A cleansing diet is viewed by many advocates of natural health as one of the best ways to restore the body to a natural state of balance and to rid the body of harmful toxins. Overeating, an unbalanced diet, and the intake of unhealthy and toxic foods and other substances is believed to lead not only to weight gain, but to a buildup of harmful substances in the system.
By cleansing one’s body for a week or two, you can purge most of this harmful buildup safely restoring the body to its natural condition. Although healthy people should have no problem with a cleansing diet, you should always check with your physician or other medical advisor before undertaking any dietary regimen.
The principle of detoxification
Our bodies often store substances that they cannot use. In some cases, these substances are not necessarily toxic unless found in the body in excess quantities. Even some nutrients can be toxic when consumed in amounts too large for the body to naturally absorb. For various reasons, the body will often store rather than eliminate these substances. However, we are able to stimulate the body to dump such toxic storage by dieting and through use of certain herbal medicines.
Most cleansing diets involve some degree of fasting, i.e. abstinence from food for a short period. Such fasting is believed to encourage the body to begin cleansing itself. The intensity and duration of a fast will depend on individual circumstances. You should not fast if you are weak or recovering from illness. You must always take care not to become dehydrated while fasting, and should break any fast if you become faint or ill.
Herbs that help with cleansing
Dieting alone can help rid the body of toxins since you burn off excess fat, in which some of these substances are stored. The body’s metabolism may also be energized to encourage elimination processes. Various herbs also help in detoxifying the body. Some herbs work to rid the system of harmful ions known as free radicals. These free radicals cause oxidation processes in the body that are generally considered unhealthy.
Because of their usefulness in cleaning up free radicals, such herbs and nutrients are called anti-oxidants, since they help prevent harmful oxidation in the body. A number of common nutrients are very good antioxidants including vitamins E and C.
Binding herbs
There is another class of herbs that can help the body eliminate wastes by binding to them and carrying them out of the body’s elimination system. Such herbs are considered especially important for the purpose of ridding the body of heavy metals that often contaminate our food and environment. Such herbals medicines work using various biochemical principles. Some are considered adsorbents as they cause other molecules to adhere to their surface. In some cases, the herbs contain a specific mineral content that binds with other metals or substances. In addition to heavy metals, binding substances are also considered as an effective way to cleanse the body of harmful mycotoxins.
Mycotoxins are fungal by-products that often grown on spoiled food such as corn or peanuts. Unlike the case with bacterial spoilage of food, mycotoxin contamination is not neutralized by cooking. When metals, mycotoxins, or other harmful substances bind to herbs and other natural medicines they are generally eliminated either through the bowels or through the urinary system.
Other types of cleansing herbs
There are various other classes of herbal medicines used for cleansing the body. These include herbs that stimulate sweating to clean out one’s pores. In some cases, naturopaths and other natural healing professionals will even suggest induced vomiting to rid the stomach of waste buildup, or enemas to cleanse the bowels.
The exact course to take during a cleansing diet usually depends on the precise physical condition of the individual. That’s why it is usually better to consult with a trained person before starting such a course of action. Someone with the right expertise will be able to diagnose your condition and recommend the right herbs and dieting schedule to follow.
What liquids to dring and foods to eat during cleansing diets
Generally most cleansing diets follow the macrobiotic principles that stress eating more grains and legumes, followed by fruits (particularly lemons) and vegetables, with meat and fish eaten in smaller quantities. Of course, you will eat less than normal, and again you may start the diet off with a short fast. Expect to eat a lot of soups and juices with much less solid food. Solid food takes more energy to digest, and the idea is to reserve as much energy as possible for the body to detoxify and eliminate wastes.
Many people have testified to feeling much better after undertaking a diet of from one to three weeks in duration. Often they report having greater energy after the treatment.