Cleansing diets

Your body is like a house. It needs regular cleansing and, occasionally, a thorough "spring cleansing" to operate at peak performance. If you want to achieve optimal health and energy, a detoxification plan should be part of your lifestyle. Over time, the body builds up toxins from pesticides and other chemicals, pollution, over indulgences, and body waste. Organs like your liver, kidneys and colon, need continual support. For example, the liver stores some poisons that cannot be broken down and excreted.
Signs of toxicity buildup include headache, fatigue, depression, belching, flatulence, irritability, insomnia, nausea, abdominal discomfort, tender abdomen, loss of memory or concentration, lack of sexual desire, skin blemishes, sallow complexion, bath breath, coated tongue, body odor, lower back pain, menstrual problems, and aches and pains.
Healthy diets in conjunction with enemas, dry body brushing and juice fasts, can help you to cleanse your body effectively and in a safe way.

The juice fast
Juice fasting is a safe and easy way to detoxify the body. Fasting is not harmful and it has been used since ancient times.
Water fasts are not recommended because they are too hard on the body. Such fasts release too many stored toxins without supplying the nutrients needed to detoxify them. These nutrients, especially the antioxidants (beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, and mineral selenium) supplied in abundance in the juices, remove harmful toxins from the body.
Children under 17 should not follow a strict juice fast, instead use fruit and vegetables juices as a supplement to a child or adolescent diet.
Diabetics should seek doctor's approval before trying a juice fast.
Hypoglycemics may benefit from using protein powder as a supplement during the fast.
Whenever you are sick, your body is sending you a signal that it needs a rest, from both strenuous work and from foods that are hard to digest. Juices offer great quantities of nutrients that support your immune system and a juice fast can be a very powerful healing tool. But don't wait until you are sick to try fasting!
You can fast from 1 to 5 days any time you like. Some people do a 2 or 3 days cleansing fast every month. For fasting longer than 5 days you need supervision by someone qualified.
Drinks that are especially cleansing on juice fast include beets (no more than 85 gr should be consumed on the first day, but this amount can be increased gradually up yo 190 gr), cabbage, wheatgrass, sprouts, lemon, carrot, celery and apple. In addition you can add herbal teas such as dandelion root and nettle, to help cleanse the liver and kidneys. (1/2 teaspoon of each herb in 0,5 l of water, strain and drink warm. Add lemon for flavour.)
Vegetable broths can be drunk as well. Gently simmer fresh vegetables with onions and garlic, strain out the vegetables, and add a dash of seasoning to make a nutritious broth you can drink as desired. Also, if you feel you need to munch on something, don't hesitate to modify the fast by adding fresh raw vegetables.
You diet the day before the fast should consist of raw fruits and vegetables with vegetable broths, homemade soups or steamed vegetables. No animal products should be consumed until the second day after the fast, when fish as well as whole grains may be added.

Enemas
Enemas are very helpful during all cleansing diets. Often, the bowel, kidneys, lungs and skin, are not able to eliminate toxic products fast enough during diets and skin eruptions or other symptoms can result. Enemas will assist the body in the elimination process and help minimize such symptoms. Its therapeutic benefits have been known for centuries.
An enema is a technique used to stimulate stool evacuation and most commonly used to help relieve severe constipation. Enemas are available for purchase at pharmacies for home use, but you should ask a doctor or nurse for specific instructions to avoid injury.

Dry body brushing
Dry brushing your body with a natural-bristle bath brush or loofah mitt each day before bathing can be very beneficial during the cleansing process. The skin is an important organ of elimination, and dry brushing can greatly help during the cleansing process. Brush in circular motions, always moving towards the heart. Avoid brushing on affected areas by eczema, skin eruptions or any other skin condition, as well as the face.

Juice fast recipes click here.
Juicing tips click here.