Cleanse

My gastroenterologist said that no one should do a cleanse. It is unnatural for your body. If you are having problems you should look for causes

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I know this isn't what you asked, but I have to say that cleanses are not founded on evidence-based medicine. Anything with psyllium (sp?) in it (most cleanses) is a scam because it goes gelatinous in your body so you poop out a very long, dark, rope-like substance you believe is all the junk that was inside you. Really, it's just your regular bowel movement combined with the psyllium. And your colon is not meant to be "cleansed." A high-fiber, low-fat diet and plenty of water to drink will keep you regular enough to reduce your risk of colon cancer and other problems.
An MSG sensitivity is a common reason to have headaches and an upset stomach. Caffeine could also trigger those symptoms.
Consider eating simple, whole foods for a few days and see if you feel better. Your children could help choose foods and recipes with you and it could be a healthy family project. La Leche League's cook book, "Whole Foods for the Whole Family" could be a good place to start.
You could also consider doing a brief fast (no longer than two or three meals) and see if that helps you--occasional fasting has been shown to help digestive issues.
I hope you feel better soon! Best wishes!

1 mom found this helpful

I've not really heard good things about cleansing pills-most don't do much more than your body tries do to on a daily basis anyway. Hubby & I looked into this one & have made the soup before-loved it!http://www.iimahd.ernet.in/~jajoo/gmdiet.html What you need to do most is get back to basics-no junk food, no preservatives, no bottled or canned or processed foods. And drink tons of water!

Hi M.,

Go to www.herbdoc.com
Best herbal products I've found!!! They are 100% pure organic and wild harvested herbs. NO JUNK FILLERS like most at the health food stores. I've used many of the products offered and have love every one. One of my favorites is the Super Tonic. It's not a detox product but I don't go into a cold or flu season without it!! At the first sign of anything we start downing it and poof, all better. I even give it to my kids, in juice, it's a little spicy. I have done the detoxes too. They're great. You do need to follow a fruit and veggie diet plan while doing the Liver or Kidney detoxes but it's only 5 days so it's not that big of a deal. Do them at the same time if you want and you only have to do one 5 day run instead of two. Start with the Bowel clease, you'll be feeling great, more energy, lighter, flatter stomach! Good luck!

Hi M.,
Have you considered a liver cleanse? Here's a basic recipe and oils can be purchased at www.###-###-####.myforevergreen.org to purchase TRUessence oils.
THE BASIC DAILY DETOX1 Tablespoon (or more if you like) of freshly squeezed Lemon juice (organic preferred).One drop of Peppermint Oil (TRUessence EO brand only, suitable for internal use.)One drop of Lemon Oil (TRUessence EO brand only, suitable for internal use.)Mix Lemon juice, Lemon oil and Peppermint oil. Drink.
Best if taken before eating in the morning.Essential oils are like whole food in that our body recognizes how to use them for nourishment and healing.
It’s best not to use essential oils in plastic cups /containers.Lemon Juice
• Benefits bile formation, which is essential for optimal fat metabolism.
• Helps regulate the liver.
• Promotes peristalsis. Keeps waste moving along for elimination.
• Strengthens and energizes the heart.
• It alkalizes the pH of the blood to a healthy level.
• Its iron builds the red corpuscles.
• It cleanses the blood plasma.
• Aids the thyroid for deeper breathing.
• Helps dissolve and eliminate mucoid plaque from the digestive system.
TRUessence Lemon Oil
• Organic oil from Italy, one of the best regions of the world to get Lemon Oil
• Encourages bile secretion.
• Antibacterial qualities of Lemon Oil also benefit the liver.
• Aids liver function.
• Boosts metabolism.
• Helps decongest a toxic liver.
• Alleviates conditions often associated with an overworked liver, such as nausea,
headaches, irritability, and insomnia.
• Reduces toxin buildup in fat cells.
• Supports bile flow.
• Supports the body as a tonic, effective in ridding the body of phlegm and congestion.
• Assists in weight reduction and stimulates the lymphatic system.
TRUessence Peppermint Oil
• Clears liver from drugs.
• Stimulating properties of Peppermint assist other oils in being more effective.
• Helpful with allergies and hay fever.
• Detoxifying; activates lymph flow and drainage.
• Assists in overcoming digestive upsets, flatulence, nausea and vomiting.
LIVER CLEANSING FOODS
Besides the ritual of the TRUessence Basic Daily Detox Liver Cleanse, drinking lots of clean water, as well as eating liver-cleansing foods on a daily basis are also important steps to take! Fresh, organic eggs, plenty of fresh vegetables, and especially cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, and kale are great! Garlic, onion and ginger root help support metabolism and reduce toxin buildup.
If you have any questions,please call ###-###-####
L.

I was having a lot of pain that no one could figure out and someone recommended a colon cleanse and I felt so good after I completed it. I bought a 2 week kit from Vitamin Cottage and it was great.

Hi M.,
You will love how you feel after a cleanse. For me it was alot of bloating I needed to get rid of. Just remember to start it on a Friday so you can be close to a bathroom for the first 3 days. :)

I use the Seasource Detox Spa 7-day Cleanse you can find it at www.naturallylovely.myarbonne.com

Also Gary Null has some really amazing info on his homemade "green drink". Take care, G

Have to throw in my 2 cents. I disagree completely with Mary. If people did a cleanse now and then, it would put the gastroenterologists out of business. My friend with severe colitis decided to go on a diet without any gluten, sugar, wheat, corn etc. instead of being on meds the rest of his life and having colonoscopys every 9 mo. and feels great. When a dr. in Ut. studied this and brought his findings to one of the top gastroentologists in the nation, he was told he had no interest in hearing about it b/c he had a wife and kids to feed and to not send that info around. The lemon or applejuice one work great, some people have adverse reactions to psillium (sp?)
After severe stomach pains waking me at night, I did a parasite cleanse and haven't had the pains again. There is truth to all this cleanse stuff!

I have to say a "cleanse" system that you buy probably isn't the best. It's just a marketing ploy to make you spend money.

If you want to ridyour body of toxins then eat raw fruits and veggies with high fiber and nuts, like almonds for the protien and drinks lots of water. Do that for about a week or so and slowly start to add meats and whole grains back into your diet. It also helps get your hormones balanced if you having issues with that too.

The Herbalife cleanse is simple. I love it and do it about twice a year. It's a 21 day cleanse taking tablets in the evening and morning. You can still eat like you normally do, which is fantastic because you don't have to starve yourself. The PM tablets get rid of the bad bacteria in your digestive system, and the AM tablets replenish your digestive system with good flora. It's inexpensive for a cleanse. Only about $29. If you'd like to take a look at it, you can contact me at 800-850-0609 or www.shopherbalife.com/O.

I think cleanses are good. Many other cultures do cleanses as a normal part of life. Anyway, after saying that, I don't believe that a cleanse should deprive you of needed vitamins and minerals. I think a cleanse should be either along with eating normally, or if it is by itself, it should provide nutrients. I really like the Isagenix cleanse because it provides nutrients. The first two days and the last two days are the hardest because you are on a liquid diet. The days in the middle are great because you have shakes and regular meals. I've done a couple of cleanses already....I'm waiting to do my next one cause I always get pregnant afteward, and I need a little break. lol!

I know of a few cleanses.
The first is the apple juice cleanse. It is a 2 day cleanse that involves 2 gallons of unfiltered organic apple juice. This gets everything flowing and it is fairly nonevasive.
The next is the lemonade cleanse that is done with organic lemons pure maple syrup and is a 10 day cleanse.
My favorite is a 30 day cleanse done with oxy powder. (No it is not the laundry detergent). You get it at oxypowder.com. They recomend 7 days but I found that I got the most muciod plaque out with this method. You are going to want to follow it up with a parasite cleanse to really make sure you got everything.
Good luck.

Hi M.--
It really depends on what part of your body you want to cleanse. There are liver/gallbladder cleanses , colon cleanses, yeast cleanses, etc. I've done all of them. My advice would be to find a naturopath, chiropractor, herbalist, etc. to assist you to make sure your body can handle it. If your body is way out of balance when you start a cleanse it can be too much for you and you'll get sick. I can recommend some great people to assist you if you are interested.
J.

Hi M.,
I've done the Isagenix cleanse and it is a bit intense and hard work, but I did feel better. However, I did not want to go back and do it again. There are some easier options out there. I'd also suggest looking into colon hydro therapy. It is not as bad as it sounds and it can definitely help with years of buildup.

I've spent the last 2 years researching and writing some articles on environmental toxins and the impact on health. There are many simple things you can reduce the amount of toxins coming into your body so it doesn't have to work as hard. Detailed info and links on livinghealthiernow.com on water, air, cleaning products (many registered pesticides), personal care products, supplements, electropollution (cell phones, wifi etc.)and more. Definitely a believer in lots of good quality water. Many chronic conditions are the result of chronic dehydration. There are so many mindless and easy things you can do to improve your health.

Let me know if you have any questions.
S.

For a light cleanse that you can do whenever you feel a bit yucky:
http://www.wholesomevitality.com/natural-health-blog/2009...

For a more intense 3-day cleanse:
http://www.herballegacy.com/Three_Day_Cleanse.html

And for continued bowel cleansing:
http://www.wholesomevitality.com/herbal-store/bowel-clean...

M.,
I listen to NPR a lot, last year they were talking about how to cleanse your body and stated that a natural cleanse that is good for you, is a fast. Fasting from food and water for 24 hrs(part can be over night too) once a month is actually good for you! They compared it to a computer, when it gets sluggish, or not working properly, you restart it. For your body, fasting is restarting the stomach and colon, it gives your pancreas and digestive system a rest and can cut down on sugar cravings. It cleans naturally. I thought it was so cool that, (being LDS with fasting part of our religion as well as some other religions) God really does know what is good for us. It can be a spiritual time too, when your mind and spirit are determined to do something but you body is wanting something else. It can be very empowering if you let it. So not only is fasting good for our spirits but our bodies too! Good luck finding the right one for you.
E.

Have you tried eliminating trans fat? It did wonders for me--I used to have cronic upset stomach, unexplained aches and headaches...now gone! It's not as hard or as limiting as you may think.

Dear M.,
I have to disagree with Sally - psylium seed husks, one heaping Tbs in a glass of juice 3 days in a row, will act like little scrubbers against the wall of the intestines, soften the stool and pull gunk away and out. I also disagree with the advice Mary got from her gastroentologist.
It isn't unusual for doctors to poo poo (excuse the expression here)alternative treatments (i.e. vitamins, colon cleanses, reflexology, etc.). There are a lot of toxins in our air and water and food. Toxins are stored in fatty tissue. That is why when we do a fast or miss a meal we get headaches. Our body starts drawing on energy from our fat which releases toxins into the bloodstream. When you eat something the headache goes away because your body uses the food you just gave it instead of drawing from reserves. In my experience, when doing a cleanse, this headache can last for a whole day and then goes away as I flush my system with water and fresh organic vegetable soup. We also eat a lot of processed, refined foods and fats that can be hard to digest. Vitamin Cottage does have some colon cleanse packages that are easy to use. Some people swear by colon cleanses. Find something that feels right for you.

Good luck,