Spring is almost over and we can't help but throw open our windows and clean every inch of our house to get a fresh start on the new season. So why not take it further? After all, we have spent the winter in hibernation mode, eating more, exercising less, and getting less sunlight and fresh air. Wouldn't you like to peel away the stale, tired layers from your body just as you cleaned the junk and dust from your home?

Detoxing doesn't have to be a grim chore. A simple cleansing program can increase your vitality, booster your immune system, and leave you with healthy habits to live by all year long.

Think of your body as a well-organized sanitation system. Your five main detox systems--lymphatic, respiratory, urinary, the gastrointestinal tract, and the skin--work in concert to neutralize and eliminate potentially harmful substances, from the outside (pesticides, food additives, airborne allergens) as well as the inside (free radicals, metabolic waste). The hydrochloric acid in your stomach kills bacteria; your colon readies wastes for expulsion; your skin secretes toxins through sweat glands. The tiny vessels that make up your lymphatic system act like garbage trucks that shuttle fluids, fats, and waste throughout your body, channeling these to your liver, which constantly filters and purifies the blood.

So the question is: How can we restore normal body function and elimination?

Take a few days (or more, depending on the cleanse you choose) for renewing and supporting your organs of elimination. Cleanses vary in intensity and duration, but effective ones blend nutrition, herbs, rest and exercise to stimulate and enhance our own natural systems.

We are creatures of habit, we get into familiar patterns of eating, moving, resting, thinking, and feeling that aren't necessarily optimal, and a cleanse creates the opportunity to see things from a new perspective. In this sense, spring cleansing challenges those bad habits and sets a standard for a healthier lifestyle--one that mitigates the need for detoxifying in the first place.

Here is a simple routine for a basic cleanse; you can follow it exactly or adjust it to meet your personal needs. It calls for a light diet, herbs to support organ function, and beneficial yoga poses. This cleanse provides the benefits of fasting without the hardships. (Although, headaches, fatigue, sometimes skin breakouts happen during cleanse, it is normal, your body is getting rid of accumulated toxins). It is a good idea to consult your healthcare practitioner before starting any cleanse.

Here are some tips to follow:

* Commit to organic food. If you can't afford to buy all organic, start with one or two foods you consume most (eggs, for example), or those most likely to be contaminated with pesticides (peaches, strawberries, apples, spinach, nectarines, celery, pears, cherries, potatoes, and sweet bell peppers).

* Clean up your environment. Swap your household glass cleaner, bathroom scrub, and floor wax for natural alternatives from the health-food store. Or save money by making your own greener cleaners with natural ingredients such as vinegar and borax.

* Reassess your beauty routine. Pick one or two products to swap for natural options. Start by assessing your skin cream, since the ingredients end up in your bloodstream.

*Water – We hear it all the time, but it bears repeating. Your body is 2/3 water, and water is essential to all the processes in the body. To improve your mood, skin and metabolism try to drink at least 8 – 8 oz glasses of clean water a day.

*Eat your greens – Leafy and green vegetables like kale, spinach, and broccoli are jam packed with vitamins and nutrients to help restore vitality, and have even been shown to be effective at protecting you from certain cancers. Kale is particularly good for the liver, as it is a bitter green, which stimulates the production of bile, increasing your digestive ability. Get more greens into your diet by putting them in salads, juicing them, making green smoothies - banana and kale is a surprisingly tasty combination, or lightly steaming them. 

HERBS FOR CLEANSING

Your detox plan should support the organs and systems that naturally neutralize and eliminate toxins. These five botanicals offer a great start:

1) Milk thistle (Silybum marianum), known for centuries as a liver cleanser, has been clinically shown to increase levels of glutathione, the amino-acid compound that's necessary for toxin removal. Take a teaspoon or two of the ground seeds twice a day, or ingest it as a tea or tincture, or in capsules, according to package instructions. (Sylimarin, which is a complex of flavolignans, is another option.)

2) Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) supports the liver, the adrenals, and the immune system. It also acts as a gentle laxative. Take it as a tea or tincture according to package instructions. Licorice may not be appropriate for patients with high blood pressure, so consult your doctor before using it if you are at risk.

3) Dandelion (Taraxacum officinalis) stimulates the gallbladder, the kidneys (as a diuretic), and the liver, increasing bile production. The more bitter, the better,  at least in terms of increasing the liver's ability to function optimally. Harvest some fresh, or purchase as a tea.

4) Schisandra (Schisandra chinensis), a Chinese tonic herb, is a multitasker. It's an antioxidant, an anti-inflammatory, a liver protector--they keep finding out more about it. Chew the berries, drink the tea, or take 10 to 20 drops of tincture, up to four times a day. (Talk to your doctor if you have high blood pressure.)

5) Burdock (Arctium lappa), the cleansing herb of our grandparents, can today back up its traditional use with research. It helps protect the liver and clears toxins that lead to skin eruptions like eczema and acne. Cook with the root, or take 20 to 40 drops of tincture up to four times a day.

DETOX FOODS

These foods harbor healing promise for those looking to detox--and they're safe to consume every day.

* Apples and grapes are high in fiber to cleanse the colon. The pectin present in apples helps detoxify the gut, while the phytonutrients in grapes support the immune system, which in turn addresses toxins in the body, Both fruits are easily tainted by pesticides, so buy organic if possible.

* Artichokes are a source of antioxidants and liver-supporting cynarin. Artichoke not only cleanses this organ, but also helps convert the inactive T4 thyroid hormone to an active T3, which helps to increase metabolism and weight loss. Artichoke also helps the liver decongest fats.

* Cranberries kill bacteria in the urinary tract and contain digestive enzymes that cleanse the lymphatic system.  Unsweetened cranberry juice is available at health-food stores.

* Leafy greens like chard, kale, spinach, dandelions, chickweed, and salad leaves not only are among the most nutrient-rich vegetables, they help purify the GI tract. Buy organic--or collect fresh greens that are harvested in spring from untreated soil.

* Lemons contain antioxidant, antiseptic, and cleansing substances, stimulates liver. Once ingested, lemon's alkaline effect helps counter excess acid, while its high vitamin-C content bolsters the immune system.

* Whey, a milk protein that's rich in amino acids, offers immune-system and bone support. Research has shown it also helps the body produce more glutathione, facilitating toxin removal

** Include the following on each day of the program:

* 8 ounces of lean protein.

* Fresh vegetables, steamed or raw, favoring leafy greens (spinach, kale) and high-fiber options (broccoli, celery). Eat as much as you want.

* Lots of filtered water, as well as the MC and CJC ( see below).

*MASTER CLEANSER (MC) : Mix the ingredients together, and drink immediately.

8 ounces filtered warm (body temp) water

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon raw honey

dash cayenne pepper

*CRANBERRY JUICE CLEANSER (CJC): Mix the ingredients together in a glass, and drink immediately.

1 ounce unsweetened cranberry juice

8 ounces water

2 teaspoons green superfood (chlorophyll/ antioxidant) mixture, such as wheatgrass powder, barley powder, or any green mix you like.

 1/2 - 1 tsp blackstrap unsulfured molasses

THREE DAY CLEANSE

You can expect visible results when you follow a healthful plan such as this one. Drink plenty of filtered water each day and allow time for extra sleep. Whey protein powder, milk thistle seed, tincture of schisandra, flaxseed oil, dandelion tea, extra virgin olive oil, and green superfood are available at natural-foods stores. (Prepare the milk thistle seed in a coffee or nut grinder, and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.)

MORNING (every day of the cleanse)

* Drink 8 ounces of MC and 8 ounces of CJC

* Take I tablespoon of organic flaxseed oil and I tablespoon olive oil.

* Take 50 drops of schisandra tincture.

* Yoga Pose: Cobra. Lie on your stomach with legs outstretched. Place your palms on the floor near your rib cage. Inhale as you press your hands into the floor and lift your chest, keeping your hips anchored on the floor and pressing down with your pubic bone. Hold for 3 to 5 smooth breaths, then lower to the floor. Repeat 3 times. (According to yoga therapist Scott Blossom, the Cobra Pose puts pressure on the abdomen, assisting elimination.)

* Yoga Pose: Lying Twist. Lie on your back, your arms stretched out to the sides, in line with your shoulders. Bring your knees to your chest. Slowly let both knees fall to your left side; turn your neck and look to the right. Breathe for a few moments, then return your knees to center and repeat on the opposite side. (Doing twists massages the internal organs, encouraging sound digestion, improving circulation, and helping to detoxify the organs.)

* Yoga Pose: Seated Forward. Fold. Sit with your legs crossed and back straight. Slowly lean forward, relaxing your neck, shoulders, and spine into a comfortably rounded position. Remain folded for 5 to 10 smooth breaths, then rise up, switch the cross of your legs, and repeat. (Forward folds put pressure on the legs, triggering the liver, gallbladder, and lymph channels and promoting proper elimination patterns.)

AFTERNOON (Every day of cleanse)

* Take 2 packets of whey protein.

* Take 2 heaping teaspoons of ground milk thistle seed.

* Drink 1 cup of dandelion tea.

EVENING (Every day of cleanse)

* Drink 8 ounces of CJC

* Take I tablespoon of organic flaxseed oil.

* Take 50 drops of schisandra tincture.

* Yoga Pose: Corpse.

*Corpse Pose: Lie on your back, feet and arms extended and comfortably relaxed. Let your weight sink into the floor, and relax everywhere. (This pose keeps bringing attention back to the sensations of the body, so we get glimpses of where we're holding tension, Releasing nervous, mental, and emotional stress is of utmost importance when we cleanse.)

Exercise

Avoid strenuous exercise during detox but some form of gentle exercise is essential. Yoga, tai chi, brisk walking or rebounding on a mini-trampoline are good.

Skin brushing & massage

Brush your skin every day towards your heart with a dry skin brush to help circulate the lymph. A good complete body massage during the detox week is good too.

I will be happy to assist with advice, answer any questions you might have, just ask.

Stay well,

Irene