For a long period of time, people have been practicing body cleanses, both for medicinal and spiritual purposes. Ayurveda is known to have a cleansing method known as panchakarma which relies on herbs, oils, sweating, and massage to purify the whole body. Fasting is also known to be a beneficial method of detoxification and a lot of different cultures practice it regularly.
The goal of detoxification, according to Conscious Lifestyle Mag, is to remove all toxins and waste from the body and make it healthier. The type of diet you lead plays an important role in keeping the toxins out of the body.
Why Is Detoxification Good for Us?
When you cleanse the body on a regular basis, you lower the level of inflammatory foods and drinks in your body and give the liver a chance to filter out the toxins, as explained on Mind Body Green.
Experts recommend cleansing because of the increase of pollution in the air, foods, and because of the metabolic waste. Below, you can learn more about The Whole Body Detox program presented on Conscious Lifestyle Mag. It is a new method of detoxification which cleanses not only the body, but the mind and spirit too.
The Whole Body Detox- The 7 Systems
- The root (immunity, bones, DNA, skin, adrenal glands)
The color of the root system is red. Therefore, red foods such as strawberries, tomatoes, and red bell peppers are highly recommendable for its cleansing. When detoxifying this system, one needs to leave aside unhealthy foods which burden the immunity and adrenal gland and to consume more protein, minerals, and red foods. Also, remember to nourish and improve your relationship with your family and community. Here is how you can cultivate your root system:
- When eating, sit on the floor rather than in a chair
- Use your hands to eat or wooden and ceramic utensils- avoid silverware
- When the weather is pleasant, eat outside
- Eat barefoot and make sure your legs are uncrossed
- Be instinctive about food
- Consume lean and clean proteins
- Eat only organic red fruits and veggies
- Balance your stress response through body awareness
- Avoid GMOs, artificial dyes, and processed foods
- Take a break from gluten, eggs, soy, and dairy
- Reduce your to-do list
- Get rid of negative thoughts and limited beliefs
- The flow (fertility, ovaries and testes, urinary system, colon, partnership, creativity)
When our flow is good, we can maintain a deep relationship with our work, friends, family, partners, and colleagues. This flow system is pivotal for the creation of new life and for the hydration regulation. A good flow enables us to take and let go easily. Here is how to best cleanse this system:
- Make sure you drink sufficient amounts of water throughout the day to avoid getting hunger and thirst signals mixed
- Boost water with cooling herbs such as mint and fennel
- Do not eat when stressed because you will be more prone to emotional eating; be mindful of the food you are eating and know when you have had enough
- Dedicate time to meals- play with the experience, mix colors, try out new textures, and share food
- Consume coconut water and coconut meat more often
- Eat fruits rich in water such as mangoes, papayas, and melons
- Regularly drink a smoothie made with carrots, mangoes, and tangerines- do not drink soft drinks or store-bought juices
- Remember to add turmeric to veggie stir-fries, smoothies, and other meals for an extra detox power
- Instead of unhealthy snacks, eat a cantaloupe slice, an apricot or Clementine, an orange, a tangerine or a nectarine or a yummy peach
- Regularly consume pureed butternut squash, pumpkin, and carrots
- Use only healthy fats and oils, for example, olive, sesame, flaxseed, coconut, avocado, and hempseed oil
- Regularly consume different nuts and seeds- they are rich in proteins and other important nutrients
- Eat more carrots, mangoes, melons, tangerines, bananas, kiwis, oranges and pineapples
- Balance your emotions through prayer, meditation or yoga
- Learn how to express your creativity
- Allow your sexuality and sensuality to flow freely
- The fire (digestion, blood sugar, energy, and work-life balance)
This system motivates our drive for work, achievement, and competition. When it is healthy, we are full of energy, confidence, and power. This system needs the right balance and you can achieve it by eating the proper foods that will cleanse your body. Below, check out useful tips on how to boost the functioning of this pivotal system through detox:
- Eat complex carbs and soluble fibers, but avoid highly processed carbs
- Include more yellow foods to your diet, for example, yellow veggies, ginger, lemons, legumes, whole grains
- Learn how to separate work from other areas of your life
- Exclude fast foods and premade meals
- Avoid foods that cause you to bloat, release too much gas, and upset your stomach
- Minimize the intake of sugar-rich foods and artificial sweeteners found in soda drinks, chewing gums, etc.
- Do not overcook food
- Do not overdo yourself and deplete all your energy
- Focus on your goal
- Do not allow yourself to be get too attached or too obsessed with things
- Focus on the bigger picture; avoid too much perfectionism
- The love (heart, blood vessels, lungs, compassion)
The blood vessels, lymphatic system, and lungs spread oxygen throughout the body and nourish it by easing the removal of waste. Together with the heart, these “love” organs are in charge of boosting our body with compassion and self-care and help us grow and heal. Forgiveness is a beneficial way to balance this system. When we hold too much anger and pain inside, the body finds it difficult to heal. Want to learn more about how to bring balance in this system? Check out the list below:
- Enrich your diet with green leafy veggies that will open the heart and expand the blood vessels; this will better the elimination of waste
- Find time for yourself; love yourself and breathe deeply
- Spend more time in nature
- Exclude foods that are known to clog to arteries, for example, meat and poultry
- Avoid foods associated with high blood pressure
- Stay away from life situations that cause your blood pressure to elevate
- Do not be a people pleaser
- The truth (thyroid, throat, mouth, nose, ears, choice, and speaking(
The thyroid gland is pivotal for the metabolism of food, healthy weight, and balanced rhythms. The ears, throat, mouth, and nose are sensory organs that we use to listen and speak the truth. When you are able to show and tell the world your sincerest thoughts and share your genuine self with others, you are supporting your truth system. And, another important step is to learn the right detox methods to cleanse it. Check them out in the list below:
- Eat sea veggies abundant in iodine, which the thyroid needs to function optimally
- Consume more homemade sauces, juices, and soups that will lubricate your throat
- Eat fruits rich in water like peaches, plums, melons, and grapes- they will keep you hydrated during the cleanse
- Hum or sing while preparing food to reveal your authentic voice
- Be more mindful and aware of your food choices, schedule, and tasks- choose ones that will serve your spirit, purpose, and body
- Stay away from food and environmental toxins that can worsen the functioning of the thyroid gland, for example, fluorine, bromine, and chlorine
- Chew the food you eat, do not just gulp it down- help your body digest the food better
- Speak the truth, but in a compassionate way
- Avoid gossiping, lying, exaggerating, and swearing
- Do not get to distant, cold, and unresponsive to people
- The insight (brain, sleep, mood, thoughts, intuition, and pituitary gland)
The pituitary gland receives and sends signals through the whole body and brain. Also known as the inner eye, it manages numerous activities happening in our brain and body. Both the outer and inner sight belong to this system. This system’s color is indigo so you can benefit from foods with a purple color, for example, purple asparagus, purple cauliflower, purple grapes, blackberries, blueberries, etc. Purple and blue foods are also known to encourage neuronal plasticity or the capacity of the brain to form new pathways and thus, enhance your learning, cognition, and memory. This is how to best cleanse this system:
- Before you eat, use your eyesight to inspect and check out the foods that are going to enter your belly
- Rely on intuition for the foods you need to eat
- Meditate prior to meals to be clear of mental burden and be more peaceful and mindful of the whole process of eating
- Include more purple and blue foods to your diet
- Eat more turmeric and curry to keep the brain safe from damage
- Nourish your feelings, dreams, and mood changes to be more intuitive
- Minimize the consumption of alcohol, processed sugar, and caffeine
- Learn how to stop overthinking
- The spirit (pineal gland, circadian rhythms, purpose, and connection)
This system is how we experience ourselves both as a microcosm and macrocosm, i.e. individual beings but indistinguishable from the whole. Through this system, we find the meaning and purpose of our life, our values, believes, and calling. This system balances our vitality and helps us age gracefully. This is why it needs some additional boost when you feel as if you are aging very fast or faster than those around you. Here are some useful cleansing tips for a clean spirit:
- Be in awe of yourself, your family members, friends, the cosmos, the world, and nature
- Practice detoxification on a regular basis
- Have a lot of light in your living area
- Forest bathe, spend time in the woods or at the beach
- Have limited time for usage of tablets, TVs, computers, and phones
- Do not overeat, but do not starve yourself
- Exit from situations that cause you to be chronically nervous
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