Nutrition

Notes on doing a DIY Gentle Cleanse

I had a great time last night giving the Detox talk for Southside Booty Camp. A special thanks to camper Julie who graciously opened her home and was a lovely host! Jessica asked me to write a little something to highlight some of the things I touched on during the talk last night for those who were unable to attend.

Spring is a great time to plan an intentional detox or cleanse for yourself. It is a season of transition, physically and energetically, from inward to outward. We see this in the animals and plants around us as they emerge from hibernation and the comforts of the soil. That which has been stored over winter may no longer serve us in Spring. A detoxification plan can work to facilitate this transition physically, mentally, and spiritually.

The goals of a DIY gentle Cleanse include:

· Something that can be easily added into your daily routine

· Optimize and support all the organs of Elimination

· Decrease your Total Body Burden by Minimize intake of toxins, Mobilize toxins, and Maximize excretion of toxins

· Address the physical, mental, and spiritual realms

If you are under the care of a physician or following a medication regimen, please inform your health care provider that you are planning on doing a light detox as it may shift the metabolism of certain prescription medications.

Plan ahead and pick a time to start. You can do this detox for 1 to 3 weeks .

Our primary organs of elimination include: Skin, Lungs, Kidney, Colon/Liver, and Mind. Below are some suggestions to optimize function of each, this is not an all-inclusive list, but some of what we touched on during the talk last night:

SKIN

· Minimize toxic load from your skin care products. Take a look at the Environmental Working Group’s latest post on how to read product labels and know what chemicals to avoid http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/

· Dry Skin Brushing before bed

LUNGS

· Decrease exposure to chemical irritants including strong perfumes and pollution

· Deep breathing after exercise, as part of a meditation practice, or relaxing before bed

KIDNEY

· Take a break from coffee, soda, alcohol (it doesn’t have to be cold turkey)

· Substitute green tea, coconut water, or herbal teas

GUT/COLON/LIVER

· Minimize toxins in your food. Use the www.ewg.org “Dirty Dozen/Clean 15” to prioritize organic picks

· Castor Oil Packs 3-4 nights per week to tonify the Liver

DIET

· Pick one or two food groups to eliminate from your diet. These may be foods that you are suspicious or curious about it’s effect on your body and energy. Some ideas to start with: gluten, dairy, corn, soy, nightshades, citrus.

· Increase your fiber intake. Your goal should be 25-30 grams per day. It is best if fiber comes from fresh vegetables such as broccoli, artichokes, beets, dark leafy greens, turmeric, burdock, onions, garlic.

MIND

· “Unplug” your cell phones, TV, computers, etc 30 minutes earlier in the evening

· Clear the clutter of your mind and your home (maybe organize a goodwill drop-off)

These are very basic fundamental suggestions, a place to start. Following these tips will point you (and your body) in the right direction toward enhancing your body’s ability to Detoxify that which you no longer need.

For those of you who were unable to join us last night and are interested in learning more, I will be hosting a Detox class at my office, Tilia Natural Health, on Wednesday evening April 20 6-8pm. This class will go into more depth and detail about detoxification plans. You can learn more about it: www.tilianaturalhealth.com

In health,

Jamine Blesoff, ND, & Booty Camper Extraordinaire!