Full Body Cleanse: Lifestyle

During and after an intense, full body cleanse, you can expect to feel refreshed, like your body has become younger and lighter. To experience the greatest possible benefits during your intense cleanse, it's important that you minimize your exposure to endogenous and exogenous toxins.

Minimizing your exposure to endogenous toxins is relatively simple - you just need to follow the full body cleanse diet, chew your foods well, and do your best not to overeat. This combination of actions will minimize production of toxins in your digestive tract and within your cells.

What follows is a list of suggestions on how to minimize your exposure to exogenous toxins:

1. Minimize use of cosmetics - it's best to use none at all during an intense cleansing period. It's most important to avoid use of cosmetics around your mouth to prevent accidental ingestion of chemicals found in many cosmetic products.

2. Minimize use of moisturizer and chapstick / lip balm. If you must use something on your skin and lips, consider using a small amount of coconut oil.

3. Try not to use deodorants, antiperspirants, or perfumes/colognes.

4. Use the smallest amount of shampoo possible, and if your life circumstances permit, use a brand made with natural ingredients - there are plenty of such brands at most department stores these days.

Here are some additional suggestions on how to conserve energy and allow your body to devote the bulk of its resources to cleansing and detoxification:

1. Minimize use of soap - warm or hot water is sufficient for cleaning.

2. In looking to get as much physical rest as possible, don't neglect resting your eyes. Even while awake, you can enhance physical rest by closing your eyes for a minute or more at a time.

3. As your circumstances permit, take a break from activities that tend to promote emotional distress. For example, taking a week-long break from watching the evening news, or even taking a two-day break from surfing the internet and checking your e-mail may give your nervous system much needed rest.

4. Get plenty of fresh air. Your lungs are constantly expelling carbon dioxide into the air around you, and your cleansing mechanisms are best served by a steady stream of fresh, oxygen-rich air. If you live in a relatively unpolluted environment, sleep with your window cracked open.

5. Get sunlight exposure on your skin without getting burned, but be careful not to get so much sun that you become exhausted - about 15 minutes of direct sunlight exposure each day while at rest is optimal for many people; this doesn't include exposure while going about your daily activities.

6. Engage in light mobility exercises, walking, and even mild sports activities, but don't participate in strenuous exercise during your intense cleanse. The goal is to keep your body moving and your blood circulation strong, but to conserve as much energy as possible for your cleansing mechanisms.

Clearly, the suggestions provided above can be beneficial to your health after you complete an intense period of cleansing. As you experience the intense, full body cleanse described in this series of articles, perhaps you can make it a goal to adopt some or many of these dietary and lifestyle suggestions into your everyday routine for the long term.

If you're serious about using an intense period of detoxification to greatly improve your health, I encourage you to try this program with a close friend or family member. Having a partner to experience this with can make a huge difference in your commitment level, and in the results that you obtain.

Please notice that this program doesn't call for fancy and expensive foods or equipment. It mainly calls for fresh vegetables and fruits, water, and adherence to some basic principles that promote good digestion and physical and emotional rest - it really is that simple.

If you have any questions about cleansing and detoxification, please feel free to submit them via our contact form. I'll aim to compile an FAQ section for full body cleansing in another blog entry.

I'll also create a special recipe section on our Web site that provides recipes that are well suited to the full body cleanse diet. If you aren't subscribed to my natural health newsletter, be sure to sign up below, as I'll provide updates on this program, including links to recipes, through my newsletter.

Please also feel free to post your ongoing thoughts, comments, and questions in the comments section of any article in this series. I hope to hear from some of you soon!

With best wishes,

Ben Kim

Full Body Cleanse Series:

Full Body Cleanse: The Basics
Full Body Cleanse: Diet
Full Body Cleanse: Lifestyle
Full Body Cleanse: FAQ
Full Body Cleanse: Recipes