Spring has most certainly sprung and summer is simmering in the background.
Cleanse your mind and body, nourish with spring foods and fluids, reset your health and create exuberant energy for the warm season ahead.
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The following tips are simple, achievable and will help set you on your Cleansing path.
1. GET YOUR PRODUCE STRAIGHT FROM A FARM, A MARKET, YOUR GARDEN OR A CONSIDERATE WHOLEFOODS STOCKIST.
I recommend organic fruit and vegetables but if you can’t afford them get to know The Dirty Dozen. These contain a whole lot more pesticide and are better bought as organic.
Check out The Dirty Dozen List. After all, cleansing is about reducing your chemical load and detoxing!
2. EAT OR DRINK YOUR BITTERS.
Essentially the action of bitter substances is mediated by the bitter – sensitive taste buds in your mouth. They do more than just taste the food. They are connected neurally in such a way that their stimulation leads to the release from the gut wall into the bloodstream, a hormone called gastrin as well as enhance hydrochloric acid, saliva and bile flow. In short, the action of bitters is seen to enhance the whole upper digestive function and improve the assimilation of nutrients.
3.
BUY GRASS FED OR PASTURED MEAT, POULTRY, DAIRY AND EGGS.
These animals are healthier and therefore produce healthier food, richer in essential fats such as omega 3 and overall nutrients.
4. CONSUME STOCK AND BROTH.
Consuming bone broth during a cleanse is especially important as it not only assists with the detoxing effect but also supports our organs and nervous system throughout the process and makes us feel satisfied and comforted. Bone broth is rich in minerals, amino acids, healthy fats and gelatine excellent for musculoskeletal and digestive health. Bone broth also helps our bodies release stored toxins and enables us to repair and heal gently. Consuming bone broths while cleansing creates an environment for healthy bacteria to flourish and grow in the gut and this healthy bacteria forms the foundation for our digestive system, immunity and gut/brain health. Making your own is easy peasy. Use a slow food cooker or a good cast iron pot. Throw in bones, herbs, vegetables, a pinch of natural salt, a squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of apple cider vinegar and water. Simmer on low and long.
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5. GET TO KNOW AND TAKE CARE OF YOUR DIGESTIVE SYSTEM FROM TOP TO BOTTOM.
Prepare your food with joy and gratitude.
Smell it, taste it and let your eyes feast on it. Your senses begin the digestive process.
Eat in a relaxed state.
Chew, chew, chew until liquid. Your digestive system is a first class food processor, blender, mixer and chopper. Swallow each mouthful before you put the next one in.
Slow down.
Become aware of when you’ve had enough to eat.
Don’t miss the cue to move your bowels.
Squat…
6. EAT YOUR HERBS!
Some meals simply aren’t complete without the addition of delicious herbal flavours; think Lamb & Rosemary, Pork & Fennel, Mint & Watermelon. But beyond palatability, fresh (or dried) herbs impart significant therapeutic benefits. Try the following to not only enhance taste, but also the medicinal value of a dish:
Rosemary has a woody scent that works extremely well in any lamb dish or liver pate. Therapeutically, it has antimicrobial, analgesic (pain-relieving), antioxidant and antispasmodic properties and stimulates detoxification. It can be made into a tea to increase mental concentration, calm constrictive headaches, anxiety, colic and wind. It is also wonderful for memory – which is why rosemary is worn on Remembrance Day.
Basil adds a warm and sweet flavour to tomato dishes. It blends particularly well with oregano and marjoram. Therapeutically, the natural essential oils give this herb anti-infective and anti-inflammatory properties.
Fresh herbs also offer green chlorophyll for extra detoxifying effects.
To learn more about the medicinal properties of herbs, and the ingredients of your teas, go to my A-Z Therapeutic Guide.
To learn more about how herbs are used in tonics and other applications – for the herbalist in you, go to Herbal Medicine
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