Many cleanses and detoxes exist in the health world. The words “cleanse” and “detox” are used interchangeably, but they have different meanings. To cleanse is to remove harmful toxins and waste from the body. To detox is to abstain from certain substances or foods to completely remove them from your system, the primary goal being to improve bodily health, or target a specific organ to rejuvenate.
Cleansing carries positive and negative connotations because it is most commonly associated with intense concoctions, fasting, or false promises that seem too good to be true. When cleansing is done properly, the body is flooded with essential nutrients, bowel movements become regular, immune strength increases, and feelings of overall sluggishness are non-existent. The Full Body Cleanse, for instance, involves a diet that solely consists of raw fruits, vegetables, and raw nuts and seeds. You can eat as many of those foods as you desire while cleansing. This is a strange notion for a lot of people because the common thought is to limit food consumption to lose weight. This holds true when you are eating refined sugars, unhealthy carbs, dairy products, alcohol, fried foods, and lots of meat. If you don’t eat raw fruits and vegetables, however, you can’t eliminate properly.
The Full Body Cleanse does not call for a liquid diet, nor does it entail eating once a day. The best approach to cleansing the body is to eat nutrient-dense foods that aid the cleansing process; thus, the raw foods diet that accompanies the cleanse. This is all fine and dandy, but what does this diet and cleanse do for the body? You’ll be able to feel and see the difference in just one week. Keep reading to find out.
Your Skin
As you flush toxins out of your body, it is possible to experience a breakout or two, especially if excess toxins are in the bloodstream. If this happens, it will occur during the first couple days of cleansing. Once those symptoms of cleansing subside, you’ll find that your skin appears clearer and radiant. Oil production will decrease, which results in a brighter complexion. The skin only improves as you continue into your second week of cleansing.
Your Gut
For the most part, foods in the Western diet cause people to have an imbalanced microbiome. Unhealthy bacteria exist in far greater numbers than healthy bacteria, a common cause of poor immune function, inflammation, bowel inconsistence, and weight loss struggles. In your first week of cleansing, the diet and formulas work to rebalance the microbiome, increasing the amount of healthy bacteria in your gut. A healthy gut leads to regular bowel movements, decreased bloating and gas, better nutrient absorption, and less stress on the digestive system. Rebalancing gut bacteria can also improve your skin, reduce allergies, and lead to better sleep.
Your Brain
You won’t notice any signs of improvement within the first few days of cleansing because you may experience some withdrawals from certain foods or substances in your regular diet. In fact, it is quite normal to experience a mild headache or lethargy in the beginning of your cleanse. Hang in there, though, because it gets better. By day five, you’ll start feeling as though the fog is clearing. You should notice improvement in mental clarity, memory, and your ability to focus.
Your Liver
The liver’s primary role is to detoxify chemicals and secrete bile back into the intestines. The liver cannot keep up with the amount of toxins that people typically ingest, creating toxin storage and chronic inflammation. Cleansing gives the liver a chance to function properly, and it can also help to decrease the fat in the liver. You may experience some mild aggression in the first couple days as a response, but your liver will appreciate the cleansing effort within a week. Herbal teas that promote additional liver cleansing include dandelion root and milk thistle.
Your Mood
People find comfort in certain foods, one of the most common of which is sugar. It can be rewarding and comforting, making it an emotional food you can’t live without. Positive affirmations go a long way when you give up sugar. Give yourself a pat on the back for eating healthily! You may feel sad or experience mood swings within the first week, but you’ll notice a positive change in sleep, energy, and the number on the scale will reflect that!
Cleansing can be difficult at times, but think of cleansing as a vacation for your body. You’ll sleep better and emerge with a newfound energy and attitude about life. Clean out the junk, ditch your fat, and stay energized for what’s to come.
Vincent Stevens is the senior content writer at Dherbs. As a fitness and health and wellness enthusiast, he enjoys covering a variety of topics, including the latest health, fitness, beauty, and lifestyle trends. His goal is to inform people of different ways they can improve their overall health, which aligns with Dherbs’ core values. He received his bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of Redlands, graduating summa cum laude. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.
