Many people are interested in cleansing but get confused by all the information out there and don't know where to start. I've added a lot of alternative health care information on cleansing on this site for that reason.
As someone who does regular cleanses and believe in the power of detoxification, I have learned that there are ways to make a cleanse harder or easier. Here are some helpful tips to keep your body more healthy throughout the year so that detoxing is not so stressful.
....How to avoid a healing crisis while detoxing
Profile in Health and Wellness: Elements of an Effective Detoxification Program
Question on health care and healing: I believe I do need to detox but I've read so much about going into a healing crisis that I'm afraid of it. What do you suggest?
Healing Facilitation Response: While there are definitely dietary changes and habitual behaviors we can change, prior to doing a detox, that may reduce detox symptoms, a healing crisis for some may be inevitable. Our body has a way of dumping toxins when invited to do so, as a way of keeping us healthy.
When we start a detox regimen, the body will definitely cooperate and this can mean we may temporarily feel worse. A normal healing crisis should last no more than three days. However, we can make changes that will assist the body in detoxing itself prior to cleansing, and these will be helpful whether we detox with a program or not.
How to Detox Without a Healing Crisis:
Below are just a few ideas to get your started on the right way to cleansing for health. If you have a colon problem, such as IBS, Krohn's or Diverticulitis, you should check with your doctor before making any dietary or health regimen changes.
Natural Cleansers You Can Add to Your Diet:
Organic flax seed, ground and sprinkled on cereal, adds fiber and healthy fats to your diet and helps with constipation.Fresh cilantro, eaten fresh not cooked in something, helps the body naturally chelate heavy metals.
Aloe Vera juice is very healing and soothing to the entire stomach and intestinal tract. Many people drink it every day.
Please note: Your doctor may not approve aloe vera juice if you are under care for colitis, diverticulitis, irritable bowel or other such conditions.
This is not because aloe vera causes any of these conditions to worsen but because it temporarily colors the walls of the intestines, which can make reading the results of a colonoscopy more difficult for your doctor.
Just by adding such products to your diet, not as a once in a while thing but regularly, you can help to start turning around a toxic bowel situation.
If you feel you are toxic at levels that might precipitate too much of a healing crisis for you, you might try adding these to your diet for a month or two before starting a detox program.
As always, if you are under a doctor's care for any type of colon problem, you need to check with your doctor before adding anything new to your diet.
Detoxing and Cleansing with Colonics
Where the enema only removes fresh waste from the large intestine, the colonic is designed to flood the entire intestinal tract with pure water gradually, and keep the fluid in there long enough to start to moisten any hardened and impacted waste so that the colon can do it's job and fully eliminate.
I have had colonics several times in my life and find them to be incredibly beneficial if the person giving them is gentle, knowledgeable and aware.
Unfortunately, I've also had experiences where the colonic was not a good experience. Talk to your colonic therapist and get a feel for how well they will observe you during the process.
Doing colonics along with a colon-specific cleanse before doing a full body detox can reduce detox symptoms.
Expect to do a series of at least 10 colonics and many therapists suggest even more, to insure getting all the hardened waste soften for natural removal.
Colonics strengthen peristalic action in the colon so they are actually good for the intestinals, as opposed to laxatives which can weaken peristalic action over time.
I've met a woman recently who has created an amazing thing...it's a home colon cleansing system, not to be confused with an enema. This allows for a person to do their own true colonics in the privacy of their home. If you'd like to know more about how to cleanse your colon in the privacy of your own home, just email with address and I'll mail you info.
This woman has a long history of working with colonics and detoxing. She used to offer retreats but doesn't do that any more but she's incredibly knowledgeable and can answer any questions you might have. askme at askahealer . com
Dry Skin Brushing and Rebounding To Detox:
Briskly brushing your skin with a dry brush helps stimulate blood flow and lymph system detoxing. One thing that causes the very common flu-like symptoms during detox is congested lymph flow. When the detoxing program is started, toxins are rapidly released but if your lymph system is sluggish, you end up feeling terrible while it tries to clear the toxins. Dry skin brushing (not wet, in the shower but must be dry) helps stimulate lymph flow and can help reduce those symptoms. Using a rebounder (a mini-trampoline) is another excellent way to increase lymph flow but be careful to start low and work your way up to more time rebounding because it can work a little too well!Drink Alkaline Water To Cleanse:
I can personally attest to the cleansing effects of alkaline water. I drink it and feel so much better when I do. Using alkaline water prior to a cleanse can help the body start to release toxins but I'd also suggest just using alkaline water permanently. There's an article on alkaline water here if you want more info.Detoxification Disclaimer: The body detox information that you have just read is purely for educational purposes. It does not replace medical attention for health conditions involving the colon and bowel, such as IBS, diverticulitis or colitis. Any decision about detoxing that readers might make, based on the contents found in this or any educational health care information, is the right and responsibility of the reader. Please consult with your chosen healthcare professional on questions relating to detoxification and colon health and, if you have an existing bowel problem such as IBS, always check with your doctor before starting a colon cleanse.