Detoxification: Its Role in Weight Loss

As the spring equinox approaches, this is a good time to think about cleansing the body systems. In folk medicine, taking ‘spring tonics’ is something that is also done in conjunction with a cleansing cycle. Over the winter months, when fresh food is not as available, the tendency is to eat heavier foods. You may eat bean soups, stews, and dishes prepared with dried, canned, or frozen components. Over the holidays, the tendency is to eat a lot of sweets and other rich foods. Often, our activity level is slower during the ‘less light’ time of year as well. This combination of factors can result in sluggish performance in the body systems, including the digestive tract.

Therefore, a good cleanse can facilitate a renewal of energy and increased functioning of the body systems. The digestive tract is a good place to start. There are many herbal cleanse programs available at the health food stores and there are numerous books which tout the benefits of dietary fasts for cleansing. It is not my intention here to promote a particular method, it is simply to draw your attention to the concept if it is new to you.

I urge you to consider your own situation carefully and do some research about what might be a good option for you. Many fasts can be good methods for cleansing, but can also be too demanding physically on a sensitive person or a person who’s job requirements are physically demanding. Gentler cleansing options are available. Herbal programs often come with the flexibility to adjust the degree or speed of cleansing. Detoxification can result in headaches, temporary loss of energy, skin break outs, intestinal gas, bloating, and cramps, and other transitory symptoms. Most of these detox symptoms can be largely mitigated by increasing your water intake (and by being especially careful to drink water consistently throughout the day), and by backing off of your cleansing regimen if it is too intense for your own situation.

The aim of a good intestinal cleanse is to remove the build up of plaques in the intestinal lining so as to improve the health of the cilia cells and the gut health in general. After cleansing, re-populating the GI tract with beneficial organisms is a good idea. Again, there are many wonderful pro-biotic supplements that can help you do this. Aloe vera juice can also soothe the gut during a cleansing regimen, and is itself cleansing while also reducing inflammation in the intestines. You can also take a ‘spring tonic’ several times to reintroduce enzymes and vital nutrients only available in fresh foods. The fresh tender greens, herbs, and other items in a tonic drink will contain a nutrient-dense way to rev up the body and restore optimal functioning.

When the gut is working optimally, and when the cells of the body are getting the nutrients needed, cravings are reduced significantly, energy stores are released more evenly (thus reducing blood sugar spiking), and food is metabolized more efficiently, meaning less is stored as fat. Often a good cleanse will also release some weight, just from reducing the build-up in the gut, helping the body to normalize water-retention issues, and through the reduction of bloating.

To summarize:
The change of seasons is a good time to consider a detoxification regimen. It helps the body ‘shift gears’ to let go of the old season and to prepare for the new season, as well as to increase energy and revitalize body operations.
A digestive tract cleanse can be done through different methods of fasting, or in a more gentle way by using an herbal program. Aloe vera juice can facilitate an easier cleanse no matter which approach you use.
During and after the cleanse, be sure to repopulate the GI tract with proper flora through the use of probiotics, and with enzymes through the use of ‘spring tonic’ herbal/vegetable juices.
Cleansing helps with weight management by increasing the functioning of the digestive tract, which in turn reduces cravings, optimizes metabolism, evens blood sugar levels, normalizes water retention issues, and reduces bloating.