Do you often feel tired or struggle with “brain fog”? Do you have persistent skin blemishes that won’t go away, or feel bloated and constipated from time to time?
When you consume sugar, gluten, meat, dairy, and other unhealthy foods, your body reacts with bloating, constipation, bad skin, and other issues. But it’s not just the food. From the moment you wake up, you’re exposed to toxic chemicals, heavy metals, and allergens like mold in our modern world.
Did you know that you can reverse or improve some of the damage caused by toxins and poor food choices by doing a detox or cleanse? If you’ve never done a cleanse before, read on.
7 Reasons To Do a Cleanse
Maybe you’ve heard about cleansing or detoxing but aren’t sure if it would help. Here are some reasons why cleansing is beneficial! Detoxification is a time-tested method to start fresh and adopt healthier habits. Do you relate to any of these scenarios?
1. I Can’t Seem to Lose Weight!
Fitness gurus often promote the idea that losing weight is all about calories in versus calories out, with some exercise thrown in. But sometimes, eating less and working out isn’t enough.
Detoxification can help eliminate toxins that prevent you from reaching your ideal weight. Removing pollutants from your diet, even temporarily, can reduce body fat, waist circumference, and promote normal cholesterol, triglyceride, and blood glucose levels.
Cleansing, also known as detoxification, can reduce cravings for sugary foods, which are a major contributor to weight gain. Fewer sweets can result in weight loss by itself! Even better, cleansing for a short period can lead to continued weight loss in the following weeks.
Cleansing is also a great way to kick-start a healthier lifestyle with better eating habits.
2. I’m Tired All the Time
Do you dread the sound of the alarm clock every morning? Many of us feel sluggish and exhausted daily but can’t figure out why.
Detoxing your body can improve your energy levels and sleep quality. This is what Debi D., a sales manager from Camas, Washington, discovered when she gave up sugar.
“My sleep is better,” says Debi. “Before, I was waking up several times at night and felt sluggish in the afternoon, craving sugar as a pick-me-up. Now, without sugar, I feel rested all the time and don’t get that afternoon slump.”
It’s not just sugar detoxes that bring more energy. Nearly any type of cleanse will have you removing harmful toxins and poor food choices, boosting your energy levels — though you might experience a “healing crisis” in the first few days of the cleanse.
3. I Feel Bloated & Constipated
Digestive issues like bloating, constipation, gas, or diarrhea signal that something needs your attention. A detox is like hitting the reset button for your gut. Did you know that a cleanse can clear out accumulated fecal matter in your large intestine (colon)?
Fruit and fruit juice cleanses, in particular, can improve the balance of good versus harmful microbes living in your gut. Your gut microbiota influences not only digestion but also mood, skin health, and the immune system.
Because any good cleanse involves eliminating unhealthy dietary choices — like soy, gluten, meat, and dairy — it gives your digestive system a break. When you reintroduce foods (ideally one by one), you can identify which ones cause the digestive issues you want to avoid.
Many people report that after a cleanse, their bowel movements are more regular, reducing gas and bloating — especially if you use a high-quality probiotic afterward.
4. I Want to Look & Feel Younger
When you remove toxins from your body, you’ll start to notice a difference in your skin and overall demeanor. Eating more organic fruits and vegetables during your cleanse will boost your antioxidant intake, reducing damage from free radicals and inflammation.
Debi discovered that the radiance from her younger years returned after a detox.
“My skin was better and started to glow! My skin was also more supple. My face and hands were no longer puffy. I even noticed that the dark circles under my eyes disappeared,” Debi says.
Some of this “glow” may come from balancing our body systems. For example, cleanses promote normal blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglycerides, which can’t help but show on the outside!
5. My Brain Feels Foggy
Have you ever felt like your brain is in a dense fog that won’t let you concentrate or remember things? Some days, even simple tasks like writing a shopping list can feel overwhelming.
This brain fog can stem from hormones, obesity, stress, and exposure to toxins (which act as stressors!). Toxins can enter your body, including your brain, causing inflammation. If you’re not eating the right foods, you’re not providing the nutrients required for optimal brain function.
“The biggest thing I noticed was an improvement in my ability to concentrate throughout the day,” says Courtney K., a director of operations in Austin, Texas. “With my typical diet, I would have spikes of being laser-focused, then unable to focus on anything. Since the detox, my ability to concentrate has been far more consistent.”
“I’ve also noticed better memory retention,” she adds. “Before the detox, I had terrible short-term memory. Now, I’m more likely to remember things without needing to take extensive notes.”
6. My Allergies & Runny Nose Won’t Stop
The toxins and chemicals in the air can irritate the lining of your nose, making you reach for a box of tissues all the time.
There’s also a connection between your gut and your sinuses. A disturbance in your gut microbiota can affect your sinuses, causing a runny nose. Eating dairy, which is not recommended, can increase mucus production and the incidence of asthma.
“I used to have congestion related to seasonal allergies and food. I used to take an allergy pill every day. I would get headaches sometimes with the congestion,” says Shannon J. of Sarasota, Florida, who saw big changes after a seven-day body cleanse.
“It definitely helped reduce congestion and morning mucus for me,” she adds. “The cleanse helped me figure out my congestion happened when I ate gluten. My symptoms went away after the cleanse, and my morning congestion was gone.”
7. I Feel Stressed All the Time
Do you get anxious while waiting in line or when driving? Do you have stomach aches or recurring headaches? These can be signs of excessive daily stress. Stress increases your risk of illness and causes various issues like headaches, digestive concerns, anger, and more.
Sometimes, stress results from not giving your body the best food for optimal health. But sometimes, environmental toxins build up, manifesting as headaches or other issues.
A detox not only eliminates harmful substances — bad food choices and toxins — that make you feel poorly, but it gives you a chance to start over. Cutting out alcohol during cleanses is also important.
Many people use fasting and cleansing as a time for spiritual reflection or to reassess their life and priorities. During any cleanse, engaging in supportive therapies like massage, acupuncture, deep breathing exercises, yoga, and meditation is highly recommended. These practices will also bring more calm into your life.
What Is the Best Cleanse?
If you’ve never cleansed before and are looking for something simple, I recommend starting with the Body Cleansing Diet. This involves removing dairy, meat, gluten-containing grains, and processed products from your diet while incorporating more fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds into your meals. You will also cut back on processed foods, opting for those in a more natural state.
If you’re ready for something more regimented, try Global Healing’s Colon Cleanse Program. This 6-day program involves following the Body Cleansing Diet — or for the more advanced, an all-fruit diet — while taking Oxy-Powder, an oxygen-based intestinal cleanser, and Latero-Flora, a single-strain probiotic that purges harmful organisms from the gut.
Points to Remember
Our world is filled with chemicals and toxins that affect your body, and the food you eat can make things worse. Have you ever wondered if a cleanse is right for you but didn’t know what it could do for you?
A cleanse might help if you often feel tired or stressed, experience occasional but frustrating constipation, bloating, or other digestive complaints, can’t seem to lose weight, or have brain fog. A cleanse can give your skin a healthy glow, making you appear younger!
By eliminating foods that commonly trigger gut reactions, like gluten, dairy, meat, and artificial preservatives, you create a healthier ecosystem in your gut in a short time. This can improve your digestion, provide more energy, and bring you better sleep.
