Page 47 - Phonebox Magazine January 2011

- PHONEBOX WELLNESS SPECIAL - PHONEBOX WELLNESS SPECIAL
Hopefully you Have had a Merry Christmas and enjoyed the New year celebrations. However you
may feel that it is now time to consider clearing out your body
from some of the excesses(!)
De-toxing is the removal of toxins from the body; this is mainly done by the liver, supported by the
kidneys and large intestine. Toxins are, for example, in alcohol, refined food and stimulants and can build up when a lot have been consumed.
Most of us know the basic idea of cutting out alcohol and coffee to purge ourselves, but to ensure toxins are eliminated well you also need to drink plenty of water and exercise. This helps keep things flowing and aids removal of any toxins.
one simple approach is to start each morning with a cup of hot water with a slice of lemon in it to flush the system. Continuing with drinks, both Nettle and Dandelion tea are good for cleansing the blood and help improve kidney and liver function. Milk thistle is a useful herb to support the liver, particularly if a lot of rich food and drink have been taken.
If you do want to de-tox seriously, you need to be aware that you may have an initial reaction (as many who have given up coffee will tell you) e.g. tiredness or headaches. These should go after a few days, but it means that you are better off if you start at a weekend when you can rest more and drink plenty of water.
When considering diet, eating just organic fruit and vegetables for a couple of days is a popular route, although it may take some planning - such as hiding tempting foods and getting used to eating more fruit and vegetables beforehand. If you find eating vegetables sounds too difficult, you could make vegetable soup for the two days.
looking at more ‘alternative’ methods, there is an ayurvedic process called oil pulling, which involves swishing oil around your mouth for 20 minutes first thing each morning. This is said to pull toxins out and into your spit, though again it may lead to headaches.
To support your body with its cleanse, treatments such as Reflexology, Shiatsu massage or acupuncture encourage the free flow of energy around the body, so can help to shake off the effects of de-toxing.
finally, now might also be a good time to consider food intolerances. for example, if you find you get bloated or ‘thick headed’ after eating certain foods, this may mean you have a problem digesting them. people often have a suspicion that they have a problem with certain foods, so why not try completely cutting out one such food for a fortnight (although you may initially feel tired or get headaches) and see if your energy improves afterwards.
Note – if you are pregnant or have health problems, consult your health practitioner
New Year De-Tox
Phonebox Magazine 47