The Cleanse Debate

Recently, I saw a news piece about "cleanses" of all kinds and whether or not they are necessary. Cleanses seem like they are everywhere lately. When I was working up in Park City, LOTS of people were doing cleanses. I even know someone who claimed that whatever was causing him to crave alcohol (thus making him an alcoholic) was actually expunged from his colon during a cleanse and he hadn't craved a drop since. This makes me wonder if the insatiable craving I have for sugar and ice cream lives in my colon too and if I should do a cleanse.

But then I read the articles and listen to the news. Over and over, I hear, "YOU DO NOT NEED TO CLEANSE." Apparently science stands by whatever evidence and studies they've got that say our bodies have built in mechanisms for cleansing the body, the blood, the digestive tract and all that. You get cleansed on an ongoing basis without even trying, so you don't need to DO a cleanse. Your body has an auto-cleanse feature built in.

Ain't that handy. Phew.. That saves me from having to contemplate the torture of a cleanse because I just don't need one. Right?

I still meet perfectly, sane, healthy, happy people... cleansing. Still. I wonder if they know. My head says to them (not out loud), "Don't YOU know that cleanses aren't necessary? I swear. They did studies. Not necessary."

And then I think again. Maybe I should do a cleanse... Why? Well, maybe it's not just the direct physical affects of cleansing that are the attraction. Why do people crave cleansing? Well, here's why I am still attracted to the idea:

1) Big factor -- it's an exercise in self-discipline and provides a sense of accomplishment. I really don't know if I could survive without sugar for longer than a week (ok, 48 hours is even a stretch of my imagination). But I don't like that I doubt if I could do it. It's for the same reason I wish I could raise my hand every time I'm in a classroom where the teacher asks, "Who here has run a marathon?" It doesn't matter if I've run several 1/2 marathons or that I strongly believe my body is just really not designed to run that far and hurts in ways that are not good when I try to and it's not necessary for me to do to be a person of value. No matter the reasons for why NOT to do it, it remains something that is hard and you feel accomplished after you've finished it. If you finish it, of course. And you get to master that hard thing you thought you couldn't do. That is cool. And then you get to be one of those cool people who raises their hand (not that showing off your raised hand to others is at ALL a draw. None whatsoever. Really.;))

2) It impresses me when people do these kinds of things. And, likewise, I like to be impressive too. I want to dazzle and amaze.

3) I am intrigued by the idea that, while a cleanse may not have any long-term effects of ultra-cleanliness, it may cause one's sense of being to feel cleaner and, subsequently, brighter and shinier and all that good stuff. Even if it wears off.

4) While one cleanse may not make a person cleaner than another person who relies on the auto-cleanse feature, repeated cleansing may have similar benefits that the mormon fast has. Over a long period of time, repeated, seasonal cleansing may improve health by causing mastery of one's diet and helping to strengthen a commitment to healthful living (not that those are the only documented medical benefits to fasting once a month. There are more.) Anybody know about a study done on that?

5) Maybe deep down I'm just a follower who wants to be trendy and do a cleanse. It's possible that I am that shallow and impressionable.

Regardless, for now science has provided me with an easy way to say no to the cleanse. It's not just hard, it's unnecessary. And I will stick to that argument for as long as it takes me to actually get up the commitment and nerve to actually try one. And, well, that may never happen.