A very important aspect in maintaining optimal health is to do periodic cleanses or detoxification. The reason for this is twofold. The first revolves around eliminating toxins and chemicals from your body that have been percolating for an extended period of time. When you constantly absorb caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, processed foods, etc., you start to feel sluggish, tired, depressed and have an overall lack of motivation. These toxic chemicals wear down your biological systems (organ system) and metabolic pathways (chemical reactions). Whether you partake in an overall body cleanse or a specific organ cleanse like the liver, colon or kidney, you start to rejuvenate the body and provide it with the proper nutrients that contribute to good health. This is accomplished by phasing in certain foods, eliminating others and setting parameters around the timelines you wish to follow. Each cleanse is different as some can be forty eight hours, one week or even one month.

Another benefit of starting a cleanse or detoxifying is to reset your hormones and have your body try and return to homeostasis. Although most people view cleansing as a way of “cleaning” the body, I also know they want to start one so they can lose weight. There is no better way to lose weight then by having healthy, fully functional endocrine glands and hormones. When you start to realize how important your hormones are, you will want to take the necessary steps to ensure they are not being manipulated by toxic chemicals. Cleansing is the first step in bringing your hormone levels back to their original state when you were healthy and vibrant.

Being a personal trainer and functional practitioner, I would prepare your body by making simple lifestyle changes. This involves eliminating one harmful food per week or every other week. I would be more than happy to provide you with a list of toxic foods. Once you do this, you start to take back control of your body and overall health. After some time, you will be ready to follow a specific cleanse protocol that suits your health concerns. As mentioned previously, these can very specific or general. You should meet with a licenced practitioner who shares your goals and ambition in helping you get better. They can help you with a tailor made paradigm. I personally know of a few that work very well for my clients and I can provide as requested. The final point I want to make is that you should typically cleanse the body every six months. This gives you enough time for rest and recovery. It also allows you time to evaluate how your body handles certain foods and supplements. Each person is unique with varying tolerance levels. Good luck and keep living with enthusiasm and creativity.