Deep Detox & An Unexpected Way To Use Coffee
I'm back from Spain and ready to take detoxification deeper. Last month I wrote about a four-day Ayurvedic Cleanse I completed before leaving on vacation to Madrid.My initial intention was to cleanse before my trip so I could eat whatever my heart desired while in Madrid. What happened was that I found myself on vacation craving healthy food and exercise. I even got a week-long gym membership and did yoga and lifted weights while I was away!
This experience reconfirmed that living clean isn't a roller coaster ride, but a lifestyle that gains momentum when I make it a daily habit. Ironically, when I prioritize good health practices on a daily basis, I get to indulge periodically without throwing off my game completely. That's why I treated myself to a dish of gelato every day in Madrid!
So, what more can I do? To find out, I turned to my dear friend Melissa McGlone at Vital Body & Mind Therapies in Del Ray.
Photo: Tim Coburn Photography | Hair and makeup: Myken Garcia
Melissa is a Nationally Board Certified Colon Hydrotherapist and an Advanced Practitioner of Health. When she first told me about colon hydrotherapy I was intimidated to say the least. Then I tried it. That was ten years ago, and since then I have done this cleansing practice seasonally. After colon cleansing, bloating is gone and I feel so light I could float. If you are curious but trepidatious, here's a photo of the device in Melissa's office.
Not so scary, right? Of course, I'm not the professional (Melissa is!) and I can't say if it is the right thing for you. What I can say is I find it relaxing and rejuvenating.After cleansing the colon, Melissa says it's time to detox the liver and gall bladder. For this, she suggests a coffee enema.A what?!So, last week, I tried my first one in her office. Is this TMI?! Coffee enemas remove toxins from the liver and gall bladder. Through the rectum coffee is absorbed into the veins that carry caffeine to the liver and stimulate the liver to produce bile. Bile in turn carries toxins to the gall bladder and then into the small intestine to be eliminated. Too many toxins in the liver can lead to various health problems including unwanted weight gain, hormone imbalances, irregular glucose levels, cholesterol issues, and skin problems. These days, nutrition and cleansing go hand in hand because we are exposed to an unprecedented level of toxic chemicals.After my first coffee enema, I felt so revitalized that I've committed to doing it at home on a weekly basis. Yes, coffee enemas can be done at home, but I will spare you the recipe here and let you talk to an expert before trying it yourself. What I can say is that Melissa recommends using a high-quality probiotic after colon, liver, and gall bladder cleansing to restore helpful bacteria into the gut, as well as using electrolytes like LyteShow or DayLyte, liquid mineral drops. No products like Gatorade, Powerade, PediaLyte, or Vitaminwater, please.
Ready to try?
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Stay tuned for post in August about my detoxification journey. Plus, join me for an upcoming local weekend retreat, Fall Ayurvedic Yoga & Meditation Getaway, which I will lead with Deb Jackson, RYT 500 and yoga teacher extraordinaire at Mind the Mat.
On this retreat we will support you through a four-day Ayurvedic cleanse that will begin one day before the retreat and end one day after the retreat. Email me for details!
Revitalize and refresh this weekend!
Sign up for Sara’s Summer Restorative Yoga with Essential OilsThis Saturday, 1-3p at Mind the Mat in Del Ray!
