DETOXING 101: WHAT IS IT, WHERE TO START & WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS
WHAT IS A DETOX?
So a lot of us have heard of “cleansing” or “detoxing” but what does that really mean? Why should internal cleansing (not just taking a hot shower) be a part of your healthy routine and what are the benefits?
Well I’m going to tell you.
Just like the old saying goes, “beauty comes from within” – this truth also applies to health.
And... the two of them together for that matter.
How many of the people you think look beautiful also look healthy? Do we ever say to that person we meet, “Wow you’re looking particularly ravishing today – your nose is all blocked, your eyes are puffy and gee those bags under your eyes are simply divine!”
Probably not. Health and physical attraction go hand in hand.
So what does this have to do with cleansing?
For thousands of years in not only most traditional cultures but the animal kingdom as well, routine fasting and “cleansing” has been a normal and essential part of life. Fasting gives the body time to reset, clear out old material and take a break as it is relieved of its normal duties. By allowing ourselves time and space to do this, we can clear dead cells, promote new growth, release built up toxicity that we have been storing in the body, deal with our emotions and give our hard working organs a break.
All of our automatic functions in the body (like digestion - the breaking down of foods, turning them into energy and then eliminating the toxic waste bi-product that remains) we don’t have to think about the process in order for it to work. Your body does it automatically.
You don’t eat an apple and then have to tell your body “now digest this, and make sure you’ve prepared enough enzymes to break this down and then please once your finished move this into my colon” your body just does it.
Now that’s just an example of one system in the body, but there are so many things our miraculous body just does for us on autopilot that we take for granted.
Do you tell your heart to beat? Do you have to think about when to breath? Do you have to remind your body that you have a cut you’d like it to please heal? Or have you ever heard of a woman telling her your uterus how to grow a baby? I don’t think so.
As we don’t have to do any of the thinking, we often forget how our hard our body is working for us on a daily basis. It’s main goal is to keep us healthy, happy, safe and energised – and it does this so we can continue to be alive. Once those systems shut down- that’s it, you cant just go buy yourself a new body. By that stage it's too late… so in order to keep our bodies in great health order so they can keep working for us – what do we need to do?
You guessed it- give your body a break once in a while. Allow it to catch up, to fully detox and expel of the things it doesn’t need and may be causing it grief or stress.
Cleansing is the process of letting go of all that no longer serves us and this healing process requires time, a bit of perseverance and inner strength, but the benefits, like with most things that are challenging, are well worth it.
Have you ever done a huge wardrobe clean out where you finally went through your closet and threw out everything you no longer wear? I bet some of the items hadn’t seen daylight in years but you were hesitant to let go? How did that make you feel?
How about a big spring clean of your house? Removing all the dust, cobwebs, cleaning all the shelves, de-cluttering the garage or you shed, or car, and finally chucking out all of the clutter and crap that was just taking up space and giving you anxiety because you could never find the things you actually needed?
How good did it feel once you were all done? De-cluttered and reorganised? Did it put your mind at ease? Did you feel accomplished? Refreshed? Could you take a big sigh of relief? I bet you did.
To cleanse the body is like de-cluttering. You remove the old material, throw out all of the toxins, build up, tightness and stress that you have held onto (like the clothes in your closet that aren’t from this century but you have a hard time letting go of) and allow yourself to move forward, making room for the new. If we don’t do this, everything keeps accumulating and we get stuck. Without cleansing, toxicity can spread throughout the entire body, making us sick, causing anxiety and ultimately holds us back. We cleanse so we can absorb and make room for whatever new experiences and opportunities comes our way. It is an important and essential part of life and my best advice for maintaining optimal health.
HOW DO WE GO ABOUT DETOXING & CLEANSING OUR BODIES?
There are so many ways to answer this and it depends on what your goals are and what type of release you are in need of – but for the purpose of this article, we are going to keep it pretty simple and with a digestive focus.
1. Only Clean In:
Give your body a break. Try keeping your meals light, eliminate things like processed foods, sugar, wheat, dairy, take-away foods, MSG, poor quality oils, pesticides, red meat or all meat in general, alcohol, soda and caffeine. All things that we are not designed to eat and put strain on the body. If you can, I highly recommend a juice or water fast, but its best to do your research and get some proper guidance before doing a fast as the detoxing effect can be quite intense, and you want to have your experience be successful. You’ll need to ensure you’re prepared with either time off or at least space to relax and let your body do its thing. The first few days are always the hardest, but once you get over the hump, the benefits are enormous and you will feel better than ever. That is, as long as you make sure you nail step two.
2. Flush Everything Else Out:
In order to really cleanse, you need to flush everything OUT! The weeks, months, years of over stressful lifestyles, chemical exposure and poor dietary choices can lead to an extreme amount of toxicity being stored in the body. To give you an idea, the colon can hold up to 5-7 kilos of waste alone. This toxicity stored in your colon, liver, kidneys, fat cells, lymph, etc. needs a way to escape and there are only certain organs that can eliminate. The most effective in this case, is your bowels!
I can’t stress enough how effective and liberating having a colonic treatment is. First and foremost, colonics are the easiest, most effective way to clear the colon of stagnant waste and toxicity. It’s basically a manual flush. No waiting for supplements to work, no drinking down the terrible taste of colon cleanse, the water is simply introduced slowly into the colon during the treatment, loosens and soften all the waste and allows your body to easily release it. Best part is - you get to watch! Our poo-ology viewing tube gives great insight into what is actually being eliminated (and from your body and although it may sound a bit gross, it's totally fascinating. A real time personal "poo-movie" as my girlfriends put it.
During a colonic treatment, its not just the colon that empties. Once the body realises it has an opportunity to flush out toxins, the liver, kidneys and other organs of the body jump on board and begin to dump toxicity as well. You’ll know when this is happening as the release feels warm as it leaves your body (similar to how diarrhoea is often hot!)
Colon hydrotherapy cleanses the blood, helps eliminate parasites and while you are purging out the old, your body is absorbing purified water, leaving you fully rehydrated. Hydration is another KEY aspect of health, but a post for another day.
3. Rest and Relax:
A crucial part of cleansing is giving the body time and space to release and that means stopping our crazy every day lives, and taking some time out to rest and relax. It may sound silly, but trust me this is essential. You may feel tired, cranky, emotional and icky in the initial stages of a cleanse as your body starts to draw out the toxicity, so having the time out to just feel whatever it is that is coming up, be alone or without daily stress and letting it pass will ensure you are successful. Have a big presentation at work or your kids have a full weekend of sporting and social events? Not the time to start a cleanse. Plan wisely. Get yourself some beautiful essential oils to diffuse to calm your mind and relax your body - I highly recommend Lavender oil. You can also use them on your pressure points or take them internally - again too much information for this article - a post for a different day! Please ask if you have any questions.
Next Steps: So, you've decided to start a cleanse... when is the best time to start flushing out and having colonics?
Depending on how long you decide to detox for, it’s always recommended to start off with a colonic and finish with one. Whether its 1,3,5, or 10 days (can be more), the ability to release a lot of toxicity quick and easily is going to make your detox a whole lot less uncomfortable, so set yourself up for success by having a colonic straight off the bat. You can of course have them in between as well, totally up to you and where your body is at.
Remember its’ really important to stay hydrated during a cleanse and to be taking your probiotics (again a topic for another day) to keep your gut bacteria flourishing while you get rid of the old and ugly. You can compliment colonic irrigation with other bowel cleanses such as magnesium oxide (we love Oxy-Powder), psyllium husk, bentonite clay, regular enemas, etc. but in my opinion, nothing can replace the benefits or effectiveness of a colonic detox.
Other ways to physically flush out toxins are through your skin. Sweating in an infrared saunas is good for ridding of heavy metals, an epsom salts baths or foot soak can also be beneficial, however whatever you do drinking lots of water is essential.
BENEFITS OF DETOXING & CLEANSING
So, now that you know why we cleanse and the basics on how to do it, what are the benefits you should feel?
Feel better, more inspired and have more energy for doing the things you love <3
If this list below doesn’t convince you, I don’t know what will! Also, I can personally attest to all of these so although we need different things at different times, these are all things to expect to gain from doing a thorough detox.
BENEFITS OF CLEANSING
Release toxicity and stagnant build up
Relieve constipation and bloating
Increase immunity
Lose weight and boost metabolism
Lower risk of disease
Alkalise the body
Detox the liver
Feel lighter, more refreshed and revitalised
Increase energy and vitality
Rid yourself of that sluggish feeling
Increase mental clarity
Feel better in your own skin
Increase libido and sex drive
Improve skin clarity and hydration
Get rid of bad breath and body odour
Rehydrate the body, replenish the skin
Reduce food cravings
Feel inspired to live a healthier lifestyle
Think and feel more positive
Increases serotonin for happier moods
Overall feeling of relaxation and wellness
Really, the list could go on but you get the idea!! Better health from the inside out.
Detoxing your body, and maybe its time of look at other areas of your life as well (your closet perhaps) is one of the best things you can do to refresh.
Now its your turn! Get your detox on and let us know how you go!
I hope you all now have a good understanding of the benefits of cleansing and detoxifying your body. We are so passionate about detoxing, we can’t wait to hear your feedback and assist you in anyway we can to feel your best. We promise, you wont regret it (although we are here for moral support throughout the cleanse when the going gets a bit tough).
Contact our team today to chat in detail about how a cleanse can benefit you and book in a colon hydrotherapy session with us! We can also assist with coffee enemas, probiotic implants and so much more to deepen the detox experience. I will post another article specifically about enemas and implants to explain, but in the mean time – any questions, give us a shout!
Thanks Baysiders,
Love and happy cleansing!
-K
