Day 2
Pre-cleanse Prep Day 2
Nutritional bandits gum up our body signals, confuse our internal conversation, create a toxic overload in the body, and rob us of our health when consumed regularly. Today we take a look at the first two “nutritional bandits”, unfiltered water and alcohol, along with an inspirational article titled, The Body Is Natural.
Nutritional Bandit 1: Unfiltered Water
"The first step of good nutrition is to know the origin, processing and contents of anything we take into our bodies. Without clean water we cannot experience optimal health. Drinking enough contaminate-free water is likely our most significant health factor."
- ELSON HAAS, M.D., STAYING HEALTHY WITH NUTRITION
Our body is made up of 70% water… so obviously we can’t live without it. But these days, our water is causing conditions that can kill us.
If you think the water you are drinking is just H2O, think again! Unfiltered tap water is toxic due to both known and unknown contaminants. According to some studies, a staggering 75,000 chemical compounds have been found in our water. Many of these chemicals are harmful and can create health problems. The most commonly known are chlorine, fluoride, lead, industrial waste, pesticides, and microbiological diseases.
Unfortunately, bottled water may not be clean either. Since bottled water is largely unregulated, many are nothing more than tap water even when they say “mountain” or “spring” water. Additionally, the plastic bottles it comes in are really toxic to us AND to the environment.
Chlorine is a dangerous poison and was used as a chemical weapon in World War 1. The purpose of chlorine is to kill living organisms, and even in small amounts in our drinking water it builds up and causes harm. Chlorine is also acid-forming in the body (which is the basis for all disease), and when it interacts with naturally occurring organic matter it forms byproducts that are extremely carcinogenic.
Fluoride is highly toxic. The synthetic fluoride that’s added to drinking water is actually an industrial waste byproduct of the phosphate fertilizer industry. This poison contributes to musculoskeletal, thyroid, brain, kidney, hormone and immune issues. In fact, the health dangers of fluoride are so numerous that more and more medical and science professionals are pressuring the government to remove it from our water supply.
Lead makes its way into tap water through corrosion of the pipes in a home's plumbing system. Ingestion of lead can result in severe developmental delays and/or learning disorders in children.
A host of other pollutants such as pesticides, herbicides, toxic waste from landfills, chemical and oil spills, acid rain and more find their way into our water supplies.
CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Be sure to check out your own water, whether from a municipal source or a well, to see what is needed to adequately purify it. The best way to protect yourself from unfiltered tap water is to install a whole house water filtration system. Personally, since I'm a renter with well water that is “less than desirable” (even a 5-stage faucet filter doesn’t do the trick), I’ve purchased several 2 gallon BPA-free water containers (usually about $25 each). I fill them with water from a vending machine that has been filtered through a reverse osmosis water treatment system (approx. $1 for 2 gallons) and use a glass, stainless steel, or BPA free plastic water bottle to carry it with me when on the go.
Nutritional Bandit 2: Alcohol
"There is a reason that the word "intoxication" was chosen to explain the effects of alcohol on the body. Intoxication is derived from a Latin word meaning "to poison".
- NEWS TARGET
While it is generally thought that occasional or moderate use (2-3 drinks per week) is beneficial to our health, more can lead to addiction, emotional problems, and many degenerative problems. However, the most recent research now suggests that there is no “safe” level of alcohol consumption and every glass increases cancer and heart disease risk.
First of all, alcohol is highly addictive — requiring more and more to produce the same effect. It also contains lots of calories and very few nutrients. In fact, alcohol has 7 calories per gram of carbohydrate as opposed to 4 calories per gram in all other carbohydrates. And these calories don't fill us up, but rather alcohol can trigger cravings and increase appetite causing you to eat more!
Alcohol dehydrates the body, depletes electrolytes, and is a toxic irritant due to the many chemicals used in the fermentation and bottling process. And it is a central nervous system depressant and an emotional suppressant.
Obesity, gastritis and ulcers, pancreatitis, hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, hypoglycemia and diabetes, heart disease, gout, nerve and brain dysfunction, cancer, nutritional deficiencies, immune suppression, and injuries and death from falls and auto accidents are some of the common problems.
CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO VIEW THIS 1 HOUR DOCUMENTARY:
Acid/Alkaline rating: Highly acid forming!!!
If you are consuming alcohol frequently, begin to reduce the amount to lessen the withdrawal symptoms when you eliminate it completely for your 2 week cleanse.
Physical Intuitiveness— The Body is Natural
FROM TODAY’S DAILY OM:
JANUARY 4, 2012
So much of the human experience is removed from nature that we forget we are products of the natural world.
At the moment of birth, we are perfectly attuned to nature. Our feelings are an authentic response to the stimulus we encounter. We interact with our environment viscerally, desiring only what is necessary for our survival. And, if we are lucky, we take in nourishment in the form of pure mother’s milk. As months and years pass, however, we discover the sights, sounds, and scents of the synthetic world. Though these often momentarily dazzle us the dim memory of our naturalness remains. When we embrace the notion that human beings are inherently natural, bringing it to the forefront of our day-to-day experiences, we achieve a new level of wellness that boasts nature at its very core.
We innately understand that our bodies are not composed of plastics or man-made chemicals and that there is no legitimate reason to consume or expose ourselves bodily to such substances. This knowledge is reinforced each time we find ourselves energized by sweet, fresh air and warm sunlight or awed by the majesty of Mother Nature’s beauty. We feel the strength of our connection to nature when fresh food that is close to the earth sustains us more effectively than artificial supplements and when the pleasures of exercise outweigh the pains of exertion. The human body has been blessed with the same physical intuitiveness that all nonhuman living beings employ instinctively. But because our lives are no longer bound up in nature’s rhythms, we must actively seek to reconnect with this formerly innate skill. The process of rediscovering our place in the natural world can be exciting and inspiring, since nothing more is required of us than to delight in nature’s wonders, to derive nourishment from natural foods, and to drink deeply of all the wisdom that plants and animals have to share.
Your own naturalness will reveal itself to you when you look beyond your beliefs, your lifestyle choices, and the attitudes you hold. When these constructs are stripped away, you will see a body and mind that never gave up its relationship to the essence of the natural world from which consciousness sprang.
Check-in:
We’re starting off with some pretty easy topics today, although getting on board with drinking pure water may take some action on your part. Tomorrow we’ll look at caffeine and sugar, so be prepared and BREATHE…
Remember that we are GRADUALLY reducing these “nutritional bandits” and starting to focus on fresh organic vegetables and fruits, non-gluten whole grains, raw nuts & seeds, legumes, and good quality protein and fats. We’ll get into more specifics about those next week, but for now just start moving in that direction. If you want to get some ideas for “cleanse friendly” foods and recipes in the meantime, visit:
Feel free to comment below or email me to ask questions or share your thoughts and experiences ~ I’d love to hear from you!
Blessings, JoAnn