Spring cleaning: detoxification tips for internal hygiene: Kat James has helped thousands of women with her natural beauty program.(Innerbeauty: new strategies for vibrant living)

When we think personal hygiene, we think of the countless numbers of products that we've been convinced are necessary to achieve socially acceptable levels of cleanliness, odorlessness and flawlessness. With such life-consuming aspirations to keep us preoccupied, it's not surprising that the average person gives little thought to cultivating his or her inner hygiene.

The incentives for detoxifying are many--from reducing certain skin eruptions and conditions to the more important internal reduction in digestive impediments and possibly even chronic disease. "Toxins stored in the body can eventually overwhelm the liver, leading to inflammation and other issues, including chronic autoimmune disease," explains Brenda Watson, ND, a renowned authority on internal cleansing and author of Renew Your Life and Gut Solutions (Renew Life Press, April 2004).

No Fasting Required

Some detoxification experts advocate fasting, while others do not. It is known that the components of any well-designed detox program will stimulate the body to cleanse itself, but people who are underweight, are undernourished, have weak hearts, have blood sugar issues or are ill should avoid fasting. Plus, some studies have shown that restricting food intake can actually lead to bingeing (more about tiret in next month's column on calorie restriction). Here, I'll avoid tire topic of fasting and instead focus on detoxifying measures that can become part of your daily life.

Watson advises a two-part, whole-body detoxification, which can be done simultaneously. The first part focuses on the cleansing of the colon, while the second targets the remaining channels of elimination--liver, blood, lymphatic system, skin, kidneys and lungs simultaneously, with special emphasis on the liver. "Cleansing stimulates the liver to release toxins into the bile, which is then secreted back into the digestive tract (via the gallbladder). It is necessary to ingest extra fiber for these toxins to be absorbed and eliminated via the bowel. Otherwise, toxins from the liver could recirculate, creating more problems," says Watson.

Taking Out the Trash

Cleaning up your diet is a prerequisite if internal cleansing is to be successful. Common sense tells us that "taking out the trash" will be in vain if bash continues to accumulate nonstop. Translation? Cut white sugar and flour, hydrogenated fats and other processed foods out of your diet once and for all while increasing your intake of fresh fruits, vegetables, fiber and good rats such as flax or fish oil. Buy organic whenever you can, and try to eat as many chlorophyll-rich dark greens as possible to help remove pesticides and heavy metals from your body. Powdered "green foods," such as Greens+ by Greens+, Wheat Crass tablets by Pines International, Inc. and Perfect Food by Garden of Lire, can help supplement (not substitute for) your intake of dark greens.