Q:
My new year’s resolution s to be healthier. I wanted to kick it off with a cleanse of some kind, but I’m unsure of which to do since I’ve heard stories of people doing colon cleanses and then being stuck in the bathroom all day. I don’t want that lol. Do you have any recommendations or ideas for me?
A:
A goal to be healthier this year is a wonderful resolution, and a whole body cleanse is a great way to begin. Many people are afraid to take cleansing products for the reason you mentioned, but we have a number of great ones at the store which are gentle but still very effective. A new product we’ve gotten recently in that I really like is Nature’s Plus Complete Body Cleanse. It’s a formula with vegetarian capsules that are taken morning and night. It contains three different bottles- a cleansing formula with probiotics and organic herbs which helps to detoxify the liver, colon, lymphatic system, blood, kidneys and more; a fiber formula, and a gentle nighttime herbal laxative formula which also contains probiotics and probiotics. I’d say it’s definitely the most complete whole body cleanse we have and the one I would recommend above all others.
For general health after your cleanse, there are three supplements which I think everyone should take, the first being a quality multivitamin which will help to fill in nutritional gaps in your diet. The next woule be vitamin D, which most Americans are deficient in, especially in the winter months. Vitamin D is crucial for the immune system, bone health, cardiovascular health and a myriad of other benefits. The third supplement would be omega 3 fish oil. Omega 3 fatty acids are needed for proper brain function and also help with reducing inflammation in the body as well as lowering cholesterol (specifically triglycerides) along with a long list of benefits for other health conditions. It's important to note that the body cannot produce omega 3 fatty acids- they must be obtained through diet. If a person is not eating fatty fish or flax/chia seeds on a regular basis, it is extremely likely that they are deficient in omega 3 fatty acids.
A quality diet is also important for vibrant health, with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains, as is being physically active. Exercising can be difficult in the winter months since the freezing temperatures aren’t really conducive to outdoor exercise. Groupon has been having good deals lately for exercise classes in the area, sothat’s worth looking into. There are also some great free exercise videos available online. Fit Sugar is a website I really like that has wonderful quick 10 minute workout videos. Another good one is Fitness Blender. They have a fast 8 minute workout that’s really great and still gets the heart rate up.