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3 Keys to Inner Cleanliness

by Dr. Mark Pitstick

The body produces waste products that must be regularly removed to maintain vibrant health.  Inner cleanliness is a new topic to many people, but an extremely important one for preventing internal toxicity and associated illness.  Regular bowel movements are the first key to detox the body daily.  Three other keys are urination, deep breathing and sweating. 

If you are drinking sufficient water, you should urinate periodically throughout the day and a time or two during the night.  As mentioned, ideal water intake is your body weight divided by three in ounces per day. 

Your urine should be a pale straw color.  Taking a vitamin supplement containing riboflavin can cause the next urination to be brighter yellow in color.  Your urine also should not have a disagreeable odor.  As with bowel movements, listen to your body’s signals and urinate as soon as possible. 

The kidneys produce urine by filtering the blood.  Optimal kidney function is assisted by optimal water intake, healthy diet, a healthy nerve supply, yoga postures that tone and massage internal organs, and proper hygiene to avoid urinary tract infections. 

Sweating

Regular sweating eliminates wastes through pores and is an essential part of inner cleanliness.  Our ancestors sweated by working hard and being in temperature extremes.  Various cultures, Native American sweat lodges and Scandinavian saunas, for example, have long used specific methods to increase sweating. 

You can achieve sufficient sweating by regularly using the following methods:

¨     exercise: sweating is just one of the many benefits of exercise

¨     saunas: near infra red sauna is the most effective and requires lower temperatures than standard saunas

¨     hot baths: either in your bathtub or a spa.  Soak for 30 minutes or more at a sufficient temperature to cause a good sweat.  Avoid chlorinated products in a hot tub.    

¨     steam baths: also very effective in producing a cleansing sweat

¨     sunbathing in moderation   

Since your skin is the eliminative organ involved in sweating, here are some other recommendations for healthy skin: 

1. Use herbal cleanses that help detox and cleanse skin, pores, and associated glands
2. Skin brush, using a dry brush or loofa, to remove dead cells and waste products that emanate from the pores
3. Apply oils and lotions from natural products to maintain moist healthy skin
4. Use natural deodorants that provide odor control without exposing your body to many chemicals.  The armpits have a rich supply of sweat glands, blood vessels, and lymphatic tissue.  Avoid anti-perspirant deodorants that contain aluminum, dyes, and other chemicals that are easily absorbed.  Use healthier deodorants and crystals instead. 
5. Give your pits a break and don’t wear any deodorant when it doesn’t matter if you, God forbid, actually have a little normal body odor.  Avoid deodorant when you exercise so your sweat glands and pores can eliminate wastes. 

Our society has become overly focused on constantly smelling like chemical fragrances.  Don’t let slick Madison Avenue ads impair your health.  Of course, there are times when it’s important to smell fresh and healthy deodorants are necessary.  Whenever possible, though, let those sweat glands do what they were designed to do. 

Deep Breathing

            Breathing deeply on a regular basis is another important eliminative route.  The benefits include releasing gaseous wastes and taking in lots of oxygen so vital for health.  You can achieve deep breathing with exercise, singing, chanting, and love making.

Other ways to breathe deeply include:

¨     Cleansing breaths: take a slow deep breath in, hold to the count of four, and exhale slowly.   Do ten repetitions three times a day.

¨     Yogic breathing techniques utilize breathing exercises during poses.

¨     Transformational breathwork and other approaches as discussed in the Awareness chapter.   

¨     Diaphragmatic breathing is especially effective in detoxifying and oxygenating the body.  This ‘belly breathing’ technique involves relaxing the abdominal muscles and letting them bulge out as you breathe in.  As you breathe out, gently pull your stomach muscles in and up to assist complete exhalation. 

¨     Herbal cleanses to help detoxify the lungs. 

For more practical information about how you can enjoy the many benefits of inner cleanliness, read Dr. Mark Pitstick’s book Radiant Wellness!