Despite America being one of the wealthiest nations, we rank 37th in life expectancy. Diabetes, heart disease and cancer are rampant in our country, and autoimmune disease is quickly becoming the new “normal”. These diseases are NOT a normal part of life – and are not lurking around a corner waiting to pounce on the next unsuspecting victim. Disease is a symptom, a sign from our bodies that something is out of balance and needs to be corrected. It could be a nutrient deficiency, a congested or damaged organ system or even toxicity.
The New Year is a perfect time to correct nutrient deficiencies, help improve organ function and reduce toxicity by doing a gentle, individualized cleanse program. Please don’t wait for disease to start showing before taking care of yourself – an annual (or even a seasonal) cleanse is one of the best ways you can keep yourself in good working condition!
A cleanse is NOT a crash diet, and it is NOT a time to starve yourself or limit your diet in any extreme way. An effective cleanse is one that is individualized to the patient and designed to improve the body’s natural detoxifying mechanisms, improve digestion and absorption of nutrients, and help you to feel GOOD! It is a great way to start the New Year, to get a kick start to weight loss if needed, and to help leave the over indulgence of the Holiday season behind.
At NWIM, we often recommend the Standard Process 21 Day Purification Program. We like it because it’s a HEALTHY, veggie rich diet for 3 full weeks. For some patients there is some mild, short term protein restriction which helps kick in the liver’s detoxification methods, and individualized supplements are added depending on the patient’s needs such as essential fats, liver and kidney supportive nutrients, sometimes probiotics, a multi vitamin/multi mineral or even blood sugar reducing herbs or fat processing nutrients to increase weight loss. Patients are NEVER hungry on this cleanse, as good caloric intake is necessary to maintain normal functions of the body.
For many patients, weight loss is a goal, and we often see anywhere from 5-15 lbs of weight loss over the three weeks. For others, symptom reduction and detoxification are the main goals. If you’re hoping to start a family in the next year, a cleanse program is a wonderful way to set yourself up for a healthy pregnancy and baby! In a study by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), researchers at two major laboratories found an average of 200 industrial chemicals and pollutants in umbilical cord blood from 10 babies born in August and September of 2004 in U.S. hospitals. Tests revealed a total of 287 chemicals in the group. The umbilical cord blood of these 10 children harbored pesticides, consumer product ingredients, and wastes from burning coal, gasoline, and garbage. The time to detoxify and get healthy is BEFORE you decide to conceive!
Combining a cleanse program with therapies such as Constitutional Hydrotherapy and Infrared Sauna help improve detoxification and boost fat burning. Meet with your doctor to get personal guidance and recommendations. We’re here to help, and look forward to guiding you on your journey back to health, or to stay healthy!