Spring is finally here and I have created a special spring detox for all my readers.! A few weeks ago, I couldn’t stand the cold and wet anymore so my husband and I took off to enjoy 2 sunny weeks in Palm Desert to stay with friends. I enjoyed the sun and warmer temperatures so much that I almost did not want to come home-no, that’s not entirely true- I did not want to come back to the rain and the cold period.
However, duties called so back we flew. Once home again we had 4 days of black clouds and torrential rainfall. “That’s it, I said, let’s go back!”
One week later, the weather has suddenly warmed, there are buds and green leaves coming out on the trees and our grass is ready to mow . I am having trouble sleeping at night because our resident sea lions and eagles are barking and chirping all night as it is officially “herring season”.
Oh no! Today we are back to more rain and plummeting temperatures again Quite frankly, I am just a little annoyed. Enough already, I am ready for spring (and summer).
For so many of us north of San Francisco, it has been an usually cold and snowy winter. I should not complain. Living on the west coast our snow was gone 3 weeks ago. Everyone I have spoken to across Canada and the eastern States says that this year, especially, their bodies and minds are sooooo ready for the new birth of spring.
I have just been reading that traditional Chinese Medicine associates anger and irritation with our liver.. When spring comes, the liver gets revved up wants to get on with it’s job . As your hardest working organ, what is the liver’s job? Mainly, cleansing and detoxification ! (You’ll learn more about this in a seminar in Week 4 of my upcoming Ageless Body program).
So this spring (yes, it’s officially started March 20) , I want to give you a system that assist your liver in doing its job which is so much a part of spring and the renewal of everything that grows. You can support your liver by doing the following spring detox:
- A wonderful habit I learned as a patient at Sanoviv, a world renown holistic hospital and medical retreat center, is to have ½ a lemon in a cup of warm water as soon as you wake up in the morning. You can add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper to increase this cocktail’s effect if you like.. The lemon activates the liver, which enhances digestion. Lemon also alkalizes the body .
- Have this same drink before your lunch and dinner as well to enhance your digestion and alkalize your body
- One of my favourite authors and lecturers is Dr. Libby Weaver from New Zealand. Dr. Libby recommends eating many of our vegetables from the Brassica family, which includes cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, turnip, and collards. All these vegetables contains sulfur which help to support the liver. Watch my blog for some delicious recipes this spring using these vegetables, especially in salads and green smoothies.
- Let’s get spicy! To help your digestion, add turmeric, curry, ginger, and cumin to your meals. These spices are also super anti-inflammatory-especially turmeric. The product I recommend for my clients with joint issues contains a large amount of turmeric, as well as glucosamine, born and silica. Amazing results from this combination to ease the pain of osteoarthritis and promote cartilage health.
- Take some time to let your body sweat in an infrared sauna.. Your skin is the largest organ in your body. 30-45 minutes in an infrared sauna is plenty to detoxify your body, with the added benefit of burning 600 calories while you sit there and relax with a book and a glass of water or green tea . Make sure you shower after your infrared treatment or your skin will re-absorb all those toxins you just got rid of through your skin. A word of caution here to any one with metal in your body. Please check with your doctor before enjoying a sauna.
- Another trick I learned at Sanoviv is fry brushing your body with a loofah! This is terrific for your circulation and further helps your body to detoxify through your skin.
- These are just a few ideas to enhance your spring body renewal. You can try one or all of them.
I’d love to hear your comments. If you enjoyed this article, please leave me a comment on my Facebook page
www.facebook.com/carolynhancox.
To your great health,
Carolyn Hancox Barr
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