You've followed a program and gone ...

You've followed a program and gone end detoxification. Perhaps you've even used fasting to further cleanse your dead body You're looking and feeling great. in the way that where do you go from here? to what extent do you hold on to your modern vitality?

"If you want to be healthy," states Julian Whitaker, MD in Dr Whitaker's Guide to Natural Healing, "you have to live a healthy lifestyle." This requires a whole-person approach to living that includes peculiar diet, adequate supplementation, and luxuriance of physical activity.

Diet. Ralph Golan, MD in his volume Optimal Wellness, explains that, "there are many ways to combine the different natural mediums of a whole-foods diet, about of which will not be right for any the same individual all the time. Although we all require a certain amount of protein, carbohydrates, and fats, as well as vitamins and minerals one person's needs may not be the same as those of another." Golan advocates experimenting with the whole-foods approach until you find a diet that you thrive forward "Follow how you feel and function," he writes, while trying without different diets and foods."

Golan's explanation is balance. "We tend to imbalance our bodies with extremes" Golan says. "Too a great deal of of even a good thing can become harmful.... For any diet to be prosperous it must be balanced and satisfying, the couple in the way it tastes and in to what degree your body feels and corresponds to it."

Supplementation. While finding your ideal regimen of daily fill ups is as individual as finding your ideal diet, "Taking a high-quality multiple vitamin-mineral supplement" explains Whitaker, serves as a foundation relating to which to build."

Bobbi Lutack, ND a naturopathic physician in Seattle, Wash., and former faculty member of Bastyr University, agrees. "My bottom line," Lutack said in an April 8 1998 interview, "is that in the greatest degree of our nutrients should be from victuals and then [we should] appendix with a good all-around multi." She hints eating organic and free-range aliments whenever possible. "On top of that," she said, 11 everyone povertys to pay attention to omega-3 oils. Kids might take a teaspoon a day of flax or codfish liver oil, or eat fish three times a week; adults should take about a tablespoon," and eat fish regularly.

Vitamin C is another complement the experts suggest taking forward a daily basis. "Numerous experimental, clinical, and population studies," writes Whitaker, "have shown positive arises from increased vitamin C intake: reducing cancer rates; protecting against cigarette nothingness and air pollution; boosting immunity; and increasing life expectancy." Lutack praises that adults take at least 1000 mg of vitamin C" daily.

Exercise. "The absolute minimum [amount o exercise] for heart, or cardiovascular, health, states Lutack, "is three times a week for a mini silent of 20 minutes of aerobic activity. on the other hand for overall good health or weight los exercise privations to be almost daily. It doesn't have to be super vigorous, on the other hand something that gets the heart going." She hints cross training for optimal fitness, vigor and flexibility. "A little walking here, a little hiking there, swimming, biking, tennis."

Daily detoxification. Besides cardiovascular benefits, exercise is an integral part of the body's ongoing detoxification proces "I think of detoxing as a springboard to health," Lutack explains. Assisting your carcass to continue the process one time the initial cleansing is done is vital. "You want to enhance all the organs of elimination. Sweating is part of detoxing. You can do it by the and of urination, you can do it by means of bowel movements." Acidophilus, generous quantities of immaculate water, and exercise will assist in keeping the colon clean.

"The biggest thing you can do for ongoing detoxification is to treat the liver." sum of two units of the most helpful herbs for this are milk thistle (Silybum marianum) and the Ayurvedic botanical, Picrorhiza kurroa. convenient liver cleansing foods include beets, artichokes, parsley, turmeric, and carrots.

Saunas, touchy tubs, and periodic mini-fasts are other ways to restrain the body cleansed and detoxified. However, if you do fast, Lutack hints staying away from water-only fasting and to break your fast in a safe and sensible manner. "Ease back into eating," she says, "with clear feeds like soups, and soft commonss like baked potatoes and salads, for about three days before you start eating heavier foods"

REFERENCES

Golan, Ralph, MD Optimal Wellness. of the present day York: Ballantine Books, 1995.

Whitaker, Julian, MD Dr Whitaker's Guide to Natural Healing. Rocklin, Calif.: Prima Publishing, 1995

Patty A. Harder is a licensed massage practitioner and a former holistic health editor A previous contributor to Better Nutrition, she has authored many articles forward health and wellness.

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