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September/October 2008 Alternative Health
A Simple Cleansing Program

by Caroline Sutherland

Caroline Sutherland

Cleansing is a hot topic in the media.

According to Kathy Freston, author of Quantum Wellness: A Practical and Spiritual Guide to Health and Happiness, we should cleanse our bodies and become conscious about our eating habits. Shedding light on how we handle or treasure our bodies, our foods and our planet is an important focus.

With more seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables available, it's time to clean house and cleanse the body. A cleanse can be a very important part of a person's on-going wellness program, but exercise caution.

Be sure your body is physically strong enough to handle a cleanse, be sure you have a skilled practitioner nearby who can assist you during a cleansing program and be sure you choose the right kind of cleanse.

Many people think that cleansing means fasting, but these are very different programs. Never fast. Just drinking water for days on end can have serious deleterious effects on the body. Most people are not equipped to handle this kind of plan.

In a clinical setting where I worked for many years, we would often see severely depleted people who thought they were doing themselves a good service by cleansing or fasting well beyond what their body was capable of handling. They arrived at our clinic, depleted and severely out of balance.

Not everyone can handle a cleanse that consists of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Many people need something more substantial. So tune in to your body's needs and act accordingly.

My work with clients revolves around detoxification and fortification. In other words, removing toxic items from the body and feeding the body correctly so that it gains vitality and strength. Once the body is strong, a cleanse might be a useful addition to a wellness program. I find that some younger people's bodies can handle a cleanse or a strict vegetarian program. But over the years finicky digestive tracts can rebel against certain grains and raw vegetables and a cleanse may not be appropriate.

If you do not suffer from hypoglycemia or low blood sugar, then you could try a short vegetable juice cleanse: juicing with fresh vegetables two or three times a day with lots of water, hot vegetable broth three times a day along with a handful of sprouted almonds three times a day - just to give you a little protein.

When juicing with vegetables, keep carrot intake low - although nutritious, carrots are very sweet. You can add half an apple to your vegetable juice, but that's about as much fruit I would recommend. A fruit juice cleanse is often far too sweet for most people.

Some health professionals and health food stores offer prepared, powdered cleanses for their clients. This might be a more supportive route to choose. Some of these cleanses are actually meal replacements and are loaded with nutrients (without the common allergens soy or whey), so the person feels satisfied and not depleted. Other cleanses are specifically related to heavy metal, parasite, liver or candida yeast detoxification.

Recolonizing lower bowel flora with probiotics (acidophillus) is another important aspect of cleansing. These cleanses are offered in kits and are usually herbal in nature.

Organs that need to be supported during a cleanse are the liver, pancreas, gall bladder, colon and kidneys. Unless a cleanse is monitored by a professional, there can be a number of concerns, including possible constipation, low blood sugar, chills, mood swings and fatigue.

Get Cleansing

Set aside a week. Take some quality time for yourself. Remove caffeine, sugar, wheat, flour and dairy products from the diet. Pick up an herbal bowel detoxification kit from your health food store and follow the directions.

Eat lightly from fresh vegetables, fruits, fish and sprouted nuts. Drink lots of water. In about 48 hours you will notice quite a change in the body - more vitality and mental clarity. This is how you are supposed to feel.

After your cleanse is finished, introduce foods back into the diet one at a time and note the reaction. Like me, you will probably notice that you have less symptoms and reactions if you choose to eat protein, nuts and seeds, plenty of vegetables and minimal grains on a daily basis.

Cleansing can also lead us to an important lifestyle change and the understanding of what the body wants: no toxins, no processed foods and no poisons. This is also a great time to cleanse your thoughts, clean your house and prepare for wonderful new things to come into your life.

Caroline Sutherland is a medical intuitive and author of The Body Knows... How to Stay Young. On Nov. 14-16, she presents a seminar and readings at New Renaissance Bookshop in Portland. Visit www.carolinesutherland.com.