Spring Cleansing

Happy spring! We have past the equinox and the days are getting longer. The change in season invites us to let go of the old and welcome the new into our lives. In the nutritional realm, we often hear about spring cleansing and detoxification protocols. In fact, there is a whole industry of pills, powders, shakes and diets with the promise of cleaning the toxins out of your body and loosing weight. When ever someone comes to me for a cleanse, the first question I ask is what does cleansing mean? I find there is a lot of confusion.

Detoxification is the natural process the body undergoes to rid itself of toxins. Our body produces toxic substances every day as a result of normal metabolic and cell processes. And then the body naturally clears these substances via the skin, kidneys, colon, liver and lungs. These are the five systems of natural detoxification and they are working for you right now.

The toxic load that our body faces is higher than at any time in history because we are also exposed to toxins from our environment and food like never before. The standard American diet, high in sugar, caffeine, alcohol, low quality animal proteins and pesticide-treated food, puts additional pressure on the organs of detoxification. Further, toxins can enter the body by breathing polluted air, drinking polluted water, using chemical-based cleaning products and modern convenience tasks such as heating food in plastic containers.

Many of these environmental chemicals are fat-soluble molecules. It is the liver’s job to turn the fat-soluble molecules into water-soluble molecules that can be filtered by the kidneys and excreted in the urine. This is accomplished in two phases.

Here is a list of nutrients and compounds that we know the liver requires for both Phase I and Phase II detoxification: Riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, glutathione, amino acids, flavanoids, phospholipids, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, copper, zinc, manganese and coenzyme Q10. These nutrients are found in whole grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, dairy and meat.

As you can see, good nutrition is important for detoxification. This is why fasting may not achieve desired cleansing results. In fact, popular programs such as the Master Cleanse (where you drink lemon water with maple syrup and cayenne pepper) only induce Phase I detoxification. Phase I, without Phase II, can actually create more of a toxic burden for your system by producing intermediate substances that the body can’t get rid of. Further, depriving the body of nutrition actually slows metabolism, making it difficult to both clear toxins and lose weight.

My approach to detoxification is to use whole-food nutrition to support the five organs of detoxification in the body, while simultaneously reducing the chemical burden that we are exposed to. I also like to take a wider, more holistic view and look at other areas of life that could benefit from detoxification. Are there toxic friendships or relationships that it is time to let go of? Is there emotional energy that needs to be processed? Are new ways to nourish yourself and reduce stress in your life?

Spring-cleaning is a common ritual and I see yard sales popping up every weekend. As we clear the clutter from our homes, why not take this perfect time to clear the clutter from our diets as well, if only as a short-term experiment. You might be surprised about what you discover.

I am now taking new clients in the Boulder area if you are interested in a personalized spring cleanse, identifying food allergies, improving your relationship with food or any other nutritional topic.