Detox

Someone was recently explaining the intricacies of colon cleansing (whilst pointing out that Brits pronounce it "cole-on") to me, over dinner, but thankfully before the food arrived at the table.

Today's theme has been detox. Doctors will warn that the detox process comes with unpleasant side effects. Some of which include:

• A headache
• More, or smellier, sweat
• Fatigue
• Feeling unusual emotions
• A dry mouth
• Spots, pimples or rashes
• Constipation

The caution comes with a promise that "these side effects show you are getting rid of toxins" but, really, when you're stinky, sweaty, emotional, dehydrated, ugly, constipated and suffering from a headache do you really have the time and/or patience to think, "Good thing I'm getting rid of harmful toxins..." Instead, don't we just long for the toxins to stay; to avoid the obnoxious withdraw symptoms?

So here's the question: when we decide to break bad habits, start living counter to what we've been used to, and making decisions that benefit us long term instead of diving into short term pleasures, why do we expect the result instantly? In one article, detox was defined as giving "a sense of going back to basics", or back to the way nature intended...and yet, our bodies revolt.

Why does simplicity sometimes seem so foreign?