Detox, cleansing and fasting : When entering a healthfood store one gets the impression one has to ingest more and more of this or that to be getting all we need. A plethora of products are advertised in the health sector on the internet specializing in many conditions with specific needs to be met by specific products. Sometimes reading about one single supplement one can get the impression it is the all and everything cure for all ailments. What is the truth behind it all ? We need to let the NATURAL forces in our body do the NATURAL thing all by itself. Its a law of nature called homeostasis in that the body will seek to gain a state of balance in its own natural way. After only a day of detox the body will naturally know what it really needs. In fact once the body has switched to detox mode, it wants to continue cleansing because it feels the relief and relaxation from having to digest day after day. So lessening the food intake, or rather replacing it with liquid and lighter foods will let it regain its natural balance. What are the benefits of a detox ? 1. Flush toxins from the body. Exposure to toxins from food and the environment affects our metabolism, behavior, immune system, and eventually leads to desease.. These toxins are stored in tissues and cells throughout the body, including the brain. Often for many years! 2. Prevent chronic disease. If not flushed out with a detox from time-to-time, toxins first leads to many acute problems, then to more serious chronic problems.  Environmental toxins are responsible for many cancers, diabetes, neurological diseases, heart disease, strokes. Our bodies have a natural detox function to deal with these problems, but through our imbalanced lifestyle we are constantly overloaded! A detox program thus helps our bodies to do what its naturally does. 3. Enhance the immune system. Did you know that 70 percent of our immune system is in our gut? That's another reason why we need to detox, so that our digestive system functions optimally and the immune system is enhanced. The gut is our second brain and a very important and complex system that is given a rest and a boost by a detox. 4. Lose weight. Toxins affect the body's natural ability to burn fat, leading to weight gain. Diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure are directly linked to weight issues. Detoxing rids the body of toxins stored in fat cells and increases metabolism. 5. Improve quality of life. Our bodies don't function very well when they're loaded with toxins. We may have joint pain, headaches, digestive disorders, sleep problems, and lack of energy. Depression may be eased and memory may be improved as a result of detoxification! 6. Increase energy. You will have more mental, physical, and emotional energy after detoxing. People tend to sleep better and need less of it. 7. Improve skin quality. Our skin is our “third kidney.” Diet and environmental toxins affect the quality of our skin. Detoxing is the quickest way to give us a natural, healthy glow. Besides, a detox is way more than skin deep; it will make you feel great from the inside out! more on: www.pramawellnesscenter.org, www.yogadetoxretreat.org,   FASTING: After one has experienced the wonders of a detox, one can take it a step further and do fasting which is a "faster" way to detox. The truth is that with the exception of sugars we do not get immediate energy from the food we eat as it has to pass a whole cycle of processing before it is converted into work, which usually takes anywhere from 12 to 24 hours. Our cells actually store a lot of reserves of energy that the body is releasing rather than depending on the food intake. For example simply drinking water in the morning allows the liver to release glycogen into the blood thus helping us to wake up easier, adding a little salt and squeezed lemon enhances this to stimulate our bowels to get into motion. Often times if we do our ablutions, we feel more energetic and alert than before, a simple proof of what happens when we release our garbage. Sometimes cravings and "demon hunger" are signs of the body wanting to get rid of toxins or an infestation of parasites. Parasites love to form colonies on undigested foods and can form clots (even cause hernias) in our gut that attract infections and further complications in the body. Hence periodical cleanses are a must, just like animals do not eat for days instinctively. Unfortunately we have unlearned to read those instinctive messages from our bodies, so we have to do it systyemastically. Fasting amounts to the same as the occasional "re-formatting" of our computers when infected with viruses. I myself will be conducting a detox program in Norway on 6-7-8 June 2014 in conjunction with www.yogadetoxretreat.org . Please stay tuned for updates on these programs with more details. write to mark@innersports.org for more information.