Four times a year I retreat from work to focus on renewal – physical and emotional. As I’m deciding on what to do for spring, I’m considering a repeat of my winter detox. Back in December, after weeks of scouring the Internet and my local health food store for information on ways to rid my body, skin and hair of environmental and product build ups, I pieced together an eight day program.
Ideally, I’d love to pack my bags and head to The Lodge at Woodloch to experience their healthy cuisine and world class body treatments for eight days. But, that’s not going to happen any time soon, so I’ve had to create a home version.
I decided on the detox diet by Women to Women, a clinic/health spa located in Yarmouth, Maine. Their approach to helping women reach optimal health through incorporating Western and Alternative medicines really impresses me. I’m also thankful they list their detox diets on their website. I committed to do their Quick-Cleanse for eight days.
But I wanted to do it with a twist. At my local health food store I’d learned about the benefits of Bentonite clay for detoxing. This natural, medicinal clay can be used externally and internally (when mixed with water) as a porous “sponge” that magnetically draws impurities to itself. They are then eliminated, along with the clay, from the body.
For eight days I followed the Quick Cleanse regimen and incorporated Bentonite clay/acai juice smoothies and brown rice cakes for breakfast. There were lots of healthy foods on the Quick Cleanse list, so I never felt deprived. This wasn’t a fast.
The next stage of my winter detox was to take care of my hair and skin. Guess what I used? The Bentonite clay! This stuff can do anything. It works as a treatment for hair, grabbing product buildup, allowing for a deep cleansing without sulfates and other harsh detergents.
And finally, I mixed the clay with a little jojoba oil until I got a nice thick paste and used it as a face mask. It left my skin soft and supple for days.
The diet, the Bentonite treatments (and a few days of yoga) left me feeling softer, calmer and prettier.
After completing my detox, I was at my doctor’s office for a follow up visit from the week before. To my surprise, I’d lost 6 pounds! I also had a different body odor. Whenever I perspired, I smelled like fruit punch. Too much acai juice.
I’m lucky to have a European doctor who is trained in Western and Alternative medicines, so she understood what I was doing. Her nurse, however, was horrified that I was eating clay for eight days.
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I’d like to give you a chance to try Bentonite clay as a face mask, so I’m doing a giveaway with Burt’s Bees Pore Refining Mask. It’s 100% natural and contains both Bentonite and Green French Clay, along with other wonderful treats like peppermint, rosemary and sage. It's in powder form and you mix it fresh whenever you need it.
It’s great for normal to oily skin types. If you’d like a chance to win this full sized jar, publicly follow this blog (see box to the right that says, Stay in Touch. You don't need a Blogger account) and leave a comment on this post. If you're already a follower, simply leave a comment.
If you’d like two extra chances to win, link back to this post on your blog or Twitter about it. Be sure to let me know if you do so I can give you three entries.
The giveaway will go on until Thursday, April 16 at 6 PM EST and it’s only open to US residents. Good luck, ladies. Oh, please DO NOT eat the Burt's Bees clay mask. It is not food grade.
Medical note: If you want to do a detox like I did, check with your doctor first. Clays taken internally can sometimes prevent the absorption of certain medications. The binding properties of clay are very strong. I am not a physician, nor am I giving medical advice with this post.
