Rachel’s Do-able Detox

Meet my dear friend, Naturopathic Iridologist, Herbalist & children’s Yoga Teacher Rachel Boardman M.R.N.I. She wrote this wonderful post for me:

The New Year always starts with good intentions, though in order for the intentions to prosper they need to be achievable so here’s some ideas to inspire you.

Dry Skin Brushing

Dry body brushing every morning is inspiration itself!
Starting from the soles of your feet up the legs always towards the heart , brushing each limb three/ four times, then circular clockwise & anti clockwise at either side of the groin, under arms & the base of the skull will assist in lymphatic drainage whilst rejuvenating your skin, your largest and most forgotten eliminative organ. Skin brushing is an excellent pick-me-up on sluggish mornings and encourages the body to eliminate more effectively, brushing away dead skin cells and morbid waste.

The added benefit is that it leaves your skin baby soft so you save on the expensive scrubs and all too often ‘skin-clogging’ creams.
Juicing
Before eating or drinking anything, I highly recommend juicing every morning in the month of January for a happy liver. Each morning juice: one carrot
one beet ( fresh-not pickled )
one celery
one apple
This will give your liver, which has been working hard for you all night (especially over the festive period ) a cleansing boost as well as being rich in vitamins, minerals and enzymes which assist the digestive system.

Add to this Juice Pukka’s ‘Clean Greens’ which contains antioxidant rich, green foods such as Spirulina, wheat grass. It’s main ingredient is Nettle, a herb which is rich in iron, calcium and silica which strengthens your natural resistance and is an amazing blood tonic .
Then add a spoonful of Dr Udo’s Choice Ultimate Oil Blend or Viridians Ultimate Beauty Oil for your Essential Fatty Acids which contribute to a healthy immune & nervous system and healthy brain function as well as giving you amazing skin .

So in just one juice with your added Clean Greens and E.F.A’s (essential fatty acids) you have all the nutrients needed to cleanse and support without having to
remember or carry lots of different supplements round all day .

I also recommend all my clients (male and female as well as children) take a probiotic, which in latin means ‘ for life ‘ .
These are friendly bacteria in the form of Acidophilus which supports the bodies own defenses against bacteria and disease and they also do other amazing things such as protecting against over growth of yeasts and manufacture various B vitamins plus assisting generally in digestive health .

Drink at least a bottle and a half of bottled or filtered water a day. One herb I’m drinking lots of is Red Clover.

It’s a delicious infusion and perfect

blood cleanser as well as a gentle way to

shift any constipation after all of that sugary, heavy Christmas fare.

Diet

With regards to what to eat, or rather not to eat during a detox, one has to understand that everyone is different, as are everyone’s lives. Therefore I would suggest a personally achievable change to your eating habits.

Cut out all refined sugar from your diet & artificial sweeteners which trick the body into over eating, anything containing high fructose or corn syrup. It is known as a ‘trigger food’ that stimulates insulin to process it, the insulin makes blood sugar levels drop and you ‘crash’ and then ‘need’ more sugar to get the energy level ‘up’ again.

Therefore stabilising sugar levels is essential to stopping food cravings and maintaining a healthy weight. Sugar can suppress the immune system and causes premature ageing as it is inflammatory. (read what board certified dermatologist and anti-skin ageing expert Dr Perricone MD says about ageing and inflammation at
www.perriconemd.co.uk

Try small amounts of honey (pref.manuka a powerful antibacterial-look for high ‘UMF’), agave syrup, and fruit- so long as it’s away from one’s meal- instead.

Remove table salt (regular table salt is mainly sodium chloride) & foods containing high levels of it which is generally processed, fast food and ready meals. Try using spices/herbs instead like cayenne, basil, cinnamon or Himalayan sea salt, a natural form of crystal salt in small quantities.

Try to remove gluten rich foods such as rye, wheat, barley and spelt because gluten is hard to digest. Replace with grains such as amaranth, brown rice, buckwheat, and protein rich quinoa.

Cut out cow’s dairy and all by products because these produce mucous which unfortunately creates problems trying to eliminate through the lymph glands, respiratory system and bowel, contributing to constipation or diarrhoea .Try replacing with almond milk, rice milk or a little goats milk.
Cut out the usual suspects such as alcohol, caffeine, coffee, tea, caffeinated drinks and decaffeinated drinks. Try body brushing to give you that lift and clarity or herbal infusions instead.

Avoid all preservatives, fizzy drinks, canned foods, hydrogenated fats such as margarine .If you can’t pronounce the ingredient don’t eat it

Try to avoid eating meats that have nitrates in them such as cured ham etc as nitrates are a known carcinogen to the digestive system. When eating meats try to eat organic and possibly /preferably grass fed.

There are two classes of foods; alkaline forming & acid forming.
There needs to be a balance
If you eat 80% alkaline forming foods rich in organic mineral salts and vitamins, these are mainly fruits and vegetables and water. This preserves the alkalinity of the blood , and assists with your longevity and the vitality in your life.
Acid forming foods need to be eaten in moderation and should not form the foundation of your diet as they so often do in the western world.

The foods described above that I advise omitting or greatly cutting back on, are unfortunately known simply as the modern diet.

Poor quality processed foods, full of chemical preservatives, salt & sugar all lead us to an acidic state which in turn forms a foundation for dis- ease and dysbiosis within the body
Balance your diet to yield the greatest good in your life .

Note that rest, sleep, fresh air, pleasure, laughter, good conversation, enjoyment and love are wonderful alkalizers also.
Obversely worry, fear, anger, hatred, envy, greed and selfishness are terrible acidfiers .

Chart ; http://www.balance-ph-diet.com/acid_alkaline_food_chart.html
And lastly but very importantly- the breath.

The life force that controls all your vital energy.

Take time out to breathe, whether it be on a long walk or lying down on the floor practicing belly breaths in and out .