Spring Cleaning

Well, it is THAT time of year again. We are half way to our goals for summer swimsuit bodies, at least in time frame.

Actually, what is more important than the swimsuit body on the outside, is the swimsuit body on the inside.

Time to Detox!!

Last year, it took a 40 day detox to jump start my metabolism back to functioning normally. What does that mean?

It means that when you are trying to do everything "right" with regards to eating healthy and exercising, and your body still does not shed pounds, something is clogged and not functioning right. That was my case. Eating a balanced diet, predominated by fruit and vegetables, balance of proteins from multiple sources, no sugar or caffeine or refined processed foods, and exercise 3-5 times a week any where from 20 minutes to 3 hours...and still no results...except a little toning... I had to ask myself what was wrong.

Gallbladder Flush - this is last, but was an excellent reason to get started

How did I figure it out? A combination of things lead me to the conclusion that I needed a detox. No results when doing the above was the first and obvious. Second, I took an Ionic Foot bath at my chiropractor's office, mostly out of curiosity to see what it my detail about my toxicity. When the results showed gall bladder issues, it clicked! If my gallbladder was clogged, then bile was not getting to my digestive organs, which is why my metabolism was slowed down and I was not digesting anything properly - no matter how healthy.

That meant I needed a gallbladder flush - not to have my gallbladder removed - which is common for people my age that seem to be having digestive troubles. I like my parts.

Before you can do a gallbladder flush, you need to detox your colon first. And yes, I am familiar with the controversy of a gallbladder flush - questions as to whether or not it works, do you really pass stones, etc... If you research a great deal on the web, you will get everyone's opinion.

So, rather than give just an opinion, I will share my experience and let you form your own opinion.

A gallbladder flush is the last part of a detox. The first thing in any detox is to clean your colon. After all, if you are going to detox, you have to have a place for the waste to go and your colon is waste central to your body.

CLEAN YOUR COLON FIRST!!!

There are several ways to effectively clean your colon. Most every herb shop (qualified as most because I have not shopped in all - but all should have) should have a colon cleanse product of some sort. You want to find one that not only cleanses you, but also replaces the happy bacteria that actually help your colon function - Acidophilus. The other tidbit I learned along the way is to use a colon cleanser that has bentonite clay - volcanic ash. Apparently, the surface area on the clay is greater than any other "clay" or inorganic substance and still retains the purifying properties we love in things like clay facial masks. It pulls the toxins out of your colon - the real little stuff that a colon cleanser might leave behind.

Other alternatives include a natural salt flush, colonics, or enemas... all of which are effective depending on your particular situation.

The Master Cleanse Diet - for detoxing

The salt flush is a natural colonic, sometimes considered more gentle, but literally hard to swallow. It can be found in the book The Master Cleanse and is part of that program. I have tried The Master Cleanse but have a seriously hard time functioning in my normal daily routine with only the lemon juice tonic. The most valuable thing I derived from its prescription is the salt water flush for a quick cleanse. However, be prepared to be at home, and be prepared to do it more than once if you have a particularly large midsection.

If your belly looks like John Wayne's before he died, you are probably compacted with 5 years of undigested food matter, and it WILL take more than one dose of a salt water flush, colonic, herbal flush, or anything else. Be dedicated to losing that belly!! You cannot exercise it away if it is a hard mass!!! I once had a well meaning friend tell me that the belly hanging over his pants - so far that he couldn't see his toes - was actually muscle. Guys, quit fooling your self!! That is not muscle!! That is a compacted gut that is going to land you in the hospital with a disease if you don't do something!! Good grief!! Ladies, that goes for you too! However, we tend to carry more soft tissue FAT around our bellies...but I am digressing.

The point is, YOU MUST CLEAN YOUR GUT other wise known as your colon at the beginning of your detox. There are a ton of options out there for doing that. Research and find what is best for you.

Liquid Diet at Least 3 days

One more tip for detoxing...A liquid diet for a period of at least 3 days is the best way to start. When you are trying to get rid of excess undigested food in your gut, adding more solid food to it is not the solution even if you are using a colon cleanser. You body needs a break.

We are lucky now that there are so many pre-made whole food juices in the produce section of our grocery stores now. I use Odwalla, Boathouse, and Sunkist to juice fast when I do not have time to do my own juicing. DO NOT USE CANNED, BOTTLED, OR FROZEN JUICES TO JUICE FAST. These are full of sugar and lack the nutrients you need to detox. Doing your own juicing is your first best option. Cheat if you have to by using the above brands or others in your area. Just make sure that what you are using has a variety of fruits or vegetables, and no preservatives or additives. That defeats the purpose.

Doing the Detox Again

Yes, it has been a year. I detoxed last year and lost 30 pounds. I let myself cheat over the holidays and enjoy the good food - just a little too much. My metabolism started slowing down again, and dropping those pounds (I gained back 10) started getting harder. So I did what I do best, and have started my Spring Cleaning. A Juice Fast for a least three days, colon cleanse, and cut out some of the junk I know I let slip back into my routine. I dropped a quick 7 pounds in just a week - mostly undigested food and excess water build up (which happens when your body does not metabolize properly). I feel better already, my clothes are back to normal, and I have a new goal. Last year I dropped the first 30. I still really want to shed another 10-20. I don't believe in being too skinny. Healthy and fit is what I am shooting for. So this year after getting off the extra 10 I gained over the holidays, I will go for detoxing the next 10-15.

By creating a plan of regular detox, which everyone needs, you can maintain a healthy diet but not be obsessive or radical about everything you eat. I know some who are obsessive and radical, and I was at one time. Realistically, unless you are fighting a major disease, we as Americans do not want to change our lifestyles enough to radically change our eating habits and lifestyles built around our eating habits. At some point, we will discuss how the Standard American Diet (SAD) may be killing you. But right now, focus on how to give yourself that first detox, or refresh your memory.

One good experience can lead to a life time of change. You will find that you get addicted to feeling better, healthier, staying out of the doctor's office and you want a more permanent eating lifestyle change. But if you are not there yet, at least start with a Spring Cleaning:)

Back to the Gall Bladder Flush

Is a 3 day juice fast enough to get you ready for a gall bladder flush. NO. If you have more serious digestive issues, a 3 day anything is not going to help and you have to be prepared to be more radical in your detox. That is why I did a 40 day detox last year starting in February (during Lent actually). That was 40 days of mostly juice, soup, and fresh fruit every now and then. My one cheat would be about half a bag of soy crisps, and that managed to quell my desire for solid food and flavor.

After 30 days, I did a 7 day liver cleanse, which is relatively easy, and then a 3 day gall bladder flush.

The Liver Cleanse I use is simply a carrot salad alongside my detox diet. Carrot salad is a cup of shredded carrots, one tablespoon of olive oil, and one tablespoon of lemon juice. Add raisins if you want a little extra flavor. Take this every day for seven days in a row. Don't skip a day or start over. This can be found in Juicing for Life by Cherie Calbom and Maureen Keane in the back under the Seneca Liver Cleanse Diet.

Then I did the gallbladder flush. First I took the herb Hydrangia for 30 days. Then I followed the gall bladder flush instructions in 21 Pounds in 21 Days: The Martha Vinyard Diet Detox by Roni DeLuz RN, and James Hester.

Results

As I said before, I lost 30 pounds in the next few months after my detox and kept it off until I started seriously cheating over the holidays. I could eat a normal healthy diet, and exercise and still lose weight without starving. My metabolism was functioning normally again and I didn't feel like everything I put in my mouth would end up on my hips.

I'm 30 pounds lighter and looking forward to this Lent season as having a Spring Cleaning, but this year it doesn't have to be as radical. As soon as I started noticing the slow down, I realized it was Spring and time for a cleanse. I am starting with a 7 day cleanse by using the colon cleanser, and a liquid juice diet. Sometimes your body just needs a break, and missing solid food for a week is not going to kill you!! Actually, it is going to keep you alive and well just a little longer than if you skip it.

My insides are ready for summer and all that fresh fruit that is just waiting to be eaten, and my outsides are almost ready for the new swimsuit!! (That is an ongoing process at the gym!)

I'll be looking for you at the pool - but let me hear from you here. What are you doing? How is it going? And can I give you any more tips to start this process. Good Health - rather than Good Luck because some things you have to do on purpose:)