The effects of harsh cleanses, diets and detoxes
Have you ever embarked on a cleanse, detox or diet all guns blazing and ready to go, only to find yourself back where you started a few days later, wine glass in one hand and chocolate in the other? I know I have and it has taken me years to unravel my relationship with trendy, extreme detoxes and to understand why they don’t work and just how harmful they can be.
I once thought the more extreme the better. The more I can juice or fast or push my body, the more junk I’ll get rid of and the faster I will heal. But how wrong I was. In fact, the more I pushed, the more exhausted I became and the more healing I had to do. It was exactly the reverse.
Why? Because extreme cleanses, detoxes and diets take a toll on two of the most critical organs in your body, the liver and the adrenal glands.
Many of the trendy detoxes out there create a storm inside the liver because when you cleanse too hard, you disrupt too much at one time. Not only does the liver take on more stress, the adrenals take a hit too, as their role is to match the toxic material released from the liver with enough adrenaline to create a rush that acts a flushing mechanism. So, for every one part poison that your liver releases, your adrenals must send out two parts adrenaline.
But not only that, this kind of cleansing taps into your emotional centres, creating a certain kind of fever fuelled desire to push yourself even further, with the outcome often being that it all falls apart and you end up with wine glass in hand feeling like you have failed. Meanwhile the damage is done in the background and your good intentioned ‘clearing out process’ has turned on its head.
And for someone with already weakened adrenals and an overloaded liver, which is most us, this technique is most certainly NOT what the body needs.
So what does the body need from a cleanse and how can you do it safely?
When experiencing a cleanse, you want it to be balanced. Yes, you’re bound to feel some highs and lows but you want it all to be moderate and within reason. And you absolutely want a quick recovery. When the liver is forced to cleanse at a rapid rate, the adrenal glands weaken faster making it more difficult to recover. And the weaker the adrenals were to begin with, the longer the recovery takes.
This is why DAILY cleansing practices are such a crucial part of the journey. Daily cleansing is gentle on your body and emotions, it enables you to work, look after family and remain stable. And most importantly, it creates long-term health and vitality. And then, if you wish to move a little deeper into a more structured cleanse, do so with the guidance of a practitioner or using a cleanse such as the Medical Medium cleanses that protect the liver and adrenals.
Now, more than ever, it is time to be aware of your health needs. Due to our inexcusable poisoning of this earth, viruses are ramping up, immune systems are down and chronic illness is at an all time high. Lets wake up and get clean. I encourage each and every one of you to keep learning and keep cleansing. Be a master of your health!
5 EASY STEPS TO DAILY CLEANSING:
Keep clear of all radical fats until lunch time (including coconut, nuts, seeds, nut milks, avocado, animal fats, eggs). Make the focus of your mornings fruit and greens
Remain completely fat free one day per week. This gives the liver the space it needs to release toxins, as it is unhindered by having to produce bile to break down fats.
Drink celery juice daily. I know I harp on about this one but it really is one of the most beautifully simple and life-changing steps you can make to clear out your system daily.
Sip on lemon water throughout the day. Lemon or lime water is ultra hydrating, packed full of essential mineral salts, high in Vitamin C and loaded with bio-active calcium that your bones and teeth crave! It also helps to flush the liver.
Sip on herbal teas. It’s very easy to underestimate the power of herbal teas, but they are a medicine and it’s good to be reminded of this. Lemon balm, dandelion, peppermint, chamomile or any other caffeine free tea your body desires, is a wonderful way to work gently with symptoms.
Wishing you love, health and happiness,
Rebecca