How would you like to start your day with an awesome antioxidant packed smoothie that has a ton of medicinal properties as well? This turmeric smoothie recipe is perfect for that.
The Benefits of Turmeric
Turmeric is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family. The average person may best recognize turmeric as a spice commonly used in Indian cuisine. The active compound curcumin is known to have a wide range of medicinal benefits including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumour, antibacterial, and antiviral activities. In India, turmeric has been used for thousands of years as a remedy for stomach and liver ailments. Turmeric can also be used topically to heal sores due to its antimicrobial properties.
Turmeric is also the liver’s favorite spice and helps boost liver detox. It does this by assisting enzymes that actively flush out dietary carcinogens. Be sure to check how powerful turmeric can be in treating depression as well.
Turmeric Smoothie Recipe Ingredients:
For these ingredients, try and use organic as much as possible. Also try not to substitute actual milk for hemp or coconut milk. If you need, you can try almond milk as well.
There’s no such thing as ‘detoxing’. In medical terms, it’s a nonsense. Diet and exercise is the only way to get healthy. But which of the latest fad regimes can really make a difference? We look at the facts
■ Diets: The science behind the latest fad diets
■ Exercise: Fitness regimes that are worth the pain
Cucumber, lemon, celery, spinach and kale juice, anyone?Photograph: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images
Whether it’s cucumbers splashing into water or models sitting smugly next to a pile of vegetables, it’s tough not to be sucked in by the detox industry. The idea that you can wash away your calorific sins is the perfect antidote to our fast-food lifestyles and alcohol-lubricated social lives. But before you dust off that juicer or take the first tentative steps towards a colonic irrigation clinic, there’s something you should know: detoxing – the idea that you can flush your system of impurities and leave your organs squeaky clean and raring to go – is a scam. It’s a pseudo-medical concept designed to sell you things.
“Let’s be clear,” says Edzard Ernst, emeritus professor of complementary medicine at Exeter University, “there are two types of detox: one is respectable and the other isn’t.” The respectable one, he says, is the medical treatment of people with life-threatening drug addictions. “The other is the word being hijacked by entrepreneurs, quacks and charlatans to sell a bogus treatment that allegedly detoxifies your body of toxins you’re supposed to have accumulated.”
If toxins did build up in a way your body couldn’t excrete, he says, you’d likely be dead or in need of serious medical intervention. “The healthy body has kidneys, a liver, skin, even lungs that are detoxifying as we speak,” he says. “There is no known way – certainly not through detox treatments – to make something that works perfectly well in a healthy body work better.”
Much of the sales patter revolves around “toxins”: poisonous substances that you ingest or inhale. But it’s not clear exactly what these toxins are. If they were named they could be measured before and after treatment to test effectiveness. Yet, much like floaters in your eye, try to focus on these toxins and they scamper from view. In 2009, a network of scientists assembled by the UK charity Sense about Science contacted the manufacturers of 15 products sold in pharmacies and supermarkets that claimed to detoxify. The products ranged from dietary supplements to smoothies and shampoos. When the scientists asked for evidence behind the claims, not one of the manufacturers could define what they meant by detoxification, let alone name the toxins.
Spinach and broccoli smoothie.
Yet, inexplicably, the shelves of health food stores are still packed with products bearing the word “detox” – it’s the marketing equivalent of drawing go-faster stripes on your car. You can buy detoxifying tablets, tinctures, tea bags, face masks, bath salts, hair brushes, shampoos, body gels and even hair straighteners. Yoga, luxury retreats, and massages will also all erroneously promise to detoxify. You can go on a seven-day detox diet and you’ll probably lose weight, but that’s nothing to do with toxins, it’s because you would have starved yourself for a week.
Then there’s colonic irrigation. Its proponents will tell you that mischievous plaques of impacted poo can lurk in your colon for months or years and pump disease-causing toxins back into your system. Pay them a small fee, though, and they’ll insert a hose up your bottom and wash them all away. Unfortunately for them – and possibly fortunately for you – no doctor has ever seen one of these mythical plaques, and many warn against having the procedure done, saying that it can perforate your bowel.Other tactics are more insidious. Some colon-cleansing tablets contain a polymerising agent that turns your faeces into something like a plastic, so that when a massive rubbery poo snake slithers into your toilet you can stare back at it and feel vindicated in your purchase. Detoxing foot pads turn brown overnight with what manufacturers claim is toxic sludge drawn from your body. This sludge is nothing of the sort – a substance in the pads turns brown when it mixes with water from your sweat.“It’s a scandal,” fumes Ernst. “It’s criminal exploitation of the gullible man on the street and it sort of keys into something that we all would love to have – a simple remedy that frees us of our sins, so to speak. It’s nice to think that it could exist but unfortunately it doesn’t.”That the concept of detoxification is so nebulous might be why it has evaded public suspicion. When most of us utter the word detox, it’s usually when we’re bleary eyed and stumbling out of the wrong end of a heavy weekend. In this case, surely, a detox from alcohol is a good thing? “It’s definitely good to have non-alcohol days as part of your lifestyle,” saysCatherine Collins, an NHS dietitian at St George’s Hospital. “It’ll probably give you a chance to reassess your drinking habits if you’re drinking too much. But the idea that your liver somehow needs to be ‘cleansed’ is ridiculous.”The liver breaks down alcohol in a two-step process. Enzymes in the liver first convert alcohol to acetaldehyde, a very toxic substance that damages liver cells. It is then almost immediately converted into carbon dioxide and water which the body gets rid of. Drinking too much can overwhelm these enzymes and the acetaldehyde buildup will lead to liver damage. Moderate and occasional drinking, though, might have a protective effect.Population studies, says Collins, have shown that teetotallers and those who drink alcohol excessively have a shorter life expectancythan people who drink moderatelyand in small amounts.“We know that a little bit of alcohol seems to be helpful,” she says. “Maybe because its sedative effect relaxes you slightly or because it keeps the liver primed with these detoxifying enzymes to help deal with other toxins you’ve consumed. That’s why the government guidelines don’t say, ‘Don’t drink’; they say, ‘OK drink, but only modestly.’ It’s like a little of what doesn’t kill you cures you.”This adage also applies in an unexpected place – to broccoli, the luvvie of the high-street “superfood” detox salad. Broccoli does help the liver out but, unlike the broad-shouldered, cape-wearing image that its superfood moniker suggests, it is no hero. Broccoli, as with all brassicas – sprouts, mustard plants, cabbages – contains cyanide. Eating it provides a tiny bit of poison that, like alcohol, primes the enzymes in your liver to deal better with any other poisons.Collins guffaws at the notion of superfoods. “Most people think that you should restrict or pay particular attention to certain food groups, but this is totally not the case,” she says. “The ultimate lifestyle ‘detox’ is not smoking, exercising and enjoying a healthy balanced diet like the Mediterranean diet.”Close your eyes, if you will, and imagine a Mediterranean diet. A red chequered table cloth adorned with meats, fish, olive oil, cheeses, salads, wholegrain cereals, nuts and fruits. All these foods give the protein, amino acids, unsaturated fats, fibre, starches, vitamins and minerals to keep the body – and your immune system, the biggest protector from ill-health – functioning perfectly.So why, then, with such a feast available on doctor’s orders, do we feel the need to punish ourselves to be healthy? Are we hard-wired to want to detox, given that many of the oldest religions practise fasting and purification? Has the scientific awakening shunted bad spirits to the periphery and replaced them with environmental toxins that we think we have to purge ourselves of? Susan Marchant-Haycox, a London psychologist, doesn’t think so. “Trying to tie detoxing in with ancient religious practices is clutching at straws,” she says. “You need to look at our social makeup over the very recent past. In the 70s, you had all these gyms popping up, and from there we’ve had the proliferation of the beauty and diet industry with people becoming more aware of certain food groups and so on.“The detox industry is just a follow-on from that. There’s a lot of money in it and there are lots of people out there in marketing making a lot of money.”Peter Ayton, a professor of psychology at City University London, agrees. He says that we’re susceptible to such gimmicks because we live in a world with so much information we’re happy to defer responsibility to others who might understand things better. “To understand even shampoo you need to have PhD in biochemistry,” he says, “but a lot of people don’t have that. If it seems reasonable and plausible and invokes a familiar concept, like detoxing, then we’re happy to go with it.”Many of our consumer decisions, he adds, are made in ignorance and supposition, which is rarely challenged or informed. “People assume that the world is carefully regulated and that there are benign institutions guarding them from making any kind of errors. A lot of marketing drip-feeds that idea, surreptitiously. So if people see somebody with apparently the right credentials, they think they’re listening to a respectable medic and trust their advice.”Ernst is less forgiving: “Ask trading standards what they’re doing about it. Anyone who says, ‘I have a detox treatment’ is profiting from a false claim and is by definition a crook. And it shouldn’t be left to scientists and charities to go after crooks.”
(NaturalNews) When looking to improve your eyesight, it seems that eye exercises are the most commonly prescribed method to do so. Although it is an important component, there are many other factors you need to consider if you want to seriously improve your eyesight.
Detoxify your liver
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, there is a strong relationship between your liver and eye health. Improving the health of your liver can often help prevent and improve eye conditions.
The liver is your main detoxifier and filter of your bloodstream. Any toxins you ingest eventually end up in your liver to be broken down and excreted from your body. The better your liver is at detoxification, the fewer toxins you will have in your body.
However, when the liver becomes compromised, the quantity of toxins increases, causing free radical damage and harm to your organs and tissues. The delicate retina and macula in your eyes are very vulnerable to free radical damage, and it can have a seriously negative impact on your vision. Free radicals can attack the retina and result in the breakdown of healthy tissue.
Liver blood deficiency can cause blurry vision, short sightedness, dry eyes and floaters. If you have excessive liver heat, it can result in painful, burning and blood shot eyes.
Based on these points alone, it becomes apparent that detoxifying your liver is an important component to improving your eyesight naturally.
Nourish your eyes and brain
As a general rule, eating plenty of raw vegetables that are rich in antioxidants and various carotenoids (typically yellow, orange and red pigments) will help protect and improve eyesight. This is mainly accomplished through lutein and zeaxanthin, two specific antioxidants found in large quantities around the lens and retina of the eyes, which have been shown to reduce the risk of macular degeneration.
Another important source is astaxanthin, known as the "King of Carotenoids."
Also consider eyebright herb, cayenne pepper, red raspberry and bayberry bark for additional benefits, as well as foods high in zinc such as pumpkin seeds, spinach, beans, beef and chicken.
Another important part of clear vision is brain function, so ensure that you eat plenty of healthy brain foods as well like wild-caught salmon, avocados, coconut oil, hemp, walnuts and brazil nuts.
Eye exercises
One of the best ways to do eye exercises is to use the sun as the focal point (do not look at it directly but, rather, around it) during less intense sunlight hours (typically before 9 a.m. and after 4 p.m.) in order to strengthen the "oculo-endocrine system."
Quite simply, the key to this therapy is the invisible ultraviolet band, and the retina. While the visible bands of light stimulate the retina's cone and rods that produce vision, the invisible band stimulates the adjacent epithelial cells, which transmit the stimulus as a powerful nerve impulse through the optic nerve directly to the pituitary and pineal glands. This is a powerful healing and strengthening exercise for the eyes.
To put this powerful force to use, try the "sun blinking exercise":
• Look once to the north of the sun (about 15 degrees above it) while blinking the eyes for 3-5 seconds • Do the same after looking to the east (right), south (below) and west (left) of the sun
Again, do not look directly at the sun, as the as the part of the retina we want to hit with the rays of the sun is on the sides and not the center.
Detoxifying Your Third Eye
By Estella Hoad | Rise Earth
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I mentioned earlier in my post about Pre-Cleansing and Intent Setting, one of my goals is to detoxify and decalcify my Pineal Gland. I want to share this information because it is something that has completely inspired me. Here’s a little bit of background first!
The Pineal Gland
(from wikipedia): “The pineal gland (also called the pineal body, epiphysis cerebri, epiphysis, conarium or the third eye) is a small endocrine gland in the vertebrate brain. It produces the serotonin derivative melatonin, a hormone that affects the modulation of wake/sleep patterns and seasonal functions. Its shape resembles a tiny pine cone (hence its name), and it is located near the centre of the brain, between the two hemispheres, tucked in a groove where the two rounded thalamic bodies join.”
This pineal gland is activated by light, and it controls the various bio-rhythms of the body. It works in harmony with the hypothalamus gland which directs the body’s thirst, hunger, sexual desire and the biological clock that determines our aging process. When it awakens, one feels a pressure at the base of the brain. To activate the ‘third eye’ is to raise one’s frequency and moving into higher consciousness – all is a consciousness experience perceived through the Eye of Time or Third Eye.
While the physiological function of the pineal gland has been unknown until recent times, mystical traditions and esoteric schools have long known this area in the middle of the brain to be the connecting link between the physical and spiritual worlds. Considered the most powerful and highest source of ethereal energy available to humans, the pineal gland has been seen as a gateway that leads within to inner realms and spaces of higher consciousness. Awakening the third eye acts as a “stargate.”
Meditation, Visualization Yoga, and all forms of Out of Body travel, open the Third Eye and allow you to ‘see’ beyond the physical.
Calcification of the Pineal Gland
Most people’s pineal glands are heavily calcified by the time they are 17 years old, so much so that they show up as a lump of calcium during an MRI. Calcification is the build up of calcium phosphate crystals in various parts of the body.
The pineal gland begins to calcify due to the harmful effects of artificial substances such as flouride chemicals found in public water systems and toothpaste, hormones and additives put into processed foods and sugars and artificial sweeteners dumped into soft drinks. Cell phones are also being pinpointed as being harmful to the pineal gland due to high concentrations of radiation.
calcified_pineal_gland
Benefits of Detoxifying and Activating Your Pineal Gland
Detoxification and Activation of the third eye can bring vast improvements of our life. An open third eye brings clarity, concentration, perspicuity, bliss, intuition, decisiveness and insight as well as:
- Vivid dreams.
- Lucid dreams.
- Easier to astral project.
- Better sleep.
- Enhanced imagination.
- Enabling Aura viewing, seeing energy, seeing beings, and seeing with eyes closed.
- Clear channels and ablitly to feel energy.
A closed third eye or “Ajna Chakra” in Hindu tradition brings with it confusion, uncertainty, cynicism, pessimism, jealousy, envy and one sidedness.
How To Decalcify Your Pineal Gland
The idea of having a calcified pineal gland can be likened to a door being glued shut. Although the pathway is unable to be used while it is glued shut, it is still a doorway never the less! With constant pushing the door will eventually break open. Below you’ll find what are said to be some of the best ways to decalcify your third eye (The * indicates that they should be taken with at least one of the other things mentioned for full effect.):
- Avoid all things fluoride: Tap water, cooking with tap water, fluoridated toothpaste, inorganic fruits and vegetables, showers with out filter, red meat, and any sodas and artificial food and drinks. I know how difficult it can be to stick to only organic fruit and vegetable but it is important to start where you are and begin to make those changes where it is possible.
- Pineal gland detoxifiers and stimulants: Hydrilla Verticillata, Chlorella, Spirulina, blue-green algae, Iodine, Zeolite, ginseng, borax, D3, Bentonite clay, chlorophyll, blue skate liver oil.
- Foods: raw cacao, goji berries, cilantro, watermelon, bananas, Honey, Coconut Oil, hemp seeds, seaweed, and noni juice.
- Essentials oils can be used to help stimulate the Pineal Gland and facilitate states of spiritual awareness, meditation, astral projection, etc. Good essential oils for Pineal Gland purposes include: Lavender, Sandalwood, Frankincense, Parsley, Davana, Pine, Pink Lotus, and Mugwort (excess use of Mugwort has a neurotoxin effect if inhaled directly, so be careful!). Essential oils can be inhaled directly, burned in a diffuser or nebulizer, and added to bath water.
- Citric acid (LOTS of lemons* will work.)
- Garlic* (Take about half a bulb a day or more for a while, if you crush it and soak in raw apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice it will deodorize it. Use the leftover vinegar or lemon juice on a salad. Personally, I drink it all down.)
- Raw apple cider vinegar* (Contains malic acid. Take a lot of it. Make sure it’s raw, as that is very important. Braggs is the best brand) Everyday I fill a 1 Quart Mason jar with Ionized Alkaline water, 8 tablespoons of Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 tablespoons of raw, local honey. This has so many benefits aside from the pineal gland!
- Sungazing (Gazing at the sun during the first 15 minutes of sunrise and last 15 minutes of sunset will do wonders for your pineal gland)
-Regular Meditation and Chanting. Chanting causes the tetrahedron bone in the nose to resonate and this resonance causes the Pineal Gland to be stimulated and when it is stimulated it secretes more beneficial hormones, and remember: these beneficial hormones keep your appearance youthful. The sound “OM” resonates with the Fourth Chakra, known as the Heart Center, the seat of Unconditional Love. Chanting OM opens you up to Universal and cosmic awareness. You can chant up to 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or however long you desire to.
- Crystals that benefit the Pineal Gland include: Amethyst (wand), Laser Quartz (wand), Moonstone, Pietersite, Purple Sapphire, Purple Violet Tourmaline, Rhodonite, Rose Aura, and Sodalite. However, any indigo, violet, or dark purple gemstone or crystal can be used to stimulate the Pineal Gland and open/balance/align the 6th and 7th Chakras. Placed directly on the 3rd eye or brow chakra for 15-30 minutes a day or every other day will help to open/balance/align the 3rd Eye (Brow) chakra and prevent/remove calcification of the gland. The best exercise for Pineal Gland stimulation and health is to take an amethyst obelisk crystal or an amethyst wand, point it at the 3rd eye (point of the wand should touch your skin) and look up directly at the Sun with your eyes closed. Do this everyday or whenever you feel like it for about 5-10 minutes. The Sun’s rays will penetrate through the base part of the obelisk or the end part of an amethyst wand and beam directly into the Pineal Gland stimulating it. You can also use the Laser Quartz (wand) as well. Quartz crystal benefits every single chakra.
- Magnets. Attaching a magnet (that sticks by adhesive) to the part of your skin above your 3rd eye (located between your two physical eyes but slightly higher or slightly above the eyes) for a few hours throughout the day will also stimulate the Pineal Gland and help to decalcify it. Magnets cause the body to become alkaline, especially the part of the body where the magnet is attached. Any strength (gauss) magnet will work, but only use magnets on the head area during waking hours. The energy from Ra (Sun) will magnify the strength of the magnet’s effect on the Pineal Gland.
- Natural Entheogens (not for everyone): Ayahuasca, Psilocybin Mushooms, peyote, changa, cannabis, salvia, DMT and more.
Like with most things, finding a “remedy” for something that is not quite so straight forward isn’t the answer. The search for a “remedy” in itself is a train of thought that is lazy, mechanistic, and not one in line with the specific goal here. However, what is required is dedication, time, and work. I will be implementing some of these proposed remedies as part of my upcoming fast along with beginning a regular practice of meditation and chanting… not specifically as a “cure-all,” but rather as an opportunity to take the energy my body normally uses for digestion and redirect it toward healing and development in order to reaffirm my intent for the future.
Here is a great video if you’d like to learn more:
When you enter into a detox program, your body-mind goes into dump mode as it purifies itself and eliminates its toxic built up. There may be few symptoms or there may be several. Your body will use its organs of elimination to remove toxins. You may also experience mental and emotional symptoms as the toxins recirculate through your bloodstream and brain on their way out of the kidneys.
The five major organs of elimination are the gastrointestinal tract, the kidneys, the lungs, the liver and the skin. As you begin your detox, these organs will begin to accelerate their respective toxin releases. Remember that the more toxic you are the more you may experience detox symptoms. If they become uncomfortable, simply back off your program a bit. Slow down or shorten your program. If you need to back off, that should be a red flag for you that you are quite toxic and really need a cleanse. You will need to do more frequent and shorter cleanses until you can manage a detox with little or no symptomology. We will discuss a maintenance schedule later.
As a precautionary note, some of your old suppressed symptoms may reappear or escalate. Remember the body uses the same routes in illness and in detoxification. If you find yourself becoming symptomatic, check in with yourself. It is important to continue the detox and not medicate yourself. You are dumping toxic chemicals including medications and do not want to reintroducing them. Again, slow down by having a very light meal like steamed vegetables or an apple until the discomfort subsides. It is preferable to simply ride out the storm. You will be doing short cleanses in the beginning and your body-mind will soon adapt to detox sessions.
You may experience general symptoms to some degree. Mild headaches are quite common. The dull, achy types are the norm. The pain relates to toxins being dumped into the bloodstream and circulated throughout the body and brain before elimination. Weakness or lethargy is common as well. Your body is focused on cleaning and diverts energy internally instead of for motion and strength. Achy muscles and flu-like symptoms may appear as toxins work their way out of your musculature. Get a massage. Body temperature tends to decreased on a cleanse. So bundle up!
The lungs will release toxic gases trapped in the blood during normal respiration. In detox mode, the lungs off gas chemicals and natural substances at different rates to balance your body as the other elimination organs remove the trash. You may sense a change in respiratory rates or getting ‘winded’ easily. Take it slow and dial back on activity during a detox. You are shifting gears from external activity to internal cleansing activity. Your body needs to focus and not be overstimulated.
The liver is a major internal player. You will not notice many symptoms here either although this is where the lion’s share of toxins reside and need to purge through the bile duct into the gastrointestinal tract for expulsion. The liver converts or plays a role in the conversion of every process in your body. If it identifies toxins often times it will sequester them. Your liver is like the oil filter on your car. The difference is that your liver never gets changed. So you have to clean it internally with detoxes. You may experience discomfort over your liver area (right side at and below your ribcage) and deep within the right side of your abdomen. Supplementation, massage and manual manipulation of the liver will help reduce this discomfort. As the detox progresses, any discomfort will subside.
Your gastrointestinal tract runs from your mouth through your stomach and into your small intestines and colon to exit via the rectum and anus. The tract is one long tube outside your body. As food and drink move along its length nutrients and metabolic water are absorbed. The GI tract makes every attempt to absorb only nutritious substances and even has mechanisms to eliminate toxins quickly. The challenge is when only garbage is coming in, the tract absorbs everything it can of value. The downside is that it picks up toxins as well. If you eat all natural and organic food stuffs, your body-mind would not get toxic.
As you detox, all the gunk, grit, grime and slime begin to break free and are expelled. This means you will likely experience freedom from constipation and even diarrhea. This is your body dumping toxins at an accelerated rate. No need to worry, just hydrate. You may have bloating and gas as well as a bit of nausea. The nausea may be two fold; from the toxic release and from the change in diet. Add more juices as you can tolerate them. Give your gut a free ride with enemas and colonics. Be wise with your usage of colonics or enemas and hydrate.
One of the hallmark signs of detoxification is a coated tongue. Your tongue will get coated and possibly discolored. The more gunk on the tongue, the more toxic you are. The tongue is an indicator of what is happening all along your GI tract. This is real work being done here. As you might imagine, you will have foul breath as well. Use something natural if you are offensive. Do not use a chemical mouth wash. Chew on some mint leaves and remember when the tongue clears so does the gut. For the moment…
Skin is the largest toxic organ. Every single little pore is a possible toxic removal site. So this means your skin may get pimples, rashes or other lesions. This is a great sign that you are eliminating toxins. Once this clears you will see beautifully renewed and vibrantly healthy skin unlike you have even seen before. Don’t put anything on your skin that you would not eat. Ouch! Anyone out there using cosmetics please take note. I have a shoulder you can cry on. And while you are at it, grab a loofah or a pair of those cool skin massage gloves and starting scrubbing. Working the dead skin off and opening the pores is great for your skin.
Your kidney will handle the brunt of toxic liquids they filter from your bloodstream. You want to make sure your kidneys are in good working order. The more you pee the more you flush those toxins out and the less discomfort you will experience. There are a host of supportive herbs for the kidneys. Drinking distilled water will greatly assist with the removal of liquid waste. It will pull toxins out of your bloodstream at an alarming rate.
With all this body talk, I would be remiss if I left out your psychological welfare. Restricting one’s diet and doing a cleanse takes dedication and will power. It can be a bit overwhelming at the onset and you may feel all alone. This time can also bring up past emotions that need to be purged as well. Let them go and know that you are doing something positive for yourself and that the return on your invest will be well worth it. Hang in there and seek supportive friends, family or organizations.
Along with the mental game, you may actually have cause for some of the other disturbances. Since the toxins will be flowing, you may experience irritability or anxiousness. Some of these toxins are excitatory and can get you revved up in a negative way. Ride it out while you flush it out. Remember the distilled water. You may have difficulty sleeping or odd cravings. Pain is technically a psychological beast and can be overridden with some practice. Try meditation, yoga or nature walks. The discomfort will subside. http://naturalhealthwarriors.com/methods-of-elimination-and-common-detox-symptoms/
Q. Thanks for joining us Khabir. For the benefit of our readers can you share your credentials as an Ayurveda expert and a brief background on your work?
I am a professional health consultant, Ayurvedic and Naturopathic practitioner, whole-foods nutritionist, herbalist and formulator, public speaker on natural self-care and an author of numerous natural health-care programs.
I maintain a busy private health-care and consulting practice in Ojai and Santa Barbara California. For over 14 years, I have successfully helped hundreds of clients and thousands of people to naturally overcome a wide range of health conditions and improve their overall health. I travel throughout southern California providing private consultations, selling herbal teas and spices, conducting workshops and lecturing on a wide range of health subjects (mostly in Whole Foods Market and other health foods stores).
I was born in Tucson Arizona (1962) and was raised as a lacto-vegetarian, by health conscious parents who began educating me about nutrition and Hatha yoga at an early age. As a teenager, I was already helping others improve their eating habits and providing medicinal teas for common health complaints. I went on to formally study western herbal medicine (1980) and the traditional nutritional sciences (1981). I pursued advanced Ayuveda studies in India (starting in 1982), specifically herbal formulations and applications, and mentored under an Ayuvedic Doctor in Northern India, Rishikesh, for about 3 years.
Why is cleansing of the liver so vital to our well being?
In our industrialized developed world we are immersed in a sea of toxic chemicals. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that half-a-million chemicals are in use today and over 5000 new chemicals are introduced yearly. Some researchers believe up to 25% of these may be carcinogenic. This is why it is crucial to employ a liver cleanse supplement and/or diet to cleanse your liver of the toxic waste of 21stcentury living. If your liver becomes overworked, it can become congested. Toxic compounds and impurities may get trapped in deposits of hardened bile. Pollutants may not be flushed out of the body, and can back up in your bloodstream.
What are the signs that I need to cleanse and detox my liver?
A sluggish liver can lead to serious fatigue, weight gain, water retention and a host of other health woes. Detoxification, that targets the liver, can help remove these unwanted poisons and enable it to function properly. A healthy liver will increase your energy, improve metabolism and help you burn excess fat.
A poor functioning liver can also manifest a malaise of symptoms that lead to misdiagnoses for other chronic diseases. This sluggishness can be prevented and also corrected through rejuvenating and cleansing your liver frequently.
Do you really need a liver cleanse?
Since the liver has more than 500 functions including storing fat soluble vitamins and some water soluble vitamins like folate and B1-12. A main function of the liver is converting sugar, fatty acids and fats into glucose and then storing glycogen for future use. Additionally the liver creates bile, metabolizes hormones, breaks down excess cholesterol, homes aldosterone and insulin and old cells and antibodies that need to be removed from the body. The liver also has a role in the immune system by producing antibodies. So when a person’s liver is congested, fatty, burdened, with too many toxins or damaged by infection, there are a wide range of symptoms including but not limited to:
Allergies
Bloating, Gas, Flatulence
Chemical Sensitivities
Constipation
Fatigue
Fatty Liver
Gallstones
Low Metabolism
Menopausal Digestive Issues
Obesity
PMS (pre-menstrual syndrome)
Poor Digestion
What is the basic protocol for your liver detoxification program?
Liver and Gallbladder Cleansing Program offers an inexpensive and easy way to detoxify, protect, and rejuvenate one of your most important organs and the many body functions it supports. When your liver functions at its best, it has the marvelous ability to recover and regenerate; all it needs from you are the proper nutrients and to be free from any toxic burden.
By cleansing the colon and the liver consecutively, you’ll focus on the top two filtration organs of the body. The combination of both therapies helps relieve poor digestion including gas, bloating, and constipation while at the same time promote healthy liver function.
BTW – This program does not include drinking Epson salts or drinking a cocktail of oil and citrus juice. This liver cleansing program utilizes herbal and nutritional therapies.
I generally follow these three steps:
Improve Digestion. First I provide pre-cleanse dietary instructions according to a person’s body-type and provide herbal solutions to achieve regular elimination which will be taken throughout the treatment period.
Intestinal Cleanse. Use a custom fiber mix and custom Ayurvedic colon cleansing/laxative as needed. I have the client drink a liver detox tea in the morning, have a green powder based on chlorella with meals and then slowly add the fiber between meals. (The fiber is both a bulking agent and has intestinal drawing properties.)
Liver and Gallbladder Cleanse. Next, I have the client continue with the liver tea or a general detox tea but have them eat a simpler diet with lots of veggies and no oil or fat in the diet. I also add another Ayuvedic powder to helps soften any stones. Then I have the person take a veggie concoction each morning with includes lemon juice, garlic and ginger at various amounts with 1 Tablespoon of olive or flax oil. Then each morning for the next 4 or 5 days the amount of oil is increased. (This process of not having any oil or fat all day and then doing so in the morning with these supportive herbs flushes the gallbladder and detoxifies the liver very effectively. )
Are there specific cleansing programs depending on different health conditions?
Different types of plans can be done based on the individual.
The MILD Colon/Liver Cleanse Plan is for individuals in good health, who have completed a colon cleanse or liver cleanse before.
The MODERATE Colon / Liver Cleanse Plan is for individuals in fair health, who have never completed a colon cleanse or liver cleanse before and have been suffering with moderate fatigue, bloating, gas, candida, indigestion or constipation. Clients in this category may have been diagnosed with fatty liver disease, elevated liver enzymes or other liver function issues.
The INTENSE Colon / Liver Cleanse Plan is for individuals in poor health, who have never completed a colon cleanse or liver cleanse before and have been suffering with severe fatigue, bloating, gas, candida, indigestion or constipation. Clients in this category may have been diagnosed with fatty liver disease, elevated liver enzymes, or other liver function issues, or diagnosed with IBS or diverticulitis.
Is there any dietary regimen one need to follow while on the liver detox?
Pre-cleanse dietary instructions according to your body-type (Ayurveda Dosha); supplement recommendations to achieve healthy digestion and proper elimination. But basically it needs to be simple with a low amount of protein, no animal protein, cooked and easy to digest vegetables and grains based on one’s body-type/Dosha. Juicing with carrots, beets and celery with other dark greens will also help the detoxification process.
What are the benefits of such a program?
Generally speaking a liver detox supports blood purification, cleanses stagnant waste from the liver, promotes the production of healthy blood cells, bile and nutritional fluids and reduces and eliminates gallbladder congestion
The overall benefits of the program include:
Healthy weight loss, improved digestion and nutrient absorption and the prevention of future health problems especially gallbladder issues and liver conditions.
The Almighty Onion…is she more powerful than we previously thought? This is an interesting topic that I discovered online several times in various forms, all relating to the theory that if you put an onion in the room of a person who is sick, the onion will ‘absorb’ the illness, and sometimes in just a few hours, the person is better. It seemed unbelievable, but I thought to myself, “Remember that one Jennifer, and if you ever need it, you have nothing to lose by giving the onion theory a try.”
Cut an onion in half to absorb bad smells & even ‘pull’ viruses/sickness from the air
A few points to note on Onion Healing:
This is not a new idea. Onions were used by certain individuals in Europe to successfully fight off the plague in the early 1900′s. Ayurvedic medicine has been using an onion poultice for the chest or feet to cure coughs, fevers and flus for centuries. They also use the onion poultice to reduce pain and inflammation in the joints. Homeopathic doctors also use the healing power of onions to heal from viruses and illness. I even know people in the North American Hutterite community, a pacifist community similar to the Amish whose traditions date back to the 16th century, who tell me it is common practice to place onions in their homes during winter flu season and to use cut onions in the room of an ill person to relieve their symptoms quickly and naturally.
It is said that white onions work better than red onions. Yellow onions would be an acceptable alternative, but white onions, with the latin name Allium Cepa, work best.
The onions need to be peeled if left around the home as a preventive measure against flu and viruses. Many people do this during flu season and find that no one gets sick, whereas in previous years with no onions, they had several members of the family fall ill. If placed around the home for prevention, the onions should be replaced every 3 months.
If someone falls ill with a cough, flu, cold or fever, immediately place a peeled white onion cut in half in a bowl in their room. The onion needs to be cut in half in order to expose the most amount of ‘healing power’ from its pungent odor.
Cut onions can also be used to eliminate mold smells in a closet, drawer or room.
It’s best not to leave a cut onion open in the fridge (to eat later) because as soon as an onion is cut, it will start to absorb bacteria, etc. So, if you cut an onion for a salad, either use the whole thing or put the other half in your garage or basement to absorb bad smells! Once the onion is in a salad in a sealed container, it is safe and can be eaten at a later time.
Perhaps the most interesting onion remedy is the Sock Onion. This is a ‘modern-day’ version of the Ayurvedic poultice, and involves cutting the white onion in half and placing one half on the bottom of each foot so that the cut onion is against the skin. Place a sock on top of the onion so it stays secure in place and leave the ‘Onion Sock’ on overnight. This is especially good for flus and fevers. One of my twitter followers recently shared her success with the Sock Onion:
The Mighty Healing Power of Onions!
Health Benefits of Onions
Onions are rich in sulfur-containing compounds that are responsible for their strong odor. Sulfur is a powerful detox element and helps the body to release toxins, especially for the liver. Foods naturally high in sulfur also help the body to detox from heavy metals like lead, arsenic and cadmium.
The onion is the richest dietary source of quercitin, a powerful antioxidant flavonoid that has been shown to thin the blood, lower cholesterol, ward off blood clots, and fight asthma, chronic bronchitis, hay fever, diabetes, atherosclerosis and infections and is even linked to inhibiting certain types of cancer.
Onions are also naturally anti-inflammatory, antibiotic and antiviral. That, of course, is when you eat them!
Onions to Heal: First to Remove Odors
Fast-forward to me being in Vilcabamba, Ecuador where I’m here renting a house for 2 months to do an extended water fast. In the first few days in the house, we noticed a very bad septic smell coming from both toilets which never got better, no matter how many times we flushed or cleaned the toilets. After we started the water fast and became more sensitive to smell, I thought to myself, What can we do which is completely natural and will still take this smell away? Then I remembered everything I read about the Almighty Onion!
That night, we sliced 2 white onions in half, placed 1 onion in each of 2 bowls and put one bowl in each bathroom overnight. The onion smell at first was very strong, but that is actually a great smell when you are water fasting (we dreamed of tomato gazpacho with onions!). The next morning, to our complete amazement, there was no more onion smell, and guess what? There was no more septic smell either!!!
Onions to Heal: Taking the Onion Sock Test
I became so excited with this discovery that I wanted to try to Onion Sock theory. Luckily, we still had 1 onion left in the house, so the very next night, we cut the onion into 4 lateral thick slices (each slice about 1/2″ thick). I use 2 slices on my my feet and gave the remaining 2 to my boyfriend who willing put them on his feet. (Yes, he is a willing participant in all of this stuff including the water fast because, one, he is very open to try new things and he trusts my skills and experience, and two, because he lost his mom to cancer 8 years ago and knows that clean diet, clean body and clean mind are the keys to good health).
Now, the interesting part of this story is that we were on Day 5 of a water fast when we tried the Onion Socks. Mainly, I wanted to see if the onion could be used as a tool to amplify the detox effects. Especially with the body being so clean, the fumes from the onion could theoretically be absorbed through the skin and pass through the body more quickly, and perhaps eliminate internal bad bacteria or even parasites.
With Onion Socks on, we waited anxiously to see what would happen. Note that both of us were feeling good all day and I felt great when we placed the onions on our feet. My boyfriend was feeling pretty tired and weak after his evening enema but had felt really good earlier in the day.
Results of the Onion Sock Experiment
After about 30 minutes with the Onion Socks on, I started to feel distinct quivers in my calves and a twitch on my left side at the rib cage. 20 minutes later, I started feeling heartburn! That was amazing. I have not had any acid reflux at all during this water fast (although is was an issue during my last water fast, all of which I explain in my ebook: Water Fasting Guide & 40-Day Journal). Shortly after that, I started to feel hot in the head. In another 10 minutes, my eyes started to tear as if I had just cut an onion, although a much milder sensation but clearly a distinct tearing.
5 minutes after that, my boyfriend told me he had the taste of onion in his mouth!
So clearly, something was happening, even if it was only onion fumes passing through our bodies and nothing else.
The next morning, we compared notes about how we felt. My boyfriend had a terrible night and barely slept and felt that the onion fumes had upset his intestinal worms (which we are sure he has and are hoping the water fast will eliminate). I felt tired and weak, the first day for me to feel that way, but I did feel better. I don’t think it was the placebo effect as I am very open to trying something and saying it doesn’t work.
And the real reason why I think it worked is because 90% of my hay fever and allergy symptoms disappeared overnight!! That is the best part of this story so far. Ever since we arrived to Vilcabama, I have been sneezing like crazy, scratching my nose all the time with excessive mucous coming out of my nose almost constantly. Well, they say that raw foodists don’t have allergies so I could not understand what was going on and I was hoping that the water fast would help. But, we went through Day 1-4 with absolutely no change and no relief, still sneezing up to 50 times a day easily. Well, after the Onion Socks, I did not have any mucous, and I went through the whole day with no itchy eyes and no itchy nose and I think I sneezed only 2 times the entire day!! Now, that is no placebo effect! Anyone who suffers from allergies can appreciate how wonderful the sense of relief is, and to find a natural ‘cure’ and experience allergy relief from 1/2 of an onion?! Wow!!
Today we went out and bought 10 more onions and we are going to continue with the Onion Socks intermittently during our water fast. I’ll update later with more results. Meanwhile, consider trying this yourself at home. I mean, what do you have to lose except for the cost of a few onions? In my opinion, it’s a safe and effective method with nothing to lose and a lot to possibly gain.
UPDATE: I did the Onion Sock again the next night, and that was it. One month later, eating again, and all sign of hayfever are still gone! I recommended this to a Natural Hygiene Raw Foodist in Vilcabamba who was also having hay fever allergies, and he had noticeable reduction of symptoms after 24 hours.
This article is not meant to diagnose any disease. For any serious medical concerns, always consult with your doctor.
