Detox: a process or period of time in which one abstains from or rids the body of toxic or unhealthy substances; detoxification.

Cleanse: a process or period of time during which a person attempts to rid the body of substances regarded as toxic or unhealthy, typically by consuming only water or other liquids.

Fast: abstain from all or some kinds of food or drink, especially as a religious observance.

There are so many compelling arguments in the media that we need to detox. We are all loaded with toxins that need to get out of our bodies and by not cleansing we are setting ourselves up to get a disease.

There is some truth to this. We live in a polluted environment and are bombarded with all sorts of chemicals from the soap that we use to clean our bodies and clothes, air fresheners, candles and incense to make our homes smell better, the fumes from the vehicles that are on the roadways. The list goes on and on, without including media and other outside stimuli that our nervous system would benefit a detox from.

If you consciously prepare and cook a healthy diet that is appropriate for your constitution, don’t eat too much, pay attention to eating seasonally and have a daily bowel movement there isn’t a need to go through a detox or cleanse. 

Seasonal eating is our natural way of detoxing. For example after a winter of eating heavy and hearty foods to warm you on those cold days, the bitter greens of spring, such as dandelion greens, are a wonderful way to help lighten up the body and help detoxify our blood.

If you are someone whose diet consists of the drive thru fast foods and other quick processed meals, a detox or cleanse could be your first step to taking back your health and resetting your body.

By paying attention to what we put into our mouths and listen to the signals that our body gives us for what we consume, we can learn what does and doesn’t work for us.  If something makes us feel tired or bloaty after eating it, our body probably cannot properly digest it. Start keeping a food journal and note how you feel while you eating and how you feel afterward. You can begin to notice patterns of what makes you feel energized and ready to conquer the world.

If you have spent your summer holiday indulging in too many rich calorie dense foods and now you feel a bit bloated, you might need a little resetting.

There is no need to buy into any expensive diet plans if you can develop an understanding of basic nutrition.  Learn how to properly nourish your body and create a meal plan that will be easy for you to follow so that you can stop following fads of random dieting to reduce belly bloat and other digestive issues. If you don’t treat the root of your digestive distress, it won’t matter how many detoxes, cleanses, fasts or colonics you subject your body to you will never completely eliminate the toxins and your body will remain in a state of distress.   

Be gentle, kind and loving to your body. It is your home for this lifetime.