1. Why I decided to detox:
I believe in Spring Cleaning, Not only in my home, but in my life. Throwing away the old, and making room for the new - whatever that may be. I also believe that as we 'Spring Forward' we become more motivated about our health & are ready to look our best by the summer! In Vancouver, this winter seemed very long, rainy & cold. It made it difficult to keep active outdoors, and going to the gym just got boring. Finally by the middle of April, the weather changed, the cherry blossoms bloomed & the sun was up earlier and around later. It was the perfect opportunity to get back on purpose with my health routine! Plus who doesn't love a new burst of energy?
2. HOW I did it.
I decided to do the Standard Process Purification program, just for the ease of convenience. I have done this program before (about 3+ yrs ago) and loved it! The SP purification program makes detoxing very easy. For the first 10 days, you can have 2-3 shakes/day, 1 cup of rice or lentils, and unlimited fruits & veggies (along with the SP cleanse supplements. Starting on Day 11, you can add lean meats (fish/chicken) & move onto the SP Green Food. I decided to stay "raw" as much as possible, and try and go grain, dairy & meat-free!3. WHAT are the benefits?
I believe the overall goal of detoxing is the removal of toxins from your body. These can include anything from environmental pollutants, heavy metals to pesticides & artificial sweeteners. Often these toxins are stored in the body & even the brain (usually for many yeas). When you eliminate these toxins, you eliminate inflammation in your body which helps to prevent chronic disease!
Another major benefit of detoxing is an increase overall energy! This inadvertently will improve your quality of life. Our bodies don't function well when they are loaded with toxins. We usually begin to have symptoms such as joint pain, headaches, digestive disorders, sleep problems, depression/anxiety or lack of energy. You will notice that a lot of these symptoms disappear very soon with detoxification. You will have greater mental & emotional clarity AND may even notice some true weight loss!
A majority (~80%) of your immunity is found in the gut, so cleaning out your gastrointestinal tract, helps to enhance you immune system function. Not only does having a healthy immune system mean you get sick less often, but it also means that your body can combat stress & illness easier!
Lastly, with a detox we are able to restore balance to our body's systems. Our digestive, nervous & hormonal systems were designed to work together to achieve optimal health. When we overload them with toxins & unhealthy foods, these systems don't work as they should & we become a symptom list! Detoxing brings balance back and helps our body systems function properly again!NOTE: On top of doing this program, I made sure to get adjusted by my Chiropractor twice a week, and Exercise 4-5x a week (60+min), which naturally also help with keeping your body systems functioning optimally & able to tackle the stresses 2013 has for you!
Dr. Amber Eckel, DC is a Chiropractor at Aurora Integrative Medical in Burnaby, BC. For more information check our her personal website @ www.auroraintegrative.com
