I’m feeling really constipated and bloated. I feel like I just need to clear everything out of there and start fresh. Do you know any good cleanses?
When you are feeling over-full, bloated, and weighed down, it is easy to be tempted by solutions that offer fast relief and bring a promise of better functionality. Sometimes a “cleanse” sounds like just the thing to get you cleared up and feeling lighter. We love the idea that we can clean our inside environment, just like we can clean our homes or our refrigerator, and get that fresh start, clean slate feeling! The idea of using a cleanse to detoxify our body is deeply satisfying in theory...
Unfortunately, cleaning out our insides is a little more nuanced than emptying out the refrigerator and giving it a wipe down. Our internal detoxification system is complex, and (like a refrigerator, perhaps) sometimes does get overloaded with food and messy. But! If we use a cleanse or stimulants to release toxins within our system without first rehabbing the exit channels, we may be making an even bigger mess of things. It would be kind of like trying to wipe down the shelves of an overfull refrigerator without being able to remove the contents. Chaos!
Toxins need to have a clear path to leave your body, which means your digestive system needs to be in good condition. Often, when we feel that weighed down feeling that may lead us towards the idea of a “cleanse” it is a sign that our system is struggling somewhere. Perhaps we simply need to add some additional water and fiber to our diets, but there could also be some internal healing of mucosal membranes or rebalancing of the microbiome that need to take place. Without first assessing these needs, and clearing an exit path, a cleanse has the potential to release toxins into an already stressed environment, doing more harm than good and putting you back in the same situation a few weeks later.
So, you’re saying I can’t just take care of this once and for all and feel better next week?
Unlike clearing out the refrigerator, it’s hard to go from feeling weighed down and bloated to your absolute best in one afternoon. But, the great news is, if you address your digestive system as a whole and making sure toxins have an easy way out, you’re looking at long-term relief and a system that knows how to naturally detoxify every single day!
How does my body do that?
Your liver, lymphatic system, lungs, blood and kidneys and skin are working hard every day to help remove waste and toxins from your body. Eventually, these toxins find their way out through feces, urine, sweat, and even your breath. The best thing you can do, to get to your cleanest, lightest feeling self, is support these organs in doing what they do best day in and day out. Instead of thinking of it as a cleanse, think of it as a tune-up; optimizing the functionality of a well-designed system
Ok, then. What do I do to get this natural detoxification system optimized?
Digestive symptoms such as constipation, bloating, diarrhea, and gas can have different causes for different people. You may end up having a nutrient deficiency, food intolerances that are slowing down your system, dehydration, too much stress, or any number of other causes. Figuring out what is going on in your particular body will help you to support your body in the most efficient way possible. But, as you learn about these causes, there are a few things that are generally beneficial for your detoxification pathways:
Move your body: Movement helps signal to your cells to clear out waste, and can be a little “kick” for the digestive system to get moving.
Regularize your circadian rhythm: Sleep is when detoxification occurs, so maximizing your sleep health is key. You’ll want to wake up with the sun, get plenty of vitamin D, stay away from bright lights at night, and try to keep regular hours for meals, bowel movements, exercise and sleep.
Drink plenty of water: Your system needs fluid to carry waste, so make sure there is plenty going in!