Friday, May 4, 2007

Spring clean...yourself

Spring cleaning is good for your body


Molly Peppo

Fasting has been practiced for thousands of years by ancient civilizations. Cleansing the body can be a tool for physical rejuvenation, preservation of youth and health, and spiritual illumination. "Fasting will not only purify the body and help restore it to well-being, but has a great effect on the mental and spiritual parts of man," says Paul Bragg, author of "The Miracle of Fasting." Supervised fasting is therapeutic, preventative and revitalizing.

A cleanse or fast, especially in the spring or mid-summer, is ideal to give the digestive and protective organs of your body a rest and help clear the body of toxins.

There are many cleanse kits available, some much better than others. Juice fasting involves fasting for three to seven days on fresh organic vegetable juices. Green juices are alkalinizing and supply vitamins, minerals and enzymes, all of which helps maintain electrolyte balance. Water-only fasting is not recommended as it can be extremely depleting to the body, especially in these times when the body is already overburdened with accumulated toxins. When properly supervised and supported, seven-day juice fasting can rejuvenate and transform the physical and emotional bodies.

Presently, about 70,000 toxic chemicals are dumped into the environment each year. In a study done by the American Red Cross, an average number of 279 toxins are found in the umbilical cords of newborn babies. The United States leads the world in heart disease and cancer, consequences of a high-cholesterol and saturated fat meat-eating diet. In the course of a year, according to Dr. Alan Cott, the average adult eats 120 pounds of sugar, 53 pounds of fat, 100 pounds of white flour, 14 pounds of white rice, 25 pounds of potatoes, and five pounds of ice cream. These foods, some say, cause fatigue, depression, mental illness and hyperactivity. Clearing the body of toxins, as well as generating awareness of the body and its relation to the nourishing power of whole foods, are two good reasons to plan an annual fast or cleanse.

Fasting allows the body to break physical patterns and resets the body's cellular memory, clearing the causes of disease and illness rather than treating the symptoms. As Dr. Michael Rosenbaum wrote, "The hidden cause of many chronic pains, diseases and illnesses may be invisible toxins, chemicals, heavy metals and parasites that invade our bodies."

Fasting can help lower blood pressure, clear addictions to alcohol, drugs and sugar, improve digestion and sleep. Cott wrote fasting will "sharpen the senses, quicken mental processes, seek spiritual revelations, and slow the aging process."

Be present with the food and eat with consciousness, as awareness of food and your body will be highly sensitized. Chew the food well as you're activating messages to your body to turn on enzymes for digestion.

Please note that there are many ways to support the body and prevent detox reactions during a fast or cleanse, so it's best to work with or fast with someone who has some experience and can lend guidance and support. Contact me at mollypeppo@mac.com for questions, comments, or suggestions.




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