Detoxification
Toxins are near enough unavoidable in the body, we are constantly exposed to them in our daily lives, a normal level of toxins in a healthy body should be no problem and our bodies natural detoxification pathways will deal with them. However, when toxins accumulate our normal bodily functions become impaired, so here are some little recipes to do that'll help keep your body clean and happy.
Where do toxins come from?
The body itself is constantly producing toxins as byproducts of our metabolism, for example, the body produces acidic compounds as a result of the breakdown of foods we ingest. These levels of toxins are normal and no problem for a healthy body to handle, however, an unhealthy build-up of toxins can be caused by lifestyle factors such as:
- A poor diet consisting of processed and refined foods, excess sugar, fat and simple carbohydrates.
- Drugs, alcohol, tobacco and caffeine.
- Poor quality air and water that has been polluted by humans existence on this planet.
- Microbial pathogens such as bacteria, viruses and fungi.
- Stress and emotional negativity.
Indications of high toxicity within the body
- Frequent infections caused by an impaired immune system
- Fatigue - post viral and chronic
- Skin complaints such as acne and eczema
- Headaches that are not caused by dehydration
- Sleep disturbances
- Digestive problems
- Obesity
- Arthritic and rheumatic complaints
- Hypertension
- Water retention
- Cardiovascular disease
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Autoimmune disease
How our body naturally eliminates toxins
Our bodies are truly amazing and if we take good care of them then we have little need for concern. When it comes to toxins we have many lines of defence and systems put in place that work constantly to get on top of the pollution that we are exposed to on a daily basis. Our main channels of detoxification are our colon, liver, kidneys, lymphatic system, the skin and our respiratory system, however, all these organs work in conjunction and if one is impaired then the others suffer so regular cleansing of the body is paramount to ensure the effectiveness of our bodies. I'd personally recommend doing a full body cleanse twice a year even if you're super healthy, its best to give your body a helping hand.
The detoxifying Liver Flush
This is to be done for a period of 10 days.
First thing in the morning make a smoothie of the following ingredients:
- The juice of a whole lemon or lime (Use a lemon if you are someone who is prone to feeling cold and use lime if you are a person with a hot constitution)
- 1/2 pint of fresh apple juice (or another vegetable juice like carrot, celery or beetroot if you want to keep the sugar content low, however, for taste I would recommend apple)
- 1tbs of cold-pressed virgin olive oil
- 1 clove of garlic
- 2tsp of freshly grated ginger
- A pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
Drink this concoction and then DO NOT eat for 2 hours after consuming.
After finishing the smoothie make up a detox tea consisting of all or some of the following herbs; dandelion root and leaf, burdock root, yellow dock root, nettle leaf, red clover flowers, uva ursi leaf, liquorice root, cardamom pod, fennel seed, fenugreek seed, clove buds, cinnamon inner bark (quills), pau d’arco bark, juniper berries, citrus peel, dried ginger root. (However. if this list seems extensive and the ingredients are hard to come by then it's just as effective to use plain old nettle tea, if you want to learn about the additional benefits of nettle then check out this post )
To make this detox tea place 1 dessertspoon of the herb mix into a pan, add 1 pint water, bring this to the boil and then simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on. Then strain out the plant material and drink at least 2 cups of this tea over the 2 hour period following the smoothie.
After you've done this you can continue with your normal dietary routine.
The detoxifying Kidney Flush
This is to be done for a period of 10-14 days.
This recipe is based on Stanley Burroughs’ “Master Cleanser”
This one is a bit more simple compared to the liver flush, however, just as effective. Upon rising consume the juice of a whole lemon or lime and 10 drops of cayenne pepper (Capsicum minimum) tincture in half a litre of water (if you don't have access to cayenne pepper tincture then the powder will suffice). Also for those with a sweet tooth who may find this drink hard to tolerate, a tsp of maple syrup can be added.
Do not eat for 30 mins after drinking the kidney flush
This cleanse is to be done as a precursor to the Liver Flush described above.
Good Luck cleansing your bodies! And if you want me to do another post detailing herbs and detoxification protocols for the skin, lymphatic system and bowels then let me know in the comments 💫 💬
