Mix and drink 8-12 glasses a day for 2-5 days. Eat or drink nothing
else except water, laxative herb tea, and peppermint or chamomile tea.
One of the main qualities associated with the approaching season of Autumn is
the function of letting go. It is a season where the leaves fall off the trees,
and nature in general goes through an end of the cycle decline….a cleansing to
make way for next Spring’s new growth.
This cleansing, or letting go, is replicated in us as well, on a daily basis.
We move our bowels to eliminate waste. We sluff off enough dead skin every day
to completely change our outer level of skin every three days. We attempt
to let go of painful emotions so that we don’t walk around encumbered by them.
All of these daily functions of letting go are forms of detoxification.
Detoxification is vital to our functioning in life. Our colon, liver,
kidneys, and skin all play vital roles in eliminating toxins in our bodies. When
detoxification is compromised, we begin to build up levels of toxicity in our
system. Over time, this toxic build up can manifest itself in a whole array of
physical and emotional symptoms, including: headaches, fatigue, depression,
irritability, constipation, skin rashes, heart disease, cancer, etc.…
The ideal way to avoid toxic build up is to not take in the toxins in the
first place. In an age, however, where there have been drastic increases in
processed foods, in combination with increases in air and water pollution,
radiation, and stronger chemicals, this is easier said than done. Modern
lifestyles put an incredible toxic strain on our system. There are things we can
do, however, from a natural health perspective, to help support and fortify our
detoxification functioning.
Detoxification therapy is the process of making dietary and lifestyle changes
that reduce the intake of toxins and improve elimination. It is a cleansing and
re-balancing process that can take place in a person’s mind, body, and spirit.
The most popular form of detoxification therapy is fasting.
Most ancient cultures respected the benefits of fasting and detoxification.
The bible is full of descriptions of fasting to achieve physical and spiritual
purification. Hippocrates, Plato, Socrates, Galen, and Christ all used fasting
as a tool in health. In nature, the animal kingdom fasts when ill. We clean our
homes on a regular basis, wash our car and our clothes……why not our bodies?
Fasting is a relative term. Any dietary change that supports our elimination
can be said to help us detoxify. If all a person did was drink a few extra
glasses of water a day, often this would help them to eliminate more toxins.
Eating more vegetables and fruits, and less meat and milk products will help
create less congestion and more elimination. There are many more progressively
intense detoxification diets, from the above simple changes to complete fasting.
Anyone, however, who is in poor health or has had no fasting experience, should
definitely be supervised in a fast of any intensity by a physician or licensed
and knowledgeable practitioner.
Some of the more common types of fasts are juice fasts and raw vegetable
fasts. One very famous fast, described in the book: “Staying Healthy With
Nutrition,” by Elson M. Haas, M.D., is called the Master Cleanser fast, and it
is relatively simple:
There is a tremendous variety of different fasts that you can do. Each fast
has it’s own particular strengths and nuances. I would recommend getting a
book on fasting and choosing the fast that appeals to you the most. The book
described above by Elson Haas, M.D. is good, as is the “7-Day Detox Miracle”
by Peter Bennett, N.D. and Stephen Barrie, N.D. These books, among others, can
also help to guide you through other aspects of fasting that you will need to
know, such as how to break the fast, how to accentuate it’s effectiveness with
herbs and supplements, and what are some of the classic symptoms that can arise
while fasting.
Certain health care practices can also be very supportive in the
detoxification process. Massage helps to increase blood flow and lymphatic
drainage. Acupuncture and chiropractic both help with overall circulation and
organ support.
The process of detoxification through fasting can be one of the most powerful
tools in healing. In addition to the many physiological benefits, many fasters
feel a noticeable increase in energy and creativity, and a renewed sense of
clarity.
Detoxification embodies the wisdom of the season of Autumn: we need to let go
of that which doesn’t benefit us, to make room for renewed health. --Jeff
Millison
Practitioner
Profile
Jeff Millison, M.Ac., L.Ac.
