A cleanse can do wonders for our health, mind and spirit. So many people are either afraid or confused about what exactly a cleanse is. But a cleanse, detox, refresh or whatever you choose to call it, is a holistic approach that can invigorate and improve just about every system in your body. Whether you want to heal your gut, strengthen your immune system, improve the quality of your skin, or lose some weight, a cleanse is a gateway to help you get there. The benefits of a cleanse are numerous.

I have done a Cleanse twice a year for the last 8 years with my clients and I believe that cleansing may be one of the most important health tools we have for the modern world. Today, we are exposed to more chemicals than ever before. The more the toxicity of modern life increases, the more the demands to detoxify have increased. This buildup in our bodies can cause excess weight, skin issues, digestive problems, fatigue, brain fog, constipation and more. So by reducing and/or eliminating certain foods and lifestyle choices that are either addictive, allergenic or acidic, we give the body a much needed rest from the onslaught of our modern world.

Here are 10 powerful benefits of a cleanse:

1) Improved Digestion

Chemicals in the personal care products we use, processed foods we eat, and just the air we breathe, which could contain exhaust, pollution etc. can make digestion difficult. A gentle cleanse addresses this issue head-on by removing irritating foods and products, reducing leaky gut symptoms and supporting easier and better digestion.

2) Increased Energy 

If there’s one thing a cleanse can boast, it’s increasing our overall energy. Following a cleanse shifts us away from hard-to-digest foods and irritants that cause our energy to plummet. And digestion uses a lot of our energy. The average transit time through the large intestine (colon) is 40 hours.  A cleanse can free up additional energy by reducing the workload of the digestive system when we remove potential irritants like dairy, gluten, and sugar.

3) Balanced Moods

Many of us depend on stimulants like coffee and sugar to wake up and depressants like alcohol to relax. A cleanse reclaims your body’s natural equilibrium by improving blood sugar, resting the adrenals, and providing the body with nourishing food. With a newly balanced mood and a brighter outlook on life, you may also experience additional unexpected psychological benefits from doing a cleanse.

4) Weight Loss

An increasing amount of chemicals we are exposed to are lipophilic, which means they dissolve only in fat. When they enter our bloodstream, our body retains and even generates fat and mucous to surround the potentially damaging molecules. Over time, fat and mucous may cause us to gain weight or make it challenging to lose. A cleanse can help us start to shed unwanted pounds by aiding our detox pathways.

5) Reduced Cravings

If you’re looking to reduce cravings, a cleanse is a great way to go. Many processed foods are loaded with excitotoxins (that overexcite our cells) and excess sugar that spikes our blood sugar. A cleanse focuses on adding in whole foods and removing all the junk. After a short period of time, you’ll start to notice your cravings are replaced by an appetite for great tasting clean foods.

6) Better Sleep

A cleanse removes system disruptions and hard-to-digest foods that often cause us to sleep poorly. In addition, by removing stimulants like caffeine and depressants like wine, the adrenal and nervous systems have a chance to rest and find balance. Sleep quickly improves and deepens, increasing the detoxification process along with mental clarity and alertness.

7) Visible Changes: Skin, Eyes

It’s amazing to see our eyes brighten and puffiness lessen. These signs are just the outer changes of a deeper cleansing process that is happening all throughout the inside of our body as well, from the digestive system to the immune system.

8) Reduced Bloating and Constipation

Constipation and bloating after meals are so common today, we might forget that it’s possible to live without either of them. A cleanse is one of the best ways to get our digestive system and our bowels back on track. After a few weeks on a cleanse program of easily-digestible foods and supportive supplements, like digestive enzymes and probiotics, bloating and constipation are greatly reduced if not eliminated.

9) Release Emotional Blocks

Very often, our emotional life is one of the first areas to get triggered when we do a cleanse. Not only can we experience emotions around removing certain foods, but it’s not uncommon that deeper emotions rise to the surface. Without the typical numbing practices of eating processed foods, drinking, or smoking to fall back on, many of us may experience feelings we haven’t felt in a while. The clarity produced by a cleanse can help us release these feelings and grow.

10) Build Long-term Health

A well-organized cleanse should create daily habits that we will want to continue after we finish. Over time, these habits are our foundation for vibrant living and prevention from disease. Armed with these habits, we have the means to create a powerful long-term health plan fit for our lifestyle.

Don’t be fearful of cleansing. Embrace it as a way to refresh your body just like you refresh your computer every so often. Your body will be very happy!

Please join me for the next Refresh – all the details are here!