It’s spring, such a welcome time of year, and you’ve probably said it, “I need to do some spring cleaning”.
It’s not just the house that needs to be aired out and cleaned up but we do too.
After a winter slumber, where we ate lots of comfort foods and probably exercised less (after all, who wants to get outside when it’s freezing cold and wet), spring is the perfect time to start shedding those pounds we put on and giving our body a spring clean.
Every toxin you come into contact with must be filtered through the liver. That includes herbicides and pesticides from our food, the air we breathe, the body care products we put on our skin and hair and that glass of wine we love so much.
The liver is the second largest organ in our body and it is also the most overworked. Given that we now understand the degree to which we are exposed to toxins on a daily basis, it is easy to see how our livers are being put into overdrive. When the liver becomes overburdened, it loses its ability to function efficiently. This leads to a cascade of potentially serious health consequences and uncomfortable reactions.
I’ve got a few questions to ask you:
Do you wake up at night?
If you wake up consistently between 1:00am and 3:00am, your liver may be asking for some support. While we sleep, the liver becomes more active and works on cleansing and detoxification. Waking up around this “liver time” can signal that the liver is exhibiting signs of toxicity and needs some cleansing. Many times this happens from eating either too much sugar in the evening or animal protein.
Eye problems?
Conjunctivitis, lots of mucus, itching, macular degeneration, dry eyes, and cataracts indicate liver weakness. Another physical clue is a vertical line between the eyebrows.
Skin problems?
Eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, skin rashes, acne and dry skin are clues.
Angry emotions?
If the liver is congested and being forced to work too hard, it becomes “hot,” causing excessive anger and irritation.
Hormonal imbalances?
PMS, hot flashes, and pre-menopausal symptoms are increased due to a congested liver.
Constipation?
This condition can often be caused by a congested and toxic liver or even stressed adrenals. The colon should still be addressed, but it is often not the root cause.
So, what do we do to help our overburdened liver (this is taken from my Spring Detox Program)?
- Eliminate toxins from your diet and your life as best you can.
- Drink pure (filtered) water throughout the day.
- Drink your lemon water first thing every morning.
- Eat dark greens, preferably raw, every day (e.g. “green juice,” a big or a green salad). Eat lots of celery (a good source of plant sodium that helps support the adrenals), watercress, broccoli, kale, cucumber, spinach, romaine, fresh herbs like basil and cilantro, and sour green apples.
- Eat animal protein between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. It can be stressful for the liver to eat the animal protein later in the day or evening, especially if you are showing signs of liver stress.
- Remember, you need protein to support and detoxify the liver. In addition to protein naturally found in foods, good complete protein sources can be found in beans, nuts, and seeds such as hemp seeds and chia seeds.
- Eat dinner at least 2-3 hours before bedtime.
- Make sure the colon is supported and clean. When toxins remain in the colon, they are sent back to the liver. The liver then sends them right back down to the colon in the bile. To help permanently eliminate these toxins from the body, add extra fiber, probiotics, and filtered water.
- Sweat! Saunas and exercise are a good way to sweat. Another way is the toxin elimination bath (details provided in your resources) at least 3-4 times per week.
- Assist your lymphatic system – Use a body brush every day to stimulate your lymphatic system and help move lymphatic fluids. You can also lymphasize, which is a way to stimulate lymphatic drainage, ridding your body of toxins, wastes, trapped protein, bacteria, and viruses. What do you need to do? Jump on a mini-trampoline — this is called rebounding. This creates an ideal condition for cleaning the cells. The vertical acceleration and deceleration help the cells squeeze out waste.
If you want to know more about my Spring Detox Program, send me an email to northshorenutrition@shaw.ca.
In good health,
Cheryl
