Detox for Health

As spring rolls around people began to clean out their garages, basements, entire houses, backyards and anything else they feel has to be ‘cleaned out’.

It’s no different with your body really. Most people are less active throughout the winter, spending more time breathing stale air indoors and probably eating food that is somewhat less than fresh. As well, here in Canada, we have to import a lot of our fruits and veggies throughout the winter and most of that food is picked early, before it ripens, and chances are good it’s been sprayed with some chemical along the way…unfortunately, even the organic foods.

So – Spring is a great time to detox the old body and get a fresh start on the fast approaching summer.

What? When? How?

What? The detoxification of your body; removing toxins from your cleansing organs and blood actually starts with the food you eat. Think fresh, green leafy vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and a good olive and or coconut oil. Think Fresh…always Fresh. To begin a detox, absolutely, definitely, stay away from packaged, processed and cooked foods. Go raw baby, raw.  We must consume foods containing Folate, Magnesium, Iron, Flavenoids, Selenium and B-vitamins. All of these are nutrients are needed by your liver for detoxification. Also don’t forget the water, lots of water to flush things out.

When? Many people do a cleanse or a detox several times each year.  Some people do them even more often but that requires paying very close attention to your fluid and blood counts and making sure you are getting the proper nutrients in as you clean the bad stuff out.

Personally I do two each year – once in the spring and again just before winter hits. So usually, I’ll detox around the end of May or early June and again toward the end of November, early December. Each Detox usually lasts about two weeks. I’m doing the Spartan Run on June 19^th so I’ve been going heavy on the proteins and other supplements to prepare. As soon as I finish the race I’ll start my Body Spring Cleaning.

How? Doing a Detox is not really difficult but it does get a little tricky and you have to be careful with what herbs or supplements they use. Some people have allergies or may have a reaction to various herbs used during a cleanse. Expectant ladies have other issues they need to be aware of. Me? I’m good to go so and as far as I know I have no allergies and I’m definitely not pregnant!

Here’s my plan.

To start I’ll be eating nothing but fresh fruits, vegetables, berries and nuts. Nothing cooked and the only oil I’ll be taking is a little olive oil on my salads, a little pure coconut oil in my smoothies and of course I’ll be increasing my intake of the Auum Omega 3.

I’ll also be drinking much more water than I usually would, up to three liters per day.

My exercise program will be shorter and more intense to get the blood really pumping and I’ll be working up a fierce sweat which also helps rid my body of the toxins.

As a side note – I won’t listen to any news on the radio or internet ( I don’t watch T.V. anyway) and I won’t read any newspapers. My mornings will start out with a 30 minute meditation. I like the idea of cleaning the trash out of my head also.

Herbs and foods I will be using will include; Milk Thistle; Dandelion Root; Corn Silk; Horse Radish and Celantro and Bentonite clay; Carrot/ Beet juice.

Milk Thistle – this has been used for generations in Europe and over the last 50 years or so in North America. Silybum Marianum ( I laughed the first time I read the proper name – I’m such a kid…Silly Bum) is known to improve liver function and also help with liver regeneration.

I have read hundreds of articles and have yet to read anything about ill side effects…except on a few medical and pharmaceutical websites.

Dandelion – One of the first plants to appear in spring; it has the ability to extract toxins, even heavy metals, from the tissues and helps restore and support the liver. The liver process is activated by the stimulation of bile production which flushes through the liver cells triggering natural digestion and self restoration. Apparently Dandelion also has shown positive results with skin problems.

Corn Silk – This extract contains a lot of vitamin K which is great to support blood purification. It cleanses the kidney and helps with urinary tract problems.

Horse Radish – I’ll be eating this fresh. It  helps to improve digestion and is a disinfectant for the entire respiratory tract. It’s also shown to help as a lymphatic cleanser

Cilantro and Bentonite Clay – About ¼ cup of cilantro per day, eaten fresh, helps remove toxins from the body tissue. These toxins then have to be removed from the body which is where the Bentonite Clay comes in. Bentonite bonds with the toxins and removes them through the bowels. Because of its nature, “Bentonite doesn’t break down so it isn’t assimilated into the body.” ( Mark Sircus OMD).

The process

I don’t really have a set of rules for doing a cleanse.  Each of the products mentioned will be taken daily. I will start with the basic natural foods – Carrot / Beet juice and Horse radish. It gets tricky because several of the things I’ll be taking suggests taking it on an empty stomach. So where does one start?

Here’s what I plan to do. I’ll start my morning with The Dandelion extract. It calls for 1.5 mls mixed with water to be taken on an empty stomach. After 30 minutes or so I’ll have a glass of fresh Carrot and Beet Juice. Then I’ll nibble on a slice or Horse radish; a slice for me is about half the size of my baby finger. Be careful when grating Horse Radish because it can be harsh on the eyes. It kind of reminds me of Wasabi. The sliver by the spoon in the photo is about all I’ll eat in one go.

I’ll have breakfast of oats, spelt and nuts and berries, or maybe veggies and a salad or a bunch of fresh fruits. Whatever I choose, it will be fresh and raw. Then,  between each meal, I’ll have the Milk Thistle and The Corn Silk. They have about the same mixture as the Dandelion so taking it isn’t difficult at all.

I’ll follow this process for ten to fourteen days until my product runs out. Then I’ll do ten days of the Cilantro and Bentonite Clay since it is recommended to take this on an empty stomach also.

As I go through this process I’ll be paying close attention to my body, mind and emotions for any signs of detoxing too fast. Headaches, diarrhea, upset stomach and mood swings can occur if a person eliminates the toxins too fast. Personally and I guess luckily, I’ve never had any issues with detoxing or cleansing in the past.

That’s about it really. There are many types of herbs and products used for detoxing and cleansing but these are what I’ve decided on this time around. I’ll keep you posted on the results as I go.

I hope to be reporting in as clean as a whistle in a few weeks.

Stay well…and smile.

Doug

 

 

 

Tagged with: detox diet • detoxify diet • for detox • why detox

Filed under: Master Clense

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