Summer Cleanse

Q: I am interested in trying a cleanse before summer- any suggestions?

A: First of all I would like to emphasize that a cleanse is not fasting. There are certain things you need to keep in mind while doing a cleanse.

1. Are your bowels moving? If you are not having at least one bowel movement per day- you will not be getting rid of the toxins in your body.

2. Don’t starve yourself. Your body needs nutrients in order to detoxify and an important nutrient that is sometimes overlooked is PROTEIN. Your liver uses protein in order to break down toxins so make sure that you have a good protein source through out your cleanse.

3. Keep your liver happy. The liver is the major organ of detoxification. Some liver friendly foods are lemons and beets and artichokes. Herbs that support the liver include Burdock root, milk thistle, and dandelion.

4. You need to drink plenty of water to help clean out your system.

5.Make sure you get plenty of rest and LIGHT exercise.

Naturopathic Physicians can individualize a cleansing program that is right for you. It is important to do a cleanse that is safe, simple and fits into your life style. Please get some advice before starting a cleanse.

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