Renew, Renew!

Well, I'm doing it again--it's the new year and I'm attempting a cleanse, a detoxification. I've attempted cleanses a couple of times a few years back, finally begging my wife (then girlfriend) Mrs. F to remind me to never do a cleanse again. She did her job, and I thanked her for it. But I just feel the need to do a reboot of my system as a reminder of getting myself back to healthier paths. I know... I could do something sensible like slowly incorporate new healthy regimens into my lifestyle. But what's the fun of that? And besides, it's entertaining for Mrs. F to give me guff about the all the tinctures and apple cider/honey cocktails I'm ingesting.

I'm using the Detox-It Kit sold by The Herbalist here in Seattle (which can also be ordered online), and it's a much more sane program than the one I did via The Herbalist a couple years back, which was a two week program (starting with a one-week juice fast). With this new, revised cleanse program, it's only one week and there is more than just drinking bentonite clay smoothies--Mrs. F and I even had a bit of salmon for dinner tonight. I'm on Day 1, and the worst part of it is the caffeine withdrawl--holy cow, I didn't realize how much of a java addict I've become. I crashed hard this afternoon with a massive logey headache, but I'm hoping that the worst is over.

All that said, the BBC today has an article noting that cleanses might not be the best solution:

The detox business - which includes diets, tablets and drinks said to flush out toxins - is said to be worth tens of millions of pounds.

But the scientists from the Sense About Science organisation say water, fresh air and sleep is all that is needed.

The term detox is meaningless as the body is perfectly capable of clearing out harmful substances, they add.

The gut prevents bacteria and many toxins from entering the body, while the liver contributes to breaking down harmful chemicals which are then excreted by the kidneys.

Tap water rehydrates the body and a good's night sleep will leave people refreshed, the scientists said.

They dismissed detox tablets, socks, body wraps, diets and eating Nettle Root extract or drinking herbal infusions or "oxygenated" water in a bid to make natural procedures more effective.

"They waste money and sow confusion about how our bodies, nutrition and chemistry actually work," they said.

Oh well. I'm sure I'll feel fantastic in a week.