How to Lose Ten Pounds Forever:  The Benefits of Cleansing

by Mariana Bozesan

For thousands of years, countless cultures have relied on rituals of cleansing and detoxification to purify body, mind and spirit, but the advent of consumer based economies and an accelerated pace of living means that many of our industrialized nations have completely abandoned these practices. As a growing number of concerned health care providers and thought leaders begin to study the destructive effects of our excessive eating habits and poor quality of food, they are also beginning to advocate a return to cleansing rituals.

Dr. Bernard Jensen D.C., N.D., Ph.D. is one such expert. Dr. Jensen studied human physiology, particularly the digestive system and made some truly startling discoveries in his research. One autopsy of which he writes, for instance, showed a colon of a normal diameter (9 inches or 23 centimeters) that contained a through-passage no larger than the width of a pencil. The rest, he observed, consisted of caked-up layers of fecal material, with the hard, black consistency of "truck-tire rubber". Based on his further inquiries, Dr. Jensen estimates that over 90 percent of peopel in industrialized societies have such "spare tires" sitting in their digestive tracts¹.

In a similar finding, Dr. Richard Anderson coined the term "mucoid plaque" to refer to the unhealthy accumulation of abnormal mucous matter on the walls of the intestines. While he believes this layer serves to protect the membranes of the digestive system, he observes that it becomes more pronounced and widespread with age and can actually begin to interfere with digestion and absorption. Just as rats are attracted to places where they can feed off garbage, Dr. Anderson notes that mucoid plaque can become the home of parasites and bacteria².

Cleaning Up Our Acts

With such toxic build-up in our bodies contributing to a wide variety of health problems, ridding ourselves of it becomes an essential component of a long-term commitment to weight loss. Why? Not only does cleansing offer the chance for immediate loss of the excess material in our digestive tracts, but it contributes to the creation of overall health—a fundamental condition for weight management. Additionally, digestion becomes easier and vitamins are absorbed more easily, which can help put an end to the cravings caused by nutritional deficits.

How to start? A cleanse begins with gradually eating less and less food until the stomach switches into the detoxification mode in which many experience the complete absence of hunger. Because the body no longer has to expend so much energy working through an impaired digestive system, it begins to use its energy to eliminate many years worth of toxins and accumulated waste. This process enables the body to rid itself of excess weight, and gets us back into balance.

There are many different types of cleanses from "scientific fasts" which are conducted under the supervision of medical doctors to water fasting, juice fasting and "soft cleansings" that include the use of broths. A growing number of books³ offer information on a wide variety of methods for cleasing and detoxifying, and it's a good idea to spend time determining which method is best for you as well as to speak with a supportive health care professional -particularly when there are any health conditions involved.

Supercharging Your Cleanse

During the cleanse, there are several activities that can support the process and promote detoxification and healing in our bodies. These include deep breathing, moderate exercise, exfoliation of the skin, sauna, massage, and frequent brushing of the teeth. Many cleansing experts also recommend enemas and colon hydrotherapy, as these can greatly assist in the effort to clean out the toxic build-up of waste and mucoid plaque in our digestive tracts.

While cleansing, many people enjoy unprecedented levels of vitality and health, and some even experience a kind of exalted state in which mental clarity and energy levels drastically increase. Conversely, cleansing can also initiate a process of reliving the emotions we had while overeating, and is generally experienced as a time of heightened emotion. It's therefore very important that we remain gentle and patient with ourselves during the entire process and talk to others who have gone through it if possible.

By recreating rituals of cleansing and detoxification among ourselves, we are doing much more than just losing weight. We are connecting ourselves to a long human tradition and creating a more joyful, attentive and sustainable way of life in the process!