Is it Time For a Spring Clean(se)ing?

We have all heard of juice diets, teatoxes and detox waters. However, many of these quick fixes lead to rapid and unhealthy weight loss, which is usually just water, and then are followed by the weight coming right back. No one can live off of lemon water and cayenne pepper or spinach juices, but consumers of today are all about the quick fix. A cleanse is not a long-term solution, however when done safely and with the right goals in mind, they can be a great addition to a healthy lifestyle.

Toxins are in everything! They reach our bodies when we use household cleaners, shampoo, deodorant and so many more chemical based products. In addition, alcohol, coffee and refined sugars are all also defined as “toxins” and most of us knowingly consume those every day. When these toxins enter your body they can cause skin problems, weight gain, digestion issues, and other health problems. By cleaning out your system, you are eliminating the body of these toxins and allowing yourself to become a blank slate. Following the cleanse, you can fill your body with whole, natural foods since their nutrients will then be able to be fully absorbed by your body. So how do you choose the right cleanse? Trust me this is an important decision, I have tried a few that have been scarring, to say the least. 

If you are being asked to replace meals with shakes or juices, I would pass. This is not something that will prepare you for a healthy lifestyle change, it will simply make you irritable for a week because you are hungry and living off of gross, green liquid. You will most likely not be able to stick to this type of program and will end up eating everything in sight the minute you crack, which is not good for you physically or mentally. 

If you are considering a teatox that has mysterious mixes of herbs that you do not know, I would pass. Labels like “colon cleansing tea” do not sound enjoyable, nor do they sound safe. Many of these teas are all over social media right now, but don’t believe the hype. Many of these companies are outside of the country and only have any endorsers that they pay with free product or in other ways.

Try cleanses that encourage you to give up artificial sugar, fried foods, caffeine and other toxins that may be in your diet currently. Also, choose companies that are from trusted, health backgrounds and are completely transparent with the ingredients in their products. In addition, to be safe you should only participate in a cleanse of your system which uses probiotics or mild laxatives once every 90 days. However, if the “cleanse” you choose is simply a change in diet which cuts out unhealthy/processed items then do this as often as you would like. Better yet, make the lifestyle change and commit to it long term, your body will thank you!

For information on my choice of cleanse, feel free to email me at Kbeauchesne@Bryant.edu

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