The Art of Getting Better
This is an article I wrote for The Lightpaper (published in February’s edition)… the only newspaper we have that speaks actual truth – so naturally it’s full of stuff ‘they’ don’t want us to know… like the fact that under the right conditions, the human body has the potential to heal itself.
‘Detox has become such a buzzword; a bit of a meaningless cliche – especially in January. But what does it really mean & do we really need to do it?
Well. Some will always disagree, but in my view, given the toxic cocktail our world has become, & how disturbingly normalised & omnipresent it all is, it’s an absolute no brainer.
From water to food, to clothing, cleaning products, cosmetics, pharma drugs, emf radiation, weird lines in the sky – toxins have infiltrated all areas of our lives. And as dire as it may sound, there really is no escape.
None of us want to be ill or feeling under par, but unfortunately we’ve been conditioned & manipulated over the last few generations into allowing the likes of government, media & pharmaceutical companies to tell us what’s best when it comes to our health & wellbeing.
Possibly the biggest mistake in the history of human evolution, given what’s currently unfolding. But thankfully there is much that can be done if, as ever, we look beyond the norm & take matters into our own hands.
There is an art to detoxing, because it happens in two parts; first toxins must be released from the cells, then they need to exit the body.
The art is in the flow – like pouring water through a funnel – pour too fast & the water backs up & overflows. In detox terms, this would mean getting rid of one problem & causing another, & this is possibly why many people give up before they’ve really got going.
Mastering the art involves using some methods/ products that release toxicity from the cells & others which ensure the body’s exit points are open & operating efficiently.
Below are lists of both with a little information on each suggestion. My intention here is to give ideas which may or may not resonate with you, which you can research further if you feel called to.
To detox the cells…
• Limit your intake of toxins.
Consider organic food, natural cleaning products & cosmetics. There are so many alternatives available now or you can even make your own to save on cost.
• Don’t suppress acute illnesses. Your body knows what to do; e.g. a fever serves to thin the lymph to remove toxins & pathogens (the head can be kept cool with a flannel), & there are endless natural remedies to ease a multitude of symptoms & help the body release what it needs to.
Homeopathic pharmacies such as Helios sell various kits which you can then learn how to use for all kinds of first aid situations.
• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. The cornerstone of good health; this means water (2 litres a day) but also electrolyte balance. Magnesium is hugely lacking in the soil & therefore pretty much in all of us. In my view & experience, magnesium is the most significant supplement for humans in today’s world. Also keeping the colon healthy with soothing, anti-inflammatory helpers such as aloe vera & linseed tea, as the colon determines much of our hydration level.
• Fasting/ intermittent fasting. Food is important, yet demands a great deal of energy to process. During fasting periods the body can get on with metabolising & repairing.
• Plenty of sleep, & leave a few hours between eating & going to bed.
• Listen to your body. If you feel rubbish after eating gluten/ sugar/ alcohol/ coffee/ dairy or anything else, you don’t have to wait for a professional to validate it for you – cut it out for a few weeks/ months & see how you feel. We are generally becoming less tolerant to foods & drinks which are a challenge for the body to process, & leaving them out can have a powerful effect on our healing.
• There are many many supplements, herbs, homeopathic & other natural remedies to aid detox. I can’t list them all here, but a few of my favourites include turmeric (a potent anti-inflammatory), concentrated greens such as chlorella (highly cleansing – keeps grey hair at bay too!), zeolite clay (used internally or in the bath to attract toxins & heavy metals like a magnet & remove them from the body; great for mopping up radiation), zinc (fantastic adrenal & immune support; another important all-rounder), iodine (also great for radiation protection, thyroid health & general metabolism), & magnesium as mentioned above.
Once the toxins are released from the cells, to remove them from the body, look after these hardworking organs…
• Liver. The workhorse of detoxing. Castor oil packs are absolutely fanstastic & can be used regularly for maintenance.
Herbs such as dandelion & milk thistle are helpful too, as are concentrated greens & juices; particularly celery, & a squeeze of lemon in water first thing.
• Kidneys. Looking after the liver naturally protects the kidneys, as do hydration, electrolytes & pH balance.
Also reducing stress. Fear is held in the kidneys & the adrenals sit on top of them, which release cortisol & adrenaline, associated with our flight/ flight response.
• Lymph. The lymphatic system is like a cleansing river running through the body. It needs to flow well, so skin brushing keeps it moving, as does exercise & a healthy body temperature.
• Lungs. Many toxins are released through the breath, so it pays to breathe well. As obvious as it sounds, very few of us actually do it.
Proper breathing also helps regulate the nervous system & hormonal balance.
Castor oil packs are great for the lungs, & many people find salt pipes & neti pots helpful too.
• Blood. Juices, particularly celery, help to cleanse the blood. Exercise is important for healthy circulation, as is efficient breathing for proper oxygen exchange.
• Skin. Our largest organ & an easy way to remove toxins, as they bypass the internal organs. This is where baths come in; epsom salts (high in magnesium), Himalayan salts, clays & bicarbonate of soda to name a few. Also skin brushing to increase efficiency.
• Bowels. The all important final gateway of the internal organs. We really don’t want toxins sticking around in here too long as they’ll be reabsorbed. Fibre is what we hear about the most, & it is important, although hydration is the key.
Enemas & colonics can also be invaluable here, & I can’t write about detoxing without including the words ‘urine therapy’, but I’m well aware these last two suggestions won’t float everyone’s boat, so on that note I’ll leave it there!
Be sure to read up on any of the above that interest you before jumping in feet first.
For further reading I would highly recommend Cellular Awakening, by Barbara Wren.
Happy detoxing!’