Simple 8 Step Gentle Detox Plan for Spring

Spring is a time of renewal and of awakening.  Spring is also the perfect time to renew, to cleanse and to revitalize the body.

Today, more than ever, our bodies are bombarded with toxins. This causes an overload on our internal cleansing

organs like liver and kidneys. The organs become sluggish, allowing the toxins and bacteria to re-enter the circulatory system instead of being eliminated through feces, urine or sweat. When toxins build up they can result in fatigue, infections of skin and other organs, migraines, heartburn, constipation and many other illnesses. By using real foods, herbs and simple exercises you can help rid the body of accumulated toxins.

Chronic inflammation is another good reason to look at detoxing. Inflammation goes chronic when there is a persistent stimulus. The stimulus might come from an army of free radicals launched every day when we eat processed and convenience foods. The stimulus might be an allergy to wheat (gluten) which inflames the gut; or a low-grade, lingering infection; or the body being overloaded with environmental toxins like heavy metals, pesticides, and chemicals. There is a lot of opportunity in today's contaminated world for a combination of factors to constantly irritate the body's normal functions. More and more researchers are linking chronic inflammation to an increasing number of illnesses including Alzheimers, Rheumatoid Arthritis, cancer and heart disease.

A good detox diet plan can rid the body of the accumulated toxins and help you to lead an active disease-free life. Detoxification is about resting, cleaning, balancing and nourishing the body from the inside out.
                                     

You should plan on detoxing for at least 10 days, I would recommend 21 days. Remember it took awhile for your body to get in the condition it is in. It will take time for the body to cleanse and begin the healing process.

Simple 8 Step Gentle Detox Plan

Step 1 ~ Eliminate the following

• animal protein ( beef, chicken, fish, eggs
• dairy products
• alcohol
• coffee
• cigarettes 
• No white sugar or flour
• saturated fats.
• The 3 Ps: processed, prepared and packaged food since they tend to be full of Trans fats, sugar and food additives. If you find ingredients that you can’t read or pronounce don’t eat it. These act as toxins in the body and are road blocks to your healing process. Instead choose fresh foods

Step 2 ~ Do eat lots of fruits and veggies. Try to eat 75% of your diet as fresh vegetables and fruits and make it raw when possible. Whole grains, beans, nuts, and good fats will make up he remaining 25% of your detox diet. Eat several small meals a day instead of 3 large ones. This helps the digestive system.

 

 

Step 3~ Use herbs to give your body a boost~

• Our Gentle DeTox Kit includes Liver Health Tincture and Cleanse Tea. These contain herbs to help cleanse and support the kidneys and liver
• Sea Buckthorn Extract Powder  helps heal the lungs
•  Chaga Mushroom Tincture helps to detoxify the lungs, respiratory and lymph system. It is also a mild appetite suppressant. But more importantly is a medicinal power house; considered the highest quality antioxidant in the world; highly anti-inflammatory and nutrient dense. It is the herb of longevity.

Step 4~ Drink your water and make it purified

• Start you day with a cup of lukewarm or room temperature that has ½ a fresh lemon squeezed in it. Do this on an empty stomach and wait about 20 minutes before drinking or eating anything else. Lemons help alkalize your body chemistry, contain more than 20 anti-cancer compounds and help cleanse your liver, kidneys and colon
• Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water a day. A good goal is 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water a day  ( if you weigh 200lbs drink 100oz of water). Water flushes out the toxins from the body. To keep on track try drinking a glass at the top of every hour, until you reach your daily goal. Also try my recipes for Homemade Vitamin Fruit Waters for a healthy alternative to plain water.

                 

Step 5 ~ Do a dry body brush daily ~A dry skin brush is inexpensive, and to brush your whole body can take as little as 10 minutes. You will be stimulating your lymphatic system as you brush, which is a very important detox system. Brushing removes dead cells that collect environmental toxins, while also keeping pores unclogged, so that the body can eliminate toxins through the skin. It also renews your skin cells, and can improve the way your skin looks and feels. Use a soft natural fiber brush with a long handle, so that you are able to reach all areas of your body. You will also want one with a with a strap for your hand to ensure a good grip. Later this week there will be a post on how to body brush so stay tuned.

 
Step 6 ~ Take a Warm Bath ~ Add a cup of Dead sea salts and baking both alkalize the water to help neutralize acidic toxins. Epsom salts help your body to absorb magnesium–a mineral some experts estimate is deficient in 80 percent of

people. Magnesium neutralizes acidic toxins, relaxes muscles and is required by hundreds of functions. Herbs can help draw out toxins and nourish the skin. Our Detox Bath Salts contain all of the above plus Himalayan Salts which improves circulation and helps remove toxins from the body. The Detox Bath Salts are also part of our Gentle DeTox Kit.  When doing a detox bath, relax for 20 minutes or more. Do this once a week during your detox

  

Step 7 ~ Detox the mind ~ Stess can lead to illness. While you're detoxing the body why not try to clear the clutter from the mind too. Try and do 15 minutes of meditation a day. If meditation is new to you start out with 5 minutes and then build up to 15. If you don't know how to meditate try using guided meditation download or try belly breathing. Start by placing hands palm down on your lower belly. Breathe in through your nose, counting slowly to the count 5. Feel your tummy rise with the breath. Breathe out, through your mouth, just as slowly, allowing the belly to drop. Do this 10 times and then just focus on breathing for the remainder of you meditation time.

Step 8 ~ Exercise ~ Exercise improves circulation, which brings fresh, oxygenated blood to your organs and tissues, thereby revitalizing them. Try to get in 20 to 30 minutes every day. Walking and yoga are great. Also try Qigong, a martial-arts based exercise system that includes exercises specifically for detoxifying or cleansing, as well as many other exercises with specific health benefits.

Detoxing is a wonderful way to jump start your health and start eliminating bad habits while introducing a healthy way of living.

NOTE: Do not detox if you are elderly, pregnant, breastfeeding, have high blood pressure, are underweight or against your doctor's advice. Any informaiton contained on this blog is not intended to diagnose or treat individuals and is not intended to take the place of professional medical advice.  

Simple 9 Step Detox Plan ~

A detox will help to cleanse and revitalize the body by using real foods, herbs and simple exercises designed to help rid the body of accumulated toxins. Today, more than ever, our bodies are bombarded with toxins. This causes an overload on our internal cleansing organs like liver and kidneys. The organs become sluggish, allowing the toxins and bacteria to re-enter the circulatory system instead of being eliminated through feces, urine or sweat. When toxins build up the can result in fatigue, infections of skin and other organs, migraines, flatulence, heartburns, constipation and many other illnesses.

Chronic inflammation is another good reason to look at detoxing. Inflammation goes chronic when there is a persistent stimulus. The stimulus might come from an army of free radicals launched every day when we eat processed and convenience foods. The stimulus might be an allergy to wheat (gluten) which inflames the gut; or a low-grade, lingering infection; or the body being overloaded with environmental toxins like heavy metals, pesticides, and chemicals. There is a lot of opportunity in today's contaminated world for a combination of factors to constantly irritate the body's normal functions. More and more researchers are linking chronic inflammation to an increasing number of illnesses including Alzheimers, Rheumatoid Arthritis, cancer and heart disease.

A good detox diet plan can rid the body of the accumulated toxins and help you to lead an active disease-free life. Detoxification is about resting, cleaning and nourishing the body from the inside out.

You should plan on detoxing for at least 10 days, I would recommend 21 days. Remember it took awhile for your body to get in the condition it is in. It will take time for the body to cleanse and begin the healing process.

Simple 9 Step Detox Plan

Step 1 ~ Eliminate the following

• animal protein ( beef, chicken, fish, eggs
• dairy products
• alcohol
• coffee
• cigarettes 
• refined sugars
• saturated fats.
• The 3 Ps: processed, prepared and packaged food since they tend to be full of Trans fats, sugar and food additives.If you find ingredients that you can’t read or pronounce don’t eat it. These act as toxins in the body and are road blocks to your healing process. Instead choose fresh foods

Step 2 ~ Do eat lots of fruits and veggies. Try to eat 75% of your diet as fresh vegetables and fruits and make it raw when possible. Whole grains, beans, nuts, and good fats will make up he remaining 25% of your detox diet. I will be posting more on how to eat later this week!

 

Step 3 ~ Eat multiple small meals instead of 3 larger ones~ Small, simple meals eaten more frequently throughout the day not only help ease the burden on your digestive system, they also balance blood sugar levels and improve your mood. Eat organic when possible.

 

Step 4~ Use herbs to give your body a boost~

• Milk thistle is a proven liver-regenerator and detoxifier
• Dandelion and uva ursi are well-established kidney-restoring herbs
• Sea Buckthorn Extract Powder  helps heal the lungs
• Flax seeds help eliminate toxic material from the intestines.
• Or you can purchase an all in one herbal detox tea 

Step 5 ~ Drink your water and make it purified

• Start you day with a cup of lukewarm or room temperature that has ½ a fresh lemon squeezed in it. Do this on an empty stomach and wait about 20 minutes before drinking or eating anything else. Lemons help alkalize your body chemistry, contain more than 20 anti-cancer compounds and help cleanse your liver, kidneys and colon
• Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water a day. Water flushes out the toxins from the body. Try my recipes for Homemade Vitamin Fruit Waters for a healthy alternative to plain water
  

Step 6 ~ Do a dry body brush daily ~A dry skin brush is inexpensive, and to brush your whole body can take as little as 10 minutes. You will be stimulating your lymphatic system as you brush, which is a very important detox system. Brushing removes dead cells that collect environmental toxins, while also keeping pores unclogged, so that the body can eliminate toxins through the skin. It also renews your skin cells, and can improve the way your skin looks and feels. Use a soft natural fiber brush with a long handle, so that you are able to reach all areas of your body. You will also want one with a with a strap for your hand to ensure a good grip. Later this week there will be a post on how to body brush so stay tuned.

 
Step 7 ~ Take a Warm Bath ~ Add a cup of Dead sea salts and baking soda to your bath (1/2 cup of each). Both alkalize the water to help neutralize acidic toxins. Epsom salts help your body to absorb magnesium–a mineral some experts estimate is deficient in 80 percent of people. Magnesium neutralizes acidic toxins, relaxes muscles and is required by hundreds of functions. Relax for 20 minutes or more. Do this 3 to 5 times a week during your detox

 

Step 8 ~ Exercise improves circulation, which brings fresh, oxygenated blood to your organs and tissues, thereby revitalizing them. Try to get in 30 minutes to an hour every day." Walking and yoga are great. Also try Qigong, a martial-arts based exercise system that includes exercises specifically for detoxifying or cleansing, as well as many other exercises with specific health benefits.

 

Step 9 ~ Detox the mind ~ Stess can lead to illness. While you're detoxing the body why not try to clear the clutter from the mind too. Try and do 15 minutes of meditation a day. If meditation is new to you start out with 5 minutes and then build up to 15. If you don't know how to meditate try using guided meditation download or try belly breathing. Start by placing hands palm down on your lower belly. Breathe in through your nose, counting slowly to the count 5. Feel your tummy rise with the breath. Breathe out, through your mouth, just as slowly, allowing the belly to drop. Do this 10 times and then just focus on breathing for the remainder of you meditation time. 

Detoxing is a wonderful way to jump start your health and start eliminating bad habits while introducing a healthy way of living.

NOTE: Do not detox if you are elderly, pregnant, breastfeeding, have high blood pressure, are underweight or against your doctor's advice. Any informaiton contained on this blog is not intended to diagnose or treat individuals and is not intended to take the place of professional medical advice.  

Gentle Detox ~ Getting ready for the Detox

Your body is like a sponge, it can soak up small amounts of just about everything it’s exposed to. From air and water pollution to additives in our food, personal care items and home care products and unhealthy lifestyle choices, your body is flooded with toxins on a daily basis.

Even if you lead a “clean” a life your body can show evidence of accumulated toxicity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted the Fourth National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals, the most comprehensive assessment yet of Americans’ exposure to environmental chemicals, they found around 212 chemicals in people’s blood or urine.
These chemicals and toxins are outside irritants to the body. Inflammation is the body's natural response to injury and outside irritants. When irritants don’t let up, due to diet, lifestyle choices, or too much body fat, as an example , the immune system goes into

overload and spirals out of control. This can cause Chronic Inflammation. Scientists have linked heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's, stroke and cancer to chronic inflammation, and they are studying how high-fat foods and excess body weight may increase the risk for these disorders.

Experts say when inflammation becomes chronic it can damage heart valves and brain cells, trigger strokes, and promote resistance to insulin, which leads to diabetes. It also is associated with the development of cancer and various forms of arthritis.

A detox can help your body to rid itself of some of these toxins, naturally, while also giving your body a chance to rest, repair and regroup. Your liver, kidneys, lymphatic system, blood, bowel, and skin, help your body process and eliminate chemicals in your sweat, urine and feces. Detoxing can help to support and enhance this natural process.

Using detoxification diets as a way to help the body to rid itself of unhealthy toxins, has been around for centuries. Hippocrates recommended fasting to improve health. In many cultures, including Chinese medicine and Ayurveda, detoxification has been used to improve skin problems, ease digestion and pain, and boost energy levels while promoting the body’s own inherent healing potential. A good detox diet can do all of these things plus give your body what it needs to heal.

The week before beginning a detoxification diet there are some things you can do to help prepare the body for the detoxification process.

1. There are foods can interfere with the liver's ability to detoxify your body. For 5 to 7days leading up to your detox diet, try to eliminate alcohol, sugar, dairy, refined carbohydrates, artificial sweeteners, trans fats, and packaged, boxed, canned or fast food.

2. If you drink caffeinated beverages on a regular basis, you may experience headaches, tiredness and other caffeine withdrawal symptoms. Here are some tips on how to prevent it: Start to gradually decrease your caffeine intake prior to starting the diet. Try switching to lower-caffeine green tea, white or oolong tea.

 3. Your body needs plenty of water during a detox diet. Drinking lots of water keeps you hydrated and may help flush out toxins. During the week prior to starting your detox start adding more water to your daily intake. By end of the preparation week, try to be drinking at least 8oz a day of filtered water. Check out my Vitamin Fruit Water Recipes for delicious ways to flavor your water naturally. Also start you day with a lukewarm cup of filtered water with lemon in the morning.

4. Do not stop taking any prescription medications while on a detox diet. Discontinuing certain medications can have serious, possibly life-threatening consequences. If you have any health concerns please consult your physician.

Side effects of Detoxing ~ As your body releases toxins stored in its tissues, those toxins are released into the bloodstream and may cause any combination of a number of side effects such as rashes, head and body aches, foul breath, body odor, insomnia, mood swings, diarrhea, constipation and flu-like symptoms. Be prepared for these symptoms.

5 Natural Ways To Help Reduce Allergy Symptoms ~
 
 Seasonal allergies can be miserable and long lasting.It is important to understand that when the body is trying to combat an allergic reaction, it is because something is not right within your body and it cannot fight off the allergen by its own defenses. This imbalance triggers a reaction and you get allergy symptoms.

Most people suffering from allergies go to a doctor and are given acetaminophens or antihistamines, both of which can aggravate the allergy symptoms it was given for. Prescribed medications for allergies upset the natural process and PH balance of our body’s immune system. You then become dependant upon the medication and will always have to take a drug to alleviate the symptoms from whatever allergy you are suffering from.  These drugs do alleviate/hide the symptoms but the internal hyper reaction in our body is still there. This is why it is so important that we give our body a break from the drugs and try to provide it with natural ways to heal itself.

Start by eating healthy and drinking lots of water. Then try these 5 natural ways to help reduce allergies. You must use all of these 5 suggestions daily! It is always best to start this routine BEFORE allergy season.It can take a week or two to see results.

1. Freeze Dried Stinging Nettle: This is a safe, natural antihistamine that reduces seasonal allergies. Take 3-6 capsules daily (this is safe if you are pregnant). The nettles have to be freeze-dried to work. You can purchase these in major natural foods stores or online.

2.Apple Cider Vinegar, Honey and lemon: Mix a tablespoon each of raw, local honey & organic apple cider vinegar together. Add to 1 cup of  warm water containing the juice of 1/2 a lemon. Drink this 3 x a day.  Organic, unpasteurized Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) at 5% acidity is what you need to use. This contains the "mother" which is the living enzymes that work to fight off infection and balance the body. True ACV promotes alkalinity and PH balance of the body, which is why it is a great remedy to fight allergens. Raw local honey contains bee pollen, which is known to ward off infections, allergies, and boost immunity. Lemons alkalize the body which means better balance and immune function. Lemons and limes are loaded with antioxidants, that are excellent for boosting the immune system. 

  3. Nasal Rinse: Nasal rinses can help remove allergens, bacteria and pollutants from the nasal passages. You can rinse using a Neti Pot or a a squeeze bottle that's made specifically for use in the nasal passages, both can be found online or at most drugstores. Be sure to use distilled water when rinsing

4. Quercetin 500 mg ( half for children): A plant pigment found in many common herbs and foods, and a very reliable anti-inflammatory nutritional supplement. It helps with gut repair, boosts the immunity in your mucus membranes reducing reactivity to seasonal allergens, and also helps reduce food allergies. There is conflicting data on whether it is safe in pregnancy. Do not take it during the first trimester and limit your dose to 250 mg/day thereafter if you’d prefer to use this over a conventional pharmaceutical while pregnant.

5. Buffered Ascorbic Acid: Take up to 2000 mg daily. This is an excellent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. Do not exceed this as a total daily dose during pregnancy, including what is in your prenatal vitamin.

Be sure to check out my Resource Page for information on what Freeze Dried Nettles I use.



* health conditions and remedies suggested on this page have not been evaluated by the FDA or EU Health Authorities. Remedies, foods, herbs and products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Information on this page is intended to promote health. Individual results will vary and are dependent on factors including age, weight, diet, exercise regime and existing medical issues. Individuals following any herbal formulas, recipes or other information provided should seek the advice of a medical doctor. 

SPRING RENEWAL

SPRING RENEWAL ~ A simple approach to detoxing your body

 

Did you know the body is designed to heal itself? In order for your body to achieve and maintain optimum health you have to remove the barriers within, which are keeping the body from functioning properly. Detoxifying the body is like removing corrosion from battery cables or cleaning your car engine.  Detoxifying can help protect you from disease and give your body the ability to maintain optimum health. Detoxification is about resting, cleaning and nourishing the body from the inside out.  A good detox program will eliminate and remove toxins while providing your body with healthy nutrients  

Detoxification removes impurities from the blood in the liver, where toxins are processed for elimination. Many believe detoxification works because it addresses the needs of individual cells in the body. The body also eliminates toxins through the kidneys, intestines, lungs, lymph and skin. A detox program can help the body’s own “cleaning process”  by stimulating the liver to remove toxins, assisting elimination of toxins through the intestines, kidneys and skin, improving circulation of the blood, resting the organs from needing to eliminate processed foods, and by providing the body with healthy nutrients.

Today we deal with more toxins in our environment than ever before. If you are having unexplained symptoms of fatigue, allergies, low-grade infections, mental confusion, irritated skin conditions or a distended stomach then a detox may well be for you.  Most people should try to detox at least once a year

There are many detox programs out there, depending on individual needs. A good detox should last about 10 days. It took awhile for your body to get in the condition it is in. It will take time for the body to cleanse and begin the healing process. Based upon your needs, you may choose to stay on this program for up to 21 days. Some people choose a version of this as their way of eating on a daily basis.

 

A great way to start you detox is with a 2 to 3 day juice fast.

1. During the detox process, eliminate all animal protein and dairy products. Eliminate alcohol, coffee, cigarettes, refined sugars and saturated fats. . Fried and sugary foods, and the 3 Ps: processed, prepared and packaged food since they tend to be full of Trans fats, sugar and food additives. If you find ingredients that you can’t read or pronounce don’t buy it and definitely don’t eat. These act as toxins in the body and are road blocks to your healing process. Choose fresh foods that come in Nature’s packaging: fruit and veggies.

2. Eat 75% fruits and veggies ~ raw if possible. This may sound hard but it really is not. Have a green smoothie or fresh juice or fruit for breakfast. If you feel you need protein add a small hand full of nuts to your morning meal. Lunch can be a huge salad, nori rolls with avocadoes, lettuce boats filled with veggies, whole grain tortilla rolls with tons of veggies and beans.

3. Take vitamin C, which helps the body produce glutathione, a liver compound that drives away toxins.

4. Smaller Meals~ Small, simple meals eaten more frequently throughout the day not only help ease the burden on your digestive system, they also balance blood sugar levels.

 

5. Use herbs to give your body a boost.~Milk thistle is a proven liver-regenerator and detoxifier, dandelion and uva ursi are well-established kidney-restoring herbs sea buckthorn extract powder helps heal the lungs and flaxseeds help eliminate toxic material from the intestines. I highly recommend Mountain Rose Herb (see link on the right of this post) for quality and freshness. 

6. Take a Warm Bath ~ Add a cup of Dead sea salts and baking soda to your bath (1/2 cup of each). Both alkalize the water to help neutralize acidic toxins. Epsom salts help your body to absorb magnesium–a mineral some experts estimate is deficient in 80 percent of people. Magnesium neutralizes acidic toxins, relaxes muscles and is required by hundreds of functions. Relax for 20 minutes or more. I have herbal bath therapies that contain herbs that help with a detox but if you do not have these you use a simple Epsom & baking soda bath will do. 

7. Drink your water ~ Water flushes out the toxins from the body. For a really great detoxifying drink, add the fresh juice of one lemon to a large glass of water first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach and drink it either warm or room temperature. Lemons help alkalize your body chemistry, contain more than 20 anti-cancer compounds and help cleanse your liver, kidneys and colon. Drink at least 2 quarts a day of water during your cleanse.

8. Eat your beans ~ Add 1/2 cup of cooked legumes (beans) to your diet daily to boost your fiber and nutrient intake and balance your blood sugar levels-one of the keys to balanced energy and weight.

 9. Snack ~ Snacking throughout the day helps with weight loss, energy and balancing moods. Just make healthy choices. Here are some quick and simple ideas: a handful of raw, unsalted almonds, almond butter on celery sticks, nori rolls with avocado (vegetarian sushi), a veggie and sprout wrap, or maybe a berry smoothie with rice or almond milk.

 

10. Move ~ Exercise improves circulation, which brings fresh, oxygenated blood to your organs and tissues, thereby revitalizing them. Try to get in 30 minutes to an hour every day." Walking and yoga are great. Also try Qigong, a martial-arts based exercise system that includes exercises specifically for detoxifying or cleansing, as well as many other exercises with specific health benefits.

 

11. Do a dry body brush daily ~A dry skin brush is inexpensive, and to brush your whole body can take as little as 10 minutes. You will be stimulating your lymphatic system as you brush, which is a very important detox system.

These simple detox steps can help you heal, nurture and care for your body.