Cleansing and detoxing is a trend that is growing in popularity and more and more people are understanding why it is so important to periodically flush your system.
Imagine your body as an individual working at a desk and everyday all day they keep getting more and more work loaded onto that desk, even late into the night when it needs to have a rest it may not always have one. It’s very hard to keep up with the workload when there isn’t ample time to catch up. This leads to a system that ends up unable to do its best work, which we need our body to do so that we can stay healthy and strong. We find ourselves feeling sluggish, stressed, gaining weight easier, having more severe allergy symptoms, for example, as a direct result. Periodic detoxing helps our bodies so that they can have the opportunity to catch up.
The basic functions of detoxification is to improve the optimal functioning of all organs and systems in the body and to safely and effectively remove any toxins that are diminishing that optimal function.
Detox in Chinese Medicine
In Chinese Medicine the Liver is one of the organs most associated with spring. The Spring is a beautiful time of regrowth, rebirth, and renewal. The Liver’s primary responsibility is to filter the blood coming from the digestive tract, detoxify chemicals and metabolize drugs.
It is no coincidence that Spring happens to be the perfect time to detox. Detoxing in the winter months isn’t optimal because our core body temperature drops. That said, now that the days are warmer being a little cooler in our bodies is balanced with the warmth in the air around us. The idea of Spring cleaning can be applied to physically cleansing ourselves in harmony with nature’s rhythm.
Did you know that the liver is our primary organ of detoxification? Everything we eat and drink is processed by the liver. This is the organ that helps to detoxify our bodies and help us to get rid of what we don’t need. Giving it an opportunity to feel supported and cleansed helps so that it can function at its best and keep us healthy. It is no surprise that the wisdom of Chinese Medicine would associate our Liver with the season of spring.
There are a few ways to support the liver in its process of detoxification.
- Intermittent fasting- Intermittent fasting is one of the fastest growing dietary trends today. There are many different variations of it. Essentially intermittent fasting means that we restrict the hours in a day in which we eat. So for example, one way to do it is to only eat within an 8 hour window per day. So you would skip breakfast or dinner so that you are only eating in that 8 hour window. Benefits include increased energy, weight loss, blood pressure and blood sugar lowering effects, and an increase in testosterone and growth hormone.
- Dandelion greens and roots, which are abundant now, have a purpose. Dandelion root is typically used as a liver cleansing supplement. The bitter greens are great too and can be easily integrated into your springtime meals.
- Apple Cider Vinegar- helps to gently detox the liver. It also helps to boost our immune system and is a perfect food to help transition from the Standard American Diet.
Clearvite Detox Program:
In our clinic we recommend an individualized detox plan that typically includes the Clearvite detox program. It is a 2-3 week program of daily supplementation with Clearvite along with a diet that eliminates the most inflammatory foods.
Clearvite is a hypoallergenic powdered supplement that contains enzymes, vitamins and herbs that help to support your liver and detoxification pathways. It also helps to balance blood sugar, reduce inflammation, and heal the digestive tract.
Please contact us if you would like more information about how to detox!
