A cleanse can take on many shapes and forms: but most importantly it should involve extended lifestyle changes; minimizing the amount of chemicals you are exposed to and maximizing the consumption of vitamins, nutrients and live enzymes that will help draw out toxins (this can all be done with food). You may choose to incorporate a one or two day juice fast into your program. A juice fast should not last more than one to two days and should only account for three to four days in total of a thirty to forty-five day program.

Whichever you choose….please note that you do not have to pay top dollars for pills and potions to help you through this. There are some very simple lifestyle improvements (there is that word again) that will improve the overall functioning of your digestion, liver and help 'cleanse' your colon.

Here is a list of food choices that will improve the long term functioning of your digestion, liver and colon:

• Select three to five fruits per day -- good for snacks.
• Always combine complex carbohydrates with proteins to help maintain blood sugar levels
• Grains should be mixed with another protein, such as tofu, to improve their protein availability to your body.
• Limit meats to three days per week, and use vegetable proteins, such as grains and beans (in combination).
• Select at least two different vegetables for each meal. Concentrate on the orange/yellow vegetables which are rich in beta-carotene, which will be very liver-friendly.
• Consider eating beets daily. Coleslaws are a fabulous way to increase the variety of your vegetables. These can be made in batches and can last up to two days.
• Select a fat or oil or seed or nut with at least two of your meals. One teaspoon of oil or more. Nuts and seeds make excellent snacks and are easy to package and carry in plastic bags.
• To prime the digestive organs every morning, take one tablespoonful of lemon juice, a pinch of ginger powder and put it in one to two cups of hot water. If you prefer a cold drink you may choose a glass of room temperature filtered water with a lemon slice.

By Angela Pifer of The Nourished Body

Articles provided by the LifeBalance Program

The LifeBalance Program is an active wellness program headquartered in Portland, Oregon. The program has been helping clients and members achieve an active, healthy and balanced life through recreational, cultural and wellness activities, events and resources since 1996. The LifeBalance Program is sold to businesses as an employer sponsored employee benefit or bundled into health/association plan offerings as a value added wellness component and healthy lifestyle promotion. The LifeBalance Program currently supports over 3,000 clients and 400,000 LifeBalance Program members in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington. Existing strategic relationships include Providence Health Plan, Associated General Contractors, The CHP Group, Pacific Health Trust, Providence Health & Services, Municipality of Anchorage, PeaceHealth, West Coast Bank and Xenium. Visit www.LifeBalanceProgram.com for more information.