Toxicity is an unavoidable aspect of modern life and will affect the working of our bodies and cells. This is evident in the way we feel the day after we have consumed more alcohol than normal, watched a child have a moment of bad behaviour after consuming a packet of brightly coloured sweets or realising that our ability to eat the same foods we did at 20 is not there any more at 50. For some folk, toxicity shows up in symptoms such as headaches that occur with prolonged exposure to a difficult person or intense electro-magnetic radiation. Like it or not there are toxins in our food, our water and the air we breathe without consuming any ‘bad stuff’.
In the Spring as new growth begins to show in nature, our bodies naturally move away from needing the fats to keep us warm on cold dark days and towards fresher tasting foods. Whilst there is still little on offer to eat in the garden, during lent, the Spring solstice on 21st March offers us a particularly good moment to shed some toxicity from the body built up over winter.
For some people giving up coffee and chocolate and drinking more water is enough of a detox; for others a vegan, sugar free, gluten free diet is ideal. Whether you decide to take up fasting, bikram yoga and coffee enemas or just an extra daily walk around the park, I suggest that alongside any detoxification you do try and increase your intake of chlorophyll relative to other foods. My family are all having a green drink for breakfast during lent (recipe below).
The liver is the primary filter for all of the toxins, both those ingested orally (food/drinks) and emotionally in our bodies. It processes our stress and keeps the body balanced correctly to make all the body systems perform. Fasting conditions (or just a lack of the usual toxins) gives our liver a chance to process the fat cells and extraneous material that builds up over time.
One of the most important naturally produced antioxidants that helps the liver do its job is sodium dismutase. The internal availability of this antioxidant diminishes over time but can be supplemented,especially helpfully during detoxification period. Green Bay’s green Wheat or Green Barley Grass powder is an easy way of achieving this and can be added easily in a small amount, to a jug of water with the juice of half a lemon and sipped as required. Personally, I like to enhance that the extra water consumed during a detox with a few electrolytes and minerals to increase the take up of nutrients.
Green Drink:
1/2 small glass apple juice
green leaves/cucumber/apple
1/2 banana, celery stick
Green Bay Green Barley grass powder 1 tsp
Water to taste.
Whizz in a jug and drink!
Here’s looking forward to a bouncy start to summer!
Wishing you very good health,
Jo