Spring is here, and once again so is my desire to clean out all of the clutter and junk that has accumulated throughout the year. Instead of starting with my closets and the miles of old mail and magazines, I thought it would be truly refreshing to try to cleanse myself so that I can start the spring rejuvenated. Spring is a time of rebirth and new growth and I wanted to create a clean slate by cleansing my body, mind and soul.

There are so many fad cleanses out there that I wasn't sure where to start and what I could actually realistically commit to and complete. I love good food -- so I could never do a fast, and I do not think that I could keep up with my four children powered by juice alone. I also don't have time for a tedious and complicated mental and spiritual cleansing. I managed to find some inexpensive, relatively easy ways to cleanse myself from within.

Body Cleanse

"The mind's first step to self-awareness must be through the body." -- George Sheehan

1) Detox With Lemon Water -- Add to a glass of water half a fresh squeezed lemon to your morning routine, BEFORE coffee. The lemon juice helps cleanse the liver and aides its ability to remove toxins and fats from the body.

2) Add Cleansing Foods and Juices -- The following are foods known to help the body's natural cleansing and detoxifying abilities:

• Apples


• Avocados


• Beets


• Blueberries


• Cabbage


• Celery and Celery Seeds


• Cranberries


• Flax seeds and flaxseed oil


• Garlic


• Grapefruit

I try to add one of these foods into meals I already like and regularly eat, but my favorite way to get cleansing vegetables and fruits is to juice.

My favorite juice combination, which is also great for supporting the liver's cleansing and detoxifying, is the following:

• 2 medium-sized beets


• 1 cucumber


• 1 lemon


• 3 medium-sized carrots


• 1 apple

You could also add flaxseed oil or any of the detoxifying foods listed above.
Add all ingredients to a juicer.

To read more about foods and juices for detoxifying and cleansing see these links:

• Care2


• To Health by Choice


• Dr. Oz


• Crazy Sexy Life


• Livestrong

3) Try Dry Brush Exfoliation -- Dry brushing is an ancient Ayurvedic health practice that helps promote circulation, detoxing, is very relaxing and feels great. The skin is one of the largest detoxifying organs of the body, although most of us don't ever think of it that way. You always dry brush with a clean brush on bare, dry skin, preferably before showering. Traditionally, you brush away from the heart and press lightly. It is easy to do it yourself at home, but if you want to splurge it is great as a part of an Ayurvedic massage. There are many spas offering this now.

For more information on dry brushing and dry brushing techniques go to the following links:

• "The Benefits of Dry Brushing"


• "Dry Brushing"


• "Dry Brushing vs. Exfoliating"

Mind Cleanse

"Drag your thoughts away from your troubles... by the ear, by the heels or any other way you can manage it." -- Mark Twain

Cleansing the mind by shedding negative thoughts and perceptions can take a weight off your whole being. Dr. Andrew Weil says, "Many health professionals identify depressive rumination as the root cause of unhappiness." There is a whole school of psychology today called positive psychology, pioneered by Dr. Martin Seligmen, whose sole focus is to help people do this kind of mind cleanse. Positive psychology helps get rid of negative thoughts by helping people get rid of the judgments they form about things that are happening in their lives.

There are several positive psychology techniques called "interventions," which may be beneficial.

1. Three Good Things Every Day -- Try writing down three things that are going well and why. Do this every day for a week.
2. Using Signature Strengths -- Try writing down what you believe are your personal strengths (e.g., creativity or loyalty) and then use them in a different way daily.
3. Five-Minute Rant Write Down -- This is a technique that I created for myself based on the core ideas of positive psychology that I have found invaluable for cleansing my mind. Take five minutes every week and write down every negative thought that comes into your mind. Then take that piece of paper and tear it up, bury it or shred it.

For more information of positive psychology you can go to the following links:

• Authentic Happiness


• "Top 10 Positive Psychology Books"


• "What Is Positive Psychology?"

Books:

• Spontaneous Happiness by Dr. Andrew Weil


• Positive Psychology in Practice by Linley and Joseph

Soul Cleanse

"The Soul, like the body, lives by what it feeds on." -- Holland

Soul cleansing is the cherry on top of the personal cleansing process. It is the part of the process that lightens the spirit and helps leave you feeling clear, purposeful and content.

1) Meditation -- Try meditating every day, even if it is just a minute or two. All you have to do to meditate is sit quietly for a few moments and let the thoughts come and go and breathe deeply. Be sure to turn off your phone, computer or whatever distracts you. Just be still with yourself. Mediation is an ancient practice that has been rigorously studied by modern medicine as well. It has been shown to lower blood pressure and improves overall health. I truly believe that it does all of those things for the body as well as uplifting and cleansing the soul.

For more information and help with meditation check out the following links:

• "How to Meditate"


• "A 10-Minute Mind Clearing"


• "How to Get Started With Meditation"


• Project Meditation

Information of the benefits of meditation:

• Psychology Today


• MIT News

2) Gratitude -- Each day try waking up asking, "What am I grateful for?" Go to bed asking the same question and throughout the day express your gratitude to those around you.

Try keeping a gratitude journal. Write down 10 things every day that you are grateful for. Once a week, try writing a note or sending an email to a person in youe life expressing your gratitude for them and the things that they have contributed to your life.

Gratitude lifts the spirit and fills the soul with positivity. In terms of measurable health benefits, researchers maintain that gratitude fosters optimism, which has been shown to positively influence the immune system.

For more information on the power of gratitude, check out this website.

3) Service -- Try being of service by giving back to others, whether it is a few hours a week, or a month or a year. Find an organization in your community (or beyond) that speaks to your soul and one that you feel you can really contribute to.

Maya Angelou said that she found that "Among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver."

For information on service and volunteering:

• Volunteer Match


• Volunteering in America

Whether you're cleaning your closet or cleaning out the clutter in your mind, the energy and renewal that comes with cleansing is worth it for your body, mind and soul.

For more by Margaret Hyde, click here.

For more on personal health, click here.

For more on wellness, click here.

It's juice cleanse day for my daughter, Julie, and me. We decided weeks ago, after too many days of too much garbage, that we'd try a cleanse. Many friends had experimented with them, and a store in town packaged the juices, promising just the right blend of fruits, vegetables and supplements to expedite and simplify the process. How hard could it be?

Our first of six 16-ounce bottles is a "green" juice, consisting of kale, romaine, celery, ginger, parsley, apple, and lemon. Julie, 17 years old and a vegetarian, takes a sip from a thick blue straw to expedite delivery of the drink to her stomach while bypassing her taste buds.

"It has a weird aftertaste," she says. "Like some spice."

"Chewy," I say.

Julie's eyes water, and she fights back a gag. The straw trick failed.

"Don't drink it all if you don't feel like it," I tell her. "Maybe I'll do it tomorrow, too." All this juice -- 12 cups of it! -- for one day? I'm a little embarrassed about this project. When I've boasted about our plan for a one-day cleanse, the universal reaction has been, "One day? That's nothing." I think of it as voluntary colonoscopy prep without the actual procedure, and maybe a test of discipline.

It's after 12 p.m., and time for another juice. This is "super up," a fruit and vegetable mix of orange, carrot, apple, lemon, ginger, ginseng, and vitamin B-12.

"Oh," Julie says. "The first one was so gross."

I hand Julie her bottle. "If I have to drink another green one I'll throw up," she says. "I can still feel it in the back of my throat." We stare at the orange liquid. "I'm not even hungry!" she says.

"I just feel a little sick," I say.

Julie opens the bottle and takes a dainty sip, then grimaces. I disappear downstairs to help with the groceries. By the time I'm back up, she has finished almost two-thirds of her bottle. "I can't drink anymore." she says. "I could go a whole day without eating if I could chew gum, but I couldn't go another day of drinking this juice." I force down my 16 ounces. The carrot flavor is overpowering. I used to like carrots. Is it possible to overdose from too many concentrated fruits and vegetables?

The haul from the grocery store has never looked so appetizing. Chips Ahoy! Reese's Puffs! Chocolate chips! (There's a reason we went on the juice cleanse.) Julie hugs the plastic container of dried apricots. "Since when do you like apricots?" I ask.

"It's not like I would binge on them or anything, but they look really good," she says, caressing the plastic.

This is what weird diets do to you. You start fantasizing about apricots. "And look, my muffin top is going away," she says, squeezing her sides. It's been six hours.

I walk the dogs and take my 8th grader to baseball practice. Vaguely queasy and a little grumpy, I consider all the delicious food in the cupboards while my stomach lurches in hunger. When will this day be over?

Errands finished, I start craving solid food. Maybe it would make more sense to drink these juices over the course of the week, as a supplement to my normal diet, rather than as some shock and awe assault on my junk-food-addled body. Life is short; how can it possibly be healthy to wish your life away for the sake of some dieting fad, even one as short-lived as 24 hours of juice? And those nutty and self-involved celebrities always prattling on self-righteously about their silly and expensive elixirs -- is that what I aspire to be? Oh, and there was that time I went on Atkins as a kid, and had that chocolate-flavored whipped cream and fake bread, and got violently ill.

"I want to cheat!" I say to my husband, Bob, bursting into his office.

He gestures me to sit, and wheels his chair close so he can look me in the eye. "You are doing this strictly for yourself," he says calmly, the voice of reason. "Eat something if you want it," he says. But won't I be letting Julie down, cheating like this? "Don't tell her," he says.

My two boys are in the kitchen. I'll have to wait for them to leave. Julie has collapsed on the sofa in the family room, but her hearing is so sharp she can detect the crinkle of a Milky Way wrapper from 400 meters. Mercifully, the TV is on. I won't be able to tear open a cereal box, but I can probably slip a Balance bar into my pocket without detection. I grab one. And eat it. It tastes... like the energy bar it is, a blend of plastic and sugar. Still, my stomach feels less empty.

"It's time for another green one," I tell Julie. She makes a vomiting sound. Knowing she'll never finish another two cups of glorified grass, I open one bottle and pour the contents into two clear wide glasses. Julie faces off against her opponent at the dining room table.

"If I don't smell it while I drink it, it's tolerable," she says bravely. Fortified by my Balance bar, I take the challenge and inhale the smell of this leprechaun-colored liquid. The earthy odor reminds me of the distinctive stench that emerges from the poop bucket in the back yard, where we deposit our dogs' daily waste, after it's been sitting in the August sun for a few weeks. I hold my nose, close my eyes, and drink.

Gagging sounds interrupt me. "Don't you dare throw up on my dining room table!" I yell out to Julie.

"I'm done with this," she says, breathing heavily and pushing away the pungent glass. "I can't look at it, Mom," she says before grabbing an ice cube. I toss the remains of both our drinks into the sink. Julie escapes to the family room, and huddles in the fetal position under an afghan.

Eight hours in: My daughter stumbles into my office. Her hair spills out of one side of her ponytail. "I'm so hungry," she says, and flops down in her chair. "It smells like juice in here." She goes on Facebook for a few minutes, restless. "Mom," she says, "I'm dying here. Food is not just food for me. It's also entertainment."

"That's why you're doing a juice cleanse," I tell her, without shame. Hours pass in a haze. I try to distract myself by reading about a book (reading an actual book will take too much concentration). I drive my son hither and yon, to get out of the house. Finally, at 7 p.m., I'm ready for another drink. This will be our last, the protein one; we've skipped the second red juice as well as the "detox" bottle, for fear of the lemon juice and cayenne. On my already shaky stomach, the thought of more citrus or ginger seems too risky.

"I can't drink any more juice, Mom," Julie says when I present the final bottle, though this last contains just almonds, water, cinnamon, dates and vanilla bean. "I've just spent the last 20 minutes looking at food blogs and smelling Chips Ahoy," she says.

Of all the drinks, this one is the tastiest: smooth, nutty, and thick, without kale or spinach to foul it. Julie has a sip but can't handle any more. She reaches for another ice cube instead. "I just want to take a Tylenol PM and have it be tomorrow," she says.

Tomorrow finally comes. She eats a bagel and peanut butter for breakfast, without fanfare. "I feel better today," she says. So do I, though during my regular run I am sluggish and flat. Later I confess the coward's way, through email, about cheating.

"WOW YOU SUCK I DIDN'T EVEN EAT A CRACKER," she writes back. "If you had told me yesterday I might have broken down." To make it up to her, I agree to make a chocolate fudge cake. With that and a few apricots, we'll be fine.

It's yet another of the fancy, shiny and pricey purchases or gifts parked on the kitchen counter. It may have gotten a good run just after the holidays when it got into the house and members of the whole family -- just as the infomercials, some celebrities and even a popular documentary advise -- pledged to try to boost their health with fresh-pressed juice. To hear their advocates, liquefied fruits, veggies and herbs -- especially greens like spinach, kale, cucumbers and wheatgrass -- offer an amazing elixir to lose weight, boost the body's immunity, prevent cancer, and cleanse the liver and colon -- and more.

Be careful of the rutabaga truck you fall from if you buy all these claims.

"Organic green juice is like red lipstick: don't leave home without it," preaches self-described "wellness warrior" and cancer survivor Kris Carr in her recent New York Times best-seller Crazy, Sexy Diet.

Well, OK, research shows that a diet high in fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk for many leading causes of death, including cancer and heart disease, as well as help with weight management. Most adults should eat at least nine servings (4½ cups) of vegetables and fruits daily (sorry, potatoes don't count). But few of us do. According to a 2009 survey by the Center for Disease Control, just 32.5% of adults consumed fruit two or more times per day and 26.3% eat vegetables three or more times per day. A healthy diet also should include a variety of types and colors of produce.

If juicing helps you achieve this, then puree away. There is no evidence, however, that juice is healthier than eating whole fruits and vegetables and those gullible enough to swallow the extreme assertions about juicing's benefits ought to be sent to bed with just a plate of Brussels sprouts.

Today's home juicers range from simple $30 models to $300 power machines that can pulverize an entire apple, core and all, in mere seconds. If you do juice, be sure first to wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly with water and preferably, a vegetable brush. This is key with fruits like cantaloupes and other melons that require peeling or cutting. Cut away those damaged or bruised areas; bacteria can thrive there. And only make as much juice as you can drink at one time, as bacteria can grow in the sugar-rich environment after squeezing.

Fiber is Filling, not Fattening

Because most fruits and some vegetables (most notably carrots and beets) are high in sugar, juicing is not recommended on a regular basis for diabetics. Juice is metabolized in the body more quickly than whole fruit and leads to quick spikes in blood sugar. If weight loss is the goal, juicing may not be the best bet either. Even raw juice is high in sugar and calories; some fruit juices actually contain more calories than soda. Another concern is that juice does not contain fiber, which is what gives us the feeling of fullness.

"Fiber, due to its bulky nature, stretches our stomachs. Our stomach receptors then signal the brain telling us that we're full," explains my colleague Jennifer Arussi, a registered dietitian. "Without that feeling of fullness we have a greater potential to over eat."

Fiber supplementation in the obese has been shown to enhance weight loss significantly. Plus, most adults get less than half the recommended amount of fiber in their daily diets.

Proponents of juicing claim that nutrients are better absorbed by the body in juice than whole fruit, but there is no convincing scientific evidence to support this. Advocates also assert that drinking juice gives the digestive system a break from working on fiber. But fiber actually aids digestion.

Limited Scientific Research on Healing Properties

Different proponents promote specific juices for their ability to prevent or remedy diseases and other medical conditions. Wheatgrass, a juicer's staple, for example, long has been touted for everything from the common cold to colitis to shrinking tumors. Wheatgrass provides a concentrated amount of nutrients, including iron, calcium, magnesium, amino acids chlorophyll, and vitamins A, C and E. Individual accounts have reported benefits of a wheatgrass diet, but there isn't sufficient scientific literature to support the extravagant promises made for this common plant. Pomegranate juice more recently has been the subject of boasts about its claimed anti-cancer properties. The ellagic acid in pomegranates has shown some positive results in the lab but proponents lack the clinical proof that it helps with disease in humans.

In some instances, the health benefits of fruits and vegetables can be tracked back to their skins, which don't always make it into juice. In a recent study published by my colleagues and I, premenopausal women who drank eight ounces of red wine slightly lowered their estrogen levels while increasing their blood testosterone concentrations, most likely due to a natural inhibitor of an enzyme that converts testosterone to estrogen. This inhibitor is found in the skins and seeds of red grapes, but is not found in the grapes that are used to make white wine.

Despite its fashionable status, juicing isn't exactly new. The movement couldn't have a more persuasive pitchman than health and fitness pioneer Jack LaLanne, whose famous feats include celebrating his 70th birthday by towing 70 boats with 70 people for 1 ½ miles in the Long Beach Harbor, while shackled and handcuffed. (I'll have whatever he's having). Before his death last year at age 96, LaLanne and his wife spent years promoting the Jack LaLanne PowerJuicer in televised commercials and infomercials. LaLanne also had a juice bar in the first gym he opened in Oakland in 1936.

The current craze has been fueled by reports on the eating habits of celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Selma Hayek, hip juice bars like Beverly Hills Juice and New York's Liquiteria and hundreds of books and websites offering recipes for the likes of "Kale Lemonade" and "The Only Way I Can Tolerate Beets Juice." Starbucks is jumping on the juice band wagon, too. In November, the coffee giant purchased Evolution Juice, a manufacturer of raw juices sold in stores and is planning to open its own juice bars. The first is supposed to open on the West Coast later this year.

Flushing Out the Facts On Juice Fasts

Feeding the liquid frenzy, too, is a recent documentary, Fat Sick and Nearly Dead. Credited with doubling the sale of the Breville brand juicer last year, the film chronicles Australian entrepreneur Jim Cross's 60-day juice fast and transformation from tubby and sick (he suffers from a skin condition called urticaria) to trim and healthy.

Swapping burgers and buckets of chicken for two months of just juice may melt the pounds away. But for most people, this isn't a medically advisable course. Extreme juicing, marketed as "juice cleanses" or "juice fasts," differ; these generally involve fasting or food restriction for varying spans and may include some combination of nutritional supplements. Some regimens recommend colonics or enemas, too.

"Fasting for a day probably won't hurt you," says my colleague Arussi. "But when you don't eat actual food," she adds, "your body produces hormones that say 'feed me' and you feel an intense urge to eat."

Much of what you'll drop via a juice fast will be water weight. Short-term side effects can include dizziness, nausea, constipation, fatigue and irritability. Longer fasts may cause electrolyte imbalances and if you don't consume enough calories to keep your metabolism functioning, your body will convert to energy crucial muscle tissue rather than fat (see my prior blog on this topic).

As for cleansing the toxins from your body, there is no scientific evidence that juice fasts do this; the liver and kidneys efficiently process and eliminate toxins on their own. For those taking medication for their heart or to regulate blood sugar, such programs can cause serious complications. And it goes without saying that children should not be put on juice fasts at home. If you must do these "cleanses," please talk to your physician first.

I think most MDs will echo my prescription: juicing can provide a possible alternative to a Popeye lifestyle of consuming gobs and gobs of spinach or other healthy foods to meet the daily requirements of fruits and vegetables. Your health, though, isn't something that can be reduced to cartoon-like thinking and consumers should sip with care any crazy Kool-Aid claims about juicing's boons: the diet to maintain good health should include minimally processed foods, lean protein and plenty of whole fruits and vegetables.

Detoxification isn't just for the new-age crowd anymore. It has become an essential component of good health for people in all walks of life, because we live in a toxic world. This added stress can be the tipping point for thyroid disorders, severe menopause symptoms, cancer and weight gain, to name a few.

When I say the word detox, many of my patients look worried and confused. There are so many different notions out there regarding detoxifying, but I want to make two things clear:

1. I'm not referring to drug or alcohol detox, and
2. I'm not referring aggressive colon cleanses or fasting on lemon juice

I'm referring to dietary and lifestyle changes you can do at home to help clear your body of overwhelming toxins -- and even shed pounds while you're doing it.

What Are the Symptoms of Toxicity?

• Stubborn weight
• Acne and skin rashes
• Bad breath
• Bloating, gas, GI distress
• Canker sores
• Fuzzy thinking
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Dark circles under the eyes
• Headaches
• Noticeably reduced tolerance to alcohol and caffeine
• Postnasal drip, scratchy throat, sinus congestion
• Negative reactions to odors, cleansing agents, perfumes, etc.
• Muscle and joint pain
• Chronic health problems

Why Do Toxins Cause Us to Gain Weight?

As you've heard me say before, when we're under any kind of long-term stress, our bodies keep weight on to protect us from a crisis. From exposures to pesticides on our food to the electromagnetic radiation from our mobile phones and computers, our bodies are managing many stressors at once.

Certain cosmetics, plastic products, clothes, computers and furniture contain toxins that can mimic the action of our own hormones and disrupt fat deposition.[1] And more specifically, research is proving that exposure to toxins can alter the way we metabolize sugar in our bodies. We're now seeing that people with Type 2 diabetes often have elevated levels of many different toxins in their bodies, so there is clearly a connection between toxins and how we process sugar in our bodies.[2]

Tips For Your Detox Plan

I know that spring is not here yet, but mid-winter is a good time to start planning for a spring detox. And I've done this with enough women to pick up a few tips along the way. There are three main areas to look at when attempting to detoxify:

1. Your Food. One way to lighten the toxic load on your body is by cleaning up your diet for a week or two. Food is information for the body and changing what we eat can make a big difference. I recommend removing sugar, syrup, honey, alcohol, caffeine, dairy, gluten, artificial sweeteners and additives, processed food and grilled or charbroiled meats from your diet. And include detoxifying foods like: alfalfa sprouts, brown rice, dark green veggies, lemon, garlic, gluten-free oats, millet, root vegetables and seeds.

2. Your Environment. There are many small things you can do here to lighten the load. Instead of keeping your mobile phone with you at all times, turn it off and take breaks, especially at night as you prepare for sleep. Buy more houseplants and make sure you have at least one in every room. Use old glass jars to store food in place of Tupperware and plastic wrap. Use vinegar and baking soda in place of toxic cleaners. For more tips and non-toxic cleaning recipes, see my article on "green" household cleaning.

3. Herbs and Supplements. First, be sure your body is getting its basic needs met by finding a good multivitamin with calcium and magnesium. Then you can include herbs like milk thistle, kudzu, turmeric and dandelion to help support your natural detoxification pathways. There are also supplements like N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and antioxidants like Co-enzyme Q 10 that can help as well.

The bottom line is that we have to assist our bodies in clearing out the clutter present in our modern world. Stay tuned for a more comprehensive blog on detoxification and how integral it has become to good health.

For more specific information, I developed a two-week detoxification plan we call Women to Women's Quick Cleanse. It's a great idea to do this cleanse once in the spring and then again in the fall. But any amount of detox you can incorporate into your life will help your body and your weight.

References:

[1] Sargis, R., et al. 2010. Environmental endocrine disruptors promote adipogenesis in the 3T3-L1 cell line through glucocorticoid receptor activation. Obesity, 18(7), 1283-1288. URL: target="_hplink">http://www.nature.com/oby/journal/v18/n7/full/oby2009419a.html

[2] Rylander, L., et al. 2005. A cross-sectional study of to the association between persistent organochlorine pollutants and diabetes. Environmental Health, 4, 28. URL: http://www.ehjournal.net/content/4/1/28

For more by Marcelle Pick, OB-GYN, N.P., click here.

For more on personal health, click here.

For more on weight loss, click here.

By Laura Schwecherl

Want to substitute food in favor of liquefied fruits and vegetables? Welcome to juice cleansing. While detoxing the body with spinach-apple-ginger juice or cashew-milk may sound appealing ( ... or not), with their popularity growing, the benefits and safety of juice fasts are still up for debate.

Going Green -- Why It Matters

While it may be okay to look to celebs for fashion advice, don't start drinking from the celebrity health-tips well so fast. Juice cleanses are not only a fad -- but they may not even provide all the benefits they tout. In one small study, one week of juice fasting led to a sudden decrease in LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) and triacylglycerol levels, but the levels returned to normal just one week later.

More from Greatist:
How Much Water Should I Drink To Stay Hydrated?
Does Eating Spicy Food Burn Extra Calories?
Try Cinnamon In Your Coffee Instead Of Cream And Sugar

But while drinking only fruit and vegetable juice for days on end might not sound so fun, it's probably healthier and more delicious than the Master Cleanse alternative (lemon juice, maple syrup, cayenne pepper, and water ... only!). Before trying to choose a detox of any kind, give the whole thing a second thought. The colon, kidneys, and liver naturally remove most toxins -- like alcohol and chemicals that enter the body through everyday processes like breathing and drinking water -- from the body, making any kind of "detox diet" potentially pointless. Besides, those quick pounds lost as a result of fasting are typically just from water weight. Since juice cleanses reduce caloric intake, the body releases glycogen (a carbohydrate) for extra energy. Glycogen holds onto water, so when it's used, water (and its weight) is also lost. Unfortunately, this water weight is usually gained right back when the cleanse is over.

Not So (Juice) Fast -- The Answer/Debate

Despite what Gwyneth might say, there's no scientific proof touting the benefits of replacing food with juicy concoctions. And many doctors believe detox diets aren't all that helpful and may even be harmful to our bodies. Some researchers note that depriving the body of nutrient rich food could weaken its ability to fight infections. And since calories literally mean energy, reducing caloric intake can lead to fatigue and dizziness. Lean muscle mass may also be lost if the body is continuously deprived of protein. (And sorry, turkey chili sounds way more appetizing than carrot juice for dinner.)

Losing weight doesn't mean succumbing to a liquid diet. Regular exercise and eating well are habits that are easier to stick to and will help shed some pounds at a steady rate— and keep them off. And remember, if looking to detox or lose weight, and there are safer (and more delicious) ways to tip the scale. Besides, the wallet will surely get a beating from a juice cleanse, too (some of the more popular cleanses cost more than $50 a day!) Splurge on a healthful dinner out instead.

Have you ever tried a cleanse? Are they all the rage, or do they fall flat?

Many people I'm acquainted with were doing a fabulous job cleaning up and putting their house in order in anticipation of the New Year. In the homes I visited, both literally and through tales that were told, grand-scale transformation was commencing. Gifts were put away, luggage was unpacked, trees and menorahs were taken down, and diets and juice cleanses were underway. But that's not the clean up I'm speaking of. What I observed was people mindfully reflecting on their relationships with their exes and considering how to improve them in 2012.

Over the holidays I witnessed couples who were previously acrimonious (some for numerous years) starting to converse and interact in a friendlier manner. I attended a holiday dinner where my host introduced me to her brother, Jonathan, and then, without batting an eye, to both of his wives -- the current, and the ex (who was there along with her new husband). Jonathan and his first wife were very pleasant toward each other. Evidently they were overjoyed to be spending Christmas together along with their two daughters and young grandchildren. I was told that it hadn't always been this way.

Several days later across town at a New Year's gathering, I was surprised to see my friend Allie's ex husband arrive at her home for a glass of champagne. She explained to me that she felt it would be gracious to invite him to stop by for a toast, and apparently he felt comfortable enough to drop in. I couldn't help but notice how happy her kids were to see mom and dad together, smiling and being civil toward each other.

A time zone away, my client David telephoned his ex wife and suggested they meet as a family for lunch to celebrate their son's admittance to college. He commented to me, "This is such a happy occasion, plus it's the New Year. Why shouldn't we be able to put our differences behind us and occasionally break bread together?" She agreed, and for the first time in years, they sat at the same table and celebrated their son.

I was pleased to hear these stories and others that were similar in nature. Tales of people who had deliberately decided to let go of the past, forgive their exes, and work toward a respectful coexistence. Several I spoke with on this topic explained to me that the choice to forgive was not only beneficial to their children; it was valuable to them as well. One woman without children remarked, "The day I let go of my rancor and considered the concept of forgiveness was the day I really started to heal and experience peace in my life." Another moving comment I heard was from a man who was currently en route to forgiving himself, which can be as important as forgiving another. He said, "I'm just coming to grips with the pain I caused my ex and others I care about during my divorce. Maybe if I can forgive myself I can work toward making amends."

Believe me, I understand how difficult it is to let go of complex feelings to forgive an ex. There is a good possibility that no matter how your relationship ended, you endured plenty of distress in the process. Most divorces are messy affairs that cause significant pain and suffering along the way. And I fully recognize that forgiveness may be extremely difficult to consider if your marriage ended with deception or with any degree of mental or physical cruelty.

In my opinion, forgiveness is a conscience decision to let go of unpleasant or disturbing feelings about your ex. It's about releasing the fury and the resentment. It's about reaching deep into your soul and discovering some degree of empathy, or even better, understanding for the person who caused you pain. This doesn't mean you have to exonerate what he or she did to you -- but it's about being able to look past those transgressions and say, "Yes I can forgive this person for being imperfect." Believe me, uttering these words can release you and help you get on with your life in a more positive way.

So please consider reflecting on the topic of forgiveness while writing your 2012 resolutions. There is an excellent chance that by doing so you'll be able to enjoy a healthier state of mind in the New Year.

*Please note that all names in this post have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.

As a model and a person who managed to stay relatively skinny throughout my investment-banking days, I am often asked how I do it. Polina, my business partner and best friend, often asked the same. This blog was inspired by the recent cry for help from some of my friends on Facebook on how to stay skinny.

Well, here it is, a small entry of how to slim down or stay slim. Polina and I had a photo shoot for Boutique Week with a wonderful Boston photographer Natalia Borecka the other day and needed to make sure we looked our best.

1. Cleanse within. The first step is, of course, being healthy within to look healthy and radiant on the outside. I believe in cleanses, I really do. I think that our body needs a day or two to forget about processing food and just focus on rejuvenating (not sure if this was scientifically proven, so take this with a grain of salt!). I aim to do one three-day cleanse a year.

To get ready for the shoot, Polina and I decided to do a cleanse. We chose Blue Print Cleanse. I have done it before and loved it. The first time was during my first year in banking -- I urgently needed to lose weight before the summer hit and my 15 extra pounds revealed themselves. The second time was this summer, when I worked at Chanel and wanted to blend in with my fellow sleek and beautiful co-workers. This week, Polina and I did it to stay radiant. Whatever reason you decide to do the cleanse for, make sure to stay healthy. While you lose weight on a cleanse, you still need to receive a healthy amount of calories.

This time, I did Level II of Blue Print for the photo shoot. Despite 3 days of liquids, I felt super energetic. The green juices seem to be the healthiest, even though they are the hardest to finish, so if you do decide to do it, get ready! Polina's favorite was Number 4 juice -- Spicy Lemonade. My favorite part was juice Number 6 (something to look forward to every day!). Despite having no coconut, it did taste like it. With exquisite ingredients including cashew milk with vanilla bean and agave, it is not surprising that it tastes so good. I would order this for dessert any day! It was not that easy to only drink and not eat, but the results were worth it -- left me feeling energized and pounds lighter -- although I did dream of french fries!

2. Exercise. This is an obvious one, but the hardest one to follow. Lately, with all of the Boutique Week travels and my last semester at Harvard Business School, I have been bad at the gym routine. I found it super helpful to mark my workouts on my calendar, displayed in an obvious spot. I combine yoga (I love Baptiste yoga studio in Cambridge, and trying out Bikhram this month) with more intense exercises like Exhale Core Fusion or Physique 57 when I am in New York (my favorite! Super tough, but definitely works!). While in Steamboat, CO, I heard from a very fit friend about Cross Fit, apparently a very high intensity set of exercises that really work! I will keep you posted!

3. Eating habits. We all splurge, but the frequency of it makes a huge difference. I remember once hearing Karolina Kurkova (beautiful supermodel) talk about her eating habits on America's Next Top Model. The takeaway was: whatever you put inside your body reflects how you look. So eating healthy non-processed food always takes priority for me. For example, I would rather have a bigger meal with fresh ingredients: fish and potatoes, over canned or frozen food that might be less calories.

I am not a nutritionist, but I believe in moderation in everything I do, so I did enjoy a Ben & Jerry ice cream after the photo shoot.

4. Beauty Routine. I do not think it matters what the cost of the products you use is. In my opinion, what matters is finding the right products for your skin. My beauty routine includes Mario Badescu products. Simply packaged, they provide everything I need. I never believed in toners until I taught myself a routine of face wash followed by toner and then lotion to moisturize your skin or protect from the sun in the mornings. The importance of using all three is huge to ensure long-term health of your skin. I also used Chanel products this summer and loved the Precision Mousse Douceur cleanser and the coordinating toner. There are a variety of products on the market; if you have not found the right one for you yet, you can check out Birchbox, started by my friend and HBS'10 alum Katia. They send samples of beauty products to your door to try them.

I am getting a facial at Mario Badescu next week -- very looking forward to it. Getting regular facials is key to healthy skin. Dermatologists recommend getting a facial once a month; I don't get to do it that often, so I substitute it with home products. Given the environment we live in with pollution and fast-paced, we need to rejuvenate, exfoliate, hydrate and nourish our skin.

5. Sleep! I do not think there is a magic number for hours we need a night. I definitely need 8 hours, which I never get. National Sleep Foundation recommends around 7-9 hours for adults and 8.5-9.25 hours for teens, so keep that in mind when planning your life routine. I really believe sleep is key to a healthy long productive life!

These 5 easy steps brought me ready and smiling to my photo shoot!

The body can do amazing things and we often underestimate its capabilities, especially when it comes to detoxifying itself. Years of evolution have enabled our bodies to "detox" naturally; those who could not self-detox died out through natural selection and "survival of the fittest."

Toxins enter the body through food or water, chemicals used to grow or prepare food, and even the air that we breathe. Luckily, our bodies have the ability to process those toxins through organs like the liver and kidneys and eliminate them in the form of sweat, urine and feces.

The American diet is low in water and whole grains and too high in refined sugar, caffeine, unhealthy fats and protein. Over consumption of the aforementioned nutrients can create food sensitivities, nutritional deficiencies, bacterial overgrowth, yeast infections, weak hair, skin and nails and a host of other conditions.

But does that mean we should all "detox" our bodies from harmful toxins? From my perspective, the whole "detox" craze is just another money-making industry preying on the insecure and teaching faulty eating principles. "Detox" diets aim to eliminate harmful processed foods and refined sugar a few times a year by limiting us to just a certain few foods for a period of time. But our bodies are designed to function best with a healthy, well-balanced diet. I do encourage a diet with minimal processed foods and refined sugar. But we don't need to fast to accomplish this goal. And further, shouldn't we aim to eat well all the time? How effective can a few days of restriction really be when we are eating garbage the rest of the time?

Detox diets are designed for short-term use and often require fasting. If used for longer periods of time, they may cause health problems. Further, significantly lowering one's calorie intake during a fast will result in a slowing of the dieter's metabolism, thus making long-term weight loss more difficult.

The Master Cleanse (aka lemonade diet) requires limiting our food intake to water with lemons, laxative tea and salt water in order to "cleanse" the body. Weight loss may occur from this diet but it is mainly from loss of water, not from fat loss. If used over a long period of time, the body will begin to break down muscle mass for energy. So while you may see a drop on the scale, it is from metabolically active (and much-needed) muscle rather than from fat. This diet is nutritionally void and lacking nutrients. Many dieters quickly regain the lost weight upon completion of the Master Cleanse. It is clear that we were not meant to live on lemons and laxatives!

Many detox supplements contain herbs and laxatives designed to make the dieter "eliminate" often. Over-elimination can cause dehydration and mineral imbalances and may permanently affect the digestive system if used for too long. Make sure you read the ingredient list before beginning any cleansing regimen and research each ingredient so you know what you are ingesting. These programs often utilize senna, a known laxative. The other ingredients listed in many cleanse systems are herbs that are not FDA approved and have not been scientifically proven to do anything, let alone "cleanse" the body. Everyone is different and we don't know how our bodies will react to these untested/unresearched herbs, so be very cautious when starting a detox diet. If you want to try one of these cleanses, be sure to get your doctor's approval!

Detox diets are NOT designed for those who have health conditions. People who have diabetes, heart disease, eating disorders other chronic medical conditions or are pregnant should avoid these regiments.

Detox diets are also NOT recommended for children or teens. Kids and teens require nutrients, calories and protein to support their development. Eliminating macro and micronutrients, even for a short period of time, may disrupt energy levels and cause emotional imbalances.

Instead of following the newest trend or looking for a quick fix, try eating a wholesome diet all year round! Make sure you eat lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Stick to lean sources of protein. Drink lots of water. And try to avoid processed foods as much as possible. If you are feeling run-down or tired, speak to your doctor. Unfortunately, there is no magic formula for good health or weight loss!

WASHINGTON -- Michelle Obama dishes on the first family's health and eating habits in a new magazine interview, admitting she can't stand beets and that she does an occasional dietary "cleanse" to clear her palate and change her mindset.

In an interview for the September issue of Ladies' Home Journal, Mrs. Obama says she recently was "on a sort of cleanse" in which she was just eating vegetables. The first lady, who's on a campaign against childhood obesity, also says she never talks about weight with her daughters because the topic's too sensitive, and that she made the girls take up tennis under protest.

So you're pushing 50 in a career that values youth and beauty with a husband 15 years your junior. Okay, Demi. I actually understand why you're going right from one fad, The Master Cleanse, to the next, The Clean Program. Let's just not allow this to be the shining example of good health for the masses, who will inevitably take your advice, especially when you are dispensing it as such on your heavily trafficked Twitter feed and your every move is reported in the media.

As they say, with great power comes great responsibility. When you Tweet, you're sending a message to people (some of them too young or not healthy enough to be doing cleanses) that says, "the most important thing in life is to be skinny and look good."

With a career and husband that makes most young women want to be you, be careful not to fuel the epidemic of eating disorders and body dysmorphia that robs people of their self-esteem and, for some, their life.

Imagine for a moment that all of the things that are important to you in your life are represented by a pie chart. If any one thing (your weight, career, romance) takes up more than half of your personal pie chart, we have a problem. Since all of us are living this life in a body that is constantly aging, putting most of your value in your looks is a losing battle. As we approach the start of the school year, we need to also remember that putting the overwhelming majority of your value in your job or academic performance is equally treacherous. It's no wonder we also have an epidemic of college freshmen committing suicide who just can't take the letdown of their first "B."

It makes sense that the piece of Demi's pie that values looks is going to be a little bigger than the average person's. After all, her looks are directly related to how she makes her living.

Health should absolutely be a priority in all of our lives. What's the lesson for us all here?

Balance. Whether it's getting carried away with the diet du jour or the new romance in our lives, let's remember that slow and steady wins the race (especially when it comes to weight loss). And the more we cut a nice pie with seven or eight pieces of about the same size, the more we are building a life that is balanced, steady and full.

Recently, Ashton Kutcher announced on Twitter that he was undertaking the Master Cleanse: a fast lasting up to 10 days with nothing on the menu but a cocktail of water, lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper - with some salt water and laxatives for good measure. Thus, he has joined some other celebrities as well as countless other individuals in a misguided attempt to remove a variety of "toxins" from their bodies. And the Master Cleanse, or Lemonade Diet, isn't the only "detox" ritual out there. Scores of regimens, spa treatments, juices, colonic irrigation, vitamins and herbal pills promise to make you feel "rejuvenated," younger and thinner by ridding your body of "toxins."

Here is the theory behind this and other "detox" diets: our bodies are exposed to a variety of toxins from smoking (including secondhand smoke), air pollution, caffeine, pesticides, artificial sweeteners, sugar and alcohol, to name a few, and these "toxins" build up in our bodies and cause fatigue, headaches and chronic diseases. These diets not only rid the gastrointestinal tract and liver cells of these "toxins," but also allow them to rejuvenate in order to wage a better battle against future "toxins." Unfortunately, the theory is just not supported by any facts; not surprising, since the whole scenario is a made up hypothesis developed more than 40 years ago when the Master Cleanse diet first appeared.

In fact, the body is really pretty good at eliminating toxins on its own. The liver is capable of inactivating many environmental toxins and excreting them through the stools or via the kidneys into the urine within hours of exposure. Also, for acute insults like eating rotten food, the gastrointestinal tract may get into the picture directly via vomiting and diarrhea. If you feel like your liver or other organs need a break, by all means give them one. Don't take these toxic substances into your body in the first place. Give up smoking. Consume less caffeine and carbonated beverages. Drink water instead of alcohol. It's not nearly as glamorous, but it's effective.

Fasting has a long tradition as part of religious ritual in many different faiths (e.g. Lent, Ramadan, Yom Kippur). But these fasts are either partial - allowing for food at certain times of day - or for relatively short periods of time. Spiritual fasts are not the problem. Using extreme fasting as a tool for "detox" regimens or for dieting does concern me, especially fasts that are supposed to last for 10 days or more. These are often inspired by faulty theories as discussed above or by poor body image or late-night infomercials for products making claims that are unsupported by science.

There are several problems associated with prolonged fasting. Such deprivation may lead to loss of vitamins, minerals and electrolytes. Weight loss will occur because of caloric deprivation, but the weight will be regained when the fast is finished. Much of the early weight reduction is due to loss of salt and water. And with protein-poor diets like the Master Cleanse, muscle, and not fat, is broken down initially. Thus, these diets are associated with electrolyte imbalance, nutritional deficiencies, weakness and difficulties concentrating, to name a few of their problems. These diets would be stressful for anybody, but are potentially dangerous for individuals with diabetes, heart disease, or pregnant or breast feeding women, children and teenagers, who need well-balanced meals for optimum health and growth.

The other area of "cleansing" interest to detox fans is the cleansing of the digestive tract through colon irrigation or laxatives. The use of laxatives as part of diet regimen is alarming, as it is a common symptom of eating disorders and is a great way to develop severe electrolyte imbalance because of loss of potassium in the stools. The colon doesn't really need the assistance of irrigation. The bacteria that occur naturally in the digestive tract detoxify food, and the mucus membranes that line the colon prevent those discarded substances from reentering the blood and tissues. The colon also cleanses itself, shedding old cells about every three days so material doesn't build up. As is true for the "detox" diets, colonic cleansing for general health promotion is not supported by the published scientific literature, and does carry risks such as perforation of the colon or rectum, electrolyte imbalance and infection.

What you put in your body will have a much greater impact on your colon health than what you flush through it. Upping fiber intake can help, and most Americans aren't taking in enough of it. Current recommendations are 25 and 38 grams of fiber for women and men under age 50, respectively, and 21 and 30 grams for women and men over age 50, respectively.

Gulping coconut juice or other fresh fruit juices is certainly fine as part of a balanced food plan. But any plan suggesting a healthy person must forgo healthy sources of nutrition for extended period of time or irrigate their colon should be viewed as a toxic suggestion.

I used to diet, now I "cleanse." Even though supposedly toxins don't exist, I want them out of my body. So if there is a new cleanse, I'm on it. Literally. After all, it's not about losing pounds, it's about being healthy. And that I do believe.

I like to try things early. Master Cleanse? Old Hat. Metagenics shakes? Piece of cake. Vegetable Soup cleanse? Check. Master Cleanse round two? Yup. BluePrint? Um, I don't pay to not eat.

I like the mental challenge of a good cleanse. Can I survive? I've painfully measured three ounces of lemon juice and maple syrup to get past TSA to a flight while on the Master Cleanse. On one of my first dates with an old boyfriend we went for couples' colonics. Every January I skip alcohol, but this winter my wine was replaced with Knudsen's Caramels and some kind of crazy Peppermint Oreo Bark as I recovered from knee surgery. There was no slimming side effect, at all. I had to get serious. So I turned to the one person who would know what to do: Gwyneth. I don't actually know her but it doesn't look like there are any toxins in her skinny body. So this spring I'm following the book Clean by Dr. Alejandro Junger, on Gwynnie's recommendation. (Julian Schnabel also recommends Clean, but as much as I respect him, I'd rather look like Gwynnie.)

Clean is about detoxifying the body (I do think the term "toxin" is completely overused) for 21 days. Of course no alcohol, sugar, wheat, caffeine, soy, corn, dairy, meat, or oats allowed. Two meals a day are liquid, a smoothie, juice or soup, and lunch is vegetables, salad, lean protein and gluten-free grains. The program is designed to clear the irritants in your body that can cause inflammation. Ultimately you are cleaning out your intestines so your football field of tubing functions optimally. Say goodbye to puffiness, allergies, extra pounds, crankiness, sluggishness and God willing, the "mucoid placque" I want no part of.

Here's what clinched the deal for me: In the book, Junger says that most of our serotonin is formed in the intestines. I'm not a doctor even thought I act like I am, so I also checked with a real one, my father, who confirmed it. Serotonin is produced in the neuroendocrine cells of the intestines. I want a happy colon.

I've corralled my friends onto Clean so I can check in with them daily. One has "cleansed her life." By Day Five she had found new office space and new clients. Another sends me recipes for her "Lutece-style" chopped salad soup. A third is eating cupcakes and gelato in bed (not on the program). I check in with the cleanprogram.com community where the support team answers questions and I can see how much crazier other people are about food than I am.

Be forewarned, a cleanse will surprise you. I am not craving anything at all. But everything in my life is more acute, especially my sense of taste and smell. Which means that I enjoy sucking on the pit of an avocado but not the smell of my yoga mat. This sensitivity carries over to people too; suddenly the guy with the bike gloves in spin class is really, really bugging me; he might as well be wearing a helmet. Oddly I don't miss my wine (or vapid socializing) at night; content to watch Lee Dewyze on You Tube, over and over again. The escapism of a good cleanse is comforting. I am getting more than used to staying home and blending my cucumber fennel soup, checking in with the Clean community and my DVR, avoiding dating and a lot of real life. Physically I feel amazingly awake. Oh, and I sleep eight hours every night.

My previous intense focus on where/when/what to eat and drink with pleasure has been replaced by a new intense focus on where/when/what to eat and drink with the program. Is there a cleanse for that?

It's Day 19 and I just ran into my friend Gary at a party. He rolled his eyes when I mentioned Clean. "It's all about the Baby Food cleanse now," he says. What!? Is he teasing me? "Seven pounds in a week. Awards season. Look it up," he says, and smiles.

Oh, baby, have I got a juicy weight loss tip for you!

Envious over Jennifer Aniston's bodacious bottom? Crave her toned quads and cut upper arms? Looks like her secret may not be found in high-priced gyms or the lipo doc's office, but in the baby food aisle of your local Super Target.

The movie star is currently rumored to be following the Baby Food Diet, the brainchild of trainer-to-the-stars Tracy Anderson, also responsible for Madonna's sinewy arms.

"I developed a cleanse where you can still eat and it's a lot of puree foods. I was very careful about the foods I chose to put in it," Tracy told Hollyscoop.com. "When you do these liquid cleanses I felt a responsibility to come up with something. Liquid cleanses do help you lose weight but you will gain more the next week. I wanted something where you can eliminate toxicity, break bad habits but still have your digestive system going. That is when the baby food cleanse was born."

Apparently, the Baby Food Diet calls for eating 14 servings of baby food a day, followed by a healthy adult dinner.

Um, this is called an eating disorder, Tracy, not a diet. In fact, I've heard from more than a handful of anorexics who told me they ate baby food as way to keep their weight down. But I'm not a doctor, so I decided to go straight to the source for the straight scoop on why Anderson decide to turn Brad Pitt's ex into the next Gerber Baby: My local Gymboree. I spoke with four babies and, with their permission, am printing our interview below:

Leslie Goldman: Good morning, babies! Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with me this morning.

Babies: Goo! Gurrrrr. (Assorted spittle.)

LG: So, what does everyone think about Jennifer Aniston's Baby Food Diet?

Skinny Baby: You know, there is such pressure to be thin these days. Every girl baby I know wants to fit into a Size 6-12 month onesie when they're already 2T. Diapers add five pounds, minimum, and when you only weigh 15 pounds, that's a huge percentage.

Sarcastic Baby: Is she stupid? Every baby I know is pudgy. Have she ever seen a naked baby? Jesus, my legs look like I have rubber bands squeezing my thighs, knees and ankles.

LG: Basically, she eats about a dozen jars of baby food a day, then a normal dinner. Thoughts?

Hungry Baby: I would kill for a normal dinner. Every time my mom turns her head, I lunge for her Chipotle burrito like a champion badminton player diving for the shuttlecock.

Bulimic Baby: I think I'm going to projectile vomit.

LG: That's funny you should say that, Baby Bulimic, because I recently sampled baby food at a baby shower, and it smelled and tasted like vomit.

Hungry Baby: Oh yeah, all the meat flavors taste like puke. Chicken and pasta is pretty nasty, too. Even the fruit flavors are cloyingly sweet and hard to choke down. Does anyone have any breast milk or cereal puffs? I'm starving

Skinny Baby: Yeah, but if you close your eyes and pretend, the strawberry flavor could almost pass for Starbursts, which are totally fat-free.

Sarcastic Baby: I can't believe anyone, given the chance, would eat this pig slop voluntarily. And you wonder why I'm always trying to chew my hand.

LG: Does anyone have anything positive to say about this diet?

Bulimic Baby: Baby food prunes will really clear you out.

Sarcastic Baby: This liquid crap isn't making anyone skinny anytime soon. Look at me: My cheeks are as massive as ever, and I ain't talkinbout my face, knowhatImsayin'? Renée Zellweger should start eating baby food to plump up for Bridget Jones's Diary Part 16.

Hungry Baby: (Screaming, red-faced and crying)

Skinny Baby: (Passed out)

For a funny account of a what a day on the Baby Food Diet is really like, click here.

This blog was originally posted at NeverSayDiet

I am on a mission. I can't do it all at once, but I think that if I can take it one thing at a time, I just might be able to get a little cleaner from the inside, and little greener on the outside.

My husband started it. He decided to begin using deodorant/antiperspirant without aluminum in it after reading a scientific article. Apparently, the many forms of dementia (like Alzheimer's) that affect humans, like my dear great grandmother, share one thing in common: high levels of this heavy metal in the brain tissue.

Aluminum is also found in the breast tissue of men and women with breast cancer, in especially high concentrations in the actual tumors.

Sadly, aluminum is easy to find in nearly every antiperspirant on the market, namely because it is effective at eliminating that awful human funky smell. There are many different kinds of aluminum, and many spellings, but it's basically the same stuff (as far as I can tell). You might see aluminum chloride, aluminum zirconium, aluminum sulfate, and many more.

It almost goes without saying that I didn't want my husband to be lucid and sharp while I slowly lost my marbles in old age, so I began the arduous journey of finding a way to deodorize without aluminum. It seems like such a simple task, but it isn't.

I am a yoga teacher, so in my work, I sweat alongside my clients. Deep and vast is the lore of stinky yoga teachers who refuse to wear deodorant. They are not well liked, and not commonly welcomed in some restaurants, and frankly, I didn't want to be one of them. Also, I didn't want my business to disappear. But I also didn't want my focus and clarity to disappear as I aged. What to do? My husband's brand (he went with Degree Silver Ion Arctic Edge Deodorant, and it works) smelled pretty manly, so that was not an option for me. A friend of mine suggested Burt's Bee's Doctor Burt's "The Defender" Herbal Deodorant with Oil of Sage. She used to distribute it, and she said the secret was to use a light dusting of powder over it. I gave it a try, along with Jason Tea Tree Talc-Free Body Powder. After nearly 20 years of using an aluminum antiperspirant, my friend told me it might take a couple of weeks for my body to detox and stop smelling. What? That's enough time for my whole business to fall apart because of my offensive odor. I tried it on my days off first, to see if this was going to work at all. I asked my family members, who are horribly/wonderfully honest, to sniff in my general direction. To my pleasant surprise, it did work.

Hopefully, this is a step in the right direction toward keeping my body clean from the inside out. And who doesn't want to stay free of cancerous tumors and mentally sharp as long as possible? A note to readers: I do not endorse any of the brands in this blog. I only mention them because I like them, they work for me, and so they might work for you, too. If you dare to get the aluminum off of your list of personal pollutants, let me know how it goes.