McKinley Grapevine

Good Morning Everyone! 

Types of Cleanses

A good cleanse will:

1. Reduce the load of toxins going into your body and help speed up the process of getting the toxins out of your body by adding in cleansing foods.

2. Remove the most inflammatory foods and help you identify which ones are the triggers for your body. These are the ones most commonly implicated in food intolerances and allergies.

3. Help heal your gut. Gut flora imbalance and a leaky gut are some of the greatest sources of inflammation in the body.

4. Give you tools that you can use in your everyday life post cleanse.

Good Morning Everyone!

What to expect when you do a cleanse

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Types of people who should take precaution before starting a cleanse

People who undergo a body cleanse do so with the primary intention of ridding their body of toxins and free radicals. While this process is recommended to those who wish to lose weight and recapture their body’s status quo, there are a number of things that people need to know about detox and body cleansing, not least of which is its potential adverse effects.

However, remember some of the important benefits of cleansing:

• Boosts our energy
• Rids the body of any excess waste
• Helps with weight loss and learning how to establish long-term healthy eating habits
• Strengthens our immune systems
• Clearer thinking

It is necessary to know of the drawbacks and potential dangers of detoxing, especially for novices who are not quite familiar with the process and are not aware of what they should expect.

Listed below are some of the most common side effects of cleansing, as well as the corresponding explanation for why they occur and what can be done to prevent or address such conditions as they arise.

Headaches

While there is no clear cause for this particular side effect, there seems to be a direct correlation between detoxing and the occurrence of headaches. This usually happens within the first few days of the diet, especially for first timers. The headaches can manifest as a migraine attack, cluster headache, or tension headache, and can last anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of hours.

*It is highly discouraged to take anything for the headache since it can disrupt the cleansing process and may even cause further discomfort.

Bowel Disturbances and Frequent Urination

This is perhaps the most common side effect of cleansing and detox, since the process directly affects the digestive tract. During the detoxification process, the body sets to get rid of toxins and everything else that is potentially a health hazard. This purging effect triggers frequent (and sometimes uncomfortable) bowel movements, especially during the first 2-3 days.

Most people who undergo cleansing programs experience loosening of the bowels due to the high concentration of acid in the detox formula (this is particularly true in the case of the Lemon Detox Diet). 

Frequent urination can also be expected since toxins are also expelled via liquid waste. 

Persistent Flatulence

Passing gas is a very common side effect of detoxing since the body attempts to get rid of all toxic substances in any and all forms. This can be embarrassing, but also know that this is completely normal.

Fatigue, Weakness, and Lethargy

These three symptoms usually occur simultaneously, particularly during intensive cleansing (anything longer than 10 days). The body is naturally programmed to crave nourishment from solid food, thus the feeling of weakness and fatigue even in the absence of physical exertion. In addition, the muscles also suffer from lethargy due to the absence of protein in one’s diet. This usually only lasts for the first 2-4 days.  It subsides but O activity is also highly recommended or required when going through cleanses.

Bad Breath and Coated Tongue

A healthy tongue should be pink. The concentration of acid in the digestive tract can contribute to the onset of bad breath during cleansing. In addition, this can also leave a persistent bad taste on the tongue, which can be quite unpleasant and embarrassing. You may also end up with coated tongue which is either creamy-looking, brown, orange layer or white coating on your tongue. This also leads to a buildup of bacteria and if left will also cause very bad breath.

Intense Hunger Pangs and Cravings

Hunger is by far the most difficult side effect to handle because it can cause other symptoms as well. Hunger pangs and intense cravings can be expected within the first day or two of cleansing as the body struggles to adjust to the absence of solid food, or reduced food consumption. 

For suggested remedies on how to ease these side effects go to: http://www.detoxandbodycleanse.com/detox-diets/cleanse-side-effects/

Also, here are 4 simple ways of dealing with detox side effects:

1.      Stay hydrated

2.      Shift into the Detox, Altering Your Diet Before Beginning

3.      Get Plenty of Rest

4.      Consume Veggies and Certain Fruits

Read the full article – http://naturalsociety.com/4-tips-minimizing-detox-side-effects-healing-crisis/

The process of cleansing and detoxification definitely has its benefits, but it also has a number of drawbacks. However, these side effects are largely manageable as long as people are aware of how to deal with each symptom. In all, the health benefits and increased energy that can be derived from detoxing are still very much worth the effort and slight discomfort.

TYPES OF PEOPLE WHO SHOULD TAKE PRECAUTION WHEN CONSIDERING A CLEANSE:

1. Pregnant and lactating women
2. Those receiving chemotherapy
3. Those with Type I Diabetes
4. Those who have just undergone surgery
5. Those who are participating in strenuous, athletic endurance events like triathlons, Iron Man events, ultra marathons etc.  *It is not recommended while training.  It is recommended in the off season.
6. Babies, young children and the elderly
7. Those with adrenal fatigue
8. Those with severe, underlying illness

For more information visit: http://www.toscareno.com/2015/09/11/ten-types-of-people-who-should-not-do-a-cleanse-are-you-one-of-them/

Good Morning Everyone!

The Body’s Detox System and What a Cleanse Does

The Body’s Detox System

Oftentimes people forget that the body has its own extraordinary internal detoxification system.

Here’s a brief look at three critical organs involved:

• The Liver: Your first line of defense against toxins is your liver, which acts like a filter in preventing toxic substances contained in foods from passing into your bloodstream.

• The Colon: Your colon has bacteria that produce both healthy and unhealthy chemicals. You want to keep your colon flowing regularly since its main role is to flush out toxic chemicals before they can do you any harm.   
• The Kidneys: Like clockwork, the kidneys are constantly filtering your blood and getting rid of toxins in the form of urine.

For a detox diet to truly work, you need to maintain these three key organs by nourishing your body with the right nutrients.

Detoxification or cleansing can be misunderstood. Cleansing allows the body to eliminate used wastes and toxins and helps improve our health as it removes harmful substances we inhale, ingest and are exposed to every day.

Most people think of a cleansing program or detox as a way to purge their system of the poor food they have eaten and think of this as a way to lose weight.  It’s true, you will be able to rid your body of  the delicious junk you may have consumed and weight loss IS one of the results of a detox/cleanse. However, it’s important for you to understand the weight loss experienced is a direct result of a drastically reduced daily caloric intake (and what your body purges).  It is possible to keep some of the weight off but this is not a safe long term solution for major weight loss.  That being said, a cleanse/detox could be used as a way to jump start a weight loss journey. 

A detox/cleanse should be used as a tool to help re-establish balance in the digestive system so you can regain and/or speed up your body’s ability to heal itself naturally and strengthen immunity so the burden on the body is reduced. 

The next email will explain what to expect when you do a cleanse :).

For more information visit: http://nourishholisticnutrition.com/what-happens-when-you-detox/

Good Morning Everyone!!

Here is Part 2 of The Healthy Gut Series!

Are you harming or healing your gut???

*Gut bacteria thrive on what you feed them!!! 

Give them whole, fresh, real foods and good gut bacteria thrive. Feed them junk, and bad bugs flourish, resulting in leaky gut, toxic overload, and inflammation. Fat-regulating hormones like insulin become out of whack, leaving you craving more junk food.

The good news is that your microbiome changes with every bite of food, so you can positively alter gut flora beginning with your very next meal!

Even in a perfect world, our gut has a hard time keeping things balanced. But in our world there are many things that knock our digestive system off balance which can cause our immune systems to break down. Those include:

1. A junk diet. Sugar and artificial sweeteners promote the growth of bad bacteria in the gut and restrict the growth of beneficial bacteria which disrupts gut flora balance, causes gut inflammation and oftentimes results in weight gain. 
2. Medication overuse. Anti-inflammatories, antibiotics, acid blocking drugs and steroids damage the gut or block normal digestive function.  The key word is over use.  I understand there are times when anti-inflammatories are necessary as well as antibiotics. 
3. Infections and gut imbalances. These include small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), yeast overgrowth and parasites.
4. Toxic overload. Including mercury and mold toxins.
5. Inadequate digestive enzymes. Stress, acid-blocking medications and zinc deficiencies can all contribute to lack of adequate digestive enzyme function.
6. Stress. Chronic stress alters your gut nervous system, creating a leaky gut and changing the normal bacteria in the gut.