According to Ayurvedic Doctor, John Douillard (who has also become a friend), cleansing seasonally, especially in the fall is a really beneficial thing to do. I actually did his Colorado Cleanse at this time of year, a couple of years ago. Something was off with my digestion, and because I trust Dr. Douillard implicitly, I thought I’d give it a whirl. It’s a two week commitment, and easily customizable to your lifestyle. He’s just about to open sign-ups for another go round of the Colorado Cleanse, so I thought I’d interview him in the hopes that this might answer a few of the similar questions that I had before I signed up for this unique cleanse.
Sophie: What is the main purpose of the Colorado Cleanse?
Dr. Douillard:The main purpose of the Colorado Cleanse is to reset the strength of the digestive system and then detoxify the body and its fat cells. It is important to know before you do a detox that the body stores fat soluble toxins like heavy metals, environmental pollutants, preservatives and pesticides in the body’s fat (like the brain) when the liver and lymph are unable to process them directly.
Most cleanses pull toxins from the fat back into circulation without ever addressing the reason why the liver and lymph were not initially able to process and discard those toxins.
This is just one of the reasons why the Colorado Cleanse is so unique. The ability for the body to detoxify the incessant barrage of environmental toxins through the lymph and liver depends completely on the strength of your digestion.
For example, if you do not tolerate wheat, dairy and heavy fatty foods that you had no trouble with when you where younger, then it is very likely that the strength of your digestion is compromised. This directly relates to you ability to detoxify effectively.
The Colorado Cleanse thus makes sure we first strengthen and reset digestion before we initiate the detox process. What is cool about finishing a cleanse with a rebooted digestive and detox system are the following:
1. You don’t crave and binge on junk food after you finish the cleanse.
2. You have reset your natural ability to detox so you are not accumulating toxins in your fat cells (the brain is 40% fat) like you were prior to the cleanse.
3. The weight you lose is more permanent because you have addressed the reason for the storing of unwanted pounds – poor digestion and poor detoxification.
Perhaps the most unsung and profound benefit of the Colorado Cleanse is that we restore the body’s ability to be a good fat burner. Burning fat, as a culture, is something we have lost. Fat is a source of fuel, as are carbs and sugar. Sugar is a quick and unstable source of fuel while fat is a long lasting, calming, stress reducing, endurance enhancing, sleep through the night, non-emergency fuel.
Emotions play a huge part in the overall health and longevity of the body. These emotions in Ayurveda are called, “mental ama” and “molecules of emotion” according the National Institutes of Health (NIH). These emotional molecules are quite real and according to Ayurveda are stored in the body’s fat. The main purpose of a traditional Ayurvedic cleanse, like the Colorado Cleanse, was to reset fat burning and thus gain access to the stored molecules of emotion allowing us to change old negative patterns of behavior. We support this process with a series of Self-Inquiry exercises based on Ayurvedic Psychology during the Colorado Cleanse.
So The Colorado Cleanse is as much as a mental and emotional cleanse and reset as it is for the digestion and our natural ability to detoxify.
Sophie: Is it suitable for everyone, regardless of health issues or dietary limitations?
Dr. Douillard: Yes, the Colorado Cleanse is for everyone. Most everyone has issues with their emotions and their inability to digest and detox well and as a result they become a sugar burner and carb craver instead of a good fat burner. As with any cleanse, we always ask that you check with your doctor before you start the cleanse. We are also available to do a personal consultation to helps guide folks who need special attention.
Sophie: Is it vegan and/or gluten-free?
Dr. Douillard: Yes, the cleanse is gluten free and can easily be made vegan by replacing the ghee in the protocol with flaxseed oil or olive oil. Some folks who eat meat and have blood sugar weakness have a hard time without meat so we have 3 meal plans to help support everyone. In some cases, when the blood sugar is very fragile, there is an option to increase the protein intake which can be done with a little lean meat. But, that said, the cleanse is primarily gluten free, sugar free, and vegetarian.
Sophie: What makes it different to a Juice Cleanse?
Dr. John Douillard: I actually like juice cleanses except they don’t finish the job in my opinion. They do a good job of getting the body to burn fat, but they do not reset the digestive strength, blood sugar stability, the ability to detox and support the process of mental and emotional cleansing.
Sophie: Is it a weight-loss cleanse?
Dr. John Douillard: I do not think of the Colorado Cleanse as a weight loss cleanse, but folks who need to lose weight will generally lose between 7 and 17 pounds in the two week cleanse. I think of the Colorado Cleanse as a way to become a better digester and natural detoxifier, which is the key to optimal health and longevity. The bonus points come from the emotional release and transformation folks get when the scrub old molecules of emotion.
Sophie: For newbies – what are the basic principles of Ayurveda?
Dr. John Douillard: Ayurveda is the “science of life” which is about learning to live in harmony- rather than against- the grain of the natural cycles in nature. These cycles include natural cycles of seasonal cleansing. As a Vedic science, it is designed to purify the body in order to cleanse and free the mind from yucky and unwanted mental and emotional behavioral patterns. It improves our ability to clearly find our spiritual path and thus lead a more content life.
Sophie: What is the best time of year to cleanse?
Dr. John Douillard: The best time of year to cleanse is in the spring and the fall. These are the transition times in nature. In the spring, leafy greens and spring roots that drive a natural detox of the fat cells and lymphatic system are harvested in abundance. In the fall, cooling fruits and hearty greens cleanse the skin, blood, liver and intestines. The problem is that we do not eat enough of these seasonal foods and therefore do not get the natural benefits predicted with each season’s harvest. The Colorado Cleanse with the herbs we offer helps us get re-connected to these detox cycles and reap some pretty amazing benefits.
Sophie: Are there different levels, for those who maybe don’t want to go the whole hog?
Dr. John Douillard: Built into the Colorado Cleanse we have numerous ways to dial up or down the intensity of the cleanse depending on the needs of the individual. We make those options very clear in the Colorado Cleanse book, the daily emails, the 3 free live Q&A sessions and the free lectures.
For folks who just cannot swing a 2 week commitment we offer a FREE Short Home Cleanse ebook which is our 4 day detox. You can download this colorful 30 page ebook and do a scaled down version of the Colorado Cleanse. Lots of folks find that they like to do the Colorado Cleanse with us twice a year in the spring and fall and then do the quick 4 day Short Home Cleanse a couple of time in between to help lose a few pounds and reset some digestive umpf… This is popular right after the holidays!
Sign up to get an Early Bird Discount on the Colorado Cleanse
Also make your way over to my Facebook page to enter to win a Colorado Cleanse.(live 9/10 winner chosen 1/12)
