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Spring Detox

On Sunday I ran one of my favourite classes Spring Detox with guest speaker Dr Marilyn Golden and what an incredible speaker she was!  I have heard lots of speakers talking on natural health and healing, mostly in the USA along my travels and Dr Marilyn Golden would have to be one of my absolute favourite as she is able to validate everything with her medical background. Not only has Dr Golden practised traditional medicine she has also studied homeopathy, clinical nutrition, aromatherapy, phytotherapy, traditional Chinese medicine, menopausal medicine and laser therapy and acupuncture.

Because of her comprehensive qualifications in most disciplines of healing, Dr Golden integrates all systems of diagnosis and therapy to achieve an optimum healing results.

To find out more about Dr Golden feel free to go to her website www.marilyngolden.com.au

Oh and she has also been a raw foodist for 7 years!

Being Spring time detox is the word of the month. It is a perfect time of year to cleanse your body after eating heavier, more warming foods throughout fall and winter.

Why is cleansing/detoxing so important?

v In today’s society, we are exposed to more pollutants than at any other time in history. Drugs, processed foods, sugar, alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, stress, pollution, etc..

v Lack of sleep, exercise, sun and fresh air also contribute to a toxic overload.

v As a result the body has to work harder to eliminate these substances, which can lead to toxic build up.

v These toxins are often stored in fatty cell membranes and fat cells throughout the body. This can interfere with the vital functioning of the cells.

v Accumulation of toxins can contribute to fatigue, aches and pains, poor short term memory and concentration, bad breath and foul body odour, constipation, IBS, acne and skin rashes, premature aging and some chronic health challenges.

There are many different detox programs available these days which can be a bit confusing and overwhelming. Below are some simple diet changes you can make today to reduce your level of toxicity and help your body detoxify naturally.

Helpful Detox Tips:

• Avoid processed, packaged foods as much as possible.
• Eliminate foods containing artificial colours, flavours, additives, flavour enhancers, preservatives and hydrogenated fats.
• Eliminate all caffeine, dairy, meat, butter, chocolate, beans, eggs, corn, soy, salt, sugar, grains, nuts and oils. Once you get the hang of it, it's really quite easy.
• Avoid smoking cigarettes, taking any recreational drugs, and limit alcohol consumption as they are highly toxic on the body and put extra strain on the liver and kidneys.
• Avoid carbonated drinks and reduce caffeine as much as possible, except for green tea which contains many antioxidants and helps boost metabolism.
• Skin Brushing. With the skin having the largest surface area the skin acts as a back up for all other elimination organs. Skin brushing is an amazing way to drain excess lymph and cleanse and detoxify your body the easy way. Just 10 minutes every morning will tone your skin, keep it soft and smooth, improve your complexion and stimulate your immune system.
• Avoid chemicals in the rest of your daily life e.g cleaning products, cosmetics, deodorants
• Eat lots of green sprouts like snow pea shoots, sunflower greens, buckwheat greens, alfalfa sprouts, radish, mustard and broccoli sprouts which are amazingly high in protein, vitamins, minerals and enzymes (you can learn how to grow your own sprouts by coming to the sprouting and fermenting class on the 31st October)
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• Drink plenty of good quality water and fresh green vegetable juices
• Try using a sauna or steam room a few times a week
• Get sufficient sunlight
• Get plenty of sleep to help the body rejuvenate as the body needs all the energy it can get to rid itself of toxins
• Try meditating once a week
• Do aerobic, resistance and stretching exercises daily.  They also help to speed up the detoxification proces
• Drink the juice of one lemon with warm water and a pinch of cayenne pepper when you wake up. This helps to open the circulatory system and alkalinize the body fluids, which speeds up the rate of detoxification.

Foods that assist in the detoxification process:

Thankfully there are many foods which help the body in detoxifying.

Green Foods- these are our greatest friends in the pursuit. They help us in detoxifying the liver. They have great chlorophyll content and be eaten in many diverse forms; raw, juiced, blended and in salads. The Chlorophyll rids the body of harmful environmental toxins from smog, heavy metals, herbicides, cleaning products and pesticides. Fill your refrigerator with blue green algae, barley, wheatgrass, kale, spinach, spirulina, alfalfa, rocket, and any other dark leafy greens you can get your hands on. Vary your greens every week.

Garlic- this pungent bulb stimulates the liver in producing detoxification enzymes that help filter out toxic residues in the digestive system. Adding garlic to any dish will help aid in detoxification.

Sea vegetables. In addition to containing all the minerals known to be important in human health, and most likely many that have yet to be discovered, sea vegetables are powerful detoxifiers. They have the ability to bind heavy metals and carry them out of the body. They are also rich in nutrients and phytochemicals. They are loaded with chlorophyll, fiber and minerals  including significant amounts of sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and  many other trace minerals naturally found in the ocean.

Lemons, oranges and limes – These citrus wonders have a great ability to convert toxins into water soluble components. They aid the body in flushing out toxins, as well as jump starting the digestive tract with enzymatic processes. They also aid the liver in it’s cleansing processes.

Vitamin C is one of the best detox vitamins around as it transforms toxins into digestible material.

Sesame seeds – helps fight chemical imbalance and toxin build up. Sesame seeds contain sesamin and sesamolin, two substances that are thought to prevent high blood pressure and protect the liver against oxidative damage.

Broccoli Sprouts – Extremely high in antioxidants, broccoli sprouts can help stimulate the detoxification enzymes in the digestive tract like none- other. The sprouts are actually more effective than the fully grown vegetable.

Mung beans- The mighty mung bean has been used by Ayuervedic doctors for thousands of years. It is incredibly easy to digest and absorbs toxic residue on the sides of the intestinal wall.

Fruits – these are a natural cleanser. They are rich in antioxidants, vitamins like Vitamin C and fiber.They are extremely high in liquid content so as to help the body wash out toxins.

Cruciferous Vegetables- Studies have shown that eating foods in this family speeds your livers ability to detoxify toxins. They are also known to prevent cancer. The cruciferous family includes: kale, cabbage, bok choy, broccoli. Cauliflower, brussel sprouts, mustard greens, turnips, watercress and rocket.

Chia and flax seeds – prebiotics for gut bacterial growth and hormone detoxification

Chia seeds are one of the  best sources of fiber. They are fabulous colon cleansers and actually clear out the digestive tract so that you absorb more nutrients and eliminate waste more efficiently.

Wheatgrass- is a powerful detoxifier, liver and blood protector. It cleanses the blood, organs and gastrointestinal tract of debris. It restores alkalinity to the blood and contains many beneficial enzymes.

Well what a list. Hopefully some of you are halfway there already with some of these.  Test some of these tips out for a week and notice how it makes you feel.  Try to incorporate some detoxifying foods into your daily diet. Most importantly is to have fun with it.