Spring Cleanse Time

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It's finally looking like spring out there. The sun is shining, the tulips and garlic are up, and everyone is donning their bright colored clothes again. After a weekend of packing to move to Port Townsend and a day of celebration in the sun, I can't help but think about spring cleaning. Out with the old, in with the new. Fresh start. Cleanse.

Cleaning the house is important, yes. Especially what with all the dust and mold that may have accumulated over these long Portland winter months. But our bodies also need a "spring cleaning" per say. A detox. Many people have their preferred way of cleansing, there is no "right" way. It's really about opening the emunctories, or the routes of elimination. In order to eliminate all the toxins and waste metabolites, our digestion needs to be optimized. We need to breathe. We need to sweat. We need to drink water. We need to move.

I usually spend 2 weeks every spring and fall doing a "Detox." This year I plan to spread it out over a period of 1 month as to not shock my system with an abrupt reintroduction of old habits. Here is how I plan to detox this month. Note all the highlighted links to blogs I wrote back in the day.

1. Diet: Stick with my Anti-inflammatory diet which avoids all dairy, gluten, caffeine, corn products, and nightshade vegetables. Continue to eat only free-range, grass-fed, organic meat and eggs. The majority my food will be organic, lightly steamed vegetables. Lots of onions and garlic and home-made broths. Keeping it chemically simple on the gut!!

2. Juices: freshly juiced beets, carrots, celery and parsley is being sipped as I type.

3. Drink >1/2 my weight in ounces of WATER every day. No juices, no caffeine.

4. 100 deep, conscious belly breaths every day.

5. Castor Oil Packs: 6 days of the week for 30 minutes

6. Get outside (rain or shine) every day for 30 minutes

7. Dry skin brushing every day before showering and ending shower in cool spray.

8. Sweat with movement every day for 30 minutes. Take a sauna 2-3 times per week.

9. Epson salt baths, salt glows, and hot springs trips every week!

10. Probiotics, fish oil, and blue-green algae every day.

11. Detox teas with herbs that support the liver. The liver is THE organ of detoxification. Happy liver = happy body.

12. Continue to talk to my naturopathic doctor about specific ways to optimize my wellness!

Detox should not be a phase or event, it should be a way of life. Balancing what comes in with what comes out. Balance.