Top 7 Reasons to Detox and Cleanse Your Mind, Body, and Spirit

I did the Master Cleanse right after the New Year hit and now I'm starting a 7-day juice fast as soon as I get my new juicer in. Juicing, cleansing, and fasting are ancient spiritual practices that promote healing, wellness, and spiritual transcendence and ascension. All of the ancient teachers practiced fasting in order to heal their bodies and to ascent to higher levels of spirituality.

There are many different types of fasts for many different people, lifestyles, likes, tastes and desires so I encourage you to find one that fits your tastes and just do it. But in the meantime here are some top ten reasons to cleanse and detox your mind, body, and spirit

• Weight Loss - Weight is nothing but waste in your digestive organs such as the colon or liver. Anytime you do a cleanse or detox of any sort, you are going to shed some pounds. Some will shed more than others. Even though I'm not looking to lose weight, usually when I do a detox I expect to lose about 5-7 pounds, but usually I gain the weight back when I stop doing the detox. The body's intelligence will know how much weight you need to lose or not to lose. Trust me if you are looking to lose weight you will, if you are not looking to lose weight, you will not.
  

• More Energy - With all the weight loss, your body naturally will have more physical, mental, and emotional energy. I always notice that I rise earlier, fall asleep better, and sleep less when I detox. The mornings are great for prayer and meditation so this is a wonderful time to really connect with Source and get back to your body's natural energetic rhythms.
  

• Clearer Skin - When the body releases toxins within, it shows on the outside. What's going on inside is going on outside so for those who need to have clear, bright, skin that shines, the right herbal detox is a great fit for getting that photogenic skin in gear.
  

• More mental and emotional clarity - This is a big One! With all the physical benefits of a detox, there are enormous other benefits as well. When the body is aligned, the mind and spirit become aligned as well. So the mind can deal with more things when it is clear and grounded. I notice how much more emotionally balanced and available I am to myself as well as to others. What can also happen though and for those who are extremely toxic in the body is that you can experience extreme mood swings when detoxing, but whatever emotion you have to detox it has to come to the light to heal so embrace the mood swings, take a nap if need be, journal about it, and keep on your detox. Clarity is a huge gift as it helps us to make better decisions, critically analyze, and otherwise see things that we normally would not see when we are bogged down physically in our bodies.
  

• Improved Immune system - After a detox, you will notice how you won't get as sick as much if you also continue to stick to a mostly raw and/or vegan/vegetarian diet that is diverse, nutritional, and full of greens. Or when you do get sick, your body will immediately work to heal itself and it will heal itself quicker. Years ago when I used to detox frequently, I noticed when I did get colds, they might have only lasted for a day. And when I first went raw, I came down with the flu for the first time, but it only lasted for two days. The body's intelligence starts to work overtime as it responds to how you are taking care of it.
  

• Better stress management - I don't know if I have more or less stress in my life or if I'm just better at handling it now than I was before. Doing a detox and also maintaining a really healthy diet and exercise program will reduce your unhealthy reactions to stress. Stress is a killer, but if we can learn how to respond to it differently, we can manage our health differently.

• Spiritual Ascension - When the body is purified and empty, your spirit now has the ability to transform itself without the distraction of toxins. Do not be surprised if your intuitive and psychic muscles start to activate. Cleansing and fasting is practiced all over the world in our churches, our mosques, and our synagogues as ways of purifying our lives and connecting to God more deeply.
  

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Nwenna Kai is the author of The Goddess of Raw Foods available for purchase at www.amazon.com and the upcoming children's book, The MoreLove's coming September 2010. You can get the FREE e-book Nwenna Kai's Holiday Recipes at her website www.nwennakai.com by signing up for her weekly e-newsletter at her website. She is the previous owner of Taste of the Goddess Cafe, one of LA's pioneering organic raw food cafes. She is the 2007 winner of the Elizabeth Dole Young Entrepreneurial Scholarship sponsored by Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) for her work as a health and wellness entrepreneur. Visit her website at www.the-guide-to-raw-foods.com and her blog at www.theguidetorawfoods.com/blogspot.com.

Last Day of My Master Cleanse

I just finished wrapping up a radio interview with KJLH FREE Radio 102.3 in Los Angeles with Dominique DiPrima talking about raw foods and all the benefits and this is the 10th and the last day of my master cleanse as well. I haven't done the master cleanse in over 5 years and even though this was probably the easiest one of the cleanses that I have done in the past, I'm ready to move on to the next phase of my 40 day cleanse and detox which will consist of The Full Body Detox by Dherbs.com along with eating a 100% Live Foods Diet. For the next five days or so, I will slowly transition into eating solid foods as I will be juicing and making smoothies and occasionally have whole piece of fruits.

I must say this time around the cleanse has been awesome. Even though I was a bit more tired than I expected, I'm glad that I listened to my body and slept as often as my body wanted and needed. On this cleanse, I think I benefitted more mentally, spiritually, and psychologically and I attribute that to probably years of eating a mostly live foods diet and cleansing my body on a regular basis so my body didn't necessarily have to do so much work to physically remove toxins. But mentally I felt sharper and more clearer than ever on this cleanse and during the last four days of my cleanse, I even noticed myself being able to absorb information and ideas more easily.

Cleansing is a powerful tool for the mind, body, and spirit. Taking a break from digesting solid foods and taking it easy on your body and your life is so important in order to rejuvenate ourselves and to remember that our bodies are meant to feel and look healthy and light.

I look forward to sharing more of my experiences with all of you at a later date as I move into the next phase of my cleanse and share with your tips and advice on how to have the best cleanse possible for your budget, your lifestyle, and your health as I strongly believe that being healthy and feeling healthy contributes to the greater good of all living beings ont this planet.

A Raw conversation with British Actor Marcus Patrick

I love interviewing friends on my blog because they are the most fun. Enjoy this interview with actor Marcus Patrick. He needs no introduction as he's been on All My Children, Days of Our Lives, a host of movies including Love and other Four-letter words. He's now playing in a Jesus film as he terms it, but I first met Marcus Patrick when he came to my raw restaurant back in 2004.

He was fired up about raw foods as he still is. Its always nice to highlight people who are making this movement happen in their part of the world.

And for the guys who always tell me that they are afraid of eating raw foods because they don't want to lose weight, look at Marcus Patrick and he's 100% raw. Go figure.

Enjoy this raw conversation with Marcus Patrick


NK: First of all, how are you? The last time we spoke you were so passionate and energetic. I thought maybe you had just taken a superfood cocktail or something because I could feel your intensity over the phone. You got me fired up! I love how much you have evolved. What's new with you?

MP: I am very fired up with love. I am raw now 100% over one year and a half and on day 15 of a liquid diet cleanse. My body and spirit, feel amazing!!!

I also just got offered a role to Play "JESUS" of all people who taught raw food and cleansing and this film I about JESUS and those hidden teachings. This Is a God Send. I was On the Border of quitting Acting due to all the negative roles that are increasing and wanted to play in a positive film but there seemed to be little, UNTIL THIS!!!

NK: I remember how you used to always comment on how muscular I was and how you thought I worked out and I used to tell you that I eat lots of greens and drink a lot of coconuts. I have to admit sometimes you made me feel uncomfortable because I kept catching you looking at me. For the brothers out there, how do you eat a raw foods diet and keep the muscle on? What's the science behind it? Do you workout everyday?

MP: I'm sorry if I was making you feel uncomfortable, It was not an eye of Sexual curiosity, more an eye of study and Marveling over how a Woman could be so strong looking on no gym routine. I was new to Raw food at the time and was trying to analyze you, for my own science research. I believe I complimented you on How healthy and strong you looked. But I am aware I was looking at you almost like a scientist Ha!! Sorry...

I Keep my muscles easily, since raw food I work out once a week, My goal was to shed a Little bulk off, so some might think I lost some muscle going raw but it was my intention to get a little of that cooked bulk off my body, one can move better with out it. But if i want to Mass up for a Role, out come the Banana almond coconut shakes and the mass would be back in a week.

NK:What are your favorite foods?

MP: Currently I love Superfood soup, Greens and Seaweed on the top, but I always switch my favorites each week, I'm a big kid.

NK: What's on your plate today?

MP: I'm going to cleanse the liver beginning today with apple juice for 3 days.

NK: If you could be a fruit, what fruit would you be and why?

MP: A fruit with a Hard stone so I could always be replanted and Live On

NK: If you could be a vegetable what vegetable would you be and why?

MP: Maybe a Tomato vine so I can feed the people each year and still live to tell the story

NK: What artistically are you working on now?

MP: Getting ready for that JESUS film.

NK: You are a highly spiritual brother? Did this personal evolution come from eating a raw foods diet or were you always on this path? What have you learned? What has the path taught you?

MP: It was a Prayer that turned me Vegan and eventually raw, I know people think it's allot of discipline, but if you believe in God/The Universe and you pray, it just happens.

NK: Who do you admire?

MP: I admire many people, I try to take the Positive leafs from every person I meet. I admire you for your hard work in the world on Raw food.

NK: I have an excerpt in my book on raw foods and sex. Basically I just know that being healthy equals healthier relationships, a healthier mindset and therefore healthier and greater sex. What do you think?

MP: Yes I noticed that, I became more youthful and full of energy in all senses. I will add that my spirit will not allow me to connect sexually to a being that has toxicity in them any more. It's almost like the Body senses pick up that the person has unhealthy elements to connect with and so even if the lady is beautiful on the outer shell, One can perceive the sickness, of the bowel, liver and heart blockage.

NK: You travel a lot I'm sure. How is it traveling and maintaining your diet?

MP: It has been a challenge, but one can do it by using The Opportunity to Master cleanse with Lemonade that you can always find lemons if you pack the Maple syrup and Cayenne.
We always ate salads and fruits, took nuts everywhere. it was tougher than being in LA but if you plan ahead your fine.

NK: What do you seek the most, crave for, desire, hope for? Feel free to answer how you want.

MP: The true way we as humans can live in Harmony and follow the principals that create that reality, The Scriptures that JESUS left have this message so I am excited to do the film.

NK: What's your vision for the raw foods movement?

MP: I feel that the Beings that want health will find it. Those that don't unfortunately will end up perishing from disease. The stats are coming in. RAW FOOD MEANS LIFE!!!

NK: For my female readers, they want to know do you prefer your women "raw", "steamed", "roasted", or "fried" or maybe all the above, huh?

MP: I actually cannot fathom the thought of Kissing a Meat mouth. For pleasure anyways. As an actor I have had to kiss a few Meat mouths and one always can smell the last dinner festering down in the stomach. The two feet of Pipe that comes up from the stomach, basically air out the rotting flesh through the nostrils and one gets the picture. Not Pleasant. So Vegan girls get kisses

NK: What is the one dream that you would like to accomplish before you leave this body if you even believe that there is a physical death?

MP: I want to Levitate, then Fly. I'm reading all about How the Yogis accomplish this in India now.

NK: For someone just starting out with raw foods, what would you suggest to them?

MP: Ask questions Read books surf the web. Info is Key. Raw foodist are more pleasant by nature due to the self love they have and the lack of Toxic anger molecules from the flesh eaters, so ask them plenty of questions, they will help. I help anybody who makes a serious inquiry about it. I'm a Trainer and Get all my clients as Raw as I possibly can, some go 100% like me and they are the ones that get all the best results too.


NK: Do you find a lot of celebrities are now embracing raw foods and/or the green movement, if so who are they?

MP: I know Woody Harelson does and Demi More made a claim to it when She Lost all her weight for Charlie's Angels but I don't tend to keep up with the Celeb news, I'm sure they use the system for losing weight, there is no faster way to get rid of unwanted pounds and keep a healthy glow.


Love N Light

Marcus Patrick

For more information about Marcus Patrick, go to www.marcus-patrick.com.