Last week, I completed a self-prescribed 6 protocol to support my liver and gut which made a big difference in my symptoms, health and life in general. Simultaneously, I’ve been reading a book called ‘The Wellness Trap’ by Christy Harrison that has everything I’ve been living by flipped on its head. It has me thinking: how do I live and champion access to the tools for health and well-being while remaining critical of its biases and steer clear of the oppressive schools of thought pushed onto us via the wellness industry? I’m hoping to find a middle ground in my life pursuits, but the book makes a very compelling argument that there may not be so much to stand on.
However, I do stand by my education. Once I decided to go back to school and become a nutritionist, the algothrimth started showing me the vast landscape of online programs available for my choosing. I trusted my gut when I decided to go to one of the leading but less popular programs in Canada, which was going to take me almost twice as long to complete. It even prayed on my insecurities at times, as it seemed everyone who I met and looked to as leaders in the community went to either of the other two programs I was considering. But something about the practical, no-frills impression it made on me had me trust the information I was being given. There was truly nothing sexy about it, I didn’t feel like I was being sold anything, and at the end of the day, the science-backed thesis of the program was about the power of whole foods and incorporating lifestyle practices that for the most part don’t have any financial implications. I should also mention that I did this self-guided program completely alone. I met one single classmate via my Kundalini community but we haven’t ever met in person. Very few interactions with teachers, no peers, and my mentors only existed in the form of my practitioners, so aside from being a whole new branch to my education it was also an in-depth self-study - which spoiler alert, is part of the whole gig. I have tried many different ways of eating, supplements, herbs, practices, meditations, workouts, treatments - and have weeded through a lot of crap and false claims. I know intuitively that I’ve entered a new stage of my health and healing since completing this protocol, however, I’m grappling with my current reading material that would suggest that I may have fallen prey to the namesake of the book.
I am a big fan of Christy Harrison and her work as a practitioner at the helm of the anti-diet and intuitive eating movements; she is extensively trained in eating disorders and highly respected in corners of the world of online health practitioners that I veer to. The thesis of the book is that the “culture of wellness stands in the way of true well-being” due to “the persistent systemic problems of the industry” by “offering insight into its troubling pattern of cultural appropriation and its destructive views on mental health, and shedding light on how a growing distrust of conventional medicine has led ordinary people to turn their backs on science.” Very important work which I am thoroughly enjoying, learning a lot from, and should be required reading for every practitioner. I’ve always cringed at the word “wellness”, as it feels shallow at best and white supremacist at worst. The first chapter in the book presents an overall history of the concept and the word which is defined as an active pursuit of physical and mental health, as opposed to the absence of disease. Instead of just trying to survive, you are working to ‘thrive’ which essentially puts wellness into the category of hobby since the social determinants of health place a glass ceiling on who has the currency of time, energy and money to participate. The way that I see my job when working with clients is that I ultimately help them figure out what makes them feel best based on their bio-individuality and unique lifestyle or circumstance, to trust their intuition, and honour their autonomy. I know that many practitioners and people of influence in the industry at large operate on opposite principals, that companies profit largely off of victimization and fear-mongering, and therefore we need a more critical discourse. But, I do trust my own experience, and I have to say that many things made examples of in the book - including periods of cleansing - have genuinely changed my life for the better - she’s coming for my green juice!
When I decided to take gluten, dairy, red meat, sugar, alcohol, coffee, and processed foods off of the menu for the first six weeks of the year, it was for a few reasons: I had symptoms that were not going away and affecting the way I felt about myself, I wanted and needed a break from certain things I was consuming that were bringing me down, and I knew that I needed to support my liver and my colon better to see a shift. I also had every intention of bringing these foods and drinks back into my life as I saw fit. Cleansing (detoxifying, from excess) is one of three basic metabolic functions in the body along with building (tonification, from deficiency) and maintenance (balancing, its primary function). The body’s general detoxification systems are gastrointestinal (liver, gallbladder, colon, and the whole GI tract), urinary (kidneys, bladder, and urethera) respiratory (lungs, bronchial tubes, throat, sinuses and nose) lymphatic (lymph channels and lymph nodes), skin and dermal (sweat/sebaceous glands, and tears). Our bodies have a daily elimination cycle but due to our exposure to the myriad of substances we encounter on the daily, and the consumption of congestive foods, detoxification becomes more necessary.
Detoxification is the process of clearing, neutralizing, or transforming toxins from the body, as well as clearing excess mucus and congestion. These toxins come from processed foods in the diet, exposure to pesticides and other environmental chemicals, drug use etc. Internally, oxidized fats, free radicals and other irritating molecules act as toxins. Functionally, poor digestion, a sluggish colon, reduced liver function and poor elimination through the kidneys, respiratory tract and skin, all increase toxicity. Detoxification is a relative term and doesn’t have to resemble something packaged and sold to you by an influencer. Essentially anything that supports our elimination can be said to help us detoxify like drinking more water, increasing fibre, eating more fruits and vegetables and less meat, refined foods, and milk products that create congestion. Avoidance of chemicals in our food and personal care and cleaning products, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, tobacco and many drugs also helps to minimize the toxic load. Even mild changes in our current diets can produce some responses, while more dramatic shifts can produce a deeper cleanse. Shifting from most congestive to least congestive consumables can help most of us detoxify somewhat and bring us into better overall balance. My elimination channels have certainly improved since the end of last year, my symptoms are clearing slowly but surely and I feel a general sense of vitality and rejuvenation. I feel like my organs have rested, and are less burned by overload.
I’ve also had some breakthroughs around emotional wounds, personal patterns, my vices, and visions for the future. Often cleansing can be a way to help us re-evaluate our lives, make changes, and ditch habits that aren’t serving us anymore. The surplus of energy from removing things that weigh us down motivates us to change. I’m feeling so good in my body that I haven’t felt the desire or need to incorporate some of the foods I took a break from. I feel much more satisfied by the way that I’ve been cooking and feeding myself. My creativity has come back in the kitchen, while at the same time, I’m finding pleasure in more simple ways of eating. I feel so inspired by and grateful for plants, whole foods and nature in general. I’ve begun another round of observation and evaluation around my relationship with alcohol and its impacts on my mind and body, and I’ve even extended the cleanse to deep cleaning and organizing some things around the house. Change and evolution are keys to healing, and taking breaks from things is a practical way to assess our true relationship to them and hopefully, a way to improve our health.
This one really resonated with me. As someone who would always set New Year’s resolutions and bail on them, I decided to do it differently you this year. I told myself I would try for just one month to let go of something I’ve been considering giving up or experimenting with for a while. January was no booze or refined sugar. This month was no red meat/pork and also a low-spend month. It’s been really interesting to see my habits shift and change. Definitely had a bit of breakthrough of my own on the cooking front thanks to no takeout.
It’s interesting to see how a change in one area can create a ripple outcome we weren’t necessarily expecting.
I always appreciate your Substack and get such value out of it. Thanks for sharing 🥰