Before we start talking about an effective way to go about this type of detox – different than from our traditional discussions about diet, exercise and other herbal means – let’s define what we’re discussing.  The human body is nothing more than a very complex and interconnected energetic matrix.  I know, this sounds a little ‘sci-fi-ish’, but if you take a minute to think about it, it will all make sense.

This is how you might visualize the energy of your body connecting outwardly.

See, all of our cells and tissues are made of individual atoms.  These atoms are composed of smaller parts and at the base of it all is energy.  In fact, to get even deeper into this discussion, all things in the universe are energy.

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Now, here is where it all gets more focused and important regarding your health and well being.  Many leading scientists have been studying how our bodies react or respond in environments where there is more electromagnetic radiation (ER or EMR).  While there are no absolutely conclusive studies showing how EMR or these electromagnetic fields (EMF) affect the human body, there are signs that we are affected by them.

Anecdotally speaking, people who live in high areas of EMF fields (power lines, heavy high-tech industrial areas, office workers who work long hours, etc.) report more fatigue and irritability.  Now, you might argue that these could be due to any number of variables.  True enough, however, when removed from these regions, it is like their bioenergetic fields are restored and they become more balanced again.  When back in the ‘electronic’ setting, these ‘symptoms’ reappear.

Here is an example by Alex Grey, portraying how he envisions our energetic body connecting through and to the Earth (look at the feet).

I don’t think that anyone could argue that being exposed to high EMF fields (or even low ones) over the course of one’s life could take a toll, it’s just the degree to which it can affect our health that may be in question.  It’s really the similar type of argument that we hear regarding an herbal detox and other cleansing types of diets.  The opponents will always say that it is unnecessary or that your body can do this on its own without the need for assistance.

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True, the body is capable of many things and detoxing is one of the primary functions that our organs serve.  One might argue that we have actually evolved over time to be better able to do these functions.  However, the pace at which technology has advanced has outpaced our body’s ability to adapt effectively.

So, what can you do to protect yourself?

A great way is to go about a technology detox.  This could take various forms and degrees.  In other words, it doesn’t mean that you have to turn off your computer, TV, phone, internet, laptop, notebook, iPod, iPad (I know, it’s tough) and other devices all at once and for an extended period.  It means taking a break from them and getting in some time with nature.  If you live in the desert, like I do, then going out in mid-July or August is not going to work.  You can still work on planting some plants indoors or watering a garden, taking your time along the way.  Anything that keeps you ‘unplugged’ for even a few hours is a step in a healthier direction.  Then, you can move up to longer periods.  Who knows, at some point, you might even be able to go a whole day digital free!  Imagine that.

Many people are also wondering how to lose weight in a week or two – doing so for the second or third time, unhappy with previous diets or weight loss programs. Both questions are valid only if a person sees a cleanse or weight loss system as a temporary “blip” in an otherwise “normal” world of poor eating habits that cause weight gain and toxicity.

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The real questions are: how can I detoxify the body and make my way of eating one that naturally detoxifies the body continually? How can I stop causing build-up and toxicity in my body? And what can I do so that after I learn how to lose weight in a week I can continue to follow those principles and not become overweight again?

How often you need to cleanse the body is in direct proportion to what kind of foods you ingest “normally” and how quickly you become toxic. People who use herbal detoxification as a break from “regular” poor eating habits that include high carbohydrate meals, intense animal protein foods, dairy products and lots of pasta, potatoes, rice, meats and only a few cooked veggies, can benefit from a detox cleanse twice or four times a year. Someone who is a raw vegan will not need to detoxify the body as often because the build-up will be minimal – therefore a water or juice fast once a year may be sufficient.

Regarding weight loss, there won’t be a need for second, third or forth attempt at learning how to lose weight in a week if everyday your body is given what it needs to metabolize and eliminate properly – fresh veggies, lots of water or juice and sufficient fiber.

All of the above mentioned questions and courses of action are really part of an overall healthy diet.  A cleanse or herbal detox can be a great addition to your healthy living plan.  Exercise, while not mentioned as often as it should be in relation to cleansing and detoxing, is another avenue that you need to take part in regularly to help flush your system.  When combined, all of these elements are great ways to detoxify the body regularly for a more healthy feeling body.

If you’ve been searching online for colon cleanse reviews to help guide you in the right direction, you’ve noticed that highly promoted products repeatedly get the best reviews. That’s hardly what you want to know. Obviously, manufactures with the best affiliate marketing programs will tend to receive the best reviews in order to sell the product. So how can you use these colon cleanse reviews / product information to determine the best product or program?

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Search for “colon cleanse” or how to reduce weight and you’ll get a list of products –including Oxy-Powder, Blessed Herbs, Isagenix, Metamucil, Master Cleanse and Hydroxycut, as well as places that have products from DrNatura to Whole Foods. Now, type in the name of a product and look for “ingredients”. Notice which repeat themselves. When you see that simple ingredients like citric acid (vitamin C), magnesium hydroxide (essentially milk of magnesia – a common antacid / laxative), aloe vera, cascara sagrada bark, ginger or fibers like flax seed, oat bran or psyllium husk, appear repeatedly, you may decide to buy the ingredients and not bother with prepared formulas.

You can trust a herbalist or natural body cleansing therapist who will offer suggestions on how to reduce weight and detoxify the body, but (in general) online colon cleanse reviews aren’t trustworthy sources of unbiased information. Here’s another sneaky way to know the best colon cleanse formulas. Read reviews (or watch videos) of people who’ve gone abroad to cleanse in specialized centers.  Many of these herbal detox remedies or centers don’t use the stuff hyped online.

These colon cleanse reviews are genuine; based on therapies received at certain centers. Most wellness clinics don’t hide what products or ingredients they offer their clients, so it’s easy to create a program for yourself that mimics what the best (and most expensive) detox centers offer.  Of course, before you embark on a mission to start a detox, it is always a wise choice to consult with a health professional that can guide you on your path.  You will probably be looking into alternative fields of health because of the Western medical professional’s views and understanding about detoxing.  Wishing you all the best on your new journey to inner health and well being!

This is a somewhat newer herbal detox and free-radical product that has made big inroads in becoming one of the front-runners in the antioxidant craze.  The thing is you probably have heard about antioxidants and the role they play in all sorts of body detoxification processes and functions.  There has been many news shows and spotlights on the effects of these for our overall health.  The T.V. doctor, Dr. Oz, made famous my none other than Oprah herself has touted acai as a new wonder antioxidant.

Acai is used in many juice blends and other supplements.

So, you might be wondering where acai comes from.  The acai fruit is actually from regions in Central and South America.  It is more well known and grown in the Amazon basin where conditions allow for it to thrive there.  It is a humble fruit in some ways, characterized by its dark purple or black color.  The fruit is similar in appearance to grapes, though it is a member of the palm family.

The acai berry palm is used in many ways in the indigenous areas in which it is grown and cultivated.  It has many uses in the manufacturing of certain local wares, such as hats, baskets and even some thatch-style roofs.  If you are familiar with how local people use their abundant resources to produce other items in their society, than you will understand how valuable this acai palm is to this region.

Known by its family of palms in the Genus Euterpe, there are several different species that grow in this region.  While it can be used for the production of goods, it is obviously become more famous and well-known for its health benefits.  Even in its native home, acai has been prized for its ability to help women recover quickly after childbirth.  It has been estimated that somewhere between 40-50% of the diet of the native population consists of acai in this area.  Now, it is more widely believed and trusted to help people lose weight, helps prevent certain cardiovascular events, promotes overall health benefits and has anti-aging properties as well.  In addition to these, there are likely many acai juice benefits we have yet to discover for how the fruit can be used as a way to herbal detoxify your body as well.

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This step is one that can significantly improve the function of many of your body’s cellular functions and physical symptoms.  The colon has been referred to as the body’s sewer system.  While this analogy is a bit crude, it can point out some important ideas.  If your colon is not cleansed, it will not function properly and your vital nutrients from the foods and supplements you are eating will not be absorbed.  It is really a waste if you buy supplements and eat a well-balanced organic food diet only to be wasting your efforts because your body, namely your colon, is unable to fully absorb these things.

What Are Some Benefits Of Colon Cleansing?

It has been reported by many that the process of cleaning out your colon, called colon hydrotherapy, can lead to relief from allergies, fatigue, headaches, skin problems, and even bad breath.  The last of these is a seemingly strange one, but many times bad breath is not a problem with the organisms and food particles in the mouth, but is a symptom of something deeper within your digestive system.  Then, there are the more logical relief of symptoms from things such as constipation, bloating and indigestion.

Some in the medical community would call the act of colon cleansing and even herbal detoxification itself an unnecessary procedure.   It has been labeled a scam or fraudulent.  These claims are nothing new.  Every time some procedure calls into question the benefit or detriment of a currently accepted medical practice, the western medical system routinely gets up in arms.  So, it is really an expected response at this point.  However, if what we were doing in the U.S. was so effective, would we routinely be getting more and more cases of cancers and chronic health conditions?  Not only do these diseases and chronic conditions take a toll on the lives of all those who suffer with them, but they also place a tremendous burden on our already dilapidated and faultering health care system.  If we continue down the same road, we are sure to get to a point where something will fail.

Well, why wait until that point.  If we took a more proactive stance towards health, including colon health, then we could decrease the amounts of diseases that result from toxic overload in our bodies.  A body detox is really nothing more than cleaning out that sewer system – to use an earlier analogy – in order that the body can function more effectively.  Given a better ability to do its natural and normal detoxing process itself, your body will be a long way towards warding off environmentally produced or triggered diseases.  At the very least, it must be recognized that the way we currently treat chronic diseases and the people who suffer from them is terrible.  Whether or not colon cleansing is the answer, that is for you and your health care practitioners to decide.  Assisting your body detoxification through regular colon hydrotherapy and herbal supplementation may be the future treatment of choice.   If history is any indication, what is once challenged as ‘fringe’ often becomes the next most recognized breakthrough.

Please understand something, this site is for educational and informational purposes only.  Don’t think that you can simply read some information about medical conditions, therapies or procedures and then go out and do them at home.  This is not only unsafe, but probably unhealthy as well.  Okay, enough about the warnings.  Other than this, doing a program to help eliminate toxins from your body can be a very healthy way to get started in your health care goals.

So, What Are You Hoping Your Herbal Detox Plan Will Accomplish?

Are you hoping to simply lose weight with your herbal detox or are you wanting more?

That is a good place to begin.  What are your health goals?  Are you hoping to simply lose weight with your detox program or are you planning on colon cleansing?  A proper herbal detox can assist you in both of these endeavors and more.  You see, what you are trying to do is eliminate any waste and toxic buildup, for lack of a better word, that is causing your body to be moving things through you slowly.  You may be suffering from a lack of energy.  You may feel bloated or heavier than your actual weight.  Sometimes, people feel changes in their emotions.

The point is that anytime you have an opportunity to eliminate unneeded waste from your diet and your body, it is probably a good idea.  That is where the herbal detox process can be helpful.  Just as the name suggests, it is about eating – your food intake.  A diet does not necessarily mean that you have to be eating following a specific plan or fad or counting calories.  It also means restricting certain food items and adding others in order to promote a certain type of desired outcome.  In this case, your desired outcome is a healthier colon, body and life!

What Does A Proper Detox Look Like?

Starting with what you eat, an herbal detox is all about food groups.   When you are on a detox, it is important that the foods you put into your body assist one another in eliminating toxins.  One way to do this is to eat foods that contain known detox properties.  Many of these have been studied or used for thousands of years in some places and more well understood in ours more recently.  You can search for detox food groups or also find various supplements and teas as well.  In addition to this, you should consider various types of healing herbs that can supplement your new food choices and intake.  Some of these herbs are greatly complement what you are trying to accomplish.

What types of foods to eat is as important as the way they are grown.  That is to say, eating vegetables and fruits are going to be the main way that you go through with your colon cleanse.  Eating organic vegetables and fruits is even just as important.  This makes sense if you think about why you are doing a cleanse in the first place to held rid your body of toxins.  Why eat more in the way of pesticide and herbicide sprayed produce?

Is This The Same As A Colon Cleanse?

Because of how our foods are processed, absorbed and stored in the colon, this contributes greatly to our overall health and cleanse in general.  So, remember that meats and processed foods are really not ideal as part of your diet at this point.  If you are already a vegetarian, then you may find that your cleanse is less of a drastic change for

Here is a sample of a product that is aimed at colon cleansing during a body detox.

your.  What many people find is that in the beginning it is quite challenging, but soon learn how to feel and eat their way through it properly.

Foods that are helpful include:  broccoli, cauliflower, fibrous fruits, nuts and grains.  The sheer fact that these foods have bulk to them will aid in elimination, a major goal of your herbal detox.  You shouldn’t think of a detox simply as taking supplements or drinking certain teas and shakes.  While supplementation can be important in a longer term detox program, it is just one component.  What you feed your body is what will ultimately contribute to the cleansing process.

Isn’t Body Detoxification A Natural Process?

Yes, it is.  In fact, your body does several different types of cleansing on a regular daily basis.  One of the most

Just another reason why smoking is so damaging to our bodies. Without the efficient breathe moving through our lungs, the detox process is affected - not to mention the toxins that smoking puts back into your body.

cleansing physiologic processes is breathing itself.  This exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide is responsible for helping our body chemistry to change to find the right balance.  Proper breathing can assist in your detoxing process as well.  Elimination is another natural detoxification process.  Urination and moving your bowels both help to eliminate waste, basically toxic waste.  Your food choices will greatly affect this process as well.  In addition, drinking adequate water will help with your elimination process.

In the end, supporting your herbal detox with appropriate supplements, with the help of your health care provider, can assist you in achieving your health care goals.  Whether your aim is to lose weight with your program or begin a fresh new start after your cleanse, you will find that this type of cleanse is helpful.  Best wishes and may you find long lasting health and well being!

If You Really Want To Learn How To Detox, You’ll Need Specific Details

As you get into it, you'll notice how much alive and vital the fruits and vegetables taste and how you feel.

Some consider juice fasting followed by colon cleansing to be the only way to get the full benefit of a detox program.  The only problem is, not many people know how to choose the right supplements to be taking and drinking to avoid any serious health problems along the way.  Sure, if you’re looking into doing a brief 2-4 day fast, then it probably won’t make a huge difference.  Most of us are carrying enough extra fat and past meals to keep our body’s functioning smoothly for this short duration of time.

If you’re going to go for the master cleanse, then you better plan on about 10 days.  This is the time it takes for your body to not only become more regular with the amount of fiber you’ll be eating, but also to eliminate toxins that have been stored in the cells and tissues of your body from poor diet, pollution, medicines, recreational drugs, and other pesticides and herbicides used in our food supply.  During this time, you should consider what an herbal cleanse is doing.  If you’re using any supplementation (recommended), then you can read the ingredients and what they are supposed to help you with eliminating.  For example, common natural ingredients used in many herbal detox products and teas include:  licorice root, dandelion root, echinacea, sarsaparilla root and yellow dock are typical of many products.  Others include, parsley, fennel and cinnamon as ingredients that help with digestive complaints, elimination and immune support.

How Much Fluid Is Necessary During Your Body’s Detoxification?

When you begin your herbal detox process, the most important thing of all is to remember to remain very well hydrated.  This cannot be emphasized enough.  Whether you eat strictly organics vegetables and fruits or whether you do decide to seek out some of the helpful detox products, getting enough fluids to help flush your system is paramount to a thorough and safe cleanse.  The amount of water you hear about can vary.  But there is a good rule

Water will be your friend during this whole herbal detox process. It is necessary to help you move the bulk and toxins through your system.

of thumb you can follow.  Typically, you’ve heard values all over the map.  Well, imagine now how much more fluid your body needs as it is pushing through all this extra fiber and toxic waste that you are cleaning out of your body and colon.  It will take a bit more water to help this along.  Also, many of the ingredients in the detox products contain diuretics.  These will cause you to loose even more fluid.  So, here is a general rule of thumb:  divide your weight in half and drink that number in ounces of water, plus one glass.  Let’s say you weigh 140 pounds.  Divide this by 2 and you get 70.  So, you should drink – at a minimum – 70 ounces of water.  One typical drinking glass of water is approximately 8 ounces.  So, if you divide 70 by 8 you get a little under 9 glasses; add the extra one and that takes you to 10 glasses per day.  This may seem like a lot of water.  That’s because it is!  But, remember, you’re losing a significant amount as you detox your body and the added fiber needs more fluid to keep you from feeling backed up or constipated – not exactly the best thing when you’re trying to get rid of toxins.

It Only Feels Tough Because You Think You Don’t Know How To Detox

Confusion over the process can and may happen. Just be persistent and you can do it.

Okay, here’s some reassurance for you.  Your body absolutely knows how to detox and it doesn’t matter if your mind or little thoughts in your head are constantly chitter chattering to you about quitting.  Think of that chitter chatter as like the last remnants of toxic thoughts going on in your head.  Once you get through this first detox, you’ll never look at them the same again.  Experience is life’s greatest equalizer.  That’s why you’ve heard the saying ‘you don’t know what it’s like until you’ve walked in their shoes’.  It means that you can have all the theories you want about say, an herbal detox in this case, but not have any idea what it feels like until you’ve done it.

Need more confidence about really knowing that your body can do it?  You got it!  Did you know that every minute, every day, of every week of every year of your life so far, your body has been doing an amazing job of detoxing?  It’s true.  With each breath, your body eliminates toxic residues of polluted material in your lungs.  Breathing helps to cleanse and nourish your cells not only of your lungs, but entire body.  That’s why you’ve heard and read so much about the importance of breath and body work regarding breathing.

Your body also detoxes itself through sweat.  So, every time you exercise and perspire, your body is eliminating more of those nasty toxins.  What you’ve noticed is that after a long night (maybe one including too many spirits), that when exercising the next day, you’ll smell awful!  This is all that toxic stuff being burned and sweated out.  Imagine if you didn’t eliminate them.  This is why you’re wanting to detox your body in the first place isn’t it?!

So, remember, as you’re going through this whole herbal detox process that it’s okay to feel frustrated.  It’s okay to

So many herbs can be an overwhelming obstacle - just remember, it is your diet and cleansing exercises that are most important.

feel like quitting.  It’s even okay to feel headaches, fatigue, hungry, thirsty, you name it.  The point is that the process itself is actually like a life detox.  You are ridding yourself of old ways, habits and patterns.  Once you go through this, you will forever be changed by the experience.  They really aren’t that painful or hard on your body physically if done properly, they just take some adjustment.  Then, next time, a bit more fine tuning.  Each time, you’ll make new decisions to take better care of the time between, choosing more organic foods, quitting smoking, drinking less, whatever it may be.  You will be forging a new path towards health and well being that you will not look back on as a failed effort.

What Are Some Common Side Effects of Doing an Herbal Detox?

Some people will simply have no problems or reservations, while others will have some mild to moderate side effects.  These side effects could include things like headaches, joint pain, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, hunger, dehydration, dizziness and emotional swings as well.  While these are the most common, others can arise.  That’s why we would recommend getting some advice from a qualified health professional before embarking on this procedure alone.  It need not be your general medical practitioner, to be honest, they may not be that well informed about the various forms of detox diets anyway.  Many still find them to be without merit.  So, you can go that route if you wish, but you can also try one of your local alternative practitioners or search online.  Your local colon hydrotherapist will also be a good resource.  While their specialty (and probably advice) is regarding colonics, you may still be able to learn a lot regarding your herbal detox plan as well.  This can be something that you will learn more about as you see fit.

How To Choose A Detox Diet Plan

Detox teas like this one from Yogi Tea brand, are a great addition to your program. They can help support the other detoxification that you are doing.

Choosing the right plan or program to follow can be a difficult choice as well.  Just getting a book at the library or by going on line in any search engine looking for natural herbs to detox with is not a solid plan.  This is because if you search ‘detox your body’ or ‘how to detox’ let me tell you what you’ll find – a bunch of hype much of the time.  Also, you may find that there are simply a bunch of herbs listed, often in their ‘genus species’ names.  This makes it difficult to determine what to do next.  Do you just make them into some sort of herbal detox tea?  While these teas can be very beneficial, knowing what herbs to use and when is what you should look for in a site.  There may be links on a site that can help steer you more specifically in the direction you’re seeking.  Some people know what type of detox they are trying to do, but can’t remember the name.  Other people are just out here in cyberspace simply trying to make sense of it all.

First and foremost, you should know that when doing any type of detox (herbal or otherwise) you need to be as organic as possible.  Eating your vegetables, fruits and fibers from certified or local farmer’s market grown is the only way to go.  If you don’t go with organic food detox, then you may be putting back in exactly what you are trying to detoxify from in the first place.  For the beginning herbal detox enthusiast, keep your goal in mind and know that getting started is the hardest part.  Don’t concern yourself with doing it perfectly, just follow some of the main important steps – going organic is one of these keys.

How Do You Follow An Herbal Detox Plan?

You should know that an herbal detox involves more than just what you put into your body. It also involves exercise and activitites to purify your tissues and cells. Yoga is a great practice to engage in to help with this process.

This is by far the most important question to answer.  And, let’s start by examining some myths that exist when reading about when to detox your body.  If you’ve spent any time online trying to learn about this topic, then you have likely stumbled across stuff you never even thought of.  Some stuff from the bottom of the sea, or from some type of purified urine…blah blah blah.  Seriously, this stuff is out there.  The point is, if you can get through the hype you’ll be in a much better position to have a healthier, safer and natural detox.

OK.  An herbal detox refers to the fact that you will be using substances that have been grown (hopefully organically) and evidenced through any number of alternative, natural medicine practices or Chinese medicine to help you detox your body.  Long definition.  The quick and dirty of it is that it is a natural way to detox and does not involve any type of chelating agents and other pharmacological agents.  Chelating agents are typically delivered as an IV and used to eliminate heavy metals from the body.  They can also be delivered as suppositories and those may be sold through many alternative medical practitioner’s offices.   If you do decide to go the herbal detoxification route, you should research what components will make up your plan.  Some herbs and plans, even though they are completely natural substances, can still be very potent – even dangerous if you are not cautious.    If you decide to do a fast as part of your herbal detox plan, keep in mind you’ll need to be drinking plenty of water.  You may also have specific juices depending on your program.  Detoxing the body is serious business, you should not take it lightly.