Everyone finds their way here on their own time and at different stages of their healing journey. Many of you listening have tried countless elimination diets and detox protocols. Many of you are early in your journey and Rebalancing your microbiome or your child’s microbiome is your first step. Some of you are here to cleanse parasites, others to heal skin rashes. Regardless of your experience, knowing how to prepare for cleansing is really empowering.
In this episode we are going to cover everything you need to know.
To start, it is important to understand the difference between detoxing and cleansing. Detoxing includes herbs and supplements that work by releasing built up toxins, pathogens, metals and parasites in your body. Through this process, toxins are released into your bloodstream. And your detox organs go into overdrive to help rid these from your body.
A cleanse on the other hand focuses on your digestive system rather than your body's filtration organs. Cleansing removes accumulated waste, parasites, bad bacteria, pathogens, yeast, and mold from the intestines by way of your stools.
Knowing the difference is important because it changes how you prepare and what you can expect during your healing journey. The Women’s and Children's Gut Rebalance Kits are cleanses. This makes much of what we are going to talk about optional but we will talk more about this as we go.
The first thing many detox programs call for is opening your drainage pathways. Because you are cleansing, this might enhance your rebalance and lessen your potential die-off symptoms but it is not necessary. You will decide whether to intentionally open your pathways or not based on why you are rebalancing and what intuitively feels right to you.
So let’s talk about reasons why someone might open their pathways before rebalancing:
- If you are rebalancing to specifically target parasites, opening your drainage pathways can ensure your body is able to effectively eliminate the waste products released during the cleansing process.
- If you experience die-off or a flare in symptoms like fatigue, headaches, skin breakouts or the worsening of your imbalance symptoms when you start the rebalance, opening your drainage pathways can help lessen and shorten your die-off period.
- If you are someone with Chronic Health Issue like autoimmune conditions, chronic infections, or have needed repetitive antibiotics, opening your pathways may benefit your overall healing process.
- Lastly, if you have a history of significant exposure to heavy metals, opening your drainage pathways will be really supportive to you. Again, the Rebalance Kits are cleanses, not detoxes but healing your gut indirectly supports your body in naturally detoxing. When you rid your body of built up bad bacteria, pathogens, yeast, mold and parasites the inflammation in your body goes down and your detox organs are able to function more optimally. If you have experienced heavy metal exposure, opening your pathways is a good idea.
At the end of it all, I always feel like why not. It most definitely can’t hurt to open your pathways and most of the time if you have an imbalance, your liver and kidneys are sluggish and you want to do everything you can to proactively support your body in doing it’s own natural detox magic. But if you are here to heal your really young child or you do not have the capacity to open your pathways - it is okay. Ultimately, tuning into your body and your child will guide you in deciding whether to focus on opening your drainage pathways or not.
Now, before we move on to other steps to prepare your body for cleansing, I am going to share ten ways to open your pathways. Take or leave any of these.
1. Dry Brushing
My favorite is dry brushing. This ancient practice involves using a natural bristle brush to gently exfoliate your skin. Dry brushing stimulates your lymphatic system. This system transports lymph, a fluid containing white blood cells, throughout your body to fight infections and remove waste.
When dry brushing, always brush on dry skin before showering or bathing. Use gentle, sweeping strokes towards your heart, starting from your feet and working upwards. Avoid sensitive areas or broken skin, especially on children. After brushing, shower to wash away dead skin cells and follow up with a moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated. Ensure your moisturizer is microbiome-friendly. Organic coconut, olive, or castor oil are lovely options.
I will attach a link to our favorite dry brush in the show notes. If you or your child have open eczema wounds, you may want to hold off on this.
2. Hydration
Focus on your hydration. Stay well hydrated by drinking lots of filtered water throughout the day. Aim to drink between 80 to 96 oz of water a day while cleansing. This is a lot of water. For children, be intentional about ensuring they drink plenty and breastfeed frequently. If they are no longer breastfeeding, get creative. Add frozen berries to their water or make lemonade from my cookbook. Many of you are here because you are cleansing your infant's gut. Ensure you are getting adequate water.
3. Epsom Salt Baths
Treat yourself and your child to daily Epsom salt baths. These baths are an excellent way to absorb magnesium through your skin. Magnesium is important for many bodily functions, including those that support your body's natural elimination processes. It helps activate enzymes that assist in waste elimination and supports muscle and nerve function, which is beneficial for overall health.
4. Cleanse your scalp with Wash Bar Soap
Focusing on your scalp microbiome can support your body's overall health and resilience, which supports you in your gut cleansing process.
5. Celery Juice
Kickstart your morning with fresh celery juice. It contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that promote gut health and support your liver in its natural elimination processes.
6. Sun Exposure
Soak up the sun. Sunlight exposure promotes the production of vitamin D, essential for a robust immune system. A strong immune system can help manage and eliminate harmful bacteria, parasites, and other pathogens in the gut, supporting your cleansing process. Sunlight also helps maintain healthy skin by promoting the production of antimicrobial peptides that protect against infections and support the skin's barrier function. Additionally, sunlight helps regulate the production of digestive enzymes and hormones that aid in digestion and nutrient absorption, ensuring your digestive system operates efficiently.
7. Sweating
Engage in low-impact exercise, hot yoga, and spending time in a sauna. Sweating is a natural way for your body to release waste and impurities. Be gentle on your body; avoid rigorous exercises. Find a balance where you can sweat without pushing yourself too hard.
8. Herbal Teas
Incorporate herbal teas. Teas such as dandelion root and ginger have cleansing properties and will help flush out waste, supporting the drainage pathways.
9. Mindful Breathing
Prioritize practices like deep breathing, meditation, and gentle yoga. Chronic stress can block your drainage pathways, so take care of your mind and body.
10. Sleep and Rest
Ensure you are getting quality sleep and rest. This can be challenging if you have a young child experiencing a gut imbalance, but sleep when you can and sleep deeply. Set your environment up to facilitate the best rest possible.
Okay so preparing for your cleanse means deciding whether or not to open up your pathways and committing to the practices above that feel complimentary to you.
Next, you want to work through the Essentials of Gut Health that accompanies the Women’s and Children’s Gut Rebalance Kits. You get free access to this course and please utilize it. There is so much guidance and support in there so you can get the absolute most out of your rebalance.
In the course you will find all the information you need to know about the food side of your healing. Get my cookbook. The digital version is only $4.99 or there is also a hardcopy available. You can even get it on Kindle. This book is designed to simplify the food side of your healing. It is important that you eliminate the foods that feed bad bacteria, pathogens, yeast, mold and parasites. The supplements are really powerful, but if you continue eating the foods that feed the undesirable overgrowths, healing is going to be much harder and longer.
You will want to replace everything from your skincare products to your headache support with microbiome friendly products. Swap your facial, acne and rash products with the Balanced Bacteria Skincare Kit. Swap over the counter medications like ibuprofen and tylenol with Balance CBD. Get non-toxic, plant based fragrance free detergents, chemical free cleaners and ditch artificial air fresheners.
The last part is to commit to the process. Believe that rebalancing is going to work. Even if you have already tried everything else. Even if you have struggled for most of your life. The gut rebalance kits have healed thousands of women and children with the most severe symptoms and rebalancing will heal you too. Take out the questions of “if it works”. Replace this doubt with the unwavering knowing that this will work because there is no other option. Don’t leave room for it to not work. Decide right now, trust the process and when your supplements arrive hold them close to your heart and declare to the universe “I am so happy I finally found true healing. I am so happy my body or my child's body is healed with this”.
Set yourself up to succeed while also letting it be easy. Don't overcomplicate the process in your mind. Don't find all the reasons why you can't do it or why it's too hard. Look for the ways that you can ease the process. Focus on nourishing foods, adequate hydration, rest and surrender to whatever your healing looks like. You may experience die-off or you may not. Don’t resist anything that comes up. Trust that your body and your child’s body knows what it is doing. Rebalancing is just supporting you in your unique process. It may only take one rebalance kit or it may take five back to back. No matter what, it’s beautiful. You’ve got this!