With the poor diets and high-stress lifestyles so common today, some people consider regular internal cleansing essential to maintaining good health. Just as our vehicles need regular maintenance, so do our bodies. This basic colon cleanse can be customized to meet individual needs.
The Cleanse
Step 1
Prepare for the cleanse by eating a light dinner of brown rice and steamed vegetables. Before going to bed, take 2 tablespoons of psyllium husk powder in 8 ounces of water, followed by 1 or 2 capsules of cascara sagrada. This will stimulate the colon, and should produce results in 8 to 10 hours. Cascara sagrada is an herbal laxative that is considered generally safe. According to Clayton College of Natural Health, it is also a "chelating agent," which means it binds to toxins in the digestive system.
Step 2
Drink a large glass of warm water with the juice of half a lemon every morning when you wake up. This will help to stimulate digestion and encourage elimination. You may follow this with a glass of psyllium husk powder. Psyllium is a common herb used in colon cleansing programs. It swells in the stomach, providing bulk in the intestines. This may also help ease hunger during the first few days of a cleanse.
Step 3
Begin a fast for the next five to seven days, consuming no solid foods, soda, coffee or milk. Drink only fresh fruit juices, vegetable juices or vegetable broth. Cranberry, pomegranate, blueberry, grapefruit and apple juice are all nourishing and cleansing. Drink plenty of purified water throughout the day. Have a glass of psyllium husk powder and water two or three times during the day to help provide bulk and cleanse the colon. The only other liquid that may be consumed during the fasting period is herbal tea.
Step 4
Take one or two capsules of cascara sagrada as needed, before going to bed each night. Do not take any other laxatives or harsh purgatives as they can irritate the lining of the intestines. Use the cascara sagrada for no more than 10 consecutive days. Long-term use of laxatives can create dependency and cause chronic constipation.
Step 5
Continue to fast for a minimum of five days, (and up to two weeks if you can tolerate it). While you may be concerned that you could "starve to death" during a fast, this is not the case. Although calories are severely restricted, the fruit and vegetable juice provide enough calories to sustain life for a short period. Fasting guru and author Paul Bragg explains that after three or four days, feelings of hunger subside and you may even feel a burst of energy.
Step 6
Ease back into a "normal" diet. For the first day, begin with fresh fruit and a little oatmeal for breakfast. Try a garden salad with vinaigrette dressing for lunch. An ideal dinner would be brown rice with steamed vegetables. Avoid meat, dairy and sugar on the first day.
Step 7
Cleanse regularly. The above cleanse is a great way to lose weight and combat fatigue. According to Dr. Elson Haas, author of The Detox Diet, one can follow a cleanse as often as once a season for optimal health.
Tips and Warnings
- While bottled juices are acceptable, freshly juiced fruits and vegetables are more nutritious and have less sugar. Also, try walking, yoga, or some other form of moderate exercise each day. Exercise helps to move the lymph and encourage cleansing of the lymphatic system.
- Individuals who are underweight, have been diagnosed with an eating disorder, have low blood pressure, diabetes, or any other illness which requires regular medication should not follow a total fast. The above cleanse can be done by consuming raw fruits and vegetables along with the fruit juices. Soy milk, almond milk and rice milk also provide extra calories. Always check with a physician or healthcare provider before beginning this or any other cleanse.
Things You'll Need
- 1 bottle of cascara sagrada capsules
- 1 container psyllium husk powder or fiber drink mix
- 3 or 4 two-liter bottles of juice (cranberry, grapefruit, apple or juice of choice)
- Or:
- 5 to 7 pounds of fresh apples, grapefruit or fruit of choice for juicing
- 1 bag brown rice
- 2 -3 lbs. fresh vegetables for steaming (broccoli, carrots, zucchini, etc.)
- 1 bag fresh lemons
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