July 16, 2012

I write this article having just completed a nutritional cleanse. If you’re confused about what on earth a nutritional cleanse is, I can completely relate. Up until two years ago, I had absolutely no idea either, but then a friend introduced me to it and it was all uphill from there. I’ve been doing cleanses ever since. Yes, that’s right… I voluntarily give up my favorite foods for days at a time.

To sum it up, a nutritional cleanse is a health regime we can do for ourselves to help us feel better and foster long-term healthy habits. It’s taking a plan of action to rid the body of harmful toxins, while also giving it a huge dose of nutrition to leave you with a refreshed and renewed body, mind and spirit.

The program combines exercise, drinking a lot of water, eating an organic healthy diet of fruits, vegetables and lean protein, and supplementing diet with an array of vitamins and minerals the human body craves.

You might be thinking, “Well this sounds like what a normal healthy person should be doing anyway. What makes this a nutritional cleanse?”

The missing link is that there’s an extra piece of the equation that really kicks it up a notch. In addition to exercise and healthy eating, one or two days during the month of my cleansing regime, I eat no solid food, but instead drink lots of water as well as a cleansing beverage throughout the day.

As a quick side note, a cleanse is not to be mistaken for a fast. They are two very different things! A fast equals no eating, while a cleanse means not eating heavy foods, but still consuming vitamins and minerals, thus providing your body with ample nourishment.

Back to the cleansing beverage… this juice-like drink is full of natural, homeopathic ingredients that have been proven to help detoxify the body. There are different companies who create cleansing supplements like this, but by far the one I’ve found to be the best is a brand called Isagenix.

If you want to use a pre-made cleansing drink like these, do some evaluation before choosing the product for you, as there are many cleanse fads out there. For example, have you heard of the “Master Cleanse?”  

What sounds better to you? Maple syrup, lemonade, and cayenne pepper cleanse or a cleansing beverage of Vitamin B6, aloe vera leaf gel, ashwagandha, burdock root extract, fennel seed extract, yellow dock root extract, peppermint leaf extract, turmeric root extract, blueberry extract, raspberry extract, and more?

I know giving up your tasty, but fatty In-&-Out burger may sound too difficult. But by flooding the body with these nutrient-dense ingredients while giving your liver and vital organs a break from the digestive process, your body will feel much stronger.

Cleansing has also been known to help people reduce cravings for undesirable foods, clear up skin, help people lose weight/ lean out the body and gain increased energy and better sleeping habits.

Lastly, it makes you very appreciative of food and can be a time of reflection to evaluate your health choices and your own steps moving forward. This regimen is not for everyone and you should research cleansing extensively before you take the plunge. But for me, I appreciate this time of purposeful, healthy living and I think you will, too.

To a happy and healthy you!


PS—For more information on Isagenix, feel free to check out my profile on the site or message me for more information/ discounted prices on products.