BALANCING BRAIN CHEMISTRY… AND BEING THE BEST YOU CAN BE!

By Camille Lawson R.N., B.A., M.Ed.

What does all THAT mean? Even for me, a person who is VERY knowledgeable about nutrition AND exceptionally healthy, I find all the buzz about “cleansing and purifying and detoxifying…” quite confusing. Pick up any health magazine today (hey, pick up ANY magazine!) and you’ll find at least two articles about Cleansing (each contradicting the other!), not to mention numerous advertisements for products claiming to detoxify your liver, your colon… all with just one or two “magic capsules” a day… whatever! When I hear about people doing a ‘cleanse’ or a ‘detox’, I have images of people living on water and fruit juices or sipping lemon juice for days on end (with the occasional splash of maple syrup thrown in for a boost), or worst, outright fasting… with ONLY good old H20 to give you sustenance. I know none of these ‘cleanses’ are “healthy” for our bodies (even if they do reduce toxicity… which is doubtful). They simply do not provide the nutrients our bodies MUST have to be strong and healthy.

When I was introduced to a new 9 Day Cleansing and Detoxification product/Program in November 2006, I was quite skeptical, although my curiosity was piqued when I read that this Program both reduced toxins, and most importantly, replenished nutrients with very high quality ‘super foods’. I must admit, my vanity played a role in my deciding to try the Program because of the many stories I’d read about significant and sustainable loss of body fat as a natural side benefit of this Isagenix Cleansing System. Like many of us, I had developed the unwanted “roll” around my mid section that seemed completely resistant to all ‘crunches’ and my usual healthy eating patterns! After researching this particular Nutrition Based Cleansing System and discovering that it actually detoxifies on a cellular level, meaning all of our internal body and cells, not just certain organs, and, that it contained only high quality ingredients and no chemicals, I decided to give it a try.

I started with a two day Pre-Cleanse where I replaced breakfast with a surprisingly delicious Shake and had an ounce of a gingery/lemon tasting mineral drink/tonic. I cut back on caffeine, alcohol, salt, saturated fats and processed foods – so far so good! The next two days were Cleanse Days where I drank an Aloe Vera based detoxifying mixture four times throughout each day and ate frequent ‘snacks’ throughout the day. I ‘grazed’ on organic apple slices and unsalted almonds while sipping copious quantities of water to help flush my toxins out (actually… the whole point of this!). The first day was a bit challenging, not from hunger at all, but because it felt just a bit strange not to have a real “meal”, however, I did understand the role of detoxification and decided 9 Days was not such a long time anyway. By the second day of the Cleanse, I actually felt very good and noticed that my sleep had been more restful than it had been in a long time. The “magic” for me was, when I woke up on the third morning, I really felt energized and refreshed, more than I had in years (and don’t forget, I already felt quite well most of the time…)! For the next five days I had two of the supplementary Shakes, in addition to a healthy 500-600 calorie meal (which included carbohydrates!). I planned lovely meals for myself and my family and enjoyed the Shakes enormously. I was also allowed to eat a few more ‘snacks’, as needed. The Program ended with two more Cleanse Days, like those I had started the Program with. The Program was so easy to follow and I never experienced any hunger, at all, although I really was looking forward to a nice glass of wine!

I woke up the following morning with tape measure in hand and scale at the ready. I must admit, I didn’t really expect to lose too much in the way of pounds since I have been such a healthy eater in the past and even when I was “careful” I rarely lost weight. I also didn’t really care, because the results that mattered to me most I had already found – razor sharp mental clarity, smooth skin, unbelievable energy and fabulous sleeps… (okay, so I cared about the weight a little…). With bated breath I hopped on the scale. My results: down 9 lbs. and 4% body fat… 3 inches off my waist, 2 inches off my “roll” (which now no longer exists!), 1 inch off each thigh, and NOTHING off my breasts (when else does that happen???). Needless to say, I was VERY pleased. I also noted that I no longer had any cravings at all; not for coffee, wine, chocolate, snacks – miraculous!

I instantly became even more intrigued by this process I had just gone through and did some more research. Medical doctors currently accept the fact that we are ALL toxic from the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. Medical studies reveal that toxins and chemicals accumulate in our bodies and one way that our liver deals with surplus impurities is to increase body fat to envelop these impurities to protect the body from their influence. This causes us to gain and retain body fat and water contributing to stubborn fat stores, premature aging, loss of energy, and numerous chronic diseases. Cleansing the body at the cellular level and removing these toxins causes the body to release this needed body fat naturally, at exactly the same time the body is releasing toxins as the fat is no longer necessary, as a protector. I finally understood the difference between dieting and cleansing. When we diet, fat loss can occur, but toxins remain and, in fact, they increase in concentration. The body responds naturally, by producing more fat and, when we return to our regular eating habits post diet, the fat we lost ‘rebounds’ – leaving us with even more fat than before! In contrast, in Cleansing, you get rid of the toxins in the body, and thereby release body fat. The body no longer needs it. There is no rebound.

One other profound advantage of Cleansing versus dieting is that Cleansing allows the body to be the miracle it was meant to be – it puts everything back into balance. We experience cravings when our bodies are out of balance, so after a cellular Cleanse (that also replenishes nutrients!), we are able to balance all our body’s systems and even brain chemistry. Consuming the quality of amino acids found in the Isagenix Shakes I drank during this Detoxification Program (and I still do drink my Shakes… every day!) allowed my body to actually build lean muscle mass too, all at the same time I was losing body fat – this is every dieter’s, active woman’s and competitive athletes dream come true!

My journey has proven to be both an adventure and a wonderful learning experience. I am so pleased to say that I have been able to take my health to a level higher than I ever thought possible. When we balance our brain chemistry through Nutritional Cleansing, Replenishing and Revitalizing, we do start to look and feel fantastic, but not just physically… mentally and emotionally too! Be the best YOU can be. Get Cleansing!

Camille Lawson, R.N., B.A., M.Ed. June 2007

Camille is a Registered Nurse, Counseling Therapist (sexuality and relationships) and an experienced ‘pro natural’ Nutrition Advisor, with a lifelong passion for healthy living and healthy eating! She is the mother of three young teens and lives in Toronto, Canada.