Time for Autumn cleansing is here! I have been creating personal cleansing plans for many of my patients this week. It's so important not to forget the pre-cleanse to prepare the body for detoxification and the post-cleanse rejuvenation for healing. Many cleanses that are marketed don't have these components. For cleansing, you also need something to draw toxins from the body. In Ayurveda we use ghee, which draws fat-soluble toxins from the tissues. Cleanses should include supplements for liver support, digestive support, and lymphatic flushing...and you need to eat! "Cleanses" that involve fasting for weeks at a time shock the body and cause it to go into conservation mode. If your body is in conservation mode, it will be storing fat, which is where most of the toxins are stored! This is basic biology: if the body thinks it's starving, it will hold onto fat because fat is a good energy source in times of starvation. When the body is starving, as it is during a fast, you will probably feel lighter, but you won't likely be detoxifying. Don't be fooled by marketing schemes that make grand health claims but are not backed by science. Be careful what you purchase and don't let people sell you a "cleanse" that is really just an expensive box of laxatives!