Types Of Cleanses
There are many types of cleanses from which a person can choose. This section will explore cleanses for the intestines, blood, liver and kidneys, emotions and mind. By knowing about these general types of cleanses and some specific cleanses within each type, you will be more informed to make decisions both for your own detoxification processes and to help others with their cleansing experiences as well.
Intestinal
Cleanse
Intestinal cleanses are extremely important for the detoxification of
the entire body, as the intestines are the place of assimilation of nutrients
and a major place for the elimination of toxins. In the book Cleanse
& Purify Thyself (1998), Richard Anderson says, “The bowel
may be likened to a septic system in a house. If your leach line becomes
clogged, you may find septic debris flooding into your bathtub or shower,
especially after that one last flush.” (78) When the intestines
become filled with mucoid plaque, the blood and lymph become backed up
with waste. The cells of the body are even affected by the back up of
the intestines by becoming filled with debris. We can clear our bodies
of mucoid plaque and other debris, however, by performing intestinal cleanses.
Anderson notes that after intestinal cleanses, peoples’ white blood
cells (immune cells) have been documented to move four to ten times faster
than they did prior to cleansing. This is due to the release of the debris
within one’s white blood cells, which enables them to move faster.
Once congestion in the bowels is alleviated, the blood and lymph are more
able to take toxins to the elimination organs to be released from the
body forever.
In order to look further at the components of intestinal cleansing, two types of intestinal cleanses will be explored, the first of which is the Arise And Shine Cleanse. The Arise And Shine intestinal cleanse is a powerful four week process of detoxifying the intestines formulated by Richard Anderson. Anderson searched for effective ways to cleanse his body for years. After trying many intestinal cleanses with minimal results, Richard Anderson went on an expedition with a friend to fast on fresh, wild herbs and water. Anderson had the experience of releasing mucoid plaque after eating herbs from a meadow. It was this experience that led him to research how to use these herbs as powerful cleansing allies in a cleanse for other people as well. The result of this research was the formulation of the Arise And Shine Cleanse, which uses herbs that are grown near Mt. Shasta.
Two herbal formulas are used during this intestinal cleanse. The first herbal formula is important in aiding peristalsis, which is the wave-like movement of the intestines. It also serves to break up mucoid plaque, release the mucoid plaque from the body, purify the blood, expel worms from the body, and reduce cleansing reactions, gas, and appetite. The second formula makes the first more effective and also provides nutritional support for the entire body. This formula gives one’s body essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals, chlorophyll, and supports all organs. In addition to these herbal formulas, which are taken several times daily, shakes consisting of psyllium husk powder and liquid bentonite clay are consumed throughout the day. Both psyllium husk powder and bentonite clay help to prevent cleansing reactions by aiding the body to quickly release toxins. Psyllium husk powder serves to loosen mucoid plaque from the intestinal walls and then pushes it out of the body. Liquid bentonite absorbs toxins from the intestines.
Richard Anderson states that the aluminum contained in bentonite has a negative electrical charge, which is the same as the charge of the cells in peoples’ intestines. In Cleanse & Purify Thyself (1998), Anderson states, “Like the polar opposites of two magnets repelling one another, the cells of our bowels absolutely repel the bentonite from entering the inner sanctum of our bodies. This means that you never need to be concerned about absorbing anything that is in bentonite.” (103) Probiotics are additionally taken as part of this cleanse to provide the intestines with beneficial bacteria necessary for good health. The diet of mostly raw foods eaten on the Arise And Shine Cleanse helps to feed the friendly bacteria in one’s intestines.
There are four phases during the Arise And Shine Cleanse, which correspond to the amount of toxins being released from the body. Three meals are eaten on phase one, and then one meal is eliminated on each of the following phases. During the fourth phase, only fresh juice is consumed. This allows the body to spend very little time digesting and thus more time cleansing. A large focus of this cleanse is on releasing mucoid plaque, which often happens during the final phase.
Ejuva is another intestinal cleanse that serves to detoxify the intestines, blood, organs, and tissue cells. It is a four-week cleanse which contains four phases, each lasting for about one week. A combination of 24 organic herbs is taken to help cleanse the body of mucoid plaque. Another formula helps to balance one’s energy during the cleansing process. It consists of a combination of Chinese and Ayurvedic herbs and aids in keeping one’s energy level high during the entire cleanse. Intestinal flora is taken to feed one’s beneficial intestinal bacteria. During this cleanse one also has a shake made of psyllium seed husk powder, Chia seeds, and Slippery Elm powder. This formula cleanses intestinal pockets of fecal matter and mucoid plaque. It also nourishes the intestinal tissues. Instead of using bentonite clay, as the Arise And Shine Cleanse does, the Ejuva Cleanse uses a formula of Ayurvedic herbs combined with herbs from Japan. This formula “works not only to cleanse and regenerate the tissues and intestinal tract, but is especially formulated to be effective against parasites. In our experience, this formula is unsurpassed in allowing you to cleanse, and feel energetic without the worry of a sluggish feeling and ingesting heavy metals from bentonite.” (www.naturalhealthway.com) The Ejuva Cleanse chooses not to use bentonite clay because it contains 21% aluminum, which can become stuck in the body and create further toxic residues.
After the intestines are cleansed of mucoid plaque and the body is able to release many trapped toxins, it can additionally be helpful for the body to do a gallbladder and liver cleanse. Some people choose to do liver cleanses without any other cleansing experiences. Richard Anderson, however, emphasizes the importance of first completing an intestinal cleanse because of its ability to release the high level of toxins that can be stuck in the intestines. Gallbladder and liver cleanses serve to safely remove stones from both organs. According to information from www.highvibe.com, most people in the United States are susceptible to having stones in their livers and gallbladders. Anyone who eats cooked food, especially a diet high in animal fats and sugar, and low in fiber, raw fruits, and raw vegetables, is likely to have a clogged liver. This happens because the body can’t break down the types of cooked fats eaten by many North Americans and so these fats become solid stones. When the liver is clogged, it isn’t able to produce as much bile, which is essential for the elimination of toxins from the body. The Koyman center (www.koymancenter.com) notes that the liver is responsible for removing toxins from the bloodstream. When the liver becomes taxed through high levels of toxins flowing through the bloodstream, it isn’t able to flush all of the toxins out of the body. Instead, the liver takes toxins from the bloodstream and stores some of them in the liver itself. This inhibits the liver’s abilities to detoxify the body. According to www.thelifetree.com, symptoms of liver dysfunction include headaches, bad breath, a heavily coated tongue, muscle pain, fatigue, excess sweating, and skin irritations. The Koyman center outlines how a full liver cleanse will help to clean the bloodstream, strengthen the immune system, improve digestion, clean the skin, improve metabolism, and protect the body from degenerative diseases such as cancer. When stones are flushed and a healthy diet is consumed, the liver and gallbladder can function properly, helping the overall health of the entire body.
Many liver cleanses are available online and most use the combination of olive oil and lemon juice to flush the liver. Olive oil causes the liver to contract, thus pushing stones out through the liver’s ducts. Cleanses for the liver are one to 14 days in length and can be a safe way to pass stones through the stool rather than by means of surgery. As described on www.highvibe.com, stones can be “bright green, white, putty colored, black, or brown, and they are quite remarkable.” This company furthermore recommends diet changes after a liver cleanse to help maintain the health of the liver. A diet high in fiber with few or no flesh foods is recommended. Cold pressed oils, avocados, and seeds are suggested as fats in one’s diet, and fasting on juice one day per week is suggested as being helpful for overall health.
Master
Cleanse
A cleanse called the Master Cleanse serves to detoxify the liver, as well
as the kidneys, digestive system, glands, cells, joints, and muscles (http://www.bc1.com).
It furthermore helps to build healthy blood and stimulate healthy tissue
growth. The book The Master Cleanser by Stanley Burroughs outlines
information that can be helpful in having the most effective cleansing
experience with the Master Cleanse. This cleanse can be done for ten days
or for one to two days once a month to rejuvenate the body. During the
Master Cleanse, one takes a mixture of fresh lemon or limejuice, maple
syrup, cayenne pepper, and water six to twelve times per day. Lemon helps
to detoxify the body, while maple syrup gives one’s body energy
from an unrefined source of sugar. Peoples’ bodies get a break from
heavy digestion, since the liquid mixture is easy for the body to assimilate.
In addition to the mixture of lemon, maple syrup, cayenne, and water it
can be helpful to take a herbal laxative while on this cleanse because
the body isn’t receiving any fiber, which helps with bowel movements.