Cleansing can be a tricky undertaking. I see a lot of people attempting to do them on their own or they fall victim to marketing claims to seemingly good quality cleanses. The truth of the matter is that you can actually do more harm than good when cleansing.
However, there is a way to safely cleanse and I’ll show you how below!
1. One reason why some cleanses can do more harm is because many of them are nutritionally deficient in either fat, carbs, protein, and/or fiber. They can also be deficient in vitamins, minerals, and overall calories.
Many cleanses are completely void of good sources of fat and protein. Some people simply eat broth or green juice during a cleanse. These are nutritionally deficient and can cause the body to start breaking down muscle, thus putting you in a catabolic state. This will only set your body up for failure once you go back to eating regular foods.
2. Many juice fasts or cleanses, especially ones that are liquids-only, are so calorically deficient, often times dangerously at around 700 calories per day, that the body can hurdle into starvation mode. This means that your body will actually slow down your metabolism (which decreases your basal metabolic rate)! This is not what you want for your body, especially if you are trying to lose weight/fat. Not to mention, this will also throw your electrolytes into a downward spiral. All of this will make you feel tired, cranky, low on energy, and high on brain fog.
3. Not to mention, liquid-only diets are completely void of fiber, thus doing you no favors in the “elimination” department. This means that you may be left feeling bloated and hungry.
4. Furthermore, some commercial “cleanses” are actually filled with harmful ingredients, fillers, chemicals, pesticides, and sugar. For instance, some “cleanses” have bovine biproducts like whey or casein. These have been shown to have the potential to increase insulin resistance, trigger hormone problems, cause damage to the gut, kidneys, liver and even cause cancer! These are the very things we are trying to avoid by doing a cleanse!
The only cleanse that I recommend to not only my clients, but my friends and family as well, has the components you need to safely cleanse with effective results.
So here’s a quick breakdown of some benefits of my cleansing protocol:
1. Protein – You want to save your muscles when doing any kind of weight loss or cleansing protocol. You also want your body to build muscle because it increases your basal metabolic rate (metabolism). This means that your body will be a fat burning machine! You want your body to be in an anabolic state meaning your building lean body mass (not tearing it down – catabolic).
My amino acids are a specially patented formula that consists of predigested (broken down) proteins that are 98% absorbed into the system within 20 minutes, thereby bypassing the kidneys and making it the safest and most effective way to keep muscles strong and the fat burning metabolism high.
2. Antioxidants, Phytonutrients, & Other Vitamins & Minerals – You will get three (3) green drinks per day and each green drink provides five (5) servings of organic greens, that’s a total of 15 servings of greens per day! This is a powerhouse of antioxidants, phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals! This floods your cells with superior and alkalizing nutrition to detox safely and effectively. My protocol also includes tart cherry juice which is the most powerful antioxidant on the planet. This is taken in the evening to ensure high cellular regeneration during the night and it also provides natural melatonin for a restful and restoring night’s sleep.
3. Fiber – My protocol includes a highly quality source of fiber that tastes good too! The flax and chia seeds also offer a source of Omega-3 fatty acids.
4. Electrolytes – It’s important to make sure your body has the right balance of electrolytes to keep your cells properly hydrated. This will help to ensure flushing toxins while maintaining a high level of energy.
5. Good fats – Omega-3s are vital for every system in your body, including your brain, heart, bone, metabolism, liver, skin, and eye health. The spirulina in the green shakes are chock full of incredibly healthy Omega-3s that also fight against inflammation and autoimmune conditions. You also get to eat solid foods which you can include avocado and coconut oil to lightly sauté veggies with. Having good sources of healthy fats in important for hormone regulation as well as fat soluble vitamin absorption.
6. No Nasties! – My protocol has zero fillers, chemicals, pesticides, sugar, or artificial sugar. It is Vegan, Gluten Free, Raw, Organic, Non-GMO, and Adaptogenic!
==> CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL PROTOCOL AND INGREDIENTS OF MY 10-DAY CLEANSE PROTOCOL and receive a $50 gift card!
By Kimberly Garrett, CHC, CPT, FNS, BS
Certified Health Coach, Founder of Evolve Into Wellness, LLC
References:
ACE Fitness – How Eating Too Little Will Eat Up Your Fat Loss Goals https://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/lifestyle/blog/5639/how-eating-too-little-will-eat-up-your-fat-loss-goals
Nutrition Studies – Provocations Casein Carcinogen https://nutritionstudies.org/provocations-casein-carcinogen-really/
Healthline - 17 Science-Based Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids