Primal Detox?

[Micke77023]

Hello,

I am starting a detox today using the following product: the Enzymatic Whole Body Cleanse- its all natural. No crazy laxatives.

What is the primal opinion on a detox? Do others in this forum detox? I am laying off the coffee, booze, and any unecessary snacking on unhealthy items for two weeks. Trying to keep it au natural.

Thanks!

[chadwick]

Not that familiar with specific cleanses, but overall I think they are a waste of money and misguided. Your body changes over days, weeks, months, years of healthy living and eating the right things. Plus, every cleanse I have ever seen has been downright false and unhealthy--especially juice cleanses.

[celtia]

To me, the Primal way of eating IS a detox. When I nourish my body appropriately, it then has what it needs to get rid of problems and begin healing. But, as chadwick said, it takes time.

[livinghealthy]

Hey Micke77023 - Have not seen you around before, Welcome!

Here are my thoughts on Detox - like the others in the forum, I think they are a waste of money. I find that eating well (in the primal sense), keeps me from ever having to detox. However, I also understand that I am a human, and I slip up at times, or maybe in your case for the last few days or so??? When I slip up, I usually fast for a day or two to get back on track. During a fast, I will consume coffee and tea (both with come whole cream). Otherwise, I don't eat. I find that this really gets me back on track, and makes me feel a lot better too!

Let us know what you decide to do.

[Micke77023]

So,

I agree that many detoxes are unhealthy and too extreme. I guess by detox, I really mean eating/living very simply for two weeks and also not taking coffee, alcohol, or any dairy products. I'll probably also cut out lots of red meats and keep it to lean meats and mostly fish.

Along with that, I am taking three supplements to flush system:

1) Fiber
2) Milk Thistle
3) An all natural laxative (very mild)

Finally - i plan to do a lot of yoga for the next two weeks.

Other than that, I am not starving myself at all but focusing on whole fruits, veggies, lean meats and lots of water.

In terms of a fast, not sure I can handle that while working. I really need to have energy at work and fasting is way too tough for me or at least for this week.

Mickey

[chadwick]

Yes, but that detox is still mired in conventional thinking--red meats and high-fat dairy ARE healthy, if not the healthiest foods to eat. In fact, I would guess that 75% of my daily calories come from red meat and dairy (whole cream) alone.

Detox to me implies not doing something for awhile for the sake of being healthy, and then going back to what you used to be doing. Most detoxes (including ones utilizing laxatives, and other "natural" supplements) are a.) un-natural--primal living is about enjoying life, not sacrificing yourself to hunger pangs and unhealthy eating/exercising for a lower weight, and b.) downright unhealthy. Primal living gets AWAY from doing this stuff and moves toward the correct way to eat, exercise, and lead an enjoyable life.

[Micke77023]

"Detox to me implies not doing something for awhile for the sake of being healthy, and then going back to what you used to be doing. "

Chadwick,

While I agree with this statement, there are many instances when one does something healthy to counterbalance an unhealthy lifestyle even if only for a short sprint. This is like an internal "purge" for the body of many years of partying - my case.

I don't plan to give up sweets, coffee, and alcohol completely or forever, but I think giving my body a break from them for a couple weeks and hopefully also reducing my cravings in the process will be good for me. I also think that spending a couple weeks eliminating a bit more than usual is probably not bad for the system either.

Finally, while eating 75% of your daily diet as red meat and whole cream may work for you, it probably wouldn't be good for me.

Mickey

[chadwick]

I did not mean to say that my diet is the "correct" diet--there are a million interpretations of what is healthy and/or optimal.

My point is just that a cleanse of a week or two is not going to change anything that has been the result of years and years. For instance, proper gene expression will take longer than a couple of weeks-especially insulin sensitivity--as will letting the effects of carbs and other crap get out of your system.

Ultimately, a cleanse is not going to be healthy in and of itself; it is going to be healthier because it is a hiatus from being unhealthy. So if you are going to do something different, I just do not understand why you would not go about it the right way? If you are committed to doing something, I just think there are more productive things, that's all.

[Acmebike]

I'd second eating Paleo/Primal cleanly. You'll detox naturally over time. Just what Primal/Paleo clean nutrition is, will be widely interpreted, but so far superior to Standard American Diets! I've read that an over-abundance of Omega 6 from years of grain/grain fed meat/PUFA Vegetable oils can put too much in Omega 6 in our cells, and up to 2 years to get it all back to correct levels once the over-intake is ceased!

A good water fast now and then with Paleo/Primal nutrition will get you where you need to be.

[SassaFrass88]

I think that people who say that these formulations are a waste of money are slightly misinformed. The body can detox itself on a proper regimen AND you can take a formulation that is pre-mixed with ultimate detoxing ingredients so that you don't have to run all over town finding the right 'detox' herbs, etc.

The trick is, finding a formula that works AND doesn't break the bank.

I prefer a detox of my own. I like to mix it up with some intermittent fasting, lemon water and vegetable juice blends.

A great pre-detox is to get your bowels moving. Use Senna tea before & during any detox and you will ensure that the toxins move out of your colon.

You should focus on cleansing the liver, first and foremost, so those herbs focused on the liver like dandelion root, etc. are excellent forms of natural liver cleansers.

[Micke77023]

Hi Everyone,

So I wanted to update you all on my two week cleanse/detox. Over the two weeks, I refrained from the following:

1) Coffee (for the most part)
2) Alcohol
3) Refined Flours and Carbs (Which I don't eat much of anyway)
4) Any sweets...
5) Red Meat
6) Most dairy

Now, I did slip up a few times (not with alcohol) but with eating one meal with a dessert to follow.

For the detox, I focused on the following

1) Supplements - I took 8 to 12 Fiber Caps per day, 2 milk thistle caps, and 1 other mild laxative (as part of a packaged all-natural deal I bought at whole foods)
2) Tea - I drank a lot of decaf tea and some Yogi Detox teas
3) Yoga + Sweating + Swimming and less intense cardio
4) Eating - I ate a lot of salads, raw veggies, salmon, eggs, and nuts (pretty much how I eat anyway)
5) I drank a ton of WATER

All in all, I have now lost my addiction to caffeine. I used to drink a lot of coffee. I feel much better drinking less - fewer ups and downs, fewer light headed moments, less stomach cramps and less bloating. In terms of bowel movements, I dont' think the laxatives made a huge difference - I had a few bouts of diahareea but in general I didn't have any extreme reactions and sometimes even got a bit constipated (maybe eating too much eggs or something). not drinking alcohol was tough in social situations at first, but in the end - I felt so great. I was more energized everyday.

TO conclude, I'm not sure how the detox impacted my internal organs - I am sure it didn't help. But mentally, it felt nice. My energy levels were higher and I've permanently reduced my coffee and sweets intake. I only drink coffee before early mornign workouts and for pure pleasure on the weekends. No more coffee binges at work.

THanks for all the advice.

Best,
MIckey
www.MickeyAshmore.com
www.Singleguycooks.blogspot.com

[pkafka]

Bravo Mick... The goal is to take that positivity from the way this "detox" made you feel, and use it as motivation to live like this everyday... Which is very conceivable. The thing that is tough is this - to be healthy is to live for tomorrow, to live for the future. To live for how you feel after you eat, not while you eat. Society always prompts us to live in the present, to enjoy the moment! But this approach never leads to the best results.

We need to live in the moment, with great consideration for the future. We must enjoy eating eating, and at the same time eat healthfully - thus the reason I am primal. I love steak, and love the way it makes me feel!

-pk

[Acmebike]

A take on "DETOX" at MDA:

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/colon-cleanse-scam/