Detoxing Your Body, Mind and Soul

There is no denying that we now live in a world full of toxins. From the air we breathe, chemicals in the food we eat and the water we drink, our houses, work places and the earth, are filled with noxious substances that are harmful to our health and wellbeing. That’s the bad news. The good news is that we can do something about it. Spring is here and it is traditionally a great time for cleansing. Cleansing is good for us but it is not just our physical bodies that need to be cleansed. Accumulated negative thought patterns and feelings need to be looked at and let go of, for a fresher, cleaner existence.

Firstly our physical cleanse

Many people are talking about mucoid plaque at present. This is a build up of mucous and toxic waste in the colon that adheres to the intestinal walls stopping them from absorbing nutrients and decreasing the capacity for faecal matter to leave the bowel. A little bit like how cholesterol can build up in our arteries.

I have always been one for gentle treatments rather than bombarding our bodies with artillery that can have its own deleterious effect. Gentle, regular cleansing and healthy eating can stop any build up of toxic matter in the bowel and therefore, colonics and longer periods of fasting can be avoided. In some severe and life-threatening illnesses like cancer, these stronger methods may need to be utilised, and a qualified practitioner would be needed to oversee this detoxing process. For most of us however, a gentle spring cleanse can be a good thing and improve our energy, boost our immune systems, and help to ease aches and pains, as well as keeping our organs in tip top condition.

Start with one or two days of juice fasting, making sure you use organic fruit and vegetables. Vegie juices are preferable to fruit, although a small amount of green apples and lemon juice is beneficial for dissolving mucous. Always dilute the juice with 50% purified water and have 3-4 juices a day. Add some parsley for iron and vitamin C and ginger for a warming and anti-inflammatory effect. Follow with a day of purified water, drinking 2-3 litres throughout the day. Then, if you feel you have toxic or mucoid build up in your colon, consume one dessertspoon of psyllium husks and one dessertspoon of bentonite clay in a large glass of warm water one hour before eating, morning and evening for the next one to two weeks.

Make sure you drink around two litres of purified water a day, preferably away from meals. Add freshly squeezed lemon juice to some of this water or add 1-2 dessertspoons to the psyllium/bentonite mix. During this time eat only healthy, non-processed foods, small amounts of vegetable protein, no alcohol, no sugar, and limit carbohydrates like bread, rice and pasta. Moderate exercise such as walking, swimming or yoga is recommended. Include green tea and dandelion to help detox the liver, no more than three cups a day of each.

Cleansing your Mind

Likewise our minds can accumulate toxic waste which needs to be cleared on a regular basis. If we watch TV, listen to the news, believe the media and fear mongering that is rampant in our society, fear will be building up in our bodies. If we are then acting on this fear in our life by staying in a job or a relationship where we are not happy, believing we cannot achieve what we want, having and acting from low self-esteem, then we are creating programmes in our brain that are becoming stronger and stronger.

We can change these programmes by changing our behaviour. This means stepping into the unknown and doing things that may feel uncomfortable at first as our brain is in unfamiliar territory. This is often called "feeling the fear and doing it anyway"! As we continue with this more healthy behaviour, new neural pathways will be laid down and eventually the new behaviour will become the normal and more beneficial programme.

Cleansing Heart & Soul

Our souls and our hearts also need cleansing, as holding onto toxic feelings like anger, jealousy, hatred, bitterness and resentment will eventually have a physical effect on our bodies. Spend time cultivating feelings of love and gratitude as often as you can, and then the brain will entrain with the heart and put these feelings into place with your new improved programmes. Life will become easier, lighter, more enjoyable and new opportunities will open up as we detox from toxic substances, toxic thoughts and toxic feelings.

Suzanne Staples ND DBM Naturopath Herbalist Homoeopath Email suzestaples@gmail.com
Copyright Suzanne Staples