SPRING CLEANSING:
Trends vs. traditions
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (and many other traditions), spring is considered the best season to clear through the accumulation of the winter season. During this time of year, you’re likely hit with multiple advertisements of juice cleanses, trendy fasts and detox shakes. It’s often confusing as so many offer the ultimate cure all for weight loss, renewed energy and reduction of inflammation and pain. Ultimately, what’s the best way to achieve these goals without breaking the bank and feeling crappy?
First off, let’s discuss fasting. Fasting in particular has been done through traditions for specific purposes. Often it’s to give the body the break it needs from stress, poor quality food, sugar, alcohol and caffeine that can cause digestive distress or imbalance. Fasting can be done in many ways. You can take in low calories and clear fluids for 3 days or drink cold pressed juices for a short period of time. The aim is to allow your body to reset. You not only want to give your digestive system a break by giving it limited fibrous foods and items that are difficult to digest but also don’t forget about the lifestyle break as well. Fasting is about rest and repair. So let your body rest during a fast. Don’t participate in intense exercise or overwork during this time. Focus on creating a slower paced environment and spending extra time inward through mediation, Yin yoga and breathwork. Reset your sleep rhythm to get your 8-9 hours so that your body will have time to heal. Think of fasting as a longer extension of when your body is sleeping and resting to repair. Fasting for cleansing purposes is different than intermittent fasting. I’ll discuss this in a later article.
Cleansing or “detoxing” is a different type of practice. This method is about supporting the pathways of clearing waste and excess toxins from the body. Keep in mind that liver detoxification is a NUTRIENT DEPENDENT process in the body. Fasting (because of the lack of nutrients) does not necessarily give your body the correct nutrients in order to support the two phase detoxification process of the liver. Phase 1 detoxification is a process in which fat soluble toxins are broken down into intermediates and become water soluble to pass into Phase 2 where they can be neutralized and excreted. Phase 1 is an enzymatic process in which various B vitamins, folic acid, glutathione or NAC, bioflavonoids, vitamins A, D, C and E and herbs such as milk thistle can all support this phase.
A cleansing diet should also focus on supporting the bowels and your overall drainage system. Make sure to drink enough fluids to move toxins out through your urine. Also make sure to keep the bowels moving during this time. Constipation will cause the toxins to be reabsorbed. Supporting your third large pathway to clear toxins is through your skin. Taking baths in magnesium salts, baking soda, bentonite clay or apple cider vinegar can all be supportive to cleaning toxins through the skin. Finally, make sure to move your lymphatic system through dry brushing, exercise (like bouncing) or self massage.
So ultimately, what’s the best cleanse or fast to partake in? Again, it’s not necessary to spend high dollars on expensive and high promising cleanse programs and supplements. I often work with my patients to get a clear understanding on the ultimate goal first. If you’re looking at healing the digestive system for instance, cleansing isn’t necessarily the best choice for you. A therapeutic gut healing program might be a better choice. If you’re looking to renew your energy, reset your system and maybe lose a bit of extra pounds, then cleansing may be a good option for you. Choose something that meets these requirements as listed above.
You can also look to the traditions and join in on our traditional Ayurvedic cleanse with Melinda Reece, Ayurvedic Practitioner. This is one of my favorite cleanses. It’s steeped in deep tradition with nourishing and simple balanced foods. It’s nutrient driven and deeply healing with simple ingredients. The Ayurvedic tradition of cleansing also has a strong emphasis on lifestyle practices to truly offer a holistic approach to reset.
Before jumping into a cleanse or a fast, you might also want to consider a mental reset or shift if you have a disordered relationship with food. If you’ve been yo-yo dieting and constantly jumping in and out of these “diet” programs, consider working with your mental well-being. Jennifer Hawkins, Life Coach, is leading a group to help shift your relationship with food. This might be a great place to start for you.
I hope you can use the bursting energy of Spring to guide you to your health goals so that you can come into the Summer season with strength and groundedness. Otherwise, if you have more questions regarding what type of program is best for you to meet your health goals, please schedule a Functional Medicine appointment with me to discuss.
In good health and happy spring cleaning!