Enliven the System

In order to best enjoy this sweet and beautiful life, I strive to take care of and honor the vessel I was given. Our bodies are amazing in the way that they function - complex systems all working together day and night.

I strive to be conscious about what I put in my body, on my body, and what my body is exposed to. There are countless toxins inside and outside of the home, inside and outside of the body. Many cannot be controlled, but many can be!

Here are a few things I do to reduce the amount of toxins I'm exposed to and encourage my body to rid itself of toxins:

-Drink plenty of fluids, optimizing the functions of kidneys and liver. I drink water and herbal teas all day long. Adding things like lemon, mint, ginger, turmeric, cucumber, and cayenne not only "spice up" the taste of my water/tea, but also add nutrients to my system. Soups are also a great way to get both hydration and nutrients into the body.

- I use a dry skin body brush to encourage my lymphatic system, circulation and elimination. Brushing helps eliminate toxins in the body, gets rid of dead skin cells, delivers oxygenated blood to the skin and helps to hydrate and smooth the skin.

- Massage also encourages the lymphatic system and circulation. Make a practice to give yourself a massage after a shower/bath. Pulling a partner in makes it more fun and relaxing. Make your own massage oil with a detoxifying essential oil like lavender or grapefruit, added to a carrier oil like almond oil.

- Be aware of foods that help remove toxins from the body, like cilantro. Cilantro's essential oils improve the immune system and are detoxifying and antibacterial. Be sure to eat cilantro fresh as a garnish or in juices, as a cooking destroys the flavor and essential oil. Other foods that help with detox include apples, artichokes, cabbage, garlic, grapes, okra, celery, onion, seeds and sprouts, tomatoes and chilies -- there are so many more! Start exploring, juicing, and including a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and herbs in your diet.

- Yoga, meditation and breathing exercises - as the respiratory system is key to flushing toxins from the body.

- Sweating - increased through exercise or relaxing in a sauna - is the body's natural way of ridding itself of toxins.

- Probiotics encourage healthy elimination. I take one every day.

- Be aware of chemicals in household products. It's easy to make your own cleaners and products with essential oils combined with vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, etc. Email me if you'd like the recipe I use for all-purpose home cleaning - I've used it for years and would be more than happy to share.

- Essential oils (rather than air fresheners that have countless unknown chemicals) can also be used to freshen your home. Some of my favorites are frankincense, lavender, eucalyptus, ylang ylang, and orange. Open windows and change out your air filters regularly to avoid the accumulation of pollutants.

- Use organic bath and beauty products. The Environmental Working Group and the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has a database where you can check the safety of the products you're currently using. I personally use NYR Organic and love what they are doing to put healthy products with safe ingredients in our lives.

Feel free to share more detox tips with me below. I'll update this blog as I learn more.

Rooted and Whole-
Gretchen

Sources:
Healing Foods; Neal's Yard Remedies
Prescriptions for Nutritional Healing; Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
Looking Good and Feeling Younger; Susan Curtis, Alex Kirchin and Karen Sullivan

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