Do it Yourself Detox 5 Tips to Get Clean

Detox, short for detoxification, is becoming a main stream term and way of life for many. Our environment is drastically different now then ever before with so many new chemical exposures, cars, electromagnetic fields (EMF’s), etc. The human body is naturally designed to always return to homeostasis, however, it can be trouble some when it is over burdened with a toxic environment and way of life. There are 2 detox pathways that are used by the liver, both of which require plenty of nutrients, including folic acid, glutathione, B2, B3, B6, B12, Vitamins A, C, & E, and amino acids, amongst others. A detox can range from a few simple changes, or can be a complete program lead by a physican. Here are a few things you can do on your own that will help clean up your act:

1. Abstain from Alcohol: All toxins, medications, supplements, hormones, etc get processed by your liver. The liver works very hard at just the normal day to day stuff and alcohol is very toxic. Go on a 3 week hiatus from the booze, now is a good time before the holidays hit!
2. Be Aware of Your Environment: Do you live in an old house? Are you remodeling? Do you wear perfume? Do you breathe in smoke? Problems like mold, or off gases from new carpet and other textiles can release lots of chemicals in your home. Have some house plans such as a spider plant or certain ferns that clean up the air. If you like wearing a scent, switch to essentials oils which are free from toxins. Do you best to breathe in clean air.
3. Your Mind Matters: Do you have negative self talk? Our emotions and beliefs can effect the expression of our cells (Book: Biology of Belief by Bruce Lipton). Do you have old emotions, like those from childhood, that still cause stress for you today? Your mind is most likely your best asset. Take care of it, and go talk to someone to sort out any stresses that are here.
4. Eat Liver Supportive Foods: For your next grocery store trip, if you shop at a large retailer vs a natural foods store, shop on the perimeter of the store, hitting the produce and meat areas. Pick up spinach, asparagus, avocado, bananas, oranges, pomegranates, chicken and salmon. All of these foods are higher in the nutrients your liver needs for the detoxification pathways.
5. Home Hydrotherapy: Hydrotherapy is an ancient healing technique that uses water, sometimes in the alteration of hot and cold applications to help blood perfusion and thus bring oxygen and nutrients to the tissues. Take a warm bath and add Epsom salts (contain magnesium) to it. (Caution: do not do if you have heart trouble, diabetic or feel tired and weak.) Pat dry vs rub so the toxins that have seeped out onto the skin get on the towel and not rubbed back in. Remember your skin is like a sponge, what you put on it, soaks in.

 

Love Your Liver 5 Do’s and Don’t

The liver is a remarkable organ that can actually regenerate itself. It is important for many bodily processes, such as helping with metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats from food. Your cholesterol is also mainly made in your liver, and only a small amount is actually obtained from food. Furthermore, your liver also helps make different proteins for blood clotting and body fluid balancing. At last, one of the biggest jobs your liver does is detoxification of all types of toxins your body encounters. You need to love your liver, especially in the month of October, as it is National Liver Awareness Month.

 

1. Stay Away from Alcohol! This is one of the biggest toxins that we voluntarily deliver to our bodies and what little gain it gives you; it pains your body in many more ways. Aim to stay away from it for at least the next 3 weeks.
2. Ante Up on Antioxidants! Toxic chemicals, which come from a variety of sources, create free radical damage, and even our own bodily processes do too, and to combat this we need antioxidants. (The Dr. Oz show has a great visual demo with balloons to illustrate this concept) Vitamins C, E, and Zinc are great antioxidants that you can get in your diet by eating leafy greens like kale, spinach and collard greens, as well as nuts and seeds.
3. Buck Up with B vitamins and Buckwheat! There are several B vitamins that help with the detoxification process, and if you continuously expose your body to toxins, i.e. alcohol you use up your stash of these vitamins. Buckwheat is a gluten free grain that is not only high in B vitamins, but in magnesium as well, which is needed to help detoxification pathways.
4. Load Up on the Amino’s! Amino Acids are the building blocks of protein, and serve different important roles, one which is converting fat soluble substances, many of which are toxic, into water soluble ones so that your body can excrete them through the liver and kidneys and out as urine. The two amino acids that do this the best are Methionine and Cysteine. Foods rich in these are: egg yolks, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, garlic, onion, sesame seeds and legumes.
5. Spice it Up! Ginger and Turmeric are two excellent choices to add to your food. Ginger promotes overall liver health, while Turmeric is a great antioxidant. Ideally try freshly ground ginger, and consider drinking it as a tea, or mixing in with vegetables or even make curry!

 

Make a plan to eat some of these foods, today, and try new recipes if you have never cooked with these ingredients before. Remember if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. You only get one body in this life so take care of it, and it will take care of you!