Weight Loss, Cleansing & Healing Retreats – THE EXPERIENCE

When Linda was asked what she wanted to accomplish during her two-week stay, she told us, " To get my mind, body and spirit working as one, to learn about becoming healthy. and to be a better person for me so I could share that with the person I love the most, my husband."

"I had three physical goals when I came to do both the colon cleanse and than the liver rebuilder weeks at Cedar Springs Renewal Center. They were to lose weight, to learn to exercise again and to learn to make healthier whole food choices so my illnesses will decrease." Currently, I have fibromyalgia, arthritis, chronic leukemia, obstructive sleep apnea, depression and obesity."

I have been here two weeks and have lost a total of 11 pounds.

What is a true Weight Loss Retreat?

Obesity is a serious health problem and it¹s on the rise in the U.S. and Canada. At least 1/3 of Americans are 20% or more overweight. At any given time 25-50% of adult Americans are on some sort of diet, spending 30 billion dollars a year on diet aids and remedies. Unfortunately, 2/3 of those dieters will put the weight back on in less than 5 years.

There are often many reasons people are not able to lose the weight the way they want to. A weight loss retreat is only as good as it can provide a place for results but also education. Many conditions may encourage the body to store food as fat as opposed to using it for fuel and energy: lazy metabolism, glandular malfunctions, under active thyroid, overeating, stress eating, liver malfunction, congested colon, poor circulation and lack of energy, insulin resistance and sugar craving.

For weight loss to be real and permanent, essential things must happen:

• The body needs to get out of stress, or learn to minimize it.
• Go through a natural detox because toxins are stored in fat cells.
• Follow a GFCF diet if Gluten Intolerance or Celiac are suspected or known
• Satisfy hunger with nutrient rich whole food
• Eliminate cravings by giving the body the nutrients it needs throughout the day.
• Increase metabolism through movement and exercise.
  

The first week cleansing and healing retreat begins on Sunday afternoon 5pm and ends Saturday 10am. The second cleansing week starts on Saturday afternoon and ends on Friday morning. Group sizes will always be kept under 15 people.

Both cleansing and healing weeks utilize the power of rawfood nutrition to help the body get rid of unnecessary fat. Following our GFCF diet or whole food prepared and served in their living forms, colon cleanse, liver strengthening and weight loss comes naturally.

Some of the features of the Cleansing, Healing and Weight Loss Retreat weeks are:

• Hands on kitchen classes including "How to Juice", "How to make delicious Smoothies” and "Growing Wheatgrass".
• Other classes offered this week are "The Skinny on Fats” and” and “How to heal and thrive with Celiac disease or Gluten Intolerance”
• Wheatgrass 2 times a day.
• All organic live and whole food meals.
• Yoga/Pilates, breathing, stretching and qigong classes daily.
• Purposeful Living Classes - refer to "Socratic Dialogue" for description of those classes
• Walking and/or hiking everyday (when weather permits)
  

2 major organs of focus during our Cleansing and Weight Loss Retreat Weeks:

The liver: A major detox organ

The liver is the key organ responsible for the greatest percentage of our detoxification. Over consumption of alcohol, food additives, prescription drugs, pesticides on our foods, and fatty foods; in addition to water treatment chemicals, industrial chemicals, and exhaust fumes all pollute our bodies and abuse the liver.

About three pints of blood pass through the liver every minute. The liver's functions include extracting nutrients, oxygen, toxins and waste products from the blood. In order to do this, the liver is dependant on a generous supply of nutrients in order for natural detox to take place. That's why it is so important to eat a live whole food diet including a variety of nuts, vegetables, and specific fruits such as lemons, papayas and strawberries.

The liver manufactures and secretes bile, which moves the toxins through the colon. Bile also promotes peristalsis, the involuntary contractions that push wastes through the colon.

Because the liver is interdependent with all the other organs, most health conditions, including autoimmune will improve by cleansing the liver.

If you are under the impression that all disease begins in the colon, there is much truth in that. Colon cleansing is a vital part of regaining health, but benefits will be limited unless there is also support for the liver.

The Colon: A major elimination organ

Health is promoted in several ways by cleansing the colon:

• Creates a bacteria friendly environment where parasites and yeasts cannot grow (as per explore through the teachings of Donna Gates and the Body Ecology Diet)
• Contributes to faster transit of feces so less toxins penetrate the bowel wall and go into the bloodstream
  

"I can’t wait to go home with these new recipes…with all of these raw whole food meals I can explore; Wonderful live food crackers made in a dehydrator, salads and dressings with raw ingredients, delicious and tasty juicing recipes! During the three days of natural juicing, I was never hungry. They are very filling and fulfilling."

Infrared Sauna

At Cedar Springs we recommend using the infrared sauna several times during the week to assist in the natural detox process. The sessions usually take an hour with a 20-30 minute warm-up, 15 minutes of perspiring, followed by a cold shower and then another 10-20 minute session in the infrared sauna.

The infrared rays penetrate the body over 1.5 inches, which creates a deep heating effect in the muscle tissues and internal organs without stressing the heart muscle.

After an initial warming up period, the body begins its natural cooling off process of perspiring. Three things are accomplished during this phase:

• Waste products and toxins such as alcohol, nicotine and heavy metals are removed from the cells and excreted through the pores of the skin.
• The skin sheds any old skin cells leaving it glowing and immaculately clean.
• As the body expends energy to produce sweat, the heart beats harder and faster, which has a conditioning effect on the cardiovascular system plus is an effective metabolism booster for people who can't exercise.
  

The infrared sauna is an hour well spent supporting the natural detoxification systems of the body and relaxing deeply into a comfortable heat.

Weight Loss, Cleansing & Healing Retreats – WHAT YOU TAKE HOME

This aspect of what we offer at Cedar Springs educates people before they leave about how to build a Health Building maintenance program for their continued healing, repair and joy. We believe through a positive experience at the center, the simple shifts really do last a lifetime. To be expected upon departure and beyond:

• Healthy eating plans that reduce calories and encourage the consumption of a whole food diet.
• Paying attention to the quantity and quality of fats in the diet.
• Regular physical activity and a assistance with a personalized health fitness plan if desired.
• Slow and steady weight loss of about 1-2 pounds per week. Rapid weight loss puts one at risk for other health conditions and regaining weight.
  

"I would recommend this program to everybody. It's not just for the sick. The cleansing process is good for everyone. It's good for opening yourself up and letting new experiences and ideas come in. Everyone could benefit from it. The incredible love you feel here makes you open your eyes to all the beauty that surrounds you and is inside of you."

For more information and space availability please call 360-826-3599 or eMail us.