I woke up a few weeks ago feeling groggy and irritable, my right eye puffy and swollen like a bee sting, newly forming pimples and my body feel stiff and achy. After determining these were symptoms of a sluggish and overloaded lymphatic system, I decided I needed a detox.  

Just like we wouldn’t expect our car to work indefinitely without ever changing the oil or getting a tune up, it’s the same for our bodies.  Each day, we’re exposed to harmful substances in the air we breathe, foods we eat, products we put on our skin and use in our home.  The ability of our cells to expel waste and absorb nutrients is ESSENTIAL to our overall health and well-being, slow the aging process, as well as our happiness, clarity and focus.  Sometimes, our elimination systems have trouble keeping up with the toxic load and symptoms such as acne, brain fog, bloating and weight gain begin to appear. To keep our bodies a "well oiled" machine, a periodic cleanse will boost the removal of damaging toxins and pathogens from our organs and blood, prevent premature aging and the onset of chronic diseases. 

I’ve always been someone who LOVES to eat and HATES feeling hungry.  I eat from the time I wake up, until I go to bed.  Even though I eat a highly clean diet, I am a snacker and have never done a cleanse before, so the idea was daunting.  In order to succeed and create sustainable change, I created a "Beauty Detox" that kept me satisfied, not deprived, supercharged and not groggy. My 14 day liquid meal plan consisted of organic fruits and veggies in the form of juices, smoothies and pureed soups.

So how do we know if we need a detox?