Cleansing; just the word alone can inspire thoughts of starving yourself for days, and only drinking liquefied grass, all while sitting in a lotus position and meditating for hours on end. There are so many types of cleanses on the health food store shelves these days, everything from pills to potions promising success; how do you know where to begin? Surprising as it may be, not all cleanses require massive amounts of will power or deprivation. So what exactly is cleansing (aka: detoxing)?

Cleansing is a way to bring balance to the body and a way to release toxins and waste that can build up over time due to a poor diet. It often includes a rest from the standard American way of eating and enhanced elimination of waste. Why would one want to do this you may ask? Cleansing could possibly aid in weight loss, allows the digestive and internal organs to rest, could possibly prevent illnesses and improve your energy. Spring is a great time to test out a gentle, nourishing cleanse; preparing the body for the warm months ahead and easing yourself out of the chilling hibernation of the winter. 

If your diet consists of mostly non-organic and non-whole foods, the “Raw Food” cleanse is an easy way to not only to detox, but also to introduce your system to a cleaner way of eating. This cleanse is quite nourishing and is perfect for people with chronic illness or deficiencies because it will not deplete your system of vital nutrients. It consists of eating 100% raw foods for a week to 2 weeks. You can have things like fruits, vegetables, raw nuts, raw seeds, green juices and smoothies. The amount of raw food you take in during the day and the combination of which foods will vary from person to person depending on the point you are starting from as well as your activity levels. This cleanse is great because you can really adjust it to work specifically for you. Typically, once your body has a taste of what eating healthy and clean can feel like, you will begin to actually crave these types of foods, making a transition into a healthier way of eating a lot easier and smoother. 

So put away your snow boots, have some green juices and smoothies and welcome in the spring with a new you. 

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We at Boomer411 are constantly looking for ways to bring you more better, more valuable content. Towards this goal, we are constantly adding new columnists to write on our blog. Today, it is my distinct pleasure to introduce to you our newest guest columnist, Rachel Clark. Rachel is a ‘Holistic Health Couselor’ and runs her own business called ‘RenewForANewYou‘. Some of you probably recognize her name as we had recently published our interview with her in these same pages. Also, Rachel is a very active Boomer411 Trustee, regularly providing article recommendations on our site Boomer411.com. So we are delighted to present Rachel to our blog readers. Without much ado, let me present Rachel’s first article for our readers on the evergreen topic of ‘Fountain of Youth’. Rachel brings in freshness and simplicity to this discussion.

Fountain of Youth

 By Rachel Venokur-Clark, CHC, AADP-renewforanewyou.com

We are bombarded everyday with images of what we are supposed to think is beautiful. A young, super skinny, airbrushed model is what many of us compare ourselves to on a regular basis. In a world where youth is idolized and aging is seen as something, well, less favorable, we are all searching for that magical fountain of youth. How about writing off the plastic surgeon for a while and starting from the inside out. According to the “Real Age” website, maintaining your weight and body mass index at a desirable level can make your Real Age as much as 6 years younger. What you put in your body can not only help to maintain a healthy weight, but can slow down the aging process and even reverse the damage that has already been done. Based on that, I’d say Nutrition is the real fountain of youth.

The general guidelines for looking and feeling younger include

• Keeping your calorie intake down
• Limiting the number of saturated fats you eat
• Eating whole grains, fruits, vegetables and lean protein (especially fish) and
• Lowering your salt and sugar intake

There are numerous foods, which can help keep that botox shot far away from you, and here are the top Ten to include in your daily diet.

Avocado: A good source of healthy monounsaturated fat that may help to reduce the level of bad cholesterol in the body. Avocado is a good source of Vitamin E and can help to maintain healthy skin and prevent skin aging (vitamin E may also help alleviate menopausal hot flashes). It is rich in potassium which helps prevent fluid retention and high blood pressure.

Berries: All black and blue berries such as blackberries, blueberries, blackcurrants and black grapes contain phytochemicals known as flavonoids-powerful antioxidants which help to protect the body against damage caused by free radicals and aging.

Cruciferous Vegetables: The family of Cruciferous vegetables includes cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, kale, turnip, brussels sprouts, radish and watercress. Cruciferous vegetables assist the body in its fight against toxins and cancer. If possible, eat them raw or very lightly cooked so that the important enzymes remain intact. Include as many dark leafy green veggies as possible on a daily basis.

Garlic: Eating a clove of garlic a day (raw or cooked) helps protect the body against cancer and heart disease. The cardioprotective effects of garlic are well recorded. One 1994 study in Iowa, USA, of 41,837 women between the age of 55 and 69 suggested that women who ate a clove of garlic at least once a week were 50 percent less likely to develop colon cancer.

Ginger: This spicy root can boost the digestive and circulatory systems, which can be useful for older people. Ginger may also help alleviate rheumatic aches and pains.

Nuts: Most varieties of nuts are good sources of minerals, particularly walnuts and brazil nuts. Walnuts, although high in calories, are rich in potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper and selenium. Adding nuts to your diet (sprinkle them on salads and desserts) can enhance the functioning of your digestive and immune systems, improve your skin, help control and/or prevent cancer. Nuts may also help control cholesterol levels.

Soy: Menopausal women might find that soy helps to maintain estrogen levels. Soy may alleviate menopausal hot flashes and protect against Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis, and heart disease. Look out for fermented soy products, like Tempeh, which are more easily digested, therefore more nutritional, and do not generally cause food intolerances.

Whole Grains: Complex carbohydrates provide a consistent supply of energy throughout the day and should be a part of your diet. Whole-wheat pasta, for example, is an excellent complex carbohydrate. It is high in fiber and contains twice the amount of iron as normal pasta. Brown rice is another recommended complex carbohydrate, which is high in fiber and B vitamins.

Watermelon: Both the flesh and seeds of the watermelon are nutritious. The flesh contains vitamins A, B and C; the seeds contain selenium, essential fats, zinc and vitamin E, all of which help against free radical damage and aging.

Water: Drink at least 8 glasses of water every day in order to remain healthy. Water helps us to get rid of the toxins and unwanted waste materials from your body. Don’t rely on thirst; this sensation diminishes with age. You can also get fluids from foods with a high water content like, watermelon, pickles, oranges, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers etc.

Although an anti-aging diet may not be able to promise to make you look and feel like you’re a kid again, it is certainly a great place to start. Eating smart, keeping your weight down, getting enough exercise and supplementing the diet with vitamins and minerals, when necessary, are all ways to get you to start feeling and looking younger. And if you are young, why not hold off old Father Time a little bit longer.

Stay tuned for more such articles on the topic of nutrition and health from Rachel. If you liked this article, or have different thoughts on the subject, please do remember to post your feedback in the comments section.

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