Finding the healthiest kind of detox
You could do a juice cleanse. Or a fast. Maybe cut gluten, or dairy, or sugar, or red meat… all meat, carbs, alcohol, caffeine. All of the above!
We can look in many directions to find systems purporting to rid our bodies of toxins, or “bad stuff” as they’re broadly defined. The processes sound varying degrees of miserable, but the outcome — you’ve been cleansed! — sounds undeniably fantastic.
Being a yoga teacher and cookbook author, I’m often asked about this topic. What’s the best diet? What’s the best way to cleanse? My unhesitating and perhaps disappointing response is: “I don’t know!”
For one thing, we all descend from different places and have different genes and backgrounds. What’s best for you is not necessarily going to work for me. Beyond that, I’ve found that restrictive diets (quickie detoxes, too), often lead to little more than stress, potential sicknesses and short-term results. My advice is to switch gears.
Instead of focusing on food and what to cut on the physical side, I like a different approach. Focus elsewhere — on mental stuff. Bear with me.
I think the universally healthiest cleanse is one that draws out a different kind of bad stuff, namely negativity and judgmentalism. This kind of detox recognizes that picking people apart, dwelling on problems, assuming the worst, being overly critical of ourselves, etc., are learned and ingrained inclinations that drastically sabotage our vitality. Each of these habits are part of human nature, but when they creep in and become our unconscious, default way of being, they squash joy and even impact health.
Sure, this kind of detox isn’t as clear cut as avoiding bacon, but it’s workable. It starts with awareness. Pay attention to when you feel your worst. When you’re able to take a step back (likely after the heat of the moment subsides), consider what you were thinking that precipitated the crash. Take note, sans self-judgment.
The manic and fleeting musings of our minds typically have way too much power over how we live and feel. Starting to observe destructive thought patterns is not transformative overnight. Nor is it a walk in the park. Trust me, I know. It’s frustrating and unpleasant and requires significant levels of patience and self-compassion. But learning to foster a sense of objective internal awareness helps damaging mental matter become less entrenched. Once these toxins rise to the surface, their roots weaken.
What to do after witnessing negativity is just as individualized as picking a diet. For some people, taking a deep breath and relaxing the body is a helpful next step. Others will say a prayer (i.e. “help me to get out of this mindset”), or an affirmation (“I am not my negative thoughts”) or practice gratitude (“I’m grateful to be alive and for [insert awesomeness]) or dive right into deeper introspection (“where did this thought come from?). What works for each of us will vary. Consider your style. Maybe even enlist some help.
But back to our original focus — food. I’ve found that this unconventional brand of detoxing actually helps on a physical level, too. I eat better (in a way that uniquely works for me) when my head is in a good space.
For me, this remains a work in progress for me. I share because I’ve seen snippets of the fruits it bears. This is a cleanse that has truly holistic effects. So let’s dig in.