

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