Cleansing and the Isagenix Program www.drtamara.isagenix.com Why should we cleanse: Cleansing has been an integral part of the health care practices in traditional cultures throughout time. In America today, we change the oil in our cars, clean our homes, brush our teeth, and wash our bodies. But many people do not recognize the need for internal cleansing. And now it is more important than ever. Pesticides, preservatives and chemicals have become a part of our food chain. Contaminants in the air we breathe and the water we drink add to the load of toxins we are exposed to on a daily basis. These substances are difficult for the body to excrete, and interfere with normal cellular function. Until recently, traditional diets, food preparation and preservation methods supported proper digestive function and overall health. Unfortunately, technologies that were developed out of a desire for convenience have left us with foods that have little nutritional value, and can actually impair your digestive and overall health. Add to this, our fast paced lives, emotional stress and sub-conscious patterns of resistance to change – all of which contribute to blockage and stagnation in our subtle energy systems, making it even more difficult for the body to handle toxins. These toxins accumulate in and impede proper functioning of the cells and tissues of the body. They can interfere with the glandular system, leading to a host of health problems now prevalent in our society, which have come to see as normal. Dr. Dennis Harper, a physician on the Isagenix Medical Board, states that in many people, the glandular system is already impaired by the age of 25, and that by 40 or 50, most people are only absorbing about 25% of the nutrients they take in, due to poor digestion and accumulation of waste in the small and large intestine. The result can be felt as fatigue, a lack of mental clarity, generalized and localized pain, digestive problems and mood disorders such as depression. Immune system disorders, weight gain, obesity, dysfunction of the thyroid and other glands, degenerative diseases such as arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, diabetes and heart disease, as well as learning difficulties all have been linked to poor nutrition and toxic overload. What can we do about this? Proper nutrition, including fresh and organic whole foods, adequate water intake and periodic herbal cleansing, along with regular exercise and fresh air, and some form of meditation or relaxation are all part of creating a foundation for good health in today's world. I recommend Isagenix because it is a unique, synergistically designed line of cleansing, nutritional and botanical products made from organic herbs, high quality vitamins and an exceptional mineral blend. These products are designed to support your body's innate healing and regenerative properties. Isagenix products are excellent for gentle, yet highly effective cleansing, anti-aging, weight loss and for enhancing athletic performance. Each of us is unique, and because of this, the Isagenix program will be a unique experience for each of us. The Cleanse for Life Drink, the cornerstone of the 9-Day Program, is a gentle, yet highly effective total body cleanse that addresses the liver, gall bladder, upper and lower 114 Water Street, Bldg #2 • Milford, MA 01757 • P. 508-478-2008 • F. 508-478-0922 [email protected] • www.milfordchiropractor.com intestines, kidneys, lymph and blood. Many people report improvements in all areas of health after cleansing with Isagenix. Many people get interested in the Isagenix Cleansing and Fat Burning System because they want to lose weight and this technology offers a very effective weight loss program. It’s not unusual for someone to lose 4 to 10 or more lbs. in only 24 hours, and a total of 9 to 15 or more lbs. during their first 9-Day Cleanse. Even if you lose very little weight during your first 9 days, you will most likely lose inches. Measure, and please stay with the program! If you are consistent, unless you have a medical issue that prevents it, you will lose body fat and your health will improve. What if you want to cleanse, but do not want to lose weight? How you use the products and what you eat on your non-cleanse days is important. By adding extra protein in the form of the IsaPro whey protein, people can actually gain weight in the form of added lean muscle. IsaPro is suggested for athletes, active teenagers and underweight individuals. Underweight individuals may do better by starting with the Maintenance Pak, and building up before they cleanse. In addition to weight loss and/or increase of muscle mass, you can measure your success by how you feel. Pay special attention to energy levels, sleep patterns and your general feeling of well being. Blood work results and Digital Meridian Analysis scan can also be helpful in following your progress. Whether you want to cleanse, lose weight, improve your overall health or even gain weight, these products can make a big difference in the way you look and feel. We are happy to help you develop a personalized program to meet your specific needs. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. The 9-Day Cleanse The 9-Day Program is broken into 3 phases which are described in the papers that come with your Starter Pack. This program is a terrific way to cleanse, and/or lose weight quickly and safely. The closer you adhere to the program as directed, the better the results. Here is a recap of the instructions, with some suggestions for making the process a success. PHASE I – Day 1 & 2 • • Mix 4 oz of the Cleanse for Life in 8 oz of cold water. Drink this mixture 4 times each day. Do not use hot water - it will deactivate important enzymes in the aloe. Drink at least 8 additional 8-oz glasses of water or herbal tea such as green tea, peppermint or ginger tea. Do not drink caffeinated products on your cleanse days. 114 Water Street, Bldg #2 • Milford, MA 01757 • P. 508-478-2008 • F. 508-478-0922 [email protected] • www.milfordchiropractor.com • • Take one Natural Accelerator Cap in the morning and one around 12 Noon. Take 2-3 Isagenix snacks up to 3x/day. These are essential. Do not skip them. We suggest you start your two-day cleanse on days that do not conflict with any social occasion. For most people, starting on a Mon and Tue, or a Tue and Wed is good so that you can enjoy meals with your friends, family, or loved ones on the weekends. If you will not be at home you can put your entire day’s Cleanse for Life Drink and water in a ½ gallon container with a few ice cubes and carry it with you. Be sure to keep it cold, to assure the enzymes in the aloe vera remain active. If you feel hungry -- Phase I is easy for most people, but you do have to adjust to not eating solid foods. On this program you are receiving an incredible array of excellent nutrients. However, some people find it very difficult to go through the two days of drinking the Cleanse drink without eating. If you feel so hungry that you simply don’t think you can take it any more, try one of these options: • • • • • • • • • Partially freeze the juice and water into a “slushy” and then eat it with a spoon out of a bowl or cup. This fools your brain into thinking your body is receiving solid food. Cut up raw celery sticks and munch on them throughout the day. Have an apple - tart is better. Cut in quarters and have one quarter at a time. Make a small cleansing salad – 2 stalks of celery and 1 very small tart apple cut into small pieces. Add a squeeze of lemon or lime, a sprinkling of fresh or dried mint leaves and a small shake of sea salt. You could try a small green salad with olive oil, lemon or lime juice and herbs. Have a small amount of fresh peaches or berries, or a few raw or soaked almonds. Increase your Isagenix snacks from 6 to 8 total per day. Eat 1 or 2 snacks with your Cleanse drink. It really helps to stave off cravings. To abate cravings for sweets and carbs, try adding additional chromium. There is chromium in the products, but it is okay if you add a little more. This is the most important phase of your program. The more you eat, the less effective the program. Please check with us before adding any foods other than those listed above. Food (ANY food, even a little bite) will diminish the cleansing process and hamper your results. However, if you do find that you must eat during the Cleanse days and/or you need to adjust the amount of Cleanse you drink to less than the recommended amount due to strong detox symptoms, do not be discouraged. Each time you do the Cleanse you will find it easier to do. PHASE II – Days 3 thru 7 114 Water Street, Bldg #2 • Milford, MA 01757 • P. 508-478-2008 • F. 508-478-0922 [email protected] • www.milfordchiropractor.com PHASE II – Days 3 thru 7 During this phase, most people feel satisfied, and cravings and symptoms subside. For the 5 days following Phase I, have an IsaLean Shake or IsaLean Tomato Soup for 2 meals per day, and eat a sensible 400 to 600 calorie meal for lunch or dinner. Avoid pre-packaged microwave foods, frozen entrees, fast foods, artificial sweeteners, and processed flour and sugar. If you are not trying to lose weight, and you are very hungry, you may have more calories. If you prefer, you may have two small, light meals and one shake or soup. In either case, the whey protein and other ingredients in the shakes and soup support the liver in detoxification. You are still cleansing, but at a slower pace than Days 1 & 2. Tips for your shake days… • • • • • • • • • • • • The shakes and soup both contain digestive enzymes and probiotics, which are very important for proper digestive function. Be sure to consume them within 15 minutes of preparing, as their potency diminishes over time, once mixed. The recommended 6-8 snacks per day are very important. They help balance your blood sugar and break down fat. Most people love them. If you do not like the taste, cut them up and swallow with water, or mix them into your shakes. The 2 accelerator caps daily are also very important. They boost energy, decrease cravings, and contain important fat-burning ingredients. Take one in the a.m. and one at lunch, before 1:30. You may have trouble sleeping if they are taken later. Drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water a day. If you do not drink adequate water during Phase II, the chemicals, toxins and other waste you are attempting to eliminate will re-deposit in your system. If your goal is to lose weight, or if you have poor digestion, do not add fruit to the shakes until you have reached your target weight or health goals. Use natural extracts to flavor your shakes. Try peppermint, lemon or banana extract in the vanilla shake, or peppermint or almond in the chocolate shake. Ladies, we recommend the vanilla shakes for you, Too much chocolate can interfere with your hormone balance. Occasional is OK. If the shakes are not sweet enough for your taste, try adding a natural alternative sweetener. Stevia, SweetLife (by Renew Life), Xylitol, Lottan, Agave Nectar or Birch Sugar all are very low on the glycemic index and safe for diabetics. Add carob or organic unsweetened cocoa powder to the vanilla shake for variety. Ice blended into the shake changes the texture and makes it thicker. If you are doing this program for weight loss, do not weigh yourself during Phase II. Remember, you will be losing fat while building lean muscle, so you may lose inches but not pounds during this phase. Measuring is OK. If you are not seeing changes, cut out caffeine (coffee, tea & chocolate) altogether. 114 Water Street, Bldg #2 • Milford, MA 01757 • P. 508-478-2008 • F. 508-478-0922 [email protected] • www.milfordchiropractor.com PHASE III – Days 8 & 9 On days 8 and 9, simply repeat the first two days! In addition to removing more toxins, this timing is of particular importance in the process of eliminating parasites. During day 1 & 2 you will eliminate any active parasites, but not the eggs, which are virtually indestructible. This second cleanse will get parasites that hatch after days 1 & 2. Measure and weigh on Day 10 and share your results with others! Detox Symptoms If you have never cleansed, or have had difficulty with other cleansing processes in the past, start the cleanse on a day with low demands, when you can relax, and see how you respond. Initially, you may experience headaches, chills, flu like symptoms, changes in your bowels (either loose stools or constipation), skin eruptions, skin rashes, nausea, tiredness, light-headedness, wakefulness at night, and you may experience cravings for sugars or proteins. Hang in there; these are all normal responses to cleansing and they are a good sign that your body is getting rid of toxins. What to do for…. Headache - FIRST – drink more WATER! Eight glasses a day is a must during a cleanse. Aspirin and other over-the-counter pain relievers are not recommended because they too are toxins! Constipation or bloating – can indicate that you are dumping toxins faster than your bowels can handle them. You need to keep things moving. Here are some suggestions: • • • • Increase your water intake. You may need more than 8 glasses a day. Try ISA-FLUSH - a wonderful product from Isagenix. Magnesium draws water into the colon. Bentonite Clay and Black Walnut powder absorb toxins and help eliminate Candida, parasites and other pathogens. Hyssop Extract and Peppermint soothe the GI tract. Order from Isagenix, or purchase from our office. Try a mild herbal laxative. Yogi Tea’s Get Regular, or Traditional Medicinal’s Smooth Move Tea, work well. Available at most natural food stores, and many grocery stores. You may eat a few stewed prunes each day. Nausea or loose stools – ease up on the Cleanse for Life. Try one capful in water and build up to more. If severe, you may need to start with just a tablespoon or so. Ginger tea, either in tea bag form, or fresh ginger slices in hot water can help relieve nausea. 114 Water Street, Bldg #2 • Milford, MA 01757 • P. 508-478-2008 • F. 508-478-0922 [email protected] • www.milfordchiropractor.com Tiredness – ease up on your physical activity. Moderate exercise is fine, but your first two days are not the time to indulge in heavy exercise. Get as much rest as you can. Feeling chilled – Try some warm peppermint or ginger tea, and/or a warm soak in the tub. Dress warmly. Cut back on the amount of Cleanse for Life if this is extreme. Wakefulness at night – be sure that you are not taking your accelerator caps late in the afternoon or evening. Try some chamomile tea a half an hour before bed. Hate the taste of the Cleanse for Life drink – If it tastes strongly metallic or otherwise awful, you have metals or other toxins to release. If you find it intolerable, put it in some diluted fruit juice. This is not the recommended way to take the drink, but it is better than not taking it. It tastes better as you detox, and soon you won’t need the juice. For all other symptoms – do your best to stick it out and see what happens after day 9. If your symptoms are severe, try cutting down on the products by half. If they persist beyond the first 4 or 5 days, or if you have ANY questions, please call our office. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. Ph: 508-478-2008 or e: [email protected] I hope you enjoy the program! To order products, you can visit: www.drtamara.isagenix.com 114 Water Street, Bldg #2 • Milford, MA 01757 • P. 508-478-2008 • F. 508-478-0922 [email protected] • www.milfordchiropractor.com