Last month we did a four part series on spring cleaning in our weekly ELITE TIP TUESDAY emails.  We have gathered all four and put them here for easy access on internal cleaning suggestions. Enjoy!

Welcome to the first of a four part series on SPRING CLEANING SUPPLEMENTS!  We do spring cleaning in our homes– why wouldn’t we do it for our bodies?

One of the best herbs to help you cleanse or purify your system is Dandelion Root.  We chose to talk about this herb first because it helps cleanse the liver, the first organ in our body that helps removes toxins and metabolizes drugs.  Over time, it can be overloaded with a plethora of toxins do to many factors and can cause a series of bad side effects. Some of the first signs of an overloaded liver can show up as skin irritations or skin issues such as eczema, psoriasis, acne, and/or rashes.  That’s why dandelion can be a good herb to start your spring cleaning.

Benefits of Dandelion Root:

• Liver purifier
• Skin cleanser
• Assists with digestive issues
• Diuretic (helps with water retention)
• Prevents urinary tract infections
• Strengthens immune system
• Helps with treatment and prevention of cancer
• Reduces cholesterol

Fun Facts of Dandelion Leaf & Root:

• Dandelion greens are edidble and are packed full of nutrients (yes- the same ones that grow as “weeds” in your yard.)
• Bees use dandelions as their first source of food during early spring when plants are just beginning or have not yet bloomed (so try not to pull them too soon cause the bees need them)
• Many people try to get rid of dandelions as they grow in our yards year after year, but the dandelion plant is actually a beneficial weed. It’s helpful when gardening because it brings nutrients to the top of the soil, helping shallow-rooted plants and adding minerals and nitrogen to the soil. It also releases ethylene gas that helps the fruit ripen.

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Welcome to the second of a four part series on SPRING CLEANING SUPPLEMENTS!  We do spring cleaning in our homes– why wouldn’t we do it for our bodies?

This week we will talk about the benefits of turmeric… This is a fantastic and powerful herb for inflammation in the body.  We have heard great success stories with people that take turmeric daily… we also hear some people say that it didn’t do anything for them.  So we will pay a special focus on what you can do to help increase the effectiveness of this crazy looking root because we believe in its power and there are lots of factors of why it may have not worked the first time you tried it.  If at first you don’t succeed- try, try again!

What is Turmeric?
Turmeric is a dark yellow-orange colored root related to the ginger family that originates from the Indian Subcontinent and South Asia. It has been widely used as a spice as well as a medicine.

What are spring cleaning benefits?
After all the holidays and excessive eating (especially increased intake of sugar) you may be experiencing some side effects of inflammation or digestive discomfort.  Last week we told you about the benefits of dandelion root and how beneficial it is for your liver.  Turmeric is a great compliment to dandelion root and purifying the liver.  It also goes beyond purifying the liver and can aid in purifying your entire blood system and digestive track.  Use dandelion and turmeric together to pave the way for a FULL body cleanse (which we will talk about next week)!

Benefits of Turmeric:

• Liver purifier
• Blood purifier
• Immune booster
• Digestive Soother
• Brain booster

When you purify the liver and your blood system, you can feel relief from so many ailments like joint pain, digestive issues, general pain, arthritis, skin issues, etc… basically anything that can result from toxins or inflammation.

How to make turmeric work for you:

• Take with a fat (examples- coconut oil, a fatty meal, nut/regular milk, omega oils)
• Look for a supplement with bio-perine to help increase absorbancy (or take it with a meal that has black pepper in it)
• Some studies suggest taking up to 1,000-1,200 mg of turmeric daily to feel/see results (most supplements serving size is half this amount)
• Take turmeric daily and be patient as it assimilates in the body, benefits may not be felt or seen until after weeks or a month of taking it.

Fun facts:

• Curcumin is the active substance in turmeric that assists in inflammation elimination.
• Taken with ginger will help increase the benefits of turmeric.
• Turmeric was first used as a natural dye before it was known to have medicinal benefits.
• Try an Indian classic drink- Golden Milk Tea for a delicious warming turmeric elixir.

 

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Welcome to the third tip of a four part series on SPRING CLEANING SUPPLEMENTS!  We do spring cleaning in our homes– why wouldn’t we do it for our bodies?

Today we are going to talk about an uncomfortable subject (pun intended)– PARASITES! Ewwww!! We know, it’s not something anyone wants to experience or talk about.  But the fact is- bugs are crawling all over outside and they also crawl around in our insides! Buggers! Just like there are beneficial bugs and invasive bugs outside, same rules apply on the inside! Let’s talk about the bad guys:

Parasites

Parasites are organisms that live in or on another organism (its host) and benefits by deriving nutrients at the host’s expense.  THEY ARE TAKERS– they are NOT mutually beneficial to our internal ecosystems.  And too many of them can REALLY throw off your WHOLE well being.  Unfortunately, they can be difficult to identify without specific tests from your doctor and in the sense of figuring out that “they” are the SOURCE of your discomfort or dis-ease–keep in mind that some tests may STILL not be able to identify them. Uggghhh… The only light we can give to this issue is DO MORE RESEARCH and FOLLOW YOUR GUT (pun intended)…. Then figure out what protocol fits you best!

Common Symptoms

• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
• Nausea or vomiting
• Gas or bloating
• Stomach pain or tenderness
• Feeling tired
• Brain fog/difficulty concentrating
• Rapid weight loss or gain
• Hair loss
• And more…

As you can see there are many symptoms due to these bad guys and other disorders and dis-eases that can produce these symptoms.  A parasite’s job is to survive and thrive— off of you!  And they won’t go away with out a fight: you will need PURE persistence to rid them of your system.

Where to begin…
Diet is key!  You have to stop feeding the creatures!

• Minimize processed sugar intake (or preferably eliminate all together if possible)
• Add more fiber to diet or take a fiber supplement
• Little to no meat– especially meat that’s known to be prone to harbor parasites (raw fish can often be a culprit)
• Little to no processed foods– make your own meals with lots of leafy greens!

We know what you’re thinking– THAT’S a LOT of RULES.  Consider taking a supplement or implementing a supplement protocol to compliment your diet changes or help with the slip ups!

Supplements

• Black Walnut Hulls Extract
• Clove
• Wormwood
• Aloe
• Marshmallow Root
• Diatomaceous Earth

Most parasite fighting supplements will contain one or more of the above.

Are you creeped out yet? Overwhelmed?  Breathe. Just know that it is very common to experience these bad guys in your gut and it’s a journey to recovery– one step at a time.  We’re here for you!  But whatever you do– DO NOT google images of parasites… WE WARNED YOU– it is not pretty.

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Welcome to the fourth and final tip of our series on SPRING CLEANING SUPPLEMENTS!  We do spring cleaning in our homes– why wouldn’t we do it for our bodies?  We also get regular oil changes and such for our car… wouldn’t an occasional internal cleanse make sense?

Doing an intestinal cleanse sounds messy, restrictive, and too much work. We are here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be!! You have choices— you get to pick what’s right for you!!

Basic Internal Cleanse:
Dietary suggestions: (limit or hold off on one or two of the following)

• refined sugar, dairy, red meats, wheat products

Drink Suggestions:

• Drink LOTS of water!! Especially upon waking up– try 16 oz of water right when you rise from bed in the morning.
• Drink warm water with fresh lemon juice in the morning on an empty stomach

Supplement suggestions:

• Fiber in morning or before meals (psyillium husk powder, acacia fiber, flax seed meal powder)
• Aloe juice (taken before every meal)

Duration:
It’s your body– so see how you feel after a couple days and then determine what you’re comfortable with.  Ideally you would want to do this for 7 days.

*Bonus points: Do some light stretching in the morning and at night.

Intermediate Cleanse:

Dietary suggestions: (limit or hold off on two or three of the following)

• refined sugar, dairy, meat, processed foods, wheat products.

Drink Suggestions:

• 16-20 oz of water right when you wake up
• Drink warm water with fresh lemon juice in the morning on an empty stomach
• Skip the coffee and go for green tea

Supplement suggestions:

• Fiber in morning or before meals (psyillium husk powder, acacia fiber, flax seed meal powder)
• Try adding bentonite clay to fiber or on it’s own (research this first to see if it’s right for you)
• Aloe juice (taken before every meal)

or

• Choose a supplement cleansing kit: Nature’s Secret Ultimate Cleanse or Health Plus Super Colon Cleanse (kits will contain aloe, cleansing herbs, along with fiber for a more vigorous convenient experience)

Duration:
At least 7 days or follow supplement guides on cleansing kits.

*Bonus points: Long deep stretching morning and night, massage belly area at least once per day, take an Epsom salt bath and try to do some deep mindful breath work for at least 3 minutes per day.

Over Achiever Cleanse:

Dietary suggestions:

• Avoid sugar, dairy, meat, processed foods, wheat products, fried foods, eating out.
• Eat LOTS of organic cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, arugula, kale, brussels sprouts, collard greens, etc.) 
• Try fruit for breakfast (apple, berries, kiwis or pears)

Drink Suggestions:

• 16-20 oz of water right when you wake up
• Drink warm water with fresh lemon juice throughout the day on an empty stomach
• Herbal Tea as much as desired (dandelion, turmeric, ginger, or burdock will complement the cleanse)
• Avoid caffeine

Supplement suggestion:

• Fiber in morning or before meals (psyillium husk powder, acacia fiber, flax seed meal powder)
• Try adding bentonite clay to fiber or on it’s own (research this first to see if it’s right for you)
• Aloe juice (taken before every meal)

or

• Choose a supplement cleansing kit: Nature’s Secret Ultimate Cleanse or Health Plus Super Colon Cleanse (These kits will contain aloe, cleansing herbs, along with fiber for a more vigorous convenient experience)

Duration:
Ideally you would like to try this for at least 7 days, but since this may be a more intense cleanse, see how you feel as you go or follow supplement guides on cleansing kits.

*Bonus points: Long deep stretching morning and night, massage belly area every day, take Epsom salt baths and try to do deep mindful breath work for at least 3 minutes per day.

We hope that we motivated you this spring to take a step towards staying healthy!  As always, do what you feel is best for YOUR body– if you aren’t sure, ask your doctor.  We are health ENTHUSIASTS not licensed practitioners.