At Home Herbal Cleansing

Just as you need to clean the outside of your body to stay in good health, it is vital to cleanse your insides. Toxins, caused by improper diet, air pollution, stress and other causes, can collect in the colon and remain there indefinitely. This toxin-filled fecal matter can cause such symptoms as bloating, gas, headaches, indigestion, fatigue and weight problems, as well as contributing to disease. Two popular cleanses are the Lemonade Diet and Dr. Christopher's Three-Day-Cleanse.

The Lemonade Diet

The Lemonade Diet, also known as the Master Cleanse Diet, uses a lemon-based mixture to cleanse impurities from the system. No other food is taken during the cleanse. This recipe is taken from Stanley Burroughs' book, "The Master Cleanser". To make the lemonade you need the following ingredients:

2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice (approximately 1/2 lemon)
2 tbsp. grade B pure maple syrup
1/10 tsp. cayenne pepper
purified water

Combine juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper in a 10 oz. glass and fill with warm purified water. (You can use cold water if you prefer.)

Drink from six to 12 glasses of the lemonade daily. This is all the food you will ingest during the course of the cleanse. Mint tea may be used occasionally to assist with cleansing and to neutralize any mouth or body odors that occur.

A laxative tea is also beneficial in assisting with the cleansing process. Drink a cup of the tea at night and upon waking in the morning.

An internal salt water bath further helps cleanse the body of impurities. Prepare one quart of lukewarm water and add 2 tsp. of un-iodized sea salt. Do not use any other kind of salt. Drink the entire mixture first thing in the morning on an empty stomach and make sure you are near a bathroom within one hour or so.

Adhere to the Lemonade Diet for at least 10 days, three to four times a year.

Dr. Christopher's Three-Day Cleanse

The purpose of this cleanse, advocated by Dr. John R. Christopher, is to eliminate mucus from the body, a process that can aid in healing and treating illnesses. Start by drinking 16 oz. of prune juice first thing in the morning. The prune juice will not only empty the bowels, but will draw into the intestines toxic matter from the body to be eliminated through the bowels. During this cleanse you will drink only fruit or vegetable juices.

Choose one type of juice, besides the prune, to use during the cleanse. Apple juice is a good choice. Use unsweetened, 100-percent juice---organic whenever possible. Thirty minutes after drinking the prune juice, drink 8 oz. of your chosen juice. "Chew" each mouthful of juice thoroughly.

Thirty minutes later, drink a glass of distilled water. Alternate the juice and water every 30 minutes throughout the day. You will consume about one gallon of juice for each day of the cleanse.

To aid in lubricating bile and liver ducts, take 1 to 2 tbsp. of olive oil three times a day. Dr. Christopher's Lower Bowel Formula can be used to strengthen the bowels and to help with constipation. Extra prune juice can also be used. Follow the Three-Day Cleanse with Dr. Christopher's "mucus-less" diet, which omits salt, eggs, refined sugars, meat, milk products, flours and flour products.