a. Gastrointestinal Tract ---------------------- The GI Tract cleanse is intended to cleanse and heal the stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. This includes removing growths (e.g., cysts, polyps, adenomas), healing tissue problems (e.g., lessions, ulcerations, fibrosis, diverticulosis, leaky gut), restoring the shape and tone of the intestines to their natural form, restoring the environment of the intestinal tract to its proper balance (e.g., normalizing pH, removing detrimental bacteria and building beneficial bacteria, removing excess yeasts (e.g., candida) and other xenobiotics, removing excess mucus buildups), and generally removing and rebuilding diseased tissue throughout the GI Tract. The more powerful GI Tract cleanses cleanse and heal most other parts of the body as well. This is due to the combination of the herbs, the short fasts, and the colonics/enemas. These more intense cleanses should be done only by persons experienced with these techniques unless they are closely supervised by a healthcare professional. i. Very simple GI Tract Cleanse Ideas ---------------------------------- There are quite a few ideas that you can try for very simple cleanses. Success (or lack thereof) will vary from person to person. Below are a list of a few ideas for very simple GI Tract cleanses. 1. Triphala + Probiotics Suppliment + Dandelion Root Tea. ----------------------------------------------------- Triphala is a very gentle, slow-acting GI Tract cleansing/rebuilding herbal formula. There are several companies that sell this formula. You can purchase this formula (made by Planetary Herbal Formulas) from your local natural food store or call Planetary Herbal Formulas 800-606-6226 for the nearest distributor. You can use this formula as directed for an extended period of time. A probiotics suppliment contains beneficial bacteria that can contribute to the repopulation of beneficial bacteria in the intestines. Do not take the probiotics suppliment during meals. See the "Probiotics" section in the "Food & Nutrition chapter for information on choosing a quality beneficial bacteria suppliment. Dandelion root tea can be helpful in cleansing and strengthening the GI Tract and the liver. I believe that one reason it is helpful is that dandelion root contains large amounts of inulin which feeds the bifidobacteria in the intestines. Put one 3/4 ounces (by weight) of cut dandelion root in one pint of water. Add 1/4 ounce of licorice root to reduce bitterness (optional). Bring to a boil and then cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add a few drops squeezed from grated ginger root to the tea (optional). You can store in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerater for a few days and reheat when needed. 2. Tri-Cleanse + Probiotics Suppliment + Dandelion Root Tea. -------------------------------------------------------- Tri-Cleanse is a gentle detoxification formula available from Planetary Herbal Formulas. It contains Triphala, but has a little more aggressive cleansing action than Triphala by itself. Use Tri-Cleanse as directed. You can purchase this formula (made by Planetary Herbal Formulas) from your local natural food store or call Planetary Herbal Formulas 800-606-6226 for the nearest distributor. The rest of the clenase is the same as above except for the following: a. Continue the Probiotics and Dandelion root tea for at least a few weeks after finishing the Tri- Cleanse. b. Continue to use Triphala by itself after the cleanse (suggested). c. Have a colonic half way through the cleanse (suggested). See "Resources" section below for information on how to find a Colonic Therapist. ii. Arise & Shine GI Tract Cleanse (2-Week Pre-cleanse) --------------------------------------------------- A 2-week Arise & Shine pre-cleanse is a good cleanse to start with for the average person. There is no fasting involved and most people can perform this cleanse without too much difficulty. It is a moderately helpful cleanse, but not as powerful as the cleanses discussed below. It would be tempting for the novice to start with a more powerful cleanse, but it is usually a bad idea. Cleanse Summary --------------- The pre-cleanse includes a 2-week modified natural foods diet with the addition of diluted juices, teas, and broths, two very powerful herbal formulas, a mineral suppliment, liquid chlorophyll, cayenne, and a bentonite clay/psyllium husk powder mixture. One colonic (or thorough enema) before the cleanse, and one after the cleanse is recommended to enhance the elimination of wastes. Optional add-ons to the cleanse include daily yoga and/or meditation, abdominal massage, breathing exercises to loosen the diaphram area, moderate abdominal strengthening exercises, plenty of support, nuturing/relaxation, and enjoyment. After the pre-cleanse, the beneficial bacteria should be implanted rectally once or twice (after a colonic or thorough enema) and orally. Other strengthening and rebuilding techniques are then begun to rebuild the health of the GI Tract. Detailed instructions for performing the pre-cleanse can be found in the book "Cleanse and Purify Thyself" by Rich Anderson. The book and the cleansing kits (herbs, minerals, psyllium, bentonite, etc.) is available from Arise & Shine (800-688-2444). Rather than rehashing what Rich Anderson says in his book, I will add my own ideas and suggestions to his excellant program: 1. Beverages --------- Be certain to get plenty of liquids as directed. I think that warm liquids such as herbal teas and vegetable broths are preferrable. Cool (not cold) juices are okay from time to time. 2. Colonics/Enemas --------------- Colonics are preferable to thorough enemas. They cost money, but they will be well worth it. I suggest that you get one colonic (or thorough enema) before the pre-cleanse and one after. If there is constipation during the pre-cleanse, you may get a colonic or thorough enema. If this is the case, you may not be taking the correct amount of psyllium shakes, liquids, or herbs. Colonics and thorough enemas are not required, if you are incapable of having this done. Please see the "Resources" section of this chapter for help in locating a Colon Therapist near you. Use the instructions in Rich Anderson's book from Arise & Shine ("Cleanse & Purify Thyself") for instructions of performing a thorough enema (if you do this instead of a colonic). It is important to go through several enema bags of water and to do what you can to get the water throughout the colon (by lying on different sides) in order to thoroughly clean out the colon. Water for colonics and enemas should be either "spring" water or water that has had the chlorine filtered out. If you get a colonic, be certain that the Colon Therapist practices proper hygiene by keeping the office disinfected and using disposible tips or autoclaves. Please bear in mind, I am not recommending that colonics and/or enemas should become a regular part of your lifestyle or that it is necessary to use these techniques on a regular basis until you heal. For the most part, these techniques are used during the cleanse and then healing and strengthening techniques are begun as normal perastalsis returns. 3. Food ---- When I do the pre-cleanse, I prefer to eat my typical, healthy diet, except that I eat no meat and much less grains. I eat much more cooked vegetables and a little more fruit. You are free to follow Rich Anderson's suggestions -- if it works for you -- or a modified version of a naturals foods diet (less meat and grains, more vegetables and fruits). After the cleanse, *slowly* work your way back to your normal diet. It's okay to make a few dietetic improvements using some of the ideas in the "Food and Nutrition" chapter, but please do not try to change everything at once in order to avoid setting yourself up for intense cravings or other too strict diet-related problems. I disagree with Rich Anderson's post-cleanse diet. I think that slightly more fruit and raw foods are okay for hot climates (e.g., Hawaii, Tuscon), but I prefer a more balanced diet as described in the "Food and Nutrition" chapter. 4. Herbs and Psyllium/Bentonite ---------------------------- It can be tricky to plan the cleanse. Use the information in Rich Anderson's book to determine how many Herbal Nutrition, Chomper, cayenne, and mineral tablets/capsules you will need over the course of the cleanse. This is dependant partially on your weight. Be certain that you have enough supplies *before* you start the cleanse. I found that the Bentonite seemed to run out rather quickly. If you are big (180+ lbs. -- 83+kg), you may need an extra bottle of Chomper or Herbal Nutrition before the cleanse. If you see that you are running out of supplies, you can order their products by overnight or two-day delivery. Be certain to take the mineral suppliment. One Arise & Shine or Enzymes International mineral suppliment capsule per day is fine. Use the cayenne capsule suppliments only during the this cleanse as cayenne can be too warming to the system when taken by itself for extended periods of time. Persons who suffer from Candida overgrowth, CFIDS, and related syndromes should use "Gourmet Psyllium Husk Powder" (which is only slightly more expensive than the "Psyllium Husk Powder") because it is gentlier on the system. 5. Post-Cleanse ------------ You may need one more colonic or thorough enema (plus another rectal implant of beneficial bacteria) during this time. It varys from person to person. I suggest you follow the suggestion and/or use the recommended products detailed in the "Probiotics" section of the "Food & Nutrition" chapter. In addition, if you are not sensitive to fermented products such as miso, begin adding small amount of these to your diet. 6. Questions --------- Any questions should be addressed to your healthcare practitioner. The people at Arise & Shine may be able to answer some question. I would be willing to share my thoughts (if time permits) on any questions you may have about cleanses. iii. Bernard Jensen's "Ultimate Tissue Cleansing Program" ---------------------------------------------------- This is a powerful cleansing program which has been used successfully by many people to start healing their illness. This cleanse seems to be slightly less powerful and a little more complicated than the full Arise & Shine cleanse (see below). For persons new to cleansing techniques, it is not easy to perform. Here are a few precautions and suggestions that you may find helpful: 1. This cleanse should only be done by persons who have previous experience with simplier cleanses (e.g., two 2-week Arise & Shine Pre-cleanses over the last 8 months). 2. If you have never done a juice-fast, you should only perform the full cleanse for 2-3 days instead of the 7 day recommendation. Your cleanse should be supervised by an experienced healthcare professional (e.g., Naturopath, Colon Therapist, etc.) 3. Persons who are in a weakened condition (e.g., AIDS wasting syndrome, severe CFIDS, etc.) should undertake only the more gentle cleanses under the guidance of an experienced professional and concentrate mostly on strengthening and rebuilding techniques. 4. Fasting should usually not be performed by persons with addictions, especially food-related addictions (e.g., anorexia, bulemia, binging, over-eating for emotional reasons, etc.). Your addiction must be well under control before undertaking a cleanse which is this intense. Please see the addictions question in the "Food & Nutrition" chapter. 5. A pH test must be performed before deciding to begin the cleanse. Do not perform this cleanse unless you pass the pH test. See the Arise & Shine cleansing book, "Clease & Purify Thyself" discussed below for instructions on how to perform the pH test. Cleanse Summary --------------- The Ultimate Tissue Cleansing Program is a 7-day fast/clenase followed by an optional 7-week maintenance program. During the fast, you can drink diluted juices, herbal teas, and vegetable broths. In addition, quite a few suppliments are taken including a "green" drink, niacin, wheat germ oil, vitamin C, Pancreatin tablets, beet tablets, dulse tablets, psyllium husk powder, bentonite clay, Calphonite (you can use your favorite Calcium/Magnesium suppliment instead), and apple cider vinegar. Additional activities include daily skin brushing (see Skin Cleanse below), two thorough enemas (or colemas) per day or one colonic, and slant board exercises. The day before the cleanse you will need a small amount of olive oil as well as an herbal laxative. If you can't get the recommended herbal laxative from Bernard Jensen International, you can use 5-7 Chomper tablets or one cup of Atomic Chomper tea from Arise & Shine. Optional add-ons to the cleanse include daily yoga and/or meditation, abdominal massage, breathing exercises to loosen the diaphram area, plenty of support, nuturing/relaxation, and enjoyment. After the cleanse, the beneficial bacteria should be implanted rectally once or twice (after a colonic or thorough enema) and orally. I suggest you follow the suggestion and/or use the recommended products detailed in the "Probiotics" section of the "Food & Nutrition chapter. In addition, if you are not sensitive to fermented products such as miso, begin adding small amount of these to your diet. Detailed instructions for performing the cleanse can be found in the book "Tissue Cleansing Through Bowel Management" by Bernard Jensen (Bernard Jensen Enterprises, Escondido, Caifornia, 619/749-2727). They may be able to help you locate a practitioner in your area who is experienced with these cleanses. Rather than rehashing what Bernard Jensen says in his book, I will add my own ideas and suggestions to his excellant program: 1. Beverages --------- Be certain to get plenty of liquids as directed. I think that warm liquids such as herbal teas and vegetable broths are preferrable. Cool (not cold) diluted juices are okay from time to time. 2. Colonics/Enemas --------------- You will have a miserable time on the cleanse if you do not get sufficient colonics or thorough enemas (or colemas) during the cleanse to eliminate the wastes and toxic substances being dumped into the intestines. I strongly suggest that you consider not slacking off in this area. Colonics are preferable to thorough enemas. They cost money, but they will be well worth it. I suggest that you get three colonics during a 7-day cleanse -- one the day before the first day of the cleanse, one in the middle, and one immediately after the 7th day (followed by a rectal implant of beneficial bacteria). This means that you will have to plan and schedule the colonics in advance. Please see the "Resources" section of this chapter for help in locating a Colon Therapist near you. On the days that you are not taking colonics, you should have two thorough enemas per day (morning and evening). Use the instructions in Rich Anderson's book from Arise & Shine ("Cleanse & Purify Thyself") for instructions of performing a thorough enema. It is important to go through several enema bags of water and to do what you can to get the water throughout the colon (by lying on different sides) in order to thoroughly clean out the colon. Water for colonics and enemas should be either "spring" water or water that has had the chlorine filtered out. If you get a colonic, be certain that the Colon Therapist practices proper hygiene by keeping the office disinfected and using disposible tips or autoclaves. Colema boards are used by some people instead of an enema in order to get an effect similar to a colonic. The better boards do work well, and might be useful for persons who have trouble moving around or relaxing during the enema process. Personally, I find them a pain in the butt (so to speak) and prefer colonics and enemas when I do a cleanse. I have listed some colema board vendors in the "Resource" section below. Please bear in mind, I am not recommending that colonics and/or enemas should become a regular part of your lifestyle or that it is necessary to use these techniques on a regular basis until you heal. For the most part, these techniques are used during the cleanse and then healing and strengthening techniques are begun as normal perastalsis returns. 3. Food ---- After the cleanse, *slowly* work your way back to your normal diet. It's okay to make a few dietetic improvements using some of the ideas in the "Food and Nutrition" chapter, but please do not try to change everything at once in order to avoid setting yourself up for intense cravings or other too strict diet-related problems. I suggest working yourself slowly toward a balanced diet as described in the "Food and Nutrition" chapter. 4. Suppliments and Psyllium/Bentonite ---------------------------------- If you cannot find the necessary suppliments in your local natural food store, contact Bernard Jensen International (619/749-2727) to order or find out where to obtain what is needed. Be certain that you have enough supplies *before* you start the cleanse. 5. Fasting/Hunger -------------- During the cleanse, you will be getting nutrients from the juices, broths, teas, and herbal suppliments. A 7-day fast is *not* starvation. Thousands of people, including myself, have safely performed fasts of over two weeks. You may experience times of hunger, especially during the first three days. The following ideas may help you through those times: a. Be certain to get sufficient amounts of liquids, including juices, teas, broths, and water. b. Take your psyllium/bentonite shakes on time and with the instructed amount of liquids. c. H.A.L.T. -- It is important to avoid getting too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. Remedy these situations *long before* they cause you to want to reach for the food. d. Spend time doing relaxing, enjoyable activities. 6. Post-Cleanse ------------ It is very important to end the cleanse by **slowly** increasing the food intake over a period of two or three days. This is discussed in Rich Anderson's book. Persons who have food addictions or tend to eat during emotional situations may have enormous difficulty with this period of time. The tendancy will be to binge. That is why it is crucial for such people to have their addiction/emotional eating issues well under control before beginning this cleanse. You may have to continue to use a herbal laxative (e.g., Chomper from Arise & Shine) for several days before normal perastalsis begins to return. You may need one more colonic or thorough enema (plus another rectal implant of beneficial bacteria) during this time. It varys from person to person. Be certain to go through at least one or two bottles of beneficial bacteria suppliments over the next few weeks. Dr. Jensen puts forth the idea of taking lactobacillus bifidus after the cleanse. I suggest you follow the suggestion and/or use the recommended products detailed in the "Probiotics" section of the "Food & Nutrition" chapter. In addition, if you are not sensitive to fermented products such as miso, begin adding small amount of these to your diet. 7. Questions --------- Any questions should be addressed to your healthcare practitioner. The people at Arise & Shine may be able to answer some question. I would be willing to share my thoughts (if time permits) on any questions you may have about cleanses. v. Arise & Shine GI Tract Cleanse (Full Cleanse) --------------------------------------------- This is an extremely powerful cleansing program which can contribute to the healing of many illnesses. However, for persons new to cleansing techniques, it is not easy to perform. Here are a few precautions and suggestions that you may find helpful: 1. This cleanse should only be done by persons who have previous experience with simplier cleanses (e.g., two 2-week Arise & Shine Pre-cleanses over the last 8 months). 2. If you have never done a juice-fast, you should only perform the full cleanse for 2-3 days instead of the 7-10 day recommendation. Your cleanse should be supervised by an experienced healthcare professional (e.g., Naturopath, Colon Therapist, etc.) 3. Persons who are in a weakened condition (e.g., AIDS wasting syndrome, severe CFIDS, etc.) should undertake only the more gentle cleanses under the guidance of an experienced professional and concentrate mostly on strengthening and rebuilding techniques. 4. Fasting should usually not be performed by persons with addictions, especially food-related addictions (e.g., anorexia, bulemia, binging, over-eating for emotional reasons, etc.). Your addiction must be well under control before undertaking a cleanse which is this intense. Please see the addictions question in the "Food & Nutrition" chapter. 5. A pH test must be performed before deciding to begin the cleanse. Do not perform this cleanse unless you pass the pH test. Cleanse Summary --------------- The Full Cleanse includes a 2-4 week Pre-cleanse, a 7-10 day cleansing fast with juices, teas, and broths, several colonics and/or thorough enemas, two very powerful herbal formulas, a mineral suppliment, liquid chlorophyll, cayenne, and a bentonite clay/psyllium husk powder mixture. Optional add-ons to the cleanse include daily yoga and/or meditation, abdominal massage, breathing exercises to loosen the diaphram area, moderate abdominal strengthening exercises, plenty of support, nuturing/relaxation, and enjoyment. After the cleanse, the beneficial bacteria should be implanted rectally once or twice (after a colonic or thorough enema) and orally. Other strengthening and rebuilding techniques are then begun to rebuild the health of the GI Tract. Detailed instructions for performing the cleanse can be found in the book "Cleanse and Purify Thyself" by Rich Anderson. The book and the cleansing kits (herbs, minerals, psyllium, bentonite, etc.) is available from Arise & Shite (602/293-0891). Rather than rehashing what Rich Anderson says in his book, I will add my own ideas and suggestions to his excellant program: 1. Beverages --------- Be certain to get plenty of liquids as directed. I think that warm liquids such as herbal teas and vegetable broths are preferrable. Cool (not cold) juices are okay from time to time. 2. Colonics/Enemas --------------- As Rich Anderson mentions, you will have a miserable time on the cleanse if you do not get sufficient colonics or thorough enemas during the cleanse to eliminate the wastes and toxic substances being dumped into the intestines. I strongly suggest that you consider not slacking off in this area. Colonics are preferable to thorough enemas. They cost money, but they will be well worth it. I suggest that you get three colonics during a 7-day cleanse -- one the day before the first day of the cleanse, one in the middle, and one immediately after the 7th day (followed by a rectal implant of beneficial bacteria). This means that you will have to plan and schedule the colonics in advance. Please see the "Resources" section of this chapter for help in locating a Colon Therapist near you. On the days that you are not taking colonics, you should have two thorough enemas per day (morning and evening). Use the instructions in Rich Anderson's book for performing a thorough enema. It is important to go through several enema bags of water and to do what you can to get the water throughout the colon (by lying on different sides) in order to thoroughly clean out the colon. Water for colonics and enemas should be either "spring" water or water that has had the chlorine filtered out. If you get a colonic, be certain that the Colon Therapist practices proper hygiene by keeping the office disinfected and using disposible tips or autoclaves. Colema boards are used by some people instead of an enema in order to get an effect similar to a colonic. The better boards do work well, and might be useful for persons who have trouble moving around or relaxing during the enema process. Personally, I find them a pain in the butt (so to speak) and prefer colonics and enemas when I do a cleanse. I have listed some colema board vendors in the "Resource" section below. Please bear in mind, I am not recommending that colonics and/or enemas should become a regular part of your lifestyle or that it is necessary to use these techniques on a regular basis until you heal. For the most part, these techniques are used during the cleanse and then healing and strengthening techniques are begun as normal perastalsis returns. I suggest getting one colonic (or through enema) before the pre-cleanse and any time during the pre-cleanse where there is constipation. (If there is constipation, however, you may not be drinking enough water or taking the correct amounts of herbs and psyllium.) 3. Food ---- When I do the pre-cleanse, I prefer to eat my typical, healthy diet, except that I eat no meat and much less grains. I eat much more cooked vegetables and a little more fruit. You are free to follow Rich Anderson's suggestions -- if it works for you -- or a modified version of a naturals foods diet (less meat and grains, more vegetables and fruits). After the cleanse, *slowly* work your way back to your normal diet. It's okay to make a few dietetic improvements using some of the ideas in the "Food and Nutrition" chapter, but please do not try to change everything at once in order to avoid setting yourself up for intense cravings or other too strict diet-related problems. I disagree with Rich Anderson's post-cleanse diet. I think that slightly more fruit and raw foods are okay for hot climates (e.g., Hawaii, Tuscon), but I prefer a more balanced diet as described in the "Food and Nutrition" chapter. 4. Herbs and Psyllium/Bentonite ---------------------------- It can be tricky to plan the cleanse. Use the information in Rich Anderson's book to determine how many Herbal Nutrition, Chomper, cayenne, and mineral tablets/capsules you will need over the course of the cleanse. This is dependant partially on your weight. Be certain that you have enough supplies *before* you start the cleanse. I found that the Bentonite seemed to run out rather quickly. If you are big (180+ lbs. -- 83+kg), you may need an extra bottle of Chomper or Herbal Nutrition before the cleanse. If you see that you are running out of supplies, you can order their products by overnight or two-day delivery. If you purchase the "Complete Clean-Me-Out Kit" plus Rich Anderson's book "Cleanse & Purify Thyself," you will likely have everything you need. Be certain to take the mineral suppliment. One Arise & Shine or Enzymes International mineral suppliment capsule per day is fine. Use the cayenne capsule suppliments only during the pre-cleanse and cleanse as cayenne can be too warming to the system when taken by itself for extended periods of time. Persons who suffer from Candida overgrowth, CFIDS, and related syndromes should use "Gourmet Psyllium Husk Powder" (which is only slightly more expensive than the "Psyllium Husk Powder") because it is gentlier on the system. 5. Fasting/Hunger -------------- During the cleanse, you will be getting nutrients from the juices, broths, teas, and herbal suppliments. A 7-day fast is *not* starvation. Thousands of people, including myself, have safely performed fasts of over two weeks. Despite what Rich Anderson says in his book, you may very well experience times of hunger, especially during the first three days. The following ideas may help you through those times: a. Be certain to get sufficient amounts of liquids, including juices, teas, broths, and water. b. Take your psyllium/bentonite shakes on time and with the instructed amount of liquids. c. H.A.L.T. -- It is important to avoid getting too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. Remedy these situations *long before* they cause you to want to reach for the food. d. Spend time doing relaxing, enjoyable activities. 6. Post-Cleanse ------------ It is very important to end the cleanse by **slowly** increasing the food intake over a period of two or three days. This is discussed in Rich Anderson's book. Persons who have food addictions or tend to eat during emotional situations may have enormous difficulty with this period of time. The tendancy will be to binge. That is why it is crucial for such people to have their addiction/emotional eating issues well under control before beginning this cleanse. You may have to continue to use Chomper for several days before normal perastalsis begins to return. You may need one more colonic or thorough enema (plus another rectal implant of beneficial bacteria) during this time. It varys from person to person. I suggest you follow the suggestion and/or use the recommended products detailed in the "Probiotics" section of the "Food & Nutrition" chapter. In addition, if you are not sensitive to fermented products such as miso, begin adding small amount of these to your diet. 7. Questions --------- Any questions should be addressed to your healthcare practitioner. The people at Arise & Shine may be able to answer some question. I would be willing to share my thoughts (if time permits) on any questions you may have about cleanses. vi. Other GI Tract Cleanses ------------------------ There are many other GI Tract cleansing programs available. Unfortunately, many of them *do not* work well. Just going to your local natural foods store and purchasing a couple of popular brand name colon-cleansing products is not likely to get you very far. Rebuilding & Strengthening -------------------------- Determine whether you need strengthening with digestion or elimination. Then use the suggestions in the "Food and Nutrition" chapter for rebuilding and strengthening the GI Tract.