The modern world is unpredictable, and it’s full of toxins and stressors that are detrimental to us in countless ways. Whether it’s due to living life on the road, working a stressful job, or something else, we have all experienced those harsh dynamics a time or two. It can truly throw you out of balance if you let it, but you have the ability to stop and reset that cycle before it becomes something much worse.
If you have not experienced the benefits of cleansing for yourself, there is no time like the present. I started out as a skeptic myself, having read and heard so many conflicting pieces of information on the subject. Not every cleanse is created equal! A good cleanse is a chance to detox and reset all of your internal systems, bringing you to a renewed sense of physical well-being, emotional stability, and increased energy levels. The power of total-body cleansing is truly remarkable!
In my experience, this list could go on for much longer, but I wanted to start by focusing on just 4 wonderful and unexpected benefits of cleansing:
Cleansing provides an emotional release. You’ve certainly heard of the stress hormone, cortisol (among others), and its effect on your weight and overall well-being. When you go through a cleanse, your body will release this and other body chemicals that have originated with stress, and as it does, you will also start to shed layers of pent-up emotional tension. It is a truly cathartic experience. As the cleansing process progresses, you will reach those deep-rooted stagnant elements and finally flush them out of your system.
As all of this rises to the surface, you have the rare opportunity to deal with all of those underlying feelings of confliction that contribute to the imbalance of chemicals in your body. This is an extraordinary opportunity, because as you can see, when emotions go ignored, they will eventually manifest into physical ailments.
For me, the practice of yoga is one part of a larger proactive approach to the prevention of these emotions and physical manifestations. Yoga is centering and relaxing; it opens your body and mind to a wonderful release, and afterward, a feeling of accomplishment. Yoga is an excellent and active attack plan against the buildup of toxins in your system.
It gives your adrenal glands fuel for coping with everyday life. When you cleanse, you eliminate all of those toxic elements that contribute to adrenal fatigue, like sugar, caffeine, refined foods and alcohol. This break helps your adrenal glands reboot with a much-needed break.
Give your body and adrenals a rest with an infusion of nutrients from green smoothies, organic juices, raw fruit and vegetables, and pure aloe vera gel. Pair these nutritional practices with yoga, meditation, deep breathing, twisting, and raising your heart rate, and your body and mind will be able to better cope with all of the stresses and toxins that we face in everyday situations.
It can open your mind to new realizations and clearer thinking. This is due to a few factors – one is due to the fact that when you take away all the room for guessing in your day (“what am I eating for dinner?” “do I ‘deserve’ that cupcake?”) you leave room for the important thoughts! Additionally, ridding your body of toxins while putting healing nutrients and properties back into it lessens the burden on your body. This allows you to make room for other things, both physically and mentally. Cleansing is a wonderfully purifying process. It makes way for better and clearer focus. I have found that more ideas start to flow, and I am better able to see problems or situations from a much better perspective.
It attunes your body to your surroundings. There is a lot of truth in the saying, ‘you are what you eat.’ When you cleanse, you give your body a chance to recoup all of those healthy, organic, nutrition-packed foods that it has been desperately missing out on. When our bodies are given more high-energy, fresh foods, we are able to retain more nutrients. Cleansing allows you to feel better about what you have put into your system as well as feel more connected to nature and your surroundings.
As creatures of very high-level thinking, it’s normal for humans to become distracted. However, you mustn’t lose sight of your personal health and well-being! It’s easy for our habits to slip and for our bodies to become stagnate, so we have to make the conscious decision to reset and reboot regularly to prevent that negative process from occurring. Cleaning kicks things back into action, purifying your body and restoring your natural vitality. Take the time for this ultimate expression of self love. Your body and mind will thank you. XO