Below is a post I put up a few months back.  After listening to another talk about detoxification, I decided to share it with you again.  It’s super important for the body to have ways to get rid of the toxins we’re exposed to…especially now.

I attended a seminar Friday on detoxification…that is, removing toxins from the body.   There are essentially 3 categories of toxins:  environmental (auto, air, and pesticides), lifestyle (artificial food additives, alcohol, caffeine, meat-treated antibiotics, various cosmetics/body products, cleaners, etc), and endogenous toxins (originate within the body from metabolic processes like turning food into energy).

Possible symptoms of toxic overload include: brain fog, mood swings, difficulty sleeping, fatigue, puffiness, inflammation and headaches.

Due to the toxins that surround us daily, it’s important to incorporate detox practices into your routines. Here are just a few:

1. Get at least 7 hours of sleep each night.  The liver cleanses while asleep.  Between 10pm – 2 am is when the body naturally goes through its major detoxification process. The horizontal position encourages blood to go to the liver versus when we’re upright.

2. Nourish your body with organic foods that are free from pesticides, herbicides, additives, etc.  Eat plants (especially broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, olive oil, garlic, berries, omega fatty acids), get adequate protein and make sure you eat foods with fiber.

3. Elimination…Bowel movements at least once a day are necessary for detoxing. Fiber assists in this process. 

4. Hydration…Drink half your body weight in ounces of filtered water each day. Avoid plastic water bottles (these bottles are heated then filled with water which allows the plastic toxins to combine with the water inside).

5. Exercise and SWEAT! Exercise gets the lymph moving and sweating flushes out toxins.

Note: The lymphatic system is a network of tissues and organs that help rid the body of toxins, waste and other unwanted materials.  Its main function is to transport lymph (a fluid containing infection-fighting white blood cells) through the body. Unlike blood, which flows throughout the body in a continual loop, lymph flows in one direction, upward toward the neck (this is important to know for the next detoxing practice).

6. Dry Brushing…ok this might sound a little strange but bare with me.  Dry brushing involves brushing the skin (yes dry) with a natural bristle brush to stimulate lymph flow. It encourages detoxification by increasing blood circulation and promotes lymph flow and drainage. It also provides smoother skin, boosts circulation, and invigorates the body. This a a great routine to add to a morning shower. Start at the feet and hands and brush toward the heart. Do this prior to showering.

7. Deep breathing (belly breathing)…Deep breathing helps move lymphatic fluid and this practice is a great way to manage stress.  Stress is a big factor that affects the congestion of the lymph system.

 

 

There are also great supports at The Wellness Agora.  I’ve tried multiple services here and they’re amazing.  The Wellness Agora  I highly recommend checking it out.

With all the talk around illness lately (yeah, you know what I mean), it’s important that we don’t neglect the amazing body that we have. Good luck detoxing!

I attended a seminar Friday on detoxification…that is, removing toxins from the body.   There are essentially 3 categories of toxins:  environmental (auto, air, and pesticides), lifestyle (artificial food additives, alcohol, caffeine, meat-treated antibiotics, various cosmetics/body products, cleaners, etc), and endogenous toxins (originate within the body from metabolic processes like turning food into energy).

Possible symptoms of toxic overload include: brain fog, mood swings, difficulty sleeping, fatigue, puffiness, inflammation and headaches.

Due to the toxins that surround us daily, it’s important to incorporate detox practices into your routines. Here are just a few:

1. Get at least 7 hours of sleep each night.  The liver cleanses while asleep.  Between 10pm – 2 am is when the body naturally goes through its major detoxification process. The horizontal position encourages blood to go to the liver versus when we’re upright.

2. Nourish your body with organic foods that are free from pesticides, herbicides, additives, etc.  Eat plants (especially broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, olive oil, garlic, berries, omega fatty acids), get adequate protein and make sure you eat foods with fiber. 

3. Elimination…Bowel movements at least once a day are necessary for detoxing. Fiber assists in this process. 

4. Hydration…Drink half your body weight in ounces of filtered water each day. Avoid plastic water bottles (these bottles are heated then filled with water which allows the plastic toxins to combine with the water inside).

5. Exercise and SWEAT! Exercise gets the lymph moving and sweating flushes out toxins.

Note: The lymphatic system is a network of tissues and organs that help rid the body of toxins, waste and other unwanted materials.  Its main function is to transport lymph (a fluid containing infection-fighting white blood cells) through the body. Unlike blood, which flows throughout the body in a continual loop, lymph flows in one direction, upward toward the neck (this is important to know for the next detoxing practice).

6. Dry Brushing…ok this might sound a little strange but bare with me.  Dry brushing involves brushing the skin (yes dry) with a natural bristle brush to stimulate lymph flow. It encourages detoxification by increasing blood circulation and promotes lymph flow and drainage. It also provides smoother skin, boosts circulation, and invigorates the body. This a a great routine to add to a morning shower. Start at the feet and hands and brush toward the heart. Do this prior to showering.

7. Deep breathing (belly breathing)…Deep breathing helps move lymphatic fluid and this practice is a great way to manage stress.  Stress is a big factor that affects the congestion of the lymph system.

 

There are also great supports at The Wellness Agora.  I’ve tried multiple services here and they’re amazing.  The Wellness Agora  I highly recommend checking it out.  I’m also going to remind you about the apple cider vinegar drink I mentioned in an earlier post.  I’m a believer that it helps fight the bad bacteria (see the post or here’s the recipe…8 oz of warm water, 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, squirt of lemons juice. Add a teaspoon of honey if the concoction is too tart for you). Be careful doing this daily because it affects the enamel on the teeth.  You can buy apple cider vinegar in capsule form at most grocery stores.

With all the talk around illness lately (yeah, you know what I mean), it’s important that we don’t neglect the amazing body that we have. Good luck detoxing!

While doing some research around inflammation, I came across a few interesting articles on apple cider vinegar.  Besides using it in salad dressing, it has some amazing benefits.  Here are a few mentioned:

*helps reduce inflammation due to the healthy bacteria and enzymes it contains…good for the gut

*can help lower blood sugar levels

*gets rid of bad breath (it kills the not-so-great bacteria that causes bad breath)

*calms an unhappy stomach by aiding in digestion 

*soothes a sore throat

*boosts energy

*slows down aging (the antioxidants and high concentration of beta-carotene, calcium, and potassium protect cells and promote turnover.

Check out this article:  Benefits Of Apple Cider Vinegar (Click to go to the article)

Besides drinking it, it’s also is great for hair and skin.  Here are a few other uses:

*it helps eliminate dandruff (since it’s acidic, it prohibits the yeast-causing dandruff to form)

*rinsing your hair with it brings out natural highlights

*soak nails in it if you have stains from leaving polish on too long…takes a few times to start seeing results 

*aids in diminishing pimples…dab some on the acne flair up before bed.

*soothes skin irritations…add a few drops to bath water and soak

*helps alleviate pain from bug bites or other skin irritations…apply directly on the bite or sensitive area

Another interesting article: More Uses For Apple Cider Vinegar (click to go to the article)

I’ve added it to my skin care regiment and drink it everyday.  Because it’s so bitter, I add a bit of natural/raw honey and a squirt of lemon juice.  

Here’s the receipe: 8 oz warm/hot water, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, squirt of lemon juice and a teaspoon of honey. 

Try it out!  See what you think.

 

A few weeks ago, I had a mini course for my certification around self care, specifically related to hygiene. I found it very interesting because we discussed how all the products we use to “take care” of ourselves have quite a few toxins in them.  Our skin is the largest organ and its porous surface creates opportunities for toxins to enter the bloodstream and circulate throughout our body.  How many products do you use in a day? Unfortunately, a lot of these products are not regulated and companies claim that the amounts of toxins are so small that they don’t affect us.  But, these toxins do build up over time. Harsh chemicals in our products have wiped away the good bacteria from our skin, therefore we need to restore our skin’s natural biome.

I decided to do research on products that are natural and promote healthy benefits for the skin and body.  I then started a regiment on myself and my son (he’s had issues with breakouts and dermatologists just want to put him on meds).  We’ve been doing our regiments for a month now and I am ecstatic about several things:

1.  My skin feels so much better!
2. My son’s skin has significantly improved!
3. IT’S SO MUCH CHEAPER THAN THE CRAP I WAS BUYING BEFORE!!

Here are some tips, products, and an article around natural oils. Keep in mind, we all have different skin types, sensitivities, so before smearing things all over your face, try it on a small area to see how your skin reacts. 

My son is 17 and has periodic breakouts, some worse than others. Here is his regiment:

1. Wash with unfiltered, raw honey only once a day. He does this at night, then in the morning, he wipes his face with a warm, wet cloth (Yes you read that right…honey. Honey is a great bacteria regulator. You can find it at Trader Joe’s or Fresh Thyme).

2. Spray with Mother Dirt AO Mist morning and night after cleansing (this probiotic spray regulates the bacteria on the skin…it’s a miracle spray for him). However it is $49 for the bottle, but it beats drugs from the dermatologist. He also started seeing results fairly quickly. Mother Dirt Products

3. Moisturize with 100% pure and natural rosehip oil morning and night (be sure the ingredients say 100% rosehip). Our skin gets oily because it’s not getting the moisture it needs and over produces oil to compensate. Oil helps return it to a balanced state. Rosehip is lightweight and helps minimize scars. You can buy it anywhere from $10-12 a bottle and it lasts forever because you just need a little. I ordered mine on Amazon.

4. Use tea tree essential oil to spot treat larger pimples.  This is another miracle product.  Tea tree oil contains antibacterial properties that destroy the acne-causing bacteria. You can get this at the grocery store, Walgreens/CVS, Amazon.

My skin tends to be dry and I have some dark spots. Here is my new regiment:

Morning: Wipe with warm cloth, spray with the Mother Dirt AO spray listed above, rosehip oil, then tea tree oil on dark spots or problem areas.

Night: Remove makeup with either apricot oil or sweet almond oil, wash with raw, unfiltered honey, spray Mother Dirt AO spray, then moisturize with 100% sweet almond oil and I put a drop of lavender essential oil in it. Don’t use almond oil if you have a nut allergy. You can find this at the grocery store, Walgreens/CVS, or Amazon.

Here is an interesting article about products and various oils to use.  There is also an easy homemade recipe for a brightening mask (honey, fresh squeezed lemon juice, and oregano).  Natural Face And Body Oils

I’ve also bought a few natural soaps for the shower at the store Lush (West County Mall and the Galleria). They sell fresh, handmade cosmetics.  However, beware…spending too much time in there will not help the pocket book! It’s reasonably priced but easy to get sucked in to all the products 🙂

Again, what works for my skin might not for you.  However, it’s worth looking into due to  the amount of money that can be saved and most importantly, the benefits of reducing toxins in the body.