Healthy Tummies = Happy Mommies

When you think of cleansing, is this the image that comes to mind? LOL! I think that is the number one question I receive from people when they ask me about doing a cleanse: “Am I going to be, you know, on the toilet all day?”

The truth is, there are many different types of cleanses and ways to cleanse – some MAY leave you on the toilet all day, but that has not been my experience. I’m talking about regular self-care that helps our bodies work better – nourishes our body’s natural cleansing systems, supports healthy tummies, healthy livers, healthy kidneys, healthy bodies with our daily food choices.

I believe healthy tummies equal happier mommies who – in the words of my clients who are more alert, less stressed, have clearer heads, and are better able to cope with life’s demands because they “just feel better, more grounded!”

When the body works well, we absorb nutrients, vitamins and minerals better. When these assimilate properly in our bodies, we feel and see the results! The way you eat – what you consume or don’t consume – all of that has an impact on your overall chemistry which also affects your core.

Some natural things you can do to help cleanse your body:

1) Eat/drink fresh lemons/lemon juice. Lemons balance your body’s pH, help improve digestion, prevent food from entering the blood stream, act as natural antiseptics to kill bacteria, and support the liver in removing harmful toxins. I’m not a fan of consuming lemon essential oil for many reasons. Do your research 😉

2) Drink Apple Cider Vinegar. Apple Cider Vinegar also helps make your body less acidic/more alkaline, helps the liver get rid of unhealthy fat, boosts your immune system, and reduces inflammation.

3) Take Epsom Salt Baths. I’ve written quite a bit about my love of hot salty baths here. They truly help keep me sane, and I force myself into one every week whether I’m in the mood or not because of how much they improve my mood and help my muscles.

4) Avoid foods that make you feel junky and slow. Keep a food journal for a few days, recording what you eat AND how you feel and look. If you feel bloated and gassy, write that down. Foods that make your belly big and painful aren’t worth consuming. If you don’t put garbage in, you won’t need to spend money and time getting the garbage out, right?

We spend more time covering how nutrition affects your core in our Experts on Diastasis Recti course. It’s a pretty huge component of your core strength, because your gut health affects so many things. Think of all the pressure a bloated, distended belly puts on a wide, thin diastasis rectus abdominus!

Have you ever done a cleanse?

What techniques or products work for you? As you can see, I’m a fan of real foods and grace and things that are sustainable. I’ve done some hard-core cleanses, and they “worked” but I couldn’t keep up. While they left me feeling clearer and lighter for a while, they also lowered my overall energy and they’re expensive!

I think if you have a medical reason to do a deep, supervised cleanse under the watchful eye of a your professional health provider, you may have a good reason to do a hard cleanse. However, I’ve seen too many people can get carried away, becoming reliant on the products, or worse: People get injured or ill.

It’s important to know what’s in that cleanse you’re considering. Even natural ingredients can have serious side effects. It’s also crucial to monitor your energy levels and not “go for the gold” when you’re on a cleansing high. Injuries happen when energy drops or when we think we should push ourselves harder than necessary.

I like to pick and choose healthy items to add to my regular intake of foods that I know benefit me. I like to have energy levels that don’t go crazy high and crazy low depending on what bar or shake I consume. I like waking up feeling steady, not shaky. I like sustainable habits that don’t fall apart when my budget and schedule both constrict at the same time….

How about you? What are your thoughts on this?