Guest Post: Healthy Steps for a Gentle Cleanse,Part 1

January is the time of year when we want to start fresh.  This may include giving our menu a makeover to help clean up our insides.  I have enlisted my good friend and Holistic Nutritionist, Arja Pennanen Lytle from Balance Body and Soul Nutrition to offer her tips on how to embark on a cleanse that is healthy for your mind and body.

Hi there!  My name is Arja Pennanen Lytle and I’m a Holistic Nutritionist based in Toronto, Ontario.  I’m excited that Tracy asked me to be a guest on her blog today!  I can usually be found sharing information about health and wellness, along with some yummy recipes, over at Balance Body and Soul Nutrition.

Now that we are a few weeks into the New Year, you’ve probably seen a lot of information about detoxing.  Your friends on Facebook are doing it, magazine articles are telling you to do it, and your Twitter feed is filled with links to articles and blog posts about people who are doing it.  

Before you run out to your nearest health food store and grab the first box you see that promises to improve your liver and digestive system, let’s talk about why you might think you need a detox or cleanse.  Your body might be trying to tell you that it needs some support and a break.  Have you been experiencing any of the following symptoms lately?

• Indigestion, gas or bloating
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Headaches
• Acne
• Water retention
• Fatigue

Source

Many of these symptoms can indicate the need to support your body better nutritionally.  The skin, liver, intestinal tract and kidneys are the major detoxification systems of the body and if any one of those systems is not functioning properly you will start to feel the negative effects. 

Your liver is a key player in most of the metabolic processes in the body, but one of its most important roles is that of detoxification.  It filters the blood, forms bile and removes toxins from the body. Given how many job it has and how important they are it makes sense to give it a little rest now and again, right?

Another major detoxification system is the intestines.  Toxins from bowel bacteria and fat-soluble toxins excreted in bile, from the liver, are handled by the intestines.  When embarking upon any sort of detoxification program it is vitally important to make sure that you are having regular (minimum once daily) bowel movements otherwise the toxins are not leaving your body.

There are so many different programs and recommendations out there, it can be very confusing on where to start.  The easiest and most cost effective thing that you can do is give your system a break by eliminating certain foods for a period of time while at the same time supporting your liver and digestive system.

So, how can you do that safely and effectively?  Stay tuned tomorrow for Part 2 and find out!

Stay Healthy,
Tracy