How Do I Know If A Detox Or A Cleanse Is Right For Me?

Many people ask the question, “How do I know if a detox or a cleanse is right for me?”

They usually start with the questions of, 

“What is a detox?” 

“Why should I do a detox?”  

“Can I safely do a detox?”

Let’s address the question, “What is a detox?”

A detox is where a person restricts their diet for a period of 5-7 days to eating either only certain food groups, such as fruits & vegetables, adding in special cleansing supplements or they can do a radical (& sometimes dangerous) detox restricted to just juice, water and/or herbs. 

There are many variations of these detoxes, ranging from healthy to the very dangerous, especially if the person has an underlying health condition or takes medications.

Let’s talk about the question, “Why should I do a detox?”

A few years ago, if you suggested to someone that they detoxify their digestive system by doing a short term, 7 day detox diet, they probably thought you’d gone off the deep end.

Today, detoxing is all the rage… and with good reason.

• According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, more than 2 in 3 adults and about one-third of children and adolescents ages 6 to 19 are overweight or obese.

• One in three American adults are pre-diabetic… and only 10% are aware that they’re at risk.
  
• Fatigue is the number one complaint doctors hear from their patients. (Does this describe you?)
  
• Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, and inflammatory bowel disease affect up to 50 million Americans. Because there is no curative therapy at this time, treatment for autoimmune diseases focuses on relieving symptoms.
  
• More than 30% of the population suffers from insomnia and approximately 10 million people in the U.S. use prescription sleep aids. People who suffer from sleep deprivation are 27% more likely to become overweight or obese.
  
• More studies are showing our bodies have far too many toxins built up in the cells.
  Herbert L. Needleman, M.D., Philip J. Landrigan, M.D., in Raising Children Toxic Free, stated,
  "Since1950, at least 70,000 new chemical compounds have been invented and dispersed into our environment. Only a fraction of these have been tested for human toxicity. We are, by default, conducting a massive clinical toxicology trial, and [we], our children and their children are the experimental animals.”

So… what do all of these dire statistics have to do with detoxing? Everything!

When you go on a short term cleansing regimen, you reduce the amount of toxins going into your body, help your digestive system absorb the nutrients your body needs, and more efficiently get rid of everything that it doesn’t need.

A good detox will help to flush out everything that your body has been trying to get rid of.

Here is a short list of health symptoms that may be caused by too many toxins built up in the body:

• Feeling sluggish
• Fatigued throughout the day
• Trouble sleeping at night
• Not thinking clearly/brain fog
• Cranky, irritable for no reason
• Sick often
• Skin blemishes, roughness

A good detox cleanse can often help relieve these common problems.

This detoxification process has many health benefits, including…

1. Increased energy. When you “lighten the load” on your cells, your body no longer has to struggle to flush out both stored and incoming toxins. A healthier cell means a healthier body, which means increased energy.
   
2. Sleep issues become a thing of the past. Detox participants report falling asleep easier and staying asleep longer.
   
3. Improved mental focus. Toxins and free radicals that accumulate in the body can severely affect brain function. Participants report clearer thinking and better memory retention.
   
4. Supercharged immunity. A detox measurably strengthens your immune system and lowers your risk of certain diseases. A healthier cell means a healthier immune system, which means you avoid getting every germ being passed around. Participants also a noticed a decrease in allergy symptoms. Allergies can be associated with a poor immune system.
   
5. Your skin, hair and nails will improve. When you clean out your system, your skin quickly forms new cells, giving you a healthy glow again. Your hair will take on a new luster and problem nails will become strong and healthy again.
   
6. If you want to lose weight, a good detox… followed by a healthy, mostly plant-based diet… is one of the best ways to do it. Combined with regular exercise, you’ll soon see the pounds start dropping away.
   
7. Slows down aging. Oxidative stress, caused by free radical formation, results in cellular deterioration, making your skin look old and tired, your hair rough and lifeless, and your muscles and bones weak. A healthy cleanse or detox can help the body slow down the aging process by helping to slow the damage caused by free radicals.
   
8. Helps you to break the sugar & carbs addiction. A healthy detox helps you to resist eating things like fast food and drinking soda and helps you re-learn ways to replace them with a healthier lifestyle. During the detox you do not eat fat or sugar laden foods, allowing your body to flush out the toxins those foods build up. This causes the body to stop craving sugar and carbs that so many people find hard to give up.
   
9. It helps to give your digestive system a “rest”. This rest from toxic and damaging foods helps the digestive system to begin healing and rebalancing itself. Detox participants who had been suffering with digestive issues saw great improvement. 
   
10. You simply feel better. Participants report that a better sense of well-being takes over.

While there are many health benefits that can result from detoxing, there are warnings, too. 

Let’s discuss the question, “Can I safely do a detox?

There are a plethora of detoxification programs available… from extreme water and juice fasting, to a raw fruit and vegetable diet.

Many health practitioners caution against radical detoxing that can lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance.

Some radical and dangerous detox diets can also negatively impact those being treated for a medical condition.

Some use harsh and dangerous herbs that can have dire consequences, especially if medications are involved.

So can you do a detox safely?

Yes you can.

The best detox diet is one that uses good, nutritious food, mostly fruits and vegetables along with lean protein.

A healthy detox diet will use only safe cleansing supplements shown not to interfere with most medications.

A safe detox diet will have been created by an experienced nutritionist and used by many health professionals.

A safe detox diet will provide you an experienced person who will be your guide throughout the process, who will ask the right questions and answer yours.

Does such a detox diet exist and how does it work?

There is a healthy way to detox that is safe to do even if you are taking medications and are being treated for a current health condition. (Anyone with existing health issues should, of course, consult their health practitioner before embarking on a detox program.)

It incorporates the 4-R Steps: Remove, Replace, Restore, Rebuild

It’s called the Fresh Start Cleansing Program

Fresh Start is a 7 day, safe, simple and successful protocol for better health, using the “4-R” steps:

• A safe system which Removes those foods and lifestyle practices that have contribute to diminishing your body’s ability to function at its highest level.
  
• A simple process to Replace nutrient poor foods with nutrient dense ones.
  
• A successful step in beginning to Restore your sense of well-being.
  
• Over time, and with the adoption of the principles of Fresh Start, you can move to Rebuild your body’s health from survive to thrive.

Here are a few things you can expect from the Fresh Start Cleansing Program:

• A boost in energy
• Better focus & clarity
• Improved digestion
• Reduced cravings
• Healthier immune system
• A kick start in weight loss, if desired
• Improved sleep quality
• An experienced guide who will be available    to coach you and answer any questions you might have.

So how do I know if a detox cleansing program is right for me?

Contact us to set up a quick interview. We will ask you a few questions and answer any questions you may have. It’s easy to find out if it’s right for you or not.

To set up a time for an interview, please fill out the above form (top right of page or click the "Contact Us" tab up top to bring up the form) and tell us you would like to set up a time to see if Fresh Start is right for you.

Please provide your contact info of name, email and phone number. We will then provide you a list of available time slots.

You can then pick the time slot that works best for you and we will schedule an interview to be done via phone or email if you prefer.
(U.S. residents only)

We hope this article helped to answer some questions you may have had about a detox diet and that you'll consider doing a healthy detox/cleanse and take advantage of all the benefits it has to offer.

It’s never too late for a Fresh Start