Finally in Melbourne, after what seems like such a long winter (possibly due to being stuck in our houses due to lock down rather than the actual winter weather), spring is here. The weather is getting warmer and we feel more energised and want to get outside (as much as we can given our present limitations). Once the weather gets warmer, we also gravitate more towards lighter food and the spring harvests tend to encourage that too.
A great way to get into the spring season is to do a detox. Winter comfort foods tend to be heavier and are more work for the liver to digest. We often tend to eat more junk food in the colder weather as well. When we are healthy, our bodies and organs are pretty incredible at being able to deal with the unhealthy stuff we put in our bodies, but a little support for our bodies goes a long way. A detox can support the liver, kidneys, adrenals and lymphatic system so that our body can function in an optimally healthy way. The belief is that by detoxing, we are helping our body and its organs reach an optimal level of health, helping the body to break down toxins (preservatives, alcohol, transfats, food additives, chemicals from pesticides etc) and thus helping us feel better, be healthier and be more energetic. Some signs that a detox might be a good idea for you is if you feel tired, have aching joints, headaches and a general heaviness. Or you would just like to give your organs a bit of a break and be optimally healthy.
I personally don't believe in doing a radical detox but there are many ways out there to do a detox. There are juice cleanses, colonic cleanses and many others. You can also do it simply by just eliminating from your diet everything that is processed (especially sugar) as well as meat, dairy and wheat (inflammatory foods). And of course drink lots of water & do exercise daily. I find that when I detox in spring, I feel less tired than I normally do at the beginning of spring, so I am all for a simple detox. You can do it for 21 days if you are up for a huge challenge but even just doing it for a week or even less will be helpful to your body.
Doing a detox is a great way to feel more energized, to lift that heaviness and other unhealthy symptoms, decrease brain fog, help mood swings and break food cravings and just get your diet into a healthier place.
It is a good idea to get the help of a nutritionist or naturopath when doing a detox, just so you know that you are doing good things for your body as there are some pretty extreme detoxes out there, which may not always be healthy for everyone.
There are many ways to support a detox. You can drink teas such as peppermint, nettle, red clover, dandelion to support the organs in the detox process. Essential oils and magnesium sulfate (epsom salts) are also great to support a detox. Essential oils including
juniper berry, lemon, grapefruit, cypress, peppermint,
pine,
ginger, rosemary & black pepper are great aromatic support for the body when doing a cleanse.
Juniper berry is well known for its support for the lymphatic system and for clearing toxins in the body. It is also good for ridding negative energy in general.
Lemon is also well known for its detoxifying abilities and its support of the circulatory and lymphatic system. Similar to lemon,
grapefruit is a well known lymphatic stimulant and both of these oils are useful for raising your energetic vibration.
Cypress is great support for the circulatory system and its ability to move energy (qi).
Peppermint is useful as a circulatory and lymphatic system stimulant. It also helps to overcome any headaches you might have at the beginning of a detox.
Rosemary is a great oil to help move qi and
pine is also a great lymphatic stimulant while black pepper is a great circulatory stimulant. You can use any of these oils together in a bath with epsom salts, or in a foot bath or just drop a few drops on the floor of the shower or blend your favourites together in a diffuser.
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