As you approach a Christmas celebration and the potential for ending a long season of overindulgence, you might consider the need for a body cleanse.

On the other hand, maybe you are suffering from insomnia, fatigue, poor digestion, headaches, poor vision, bad breathe, constipation, joint pain, acne, sexual disfunction? Seriously, any number of ailments can stem from the fact that your liver, the major organ which filters your blood, has reached its maximum limit and the life affecting symptoms will begin to manifest more distinctly until you have to take your clunker into the shop.

Not letting up on the introduction of toxins is a little bit like never changing your oil and filter in your car’s engine. Eventually, the benefits of having clean oil will be lost on your slendid machinery and the fine finish on all of your once polished surfaces will start to tarnish, pit and corrode.
I find that most people can benefit from a periodic cleansing as we are inundated with toxins from every which way you can imagine on a daily basis.

As a preparation to do an effective cleanse, I advise patients to balance their diet for a two-week pre-cleanse. Essentially have a healthy diet for two weeks and resolve any constipation issues before your start. This is so that when you perform your 3-day cleanse, the effect will be to strike the target crud that is hiding in your system rather than being decoyed away by a daily induction of new junk.

There are a lot of cleansing formulas out there for you to choose from. Here is one using all fresh food foods. From Dr. Michael Weiner’s “The Way of the Skeptical Nutritionist” (1981).

A Cleansing Fast* (3 days only)

3 Day: JUICE FAST NO. 1

Fruit Juice: Mix sweet juices (pear, apple, pineapple) 50/50 with water, all other fruits available at full strength. Alternate the different fruits throughout the day in order to get a good variety each day.

Green Drink: 75% carrot juice, 15% celery, 10% mixed green vegetables (any edible green leaf vegetable). Change the 10% mixed leafy green vegetables for each 8 oz of juice such as 10% spinach etc. In some 8 oz use 5% parsley and green peppers as the 10%.

7.00 a.m.: Fruit juice 8 oz
9:00 A.M.: Green drink 8 oz
11:00 a.m.: Fruit juice 8 oz
1:00 p.m.: Green drink 8 oz
3:00 p.m.: Fruit juice 8 oz
5:00 p.m.: Green drink 8 oz
7:00 p.m.: Vegetable broth 8 oz
9:00 p.m.: Vegetable broth 8 oz

Be sure juice and broth are made fresh each day.

Vegetable Broth Recipe
2 large potatoes, unpeeled,chopped or sliced to 1/2- inch pieces
1 cup carrots, shredded or sliced
1 cup red beets, shredded or sliced
1 cup celery, leaves and all, chopped to 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup any other available vegetable: beet tops, turnips and turnip tops, parsley, cabbage, etc.

Use stainless steel, enameled, or earthenware utensil.
Fill it up with one and one-half quarts of water and slice the vegetables directly into the water to prevent oxidation.
Cover and cook slowly for 30 minutes. Let stand for another 30 minutes; strain; cool until warm and serve or refrigerate.

* Devised by Anabolic Foods, Irvine, California.

May you have the best of Holidays this Christmas Season.
Please spread the good cheer.