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LIVE WELL WITH LAURA

Fancy a detox?

by Laura Burkett-Holstine, HHCLaura Burkett, HHC

Believe it or not, there was a time where fasting or detoxifying was not done to look better in a bikini.

The whole concept of cleansing has morphed into another “get clean, lose weight” gimmick that, for many, can actually do more harm than good. 

Fasting was once used strictly for spiritual purposes, allowing energy to move up freely through the body (rather than hang in the lower chakras digesting all sorts of food).  Fasting could then allow the physical body to be a container for spiritual awakening and a new clarity of vision.

For a three, five, or seven day cleanse, it's best to start where you are then decide what the next logical step would be. 

If you're eating a diet rich in processed foods and animal protein it may feel quite jarring to go on a water or juice fast too abruptly. For many, a seven day period of whole foods, rich in berries, cherries, sprouts, and greens can help the body rebalance more gently. Those with a dominant pitta (heat) or kapha (congestion) constitution can typically handle a slightly more vigorous approach.

In other circumstances, like aggressive treatment of disease, a vigorous period of cleansing or fasting may have its place. For most though, simply adding in some of spring’s natural harvest can work wonders in detoxifying the body naturally. 

Rather than focusing on taking foods out of the diet, experiment with adding a lot of the following foods into the diet from this point forward through the spring.

1. Dandelion tea – One of the first things to pop out of the ground in spring, dandelion root, a member of the rizome family, literally pulls mucus of the villi in the intestinal walls (think of all the heavy foods eaten during the colder months). Tumeric also has this detoxifying quality.

2. Greens – Naturally bitter in flavor, leafy greens are the perfect antidote to the heavy, watery quality of spring. 

3. Daikon radish – Used as a weight loss aid in Macrobiotics, the daikon radish works to dissolve fat the body does not need. A little goes a long way. Simply grate a raw radish into salads or wraps. No cooking required.

4. Sprouts – Up to 400 timesthe phytonutrients as the actual plant itself, sprouts work as a “fertilizer” and have tremendous energetic properties due to their abundance of natural enzymes.

5. Berries and cherries – The strawberry is the first fruit to make its appearance in spring with good reason. These bright red berries work to flush impurities from the body.  Cherries, a combination of both a berry and a fruit, is our last of the spring harvest to take advantage of before summer provide it’s own harvest.

6. Water with lemon – The simplest and most often overlooked cleansing technique out there lies in a simple morning routine. Set a pint size glass of room temperature water beside your bed each night with half a lemon. Upon waking, squeeze your fresh lemon in your water and drink the whole glass first thing in the morning. The lemon works to literally flush the lymphatic system (the system responsible for moving wastes from the body). The consumption of lemon water in the morning at consistent times can also help relive constipation naturally (no coffee required!).

If you happen to struggle with sinus pressure, congestion, or frequent colds in the spring, you may be dealing with a kapha imbalance. There is nothing inherently wrong with this. Be mindful to correct kapha imbalance by limiting dairy and wheat, and adding in many of the foods listed above. 

Given half a chance, the body will work to balance itself out naturally. Also, consider rising from bed a bit earlier. The longer one sleeps in, the deeper the body goes into the kapha part of the day. Many experience this imbalance after sleeping in to 10:00 am feeling surprisingly groggy, even with the extra sleep.

If you are currently eating a clean, natural, and modest diet, the transition into juicing and fasting may be more appropriate.

Happy sprouting!

Interested in learning more about nutrition, yoga, understanding your food quirks, and your role as an eater, check out Yoga & Weight Loss: A Mindful Approach, beginning Thursday April 14 at 10:30am.

Visit Laura at www.RealFoodWellness.com