Intestinal Cleanse Part I: Salt Flush

Nov 15, 2011 by lauren

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One of the most famous saying in Naturopathic Medicine is “Death Begins in the Colon.” This is because you are what you eat, absorb, don’t digest and eliminate. Essentially the functioning of your body is directly related to the health of your digestion system. That’s because everything you eat makes the very cells that allow your body to function. It’s as simple as that.

Ample research shows that almost every chronic disorder and symptom- whether or not it has an apparent connection to the digestive system- is directly caused by an imbalance in GI track (digestive system). Therefore, it is vital to our health, on the inside and outside, to have a healthy digestive system. If you want to have clear and vibrant skin, thick and long hair, clear eyes, strength and energy, you must have a clean digestive track.

The good news is, that intestinal cleansing is a great way to get on the right track. It is extremely affordable, simple and no starvation is necessary… well, at least not in this cleanse.

This intestinal cleanse is a great way to begin cleansing and certainly has far more long term affects than more popular detoxification programs such as “The Master Cleanse.” That is because we are not simply looking to eliminate harmful foods, but we are also helping the body to get rid of all toxic waste. And believe me… there is a lot of toxic waste hiding in the gut.

Part I Salt Flush

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First we are going to begin salt flushing. This is the practice of taking a high dose of pure unheated sea salt in a quart of water first thing in the morning. Since we will be on an empty stomach, the salt will cause a purging effect, which will cause you to have a complete, full bowel movement in .5 to 2 hours.

The salt flush is a great way to get your bowels moving while literally pushing out old stagnant waste in the GI tract. Furthermore, it will help to normalize your pH, which is essential in preventing any pathogenic organism (fungus, virus, bacteria) from settling in the gut.

Directions:

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High Quality Pink Salt

Choosing high quality salt is difficult. Please be wary when purchasing grey sea salt or himalayan sea salts because frequently these salts are ground with a nickel grinding screen. This leaves heavy metal residues in the salt that is damaging to your body. See more information on Pink Salt to understand the importance of high quality salt.

* I only recommend that you use the PRL Pink Salt or the Sun Fire Salt. Most other salts (even “healthy” salts) can be toxic and are not therapeutic grade for this flush. These toxic salts can cause nausea, bloating and vomiting from the flush.

Can I add Less Salt to the Flush?

Some people feel comfortable using 2 teaspoons of salt. This is OK as long as you flush. If you do not flush, add another teaspoon the next time you do a Flush.

What Can I Expect?

Most people experience rapid, bowel elimination within .5 to 2 hours (most people flush within 1/2 hr). You are usually safe to leave the house within 2 hours of the first flush. If no flush occurs (no watery bowel movements), this may indicate a person is extremely salt (sodium) deficient, has internal damage to the lining of the intestines, or has a great deal of toxic body burden. Healthy cells have a preference for potassium over sodium, but when cells are damaged they begin to prefer sodium. So, do not be alarmed if no “flushing” action occurs the first time. Your cells have simply “sopped up” the much needed sodium. In this case, drink another quart of water and go on with your day.

How Often Do I Need To Do A Salt Flush?

Preferably three to five times a week until water expelled from bowel movement is clear. You may do it as little as once a week if need be, but not the preferred method. For most individuals who begin salt flushing, the bowels may not clear completely. To flush completely means that when you are finished, water was the only thing excreted from the bowels.  This may take a while for some people to accomplish. Once you begin to flush in this manner continue on a maintenance flush of one time a week.

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For individuals with severe bowel deficiencies, and/or poor digestion- Salt Flushes are recommended once a day for one week. Then reduce the number of Salt Flushes each following week. This will promote rapid clearance of the GI tract, improve digestion, and restore proper bowel function. Below is the Traditional Ayurveda recommendation for this sequence:

• Salt Flush once a day for the first week.
• The second week, flush 3 times.
• Third week, flush 2 times.
• Fourth week, flush one time.
• Then once a week indefinitely.
• If this is intimidating, start out with one Flush to see how it goes, then work your way up to doing several a week.

What if I Don’t Flush?

It is common for some individuals to do Salt Flushes several times and experience little or no flushing action. This is most often because you are salt deficient and you have not reached your saturation level. Although this can be discouraging, especially if water retention occurs, it is recommended to continue doing them until a complete flush takes place ( if you desire, you may try increasing the salt dosage.) Many benefits will come from the intake of high amounts of quality salt. The small intestine neutralizes most common tissue toxins, and prolonged use of high quality salt will encourage rapid cell detoxification- thus improving overall health.

What Should I Eat During this Cleanse?

While the salt flush protocol will be effective even if you do not change your diet, in order for it to have the most profound results I would suggest the following:

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2. Avoid all Processed Foods- anything that is purchased in the middle aisles of the market. You may eat minimal amounts of raw or organic packaged items.

3. No Artificial Sweeteners- no diet foods, no fake sugar… this includes all 0 calorie flavored drinks. No splenda and sweet n low.

4. No White Flour- this includes all white flour baked goods, bagels, bread, pizza crust, pie crust, crackers and desserts. Please only eat whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat or sprouted wheat products. Gluten free items are also great options.

5. Focus on a Whole Foods, Plant-based Diet: whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds. These foods are gentle on the intestinal tract as they are high in fiber and nutrients. Check out THK Kitchen for more ideas. Don’t worry, there really is a lot to eat!

6. Oh ya- Salba. This is a great superfood that is certain to help with the eliminatory process. I love making this into a breakfast bowl. Check out the recipe here and purchase it here.

7. Stay hydrated. Drink 1/2 your weight in ounces of water daily. You have to have enough water to keep things moving through the gut. Remember… we want your food processed and then moved out. We need at least 1 bowel movement daily, but are shooting for 2-3.

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Maximize Your Salt Flush Experience by Adding Pink Salt to Your Drinking Water

As stated previously, individuals that are deficient in sodium will not flush very well. To maximize your experience, it is recommended to add Pink Salt to your drinking water. Typically a few pinches of salt per 8 oz. of water or 1/2 tsp in 16 oz once daily. Not only will this build your sodium reserves, it will help to hydrate you beyond that which ordinary water (filtered or not) can. Sodium deficiency causes people to become dehydrated at the cellular level, regardless of how much water is consumed. Sodium carries the negative charge necessary to deliver water directly into the cells. Make it a daily habit to add high quality salt to your drinking water, and never go with out it!

Taking Precautions

While this is a very gentle detoxification process, like all cleanses, we must take precautions. If you have not been incorporating healthy salts into your diet on a regular basis or if you have been leading a unhealthy lifestyle then I suggest that you start of slow. I would urge you to first begin with 1/4 tsp of either Pink Salt or Sun Fire Salt in a quart-size mason jar of water (3 cups) with 1/2 lemon daily. Try to drink that first thing in the morning. This will allow your body to restore its reserves so that you may successfully move into a symptom-free salt flush. If your salt reserves are lacking, one of two things is most likely to happen: 1) you will have no flush and you will swell or 2) you will become very nauseous and may vomit. So please start slow, and you might even want to begin the flush with a half of a tbs and then work up to 1 tbs on your next flush.

Now that I Have Finished the Salt Flush Protocol, What’s Next?

Now that your bowels have begun to eliminate properly, we are going to start the second phase of intestinal cleansing with the Aloe Intestinal Cleanse.

To a Clean and Happy Gut!

Lauren 

References:

This protocol is thanks to Health Beyond Hype

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