Herbal detox cleansing: Not as scary as it sounds

The detox team

Herbs for Health staff members, friends, and family banded together to test detoxification, or cleansing, diets. The diets lasted from three to seven days and included herbs to support a variety of organ systems. For most, this was their first cleanse.

• Jan Knight, editor of Herbs for Health, likes to hike, write, and travel. For her first cleanse, Jan tested the general cleansing diet outlined by Lois Johnson on page 28.
Age: 41

Comments: Jan recommends starting with a short cleanse (two to three days) before moving on to longer cleansing diets. Jan says she slept great during the cleanse.

• Erika Lenz, assistant editor of Herbs for Health and another first-time cleanser, tends toward quiet activities such as writing poetry and reading. She tried a three-day lymphatic cleanse and fruit-and-vegetable fast.
Age: 29

Comments: Cleansing is not as difficult as you might expect, she says, “but be sure to nurture yourself through it. Take time off from work, go for walks, and drink lots of liquids.”

• Audrey Scano is Herbs for Health’s production editor. For our test, Audrey did a five-day liver cleanse and modified fast, including rice, fruits, and veggies.
Age: 32

Comments: Audrey really liked the modified fast: “I never felt as if I were depriving myself of food. The amount of energy I had during and after the fast amazed me.”

• Vicki Yost is the newest member of the Herbs for Health team, becoming editorial assistant last fall. She joined in our cleanse to treat a chronic cough, taking herbs for her lungs along with a modified fast.
Age: 45

Comments: “This was a very good experience for me,” she says. “I didn’t see the change in my cough I’d hoped I would—no, I am not a smoker—but definitely felt much more energized.”

• Kathleen Halloran is editor of Herbs for Health’s sister publication, The Herb Companion. Kathleen tends toward quiet pursuits in winter, but becomes an avid gardener at the first sign of spring. As one of our more courageous first-time cleansers, she tried a weeklong juice-and-fruit colon cleanse.
Age: 48

Comments: Kathleen was amazed how little protein is really necessary to maintain a high energy level. She recommends using a cleanse “to motivate yourself to get back on track with healthy eating.”

• Sharon Cook is advertising manager for The Herb Companion and an experienced cleanser. She did a three-day juice fast, combined with herbs for blood and skin cleansing. Currently, she is training to run her first marathon, and her routine includes endurance and immune-boosting herbs.
Age: 35

Comments: Continue to exercise, she says—energy previously used for digestion is readily available. “Fasting is a mind/body connection, so make the most of it with plenty of physical activity,” she recommends.

• Nancy Arndt is an avid herb and ornamental gardener and former editorial assistant of Herbs for Health. She joined our cleanse to test herbs for her lymphatic system.
Age: 48

Comments: The ease of the cleanse is surprising, Nancy says, as is the lack of hunger and cravings.

• Jeff Brandimarte, a member of our marketing team, believes in the active life: When he isn’t sharpening his wit, he runs, skis, and hikes. He tried a liver cleanse and a generous whole foods diet to support his very high metabolism.
Age: 26

Comments: Jeff says he doesn’t “go for self-induced trauma,” but he thought this was an interesting experience. “Not for the weak of spirit, nor the high of metabolism,” he says.

• Jerri Hancock, psychotherapist, hobby gardener, and Erika’s mother, noticed recently that her energy had “fallen off,” so she tried a weeklong liver cleanse and whole foods fast.
Age: 55