This is a spring detox guest post by Lisa Consiglio Ryan of Whole Health Designs.

Spring cleaning; spring forward; jump into spring; spring detox. How many more spring-isms can I come up with? I just LOVE this time of year. Not only does spring symbolize renewal and rebirth, it also reminds me of cleansing. AND a great way to supercharge the season is to detox.

About 9 years ago I tried my first 10 day detox with my acupuncturist. It was hell. Really. I remember spending over $200 on supplements and a concoction that tasted like paste. The first few days were a fast, and I was starving! I got to add some broth near the end, but I was so weak and felt hungry all the time. Needless to say whenever someone mentioned detox, I ran for the hills. The words that came to mind were deprivation, starvation, and torture.

After experimenting with a few different food-based cleanses and researching detox programs during my nutrition certification program, I now think of detox as glowing, vibrant, energizing, and light.

So why the change? Once you experience a detox that incorporates whole foods and daily activities that support your body, there isn’t anything in the world that can compare to the feeling you get after a detox. You may feel increased bouts of energy, eliminate food cravings, lose weight, reduce bloating and get rid of belly fat. Your mind is clear and focused, and even your mood can improve. My hubby sure liked that one the best.

There are lots of “detox” regimens out there. Some are juice cleanses. Some require fasting or calorie counting. Some promise a flushed colon or invigorated spleen. While these types of detox programs (which mainly come in a box) seem safe, I do not recommend cleanses that eliminate whole foods. Many of us are so busy and active, and if you aren’t eating, you can set yourself up for illness, feeling weak and unproductive.

Spring Detox Recommendations

Here are my top 4 sure fire ways to keep your detox healthy and safe.

1. I suggest a gentle, clean food-based detox. The first step is to eliminate foods that have barcodes. Michael Pollen, author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma and Food Rules, suggests that we avoid foods that come in a can or box. I usually remind myself of this rule when I shop. For your food-based cleanse stick to organic fruits and veggies plus lots of dark leafy greens like kale, Swiss chard, collards.My favorite spring detox food is leeks. This veggie rocks, but most of all it is known to cleanse and purify the liver, the spring organ according to Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture.Try this yummy leek recipe from the 10 Day Reboot Your Body Detox. This recipe is adapted from The Flexitarian Table. Bean, Leek, and Pea Soup Recipe
2. As you pump the green stuff, you also need to avoid the following: added sugar, dairy, alcohol, caffeine, wheat/gluten, eggs, animal protein, corn, soy, and fruit juices since they are very high in sugar and calories.
3. Of course eating foods that nourish and detoxify are necessary for your cleanse, but the next step is to incorporate exercise. Try gentle yoga, walking in nature, stretching. You don’t want to run for 12 miles or bike for hours during your cleanse. You will be completely exhausted. Your body is working hard to get rid of toxins, and she needs to rest to restore during the detox period. Taking time to breathe and meditate. This time is for YOU.
4. Finally, determine the length of your detox. I recommend a program that is 10 days. Anything less than 10 days is not beneficial. It takes time to make changes, and your body needs time to adjust to eating differently, getting rid of toxins, and establishing habits. Usually my clients start to see changes around Day 8 and really feel the full effects by Day 10. If you are new to detoxing or want a power-boost to jump start healthy living, then 10 days is a good start.

Are you entertaining a spring detox?

Are you ready to try a spring detox? Have you done a cleanse before? Fill me in with your comment below. I would love to know your thoughts on getting your detox on!

Lisa Consiglio Ryan is a Certified Health and Nutrition Coach for busy, active women and their families. Areas of expertise include weight loss, stress management, detox programs, and special diets such as vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free, and gluten-free. Services include private consulting and group seminars.

Contact Lisa at Whole Health Designs for more information. Connect with Lisa on Twitter and Facebook for more information about spring detox and healthy living!

This is a guest post by Kimberly Johnson

If you have decided to focus your energy on your health through raw foods and detox, chances are you are looking for as many ways as possible to support this dietary change as possible. Heck, why not double down?

Some form of exercise is surely a part of your routine so that you can get all of your systems working and circulating.

So why yoga?

Yoga can be more effective, than say running, because you can get pretty specific about the outcome you want. Do you want to feel caffeinated? Sedated? Balanced? Specific poses can be combined or sequences to create these effects.

Yeah, it’s pretty amazing. It takes some time to make your own yoga pose prescriptions, but it is possible. And just like you are on your way to knowing what your body is craving for food, you can be on your way to knowing what kind of yoga practice is right for you each day. Both of these take time and steady effort, but it actually becomes fun when you can recognize what is healing for you, rather than needing a doctor to understand.

Poses that help you detox.

Yoga is an extremely effective way to sit with the difficulty that often comes up through the release of old habits. Yoga can also assist you in getting rid of the unwanted toxins that your body is probably releasing through this dietary change. And hopefully, yoga can be one of the positive habits built into your life that instigates a state of such vitality and vibrancy that your old habits disintegrate and lose power in comparison with the strength and life force that you feel when eating cleanly and taking care of your body.

The yoga postures that are most effective in helping you eliminate toxins from your digestive system, kidneys and liver are twists. Twisting postures literally wring out your organs so that when you unwind, new blood and oxygen rush back into them.

Twists are best practiced on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning is optimal. But if that is not possible, just wait a few hours after a meal.

Pose #1 (parvritta pavanmuktasana)

I recommend the reclining double leg twist.

Lying down on your back, draw your knees towards your chest making 90 degree angles with your thigh and shins and ankles. Reach your arms out to the side like a cross. On an exhale, lower both legs to the right without your left shoulder coming up- stay for 8 breaths or about 1 minute. Keep your knees together. Inhale, return to the center, and exhale lower your legs to the left keeping your right shoulder down.

A slightly more challenging version:

If your hamstrings are open and you can straighten both legs to 90 degrees, lower both straight legs to the right aiming them to your right fingertips, so you will be slightly piked. Inhale come to the center, and exhale lower both legs zipped together over to the left keeping the right shoulder down. (*do not do this is you feel discomfort in your lower back)

Pose #2 (jathara parvatansana)

- Level 2 Stomach Twister

Then sit up with both legs out in front of you. If you cannot sit on the floor with your spine straight, sit up on a pillow or phone book. (It is not a good idea to twist with a rounded spine).

Seated Twist Marichyasana 3

- It’s a mouthful but a very simple and effective twist!
Bend your right knee so your right foot comes back by your right hip. Hug your right knee with your left arm and twist to the right. If it is not too much of a strain, you can put your left elbow on the outside of your right knee.

Pose #3 Twisted Triangle

From a standing position, step your left leg back. Lengthen forward over your right leg, place your left hand on the outside of your right foot and twist to the right.

If you cannot keep your spine straight (which would be normal because this is a difficult pose, place your front hand on a block)

The main principle of twisting is to lengthen your spine on inhalations and twist on exhalations. You want to wring out a long spine.

Counterindications: Do not do these twists if you are pregnant or have a history of herniated disks.

I hope that you feel the benefits of these twists. Sometimes they can be pretty immediate. Let me know if you have any questions or comments!

Kimberly

BONUS

Sitting. Some of the most powerful tools are often the simplest, but that does not mean they are easy. There are times in any fast, detox or diet change that are really difficult. We take away our comfort measures. When we were lonely, we used to eat M&Ms, have a glass of wine or a hamburger, now we are faced with the emptiness. An emptiness that no salad will fill. During these rough spots, be still, close your eyes, and drop in and down. This is a simple form of meditation.

Rather than going to your computer or going for a run, or substituting another form of escape where food once was, you have an opportunity to break the pattern. Instead of trying to escape the feelings or impulses, close your eyes and be with them. This doesn’t have to be some big deal. We have a false idea that meditation is either some grand enlightening experience or that it is impossible torture.

I can say that whatever you experience with your eyes closed is actually what is present inside of you. If you haven’t practiced being still, it can be pretty shocking how scattered and unfocused our minds are. You thought meditation and yoga were supposed to be relaxing and then you close your eyes and get assaulted by a barrage of thoughts and feelings that we often keep at bay. So start with just a few seconds- the length of a breath. When you feel that urge to escape the power of your craving or the sadness, loneliness, or grief that may precede your craving, pause and take a full breath.

I call this pose sitting, but really it should be called pausing, because you can do it anywhere, except when driving don’t close your eyes! *Do not pupu this one and skip down to the “real” yoga. This is a prerequisite for getting the benefits out of the other poses, your detox and your life!

If you want more guidance with meditation and some more variety, check out these 2 minute meditations designed to fit into your busy schedule!

Photo Credit

For the past eleven years, Kimberly Johnson has been teaching yoga all over the world, in New York City, San Diego, Chicago, Boulder, Thailand, Malaysia and Brazil. She has deeply explored Viniyoga, Iyengar yoga, and Ashtanga yoga, and found the heart of her practice to be a continual return to self-inquiry. Her classes are influenced by her background in dance, Structural Integration, the Feldenkrais method, Advaita Vedanta, and Sanskrit. She currently lives and teaches in Rio de Janeiro. Find out more about her amazing retreats at www.kajyoga.com.

This is a guest post by Henri Junttila.

If you’re familiar with drinking freshly-squeezed juices, I think you already know the powerful effects it can have on your body. What most people don’t notice are the effects it can have on the non-physical you.

Photo by Alfonso

Four years ago I had my first real date with juicing. You see, I bought an Omega 8005 Juicer and started throwing everything in it. The results were interesting, but not particularly tasty. You live and learn.

After awhile I decided to go on a juice fast, which is where I noticed the 5 subtle, yet profound ways juicing can transform your health and consciousness.

1. Intuition

Intuitive knowing sounds mystical, but for me it’s just a feeling or thought that suddenly bubbles up. When I’m doing something I might get a thought or feeling helping me decide which apple to buy or even which country to live in.

When I was on my juice fast my intuition became stronger. It was interesting, almost like having someone there to help guide you through life.

2. Courage

Fear penetrates even the most hidden parts of our lives. We tend to look at fear with fear, but how much would your perspective change if you looked at it with a fresh pair of eyes? Because what is fear? For me fear just shows me where my belief systems are not aligned with who I want to be.

Two of my biggest fears are public speaking and not having enough financially. When you go deeper and observe them, they are really not as big, bad and mean as you think they are. This awareness is amplified many times when you’re juicing and it allows you to break through these barriers and exercise courage.

3. Clarity

As you put less and less strain on your body, it starts to cleanse, detoxify and heal, which leads to enhanced clarity, focus and other mental functions. During my juice fast and when I juice daily I notice more clarity and an increased ability to make decisions.

Clarity is not only important in making decisions in your day to day, but in your life as well. What is your life purpose? What is your passion? What would you do if money didn’t exist? As I juiced, things suddenly started to become a lot clearer. Now, I am not saying I know everything about my life, just that it got a whole lot easier ;).

4. Awareness

Meditation is an awesome awareness expander, but cleaning up your body does that too. I remember walking down a quiet road in Spain (I lived in Spain then and will again soon, but that’s another story) and noticing new trees.

Had these trees appeared out of nowhere? How did they grow up so fast? I finally concluded that it was my awareness that had expanded. It’s almost as if I had been awarded the keys to a new world, the world of hidden trees.

(Editor’s Note: Maybe some of those trees were planted through my Tree Planting Initiative. If you could go back and in time, and all that. Ahem.)

5. Gratefulness

I was never the grateful type when I was younger, but as I’ve gained a few pearls of wisdom throughout the years I’ve noticed that being grateful feels awesome and is extremely uplifting.

If someone as anti-gratitude as me can become 87% more grateful on a juice fast, I’m sure you would notice it even more. How did I come up with 87%? I made it up, don’t you just love statistics?

To Juice or Not to Juice, That is Not the Question

We already know juicing rocks, so the question is: what benefits have you noticed from juicing? Any health benefits, healings or even subtle, transformational shifts?

About the Author: Henri Junttila is the founding father of the Wake Up Cloud, a place where you can discover your passion in 5 days and get conscious about your life.

If you’re experiencing detox symptoms, I think it’s time to take a look at the different ways of dealing with detox.

Photo by Beth

During my fast I experienced some detox symptoms that included headaches, low energy, and strange bowel movements.

Luckily when it comes to detox, it’s not permanent.

After you move through detox you can see your energy soaring past the stars, have clearer skin, drop a few pounds, and just feel fantastic.

Two Approaches to Getting Through Detox

They are two ways of dealing with detox. One of them is to slow it down, while the other one is to speed up.

You have to keep in mind that when you are going through detox your body is trying to clean house. If you’re eating more fresh vegetables and fruits, your body will start to remove toxins that may have built up over time.

How to Slow Detox Down

There are a number of ways to slow down detox. You should consider slowing down your detox if you cannot handle the detoxification symptoms.

These detox symptoms may be taking place if you switched from a highly processed standard American diet to a high raw or 100% raw food diet.

If you want to slow detox down eat some cooked grains, or cooked vegetables. Essentially you’re introducing more heavy foods to give your body time to adjust to the high fiber, quick exit raw foods.

This in turn gives your body time to release toxins more slowly, and reduces the detox symptoms you might be experiencing.

How to Accelerate Detox

You can speed detoxed up by giving your body what it needs to continue cleaning itself. I like to think of detox as tunnel, the only way out is through.

Accelerating detox is a good strategy if you are feeling confident that you can deal with the symptoms and you want to get through it as quickly as possible.

• Dry skin brushing: Your skin is the biggest organ of your body, and the third most important detoxification organ. Help it help you by dry skin brushing it.
• Drink more water: To help flush toxins out of your body, drink lots and lots of water. Start your morning off with at least 500ml to 1 Liter of water. Drink enough water all day, it makes a big difference.
• Take naps: If you feel your energy dipping while you’re detoxing, then by all means take care of yourself. Taking a nap is a great way to help detox along.
• Move your body: Doing physical exercise is a great way to expel toxins. Try jumping on a trampoline, running, stretching. Getting everything moving is sure to help eliminate toxins more easily.
• Move your bowels: This might seem a little obvious, but you’d be surprised how often we overlook this. It’s so easy to be caught up in our day to day activities and not take the time to slow down and take good care of our bowels.

Detox Plateaus

Photo by Bertrand Monney

The more healthy food you eat, the more detox you may experience over time. Your current diet or lifestyle is likely not recent, so you will need to go through a few different levels of detoxification. Raw food detox doesn’t happen all at once, it’s more like peeling an onion.

You might have a “bout” of detox right after you change your diet, and then not have another detox episode until a few months down the line. These are what I like to call detox plateaus.

Hopefully you’ve learned how to make the most of your detox symptoms. And yes, this too shall pass!

Share your detox experiences here…

Currently going through detox? Let us know in the comments, and we will support each other as we continue to detoxify our bodies.

This is day 8 of my Master Cleanse. You can see why I’m doing this cleanse, what I mean by the salt water flush, and how I used dry skin brushing to accelerate the release of toxins.

Master Cleanse Results & Experiences Video

(Click here to watch the video.)

My Experiences with The Master Cleanse

I definitely feel like I’ve been practicing my self control muscles. Honestly, I didn’t think I would make it this far on the fast.

I had set goals to do a minimum of 3 days, and that if I got past that then the 7 day mark would be an acceptable stopping point. The big goal is to keep going for 10 days.

Since I’ve already passed my 7 day mark, I’m just biding my time and listening to my body. The last two nights were a little tougher because I’ve been imagining food.

Remember kids, picturing food with your imagination is probably not recommended while fasting.

Luckily I’ve been feeling great physically. I experienced some skin break outs, but overall my skin is much smoother. My energy is usually high throughout the day, and my bowel movements have been pretty regular.

I’m definitely proud of how far I’ve gotten with this lemonade fast. The master cleanse was just as interesting of an experiment as I thought it would be.

Fasting is All About Releasing

One of the reasons fasting is so transformational is that it’s all about letting go. Letting go of the need to eat every few hours.

Letting go of beating yourself up for not being a perfect “eater”. Letting go of excess toxins in the body. Releasing excess weight, if that’s the case.

Letting go of habits that no longer serve you. Letting go of the need to “push yourself” with work, and taking time to rest if you need it.

With all of these metaphorical and literal types of release, it’s no wonder you feel light while fasting. Of course, it helps that you’re not eating anything heavy.

To celebrate my first fast, I’ve decided to let go of something else. My super long hair! I’ve been growing my hair out for awhile now, and I love having long hair.

But I’ve decided to let it go. I’m not shaving my head or anything, but getting a significant trim will really feel great.

I go swimming fairly often and I want to be able to swim without worrying about the time it takes for my hair to dry, or spending tons of time combing it out.

So if you see me in my next video with a shorter “hair doo”, you’ll know it’s another way for me to release something that might be holding me back.

Until next time…

I’ll be writing about my strategies and experiences with going off the fast in the next few days. I’m aware that stopping the fast is actually one of the tougher parts!

What if you could help your body cleanse itself simply brushing the “yuckiness” off your skin? That’s exactly what dry skin brushing does.

Think of it as removing the top layer of dead skin debris, allowing your body to expel more toxins as it deems fit.

Dry Brushing Skin Benefits

Dry skin brushing helps to remove dead skin, and any toxins that your body expels through your skin. The skin is the body’s largest organ.

Along with the colon and urinary tract, the skin is one of the most important waste management organs of the body.

When you brush your skin with a dry brush you are also stimulating the lymph nodes. This in turn helps with further circulation and elimination of toxins, and also boosts the immune system.

Dry Skin Brushing and Cellulite

Ladies you’ll be pleased to know skin brushing helps eliminate cellulite too!

Simply brush your thighs and any area where you experience cellulite, and see what happens. In effect you are giving the toxins that are stored in your thighs a way out.

No one wants to store that junk in their trunk, so let it out by brushing it off!

How to Dry Skin Brush

The brush itself looks a bit like a softer version of a horse’s brush, with natural bristles. Begin by brushing the soles of your feet (try not to giggle too much!) and move up your legs, always brushing toward your heart.

Continue brushing gently toward your heart, or against the direction of the hair on your arms. After brushing, your skin will begin to feel softer. It will also make it easier for you to sweat toxins out.

Ladies avoid the breast area, since it is a more sensitive part of the body.

When to skin brush?

Ideally you would do a round of dry skin brushing before taking a shower, or before a work out. This ensures that your pores are clear of any debris, so that your body can expel toxins (if any, I know you’re pretty clean already!).

You can do it daily for good measure. If you do a fast or a cleanse, it’s even more important to help your body eliminate toxins by dry brushing your skin.

Where to find a skin brush?

You can find skin brushes at your local bath or body shop. I’ve also found them in most natural health food stores. You can also get a Purest Palm Body Brush at Amazon.

Enjoy brushing yourself to smoother skin, and ultimately a cleaner body all around!

Personal Update

This is day 7 of my master cleanse. You can find out why I’m doing this fast, what the master cleanse is, why I experienced a white tongue, and how to perform a salt water flush.

Yesterday was really tough. I have a feeling it’s because I wasn’t keeping myself busy enough, but I was definitely thinking about food more than the other days.

The lemon/lime sour taste is starting to get old. I decided to make myself a cup of herbal tea, since that’s considered an acceptable way to “cheat” during the fast. It was great because it really cut the lemon taste.

Though I did have a pretty severe stomach ache in the middle of the night. Probably brought on by drinking too much liquid before going to bed.

I woke feeling good, and performed the salt water flush again. I’m feeling good again, and looking forward to day 10!

Welcome to day 5 of my Master Cleanse, also known as the lemonade fast. You can read about why I’m doing this fast, what the master cleanse is all about, why I have a white tongue, and my experience grocery shopping while fasting.

Before I go into the benefits of cleansing your colon and trying out a salt water flush, let me update you on my fast.

Photo by Hannah Webster

Last night was a little tougher food-wise. I made my boyfriend’s salad, but he ended up staying at work later to chat with some coworkers. Unfortunately that left me alone in the apartment with a delicious looking salad.

I kept myself busy by watching Sabrina the Teenage Witch episodes off youtube. There, I said it. Now you know where part of my witchy inspiration comes from.

Okay, let’s get right into the content…

Benefits of Cleansing Your Colon

If there was ever a point in time where you were not eliminating properly and regularly then there is a high probability that you’ve got junk in your colon’s trunk.

If you aren’t moving your bowels daily, preferably two or three times daily, depending on how many meals you eat, then you aren’t regular.

Of course you can solve this by eating more green leafy veggies, and starting with green smoothies will make that happen.

But you need to remember that all those days where you weren’t eliminating add up. Where does all that waste matter go? Well it can become dry caked-on fecal matter that just hangs out in your colon and causes you to gain weight and get sick. Lovely, huh?

That’s where colon cleansing comes in. There are a couple of colon cleansing options.

You can do home enemas. You can hire a hydrocolon therapist and have a colonic. Or, today’s suggestion is to try a salt water flush.

The Salt Water Flush Recipe

Photo by Fermin R.F.

Here’s the key, you need to do this first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. This is perfect while you’re fasting.

Mix 1 Liter (32 oz.) of warm water with 2 level teaspoons of unrefined sea salt. I used pink himalayan crystal salt. As long as it’s not iodized table salt, it should work.

Shake or stir well, then drink the entire container of salt water. It might be hard to down, but I found that the second time was much easier.

This technique is an ancient Yogic cleansing method. I’ve also seen Chinese people do this in the morning, during my trip to China.

Do not perform this cleanse for more than 7 days in a row. Then give yourself weeks or months between the next flush you perform. You do not want to cause an imbalance in your body, and you don’t want to become dependent on the flush to evacuate your bowels.

What To Expect After

The salt water’s saliency is the same as the body’s saliency. So none of the water gets absorbed into the body, and it just passes right through you and out through your colon.

It is recommended to wait about 30 minutes after you’ve drank the salt water before going to the bathroom.

You’ll start to feel your bowel moving as the salt water moves through you. You might even hear some gurgling sounds.

When you do go to the bathroom, the feeling might be reminiscent of diarrhea. Though those of you who have experienced a colonic will know it just feels like evacuating water through the colon.

You might need to go to the bathroom more than once, so only do this flush if you’ll have access to a bathroom nearby.

My Experience with the Salt Water Flush

Yesterday I tried the salt water flush for the first time, and today I did it again. I prepared my salt water and drank it first thing in the morning.

Then I made my first batch of lemonade, and got ready for my day. By the time I was done showering, it was time to evacuate the salt water.

It definitely felt good, kind of like I felt after I had a colonic. I went to the bathroom three times, and each time the matter got more solid and less watery. I gave myself gentle tummy massages that seemed to help, so give that a try too.

Hopefully this whole post hasn’t been too graphic with all of this “potty talk”.

Thanks for reading! I hope I’ve opened your mind to the concept of colon cleansing. Remember that there are many different ways of cleansing your colon.

You can ensure you don’t need to cleanse as often by starting with a healthy high raw diet diet full of fiber.

Today is Day 4 of my Master Cleanse. Find out why I’m doing this cleanse, what is the master cleanse, and why I’ve got a white tongue.

Now onto the good stuff…

My Fast is Flying by Faster Than I Expected

Photo by KTB

Ha. Witchy pun intended. I’m actually quite surprised how little food I’ve been “tempted” to eat.

I know day 2 or 3 tend to be the toughest, according to my research and I’m just happy that they went by without much ado.

Yes there was definitely a moment when I almost ate a raisin off the floor. That 10 second rule must really be hardwired!

I continued to make some great lunches and salads for my boyfriend, and I wasn’t really tempted by any of the food. It was as if the food was like a toy. It was there for me to make colorful arrangements with, but not really for me to eat.

I noticed that my sense of smell also got sharper. Maybe that’s why Indian ladies who cook meals while they fast are so good at figuring out what spices to use.

Grocery Shopping while Fasting

I was running out of maple syrup, and the rest of the refrigerator was looking a little bare so I decided to go grocery shopping.

I was armed with my grocery shopping list, and I had a mission. But first, I had to stop by the ATM for some cash. That’s when I walked into a little corner store that stocks all kinds of junk food.

Seeing the junk food made me take a deep breath, and I actually started walking faster toward the ATM. After I got my money I was out of there faster than a black cat on Friday the 13th at 11:59pm.

My trip to the local farmer’s market was quite easy. I did stand in front of the leafy green vegetable section for a tad too long, but I hear looking at the color green is relaxing.

The next time you’re stressed out look at some leafy trees, and if that’s not possible then take out some lettuce or greens from your fridge. Instant relaxation. Ahhh.

See you tomorrow…

I plan on writing about some salt water flush concepts and experiences tomorrow. Hopefully you’re enjoying reading about my experience fasting for the first time. I’m not doing this for nuthin’ ya know. ;)

Welcome to Day 3 of my first Master Cleanse. You can find out what is the Master Cleanse here, and why I’m doing it here.

Before I go into today’s topic, I just wanted to let you know how I’m doing. (Hi, Mom!) To my great surprise, I’m really not hungry or craving food.

My boyfriend came home with two bags full of lemons and limes, and it was the cutest thing.

For those of you who might be wondering, I’ve still been having regular bowel movements. Crazy, huh? I know that this is likely old toxic matter that needs to be eliminated.

Now onto the white tongue issue…

Traditional Chinese Medicine and White Tongues

Photo by SeenyaRita

If you’ve read about my story with birth control pills and losing my period, you’ll know that I’m a big fan of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Actually, it was a TCM doctor who really helped me balance out my hormones.

One of the things that TCM doctors look at is your tongue. If it’s “abnormal” then they can figure out which parts of your body are out of balance. Now all of this may not seem scientific. But I know it works.

If your tongue is pale or white, then it means that you might have a Qi or blood deficiency. That might mean you’re feeling tired, or have low energy. You can read more about TCM tongue interpretation here.

At the time I was visiting my TCM doc, I had a pale white tongue and that was definitely true for me. For past few years my tongue had returned to normal.

Except now that I’m doing the master cleanse, my tongue has turned pale and become coated with white stuff again.

Coincidence? I think not. Keep reading to see what’s causing this.

What a Healthy Tongue Should Look Like

A healthy tongue is usually pink, and smooth.

If your tongue is always white or has weird fuzz, then medically speaking it could mean a few things.

White Tongue and Dehydration

The easiest to check is dehydration. If you aren’t drinking enough water, then that could definitely be causing your tongue to be too white.

Another thing to keep in mind with dehydration is that not all liquids are hydrating. For example coffee and tea are very dehydrating, and you would need to drink twice the water to compensate.

I always recommend you drink 1/2 a Liter (16 oz.) of water right upon waking up. Trust me, your body needs water first thing in the morning.

White Tongue and Candida

Another possibility is an overgrowth of yeast, also known as candida or thrush. This was a big ah-ha for me, because I know that I have to balance my beneficial bacteria and yeast since I’ve taken the birth control pill in the past.

I am under the impression that this whole white tongue thing is related to processing the yeasties and candida in my body.

According to an article on the Master Cleanse web site, it is common for the first few days to produce a white coated tongue. After the first few days it goes away, while your body goes to work healing and detoxing further.

This naturopathic article on white tongue may give you more insights if you want further information.

Tongue Tied Together?

Taking the TCM approach and the naturopathic or scientific explanations together really work for me. They might not be enough to explain your white tongue experiences, so I encourage you to do more research if this didn’t answer your questions.

I just know that I feel better knowing that I am actually bringing on this white tongue effect through my detoxification efforts. It’s definitely one of the detox symptoms and side effects.

Thanks for reading about my experiences with the Master Cleanse. Yay for getting through this cleanse, and getting rid of these yeasties!

This is day two of my Master Cleanse. So far, so good. I drank 3 liters of the lemonade yesterday, as recommended. You can read about why I chose to do this fast here.

Surprisingly I wasn’t really hungry. I did find myself scratching my head a few times, at lunch and dinner because I usually take a break from work then.

I also noticed that I like to take breaks to eat and relax throughout the day. And yeah, eating frequent small meals works for me. But fasting made me realize that I can take breaks without eating.

Food and breaks are not tied together. If I’m feeling overwhelmed or stressed, it is perfectly okay to take a walk, get away from the computer, or read a chapter of a book.

Imagine that!

So What is This Master Cleanse Thing, Anyways?

I wanted to give you a few more details about what the master cleanse consists of. It’s a liquid only cleanse, so there is no solid food consumed.

Here is the basic lemonade recipe for 1 Liter:

• 3 oz. Freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
• 3 oz. Grade B Maple Syrup (the darker the better)
• Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
• Filtered or spring water

So far I’ve been drinking 3 of these 1 Liter mixtures per day, as recommended. You can drink more, but should not drink less.

Take a sip every 15 minutes, or more often as desired throughout the day. This ensures your blood sugar stays stable and you don’t experience hunger pangs.

Until tomorrow…

I’ve heard that days 2 and 3 tend to be the toughest, because that’s when the majority of toxins tend to be released in the blood stream. So far, so good. I’ll definitely write about any detox symptoms in my next installment.

Talk to you soon!