Power packed detoxification

Power-Packed
Detoxifi cation
It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.
Th e Christophers
In this chapter you will learn
• Ways to increase the benefits of detoxifi cation • A skin brushing technique that improves the flow of your lymphatic system • A rebound workout that stimulates lymphatic system fl ow and improves circulation • How to incorporate a simple hydrotherapy technique into your detox plan to improve circulation; • A simple lymph-stimulating bath and lymphatic massage • How to make simple and effective herbal teas for cleansing • Acupressure techniques to assist with cleansing • Energy balancing techniques that assist with cleansing Chapter .: Power-Packed Detoxification ...
There are many wonderful techniques that you can incorporate into The 4-Week Ultimate Body Detox Plan, that not only assist your body with detoxification, but also feel great. Using simple techniques such as skin brushing, rebounding, hydrotherapy, lymph stimulating baths, lymphatic massage, acupressure, and an energy medicine technique, you will probably feel more like you are at a spa than on a detox program.
Some of the techniques are incorporated throughout Th e 4Week Ultimate Body Detox Plan, while others are suitable for specifi c phases. If you feel you would benefit from any of these techniques, feel free to include them as well. At the end of each therapy type, I have listed its main focus for the purpose of detoxification as Phases 1, 2, 3, and 4; Phase 1; Phase 2; Phase 3; Phase 4; or Optional for Phase 1; Optional for Phase 2; Optional for Phase 3; and Optional for Phase 4.
SKIN BRUSHING Skin brushing is a simple technique that improves circulation and lymphatic flow. It is part of the whole 4-Week Ultimate Body Detox Plan because it is such a great way to assist your body with toxin elimination. Most health food stores carry natural-bristle brushes. Ideally, you will want one with a handle with medium to fi rm bristles. To skin brush:
• First, massage below your collarbone and on left and right sides of the groin area on your upper legs using firm finger pressure. • Then, brush the soles of your feet in a circular motion moving upward over your legs using the natural-bristle brush. Brush over your stomach and buttocks to your waist, continuing to use a circular motion. • Continue to brush in a circular motion over the palms of your hands. ... The .-Week Ultimate Body Detox Plan
• Using long, upward strokes, brush over the rest of your hands and arms. • Brush from your neck to shoulders, down your chest or breasts and down your back. Perform this simple exercise daily before showering or bathing. Once you are familiar with it, it takes only a minute or two. Do not skin-brush before bed since it can be energizing to your body and may prevent restful sleep.
I recommend skin brushing throughout The 4-Week Ultimate Body Detox Plan, but you may wish to continue if you have problems with your circulation, such as cold hands and feet, or if your lymphatic system is sluggish.You will learn how to tell if your lymphatic system is sluggish in Chapter 9. Phases 1, 2, 3, and 4
REBOUND WORKOUT
• Walk-bounce at an easy pace for 5 minutes. • Flat-bounce with feet about 1 foot apart for 5 minutes. • March-bounce with swinging arms for 3 minutes. • Walk-bounce for 5 minutes. • Do this five times a week, eventually adding five more minutes of march-bouncing and “lymph activator” bouncing (straight legs, feet come about three inches off mat). I recommend rebounding daily throughout The 4-Week Ultimate Body Detox Plan and continuing it to maintain lymphatic system cleansing. Phase 2
HYDROTHERAPY Alternating hot and cold showers stimulates lymphatic circulation. One way to do this is to jump into a hot shower for several minutes
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(as hot as is still comfortable), then to change the temperature to be cold for another several minutes (if you can stand it that long). Repeat this hot and cold pattern at least one more time each. Th e heat dilates the blood vessels and the cold causes them to contract. Avoid this type of therapy if you have heart or blood pressure problems or if you are pregnant. Consult a holistically minded physician if you are unsure whether this hydrotherapy treatment is suitable for you.
This hydrotherapy treatment is best used during Phase 2, but you may wish to continue using it throughout Th e 4-Week Ultimate Body Detox Plan or afterward to continue cleansing your lymphatic system. Optional for Phases 2 and 4
LYMPH.STIMULATING BATH I am still amazed when I consider a hot bath as therapy for any health issue. To me the pleasures of a warm bath combined with decadent aromatherapy oils just feel s-o-o-o-o good that I tend to forget its therapeutic properties. A blend of specific aromatherapy oils that stimulate the lymphatic system can be used in the bath for this purpose. Into a small container, put three drops of each of the following: pure geranium, juniper, and black pepper oils; blend with one tablespoon of oil such as grapeseed, apricot kernel, or almond oil (referred to as carrier oils). Add to a bath. Alternatively, if you have only one of the above oils available, you can add nine drops of it to the carrier oil of your choice and add it to your bath.
Simply dunk your body for twenty minutes or so, lie back, relax, and let the healing power of water and plant oils work their magic.
The lymph-stimulating bath is most suited for lymphatic cleansing (Phase 2 of this program) but you can continue using it several times per week if you need additional lymphatic system cleansing. Optional for Phase 2
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LYMPHATIC MASSAGE You can improve the flow of your lymphatic system by massaging your body. Use three drops of each of the following essential oils: geranium, juniper, and black pepper; dilute them in three tablespoons of another oil (this oil is often called a carrier oil).You can use any of the following carrier oils: grapeseed, apricot kernel, or almond oil.
Massage your arms and legs using long upward strokes, moving toward your heart.
Lymphatic massage is recommended during Phase 2 of this program, but you can continue using it for lymphatic system cleansing and maintenance of lymphatic system health. Optional for Phases 2 and 4
CLEANSING HERBAL TEAS In the coming chapters you will learn about many cleansing herbs for the various detoxification systems. I will provide suggestions on how to best incorporate the herbs into the detox plan. Herbs are Nature’s medicines and should be treated as such. Over 80 percent of our current pharmaceutical drugs are based on substances originally found in herbs. In the herbs, the substances are natural. In the pharmaceutical drugs, the active ingredients in plants are synthesized to enable manufacturers to patent the “new” synthetic ingredient and to profi t from it. The human body responds best to the medicines that Nature intended for it—the natural ones found in herbs.
Having been in the holistic health industry for over seventeen years, I have developed an enormous pet peeve. Here it is: It drives me crazy to hear people say that they don’t believe in herbs.What on earth is that supposed to mean? As someone who has a massive health library (just ask the builder of my home who built me wall-to-wall bookshelves that still didn’t hold all my books) that cites the thousands, yes thousands, of scientific studies that prove the medicinal properties of herbs, it amazes me how ignorant some people actually choose to remain.
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Herbal medicine is quite safe when used appropriately. Many people, the media included, blame herbs when there is a drug-herb interaction. Herbs are medicines and drugs are medicines. Of course they will interact. It is imperative that you consult with a skilled herbalist or a pharmacist who is knowledgeable about herbs (a rare find) before combining them. Also, avoid taking larger amounts of the herbs suggested. The “more is better” mentality does not apply to herbs and, similar to medication, can cause toxic reactions.
If you are pregnant or nursing or have any serious health concerns, you should contact your holistic health-care professional before taking any herbal remedies.
A significant body of evidence demonstrates the eff ectiveness of hundreds of different herbs for cleansing and rebuilding the body. Every day, the list of scientific evidence of the healing power of herbs grows.
You can typically find dried herbs or herbal preparations known as tinctures at your local health food store. Tinctures are concentrated extracts of herbs, usually in an alcohol base. The alcohol assists with extracting the medicinal properties of the plants and acts as a natural preservative for the herbal preparation. The amount of alcohol you will consume while taking these remedies is quite small and therefore is not a health concern for most people; however, if you cannot tolerate any herbal preparations in an alcohol base, you can frequently find herbal extracts in a vegetable glycerine base as well.
You can also make herbal teas from the herbs mentioned in the coming chapters. You can purchase the dried, loose herbs at your local health food store and make herbal teas. It is important to understand that there are two different types of herbal teas: infusions and decoctions.
An infusion is made in the same way you would make black or green tea using loose-leaf tea. Use the amount of dried herb suggested in the following chapters; place it into a tea ball or strainer
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and pour one cup of boiling water over it. Let it sit for five to ten minutes. Strain and drink. Alternatively, you can triple the amount of herb suggested and pour three cups of boiling water over it to make enough for the day. Then drink one cup at a time, three times per day (or the amount suggested under the particular herb description).
Some herbs are best made into decoctions to help extract their medicinal properties. Again, measure the amount of dried herb suggested, pour one cup of water over it (or triple the dried herb and use three cups of water for ease throughout the day) into a pot. Bring the mixture to a boil and allow it to boil for ten minutes. Strain and drink (or, if tripling the recipe, divide into three equal doses).
Herbal teas are recommended for each of the four phases of The 4 Week Ultimate Body Detox Program. They help your body handle toxins more effectively, while strengthening the body’s detox organs. They should be included in every phase of your detoxifi cation program.
ACUPRESSURE FOR DETOXIFICATION Imagine being struck by an arrow in an ancient battle, then recovering from the wound, only to discover that your lifelong chest pains and breathing difficulties had disappeared. That is the legend behind the formation of acupuncture. Wounded soldiers were believed to have experienced the sudden healing of afflictions (that existed prior to battle) along with the recovery of the arrow wound.
Tradition also states that acupuncture formed out of a dialogue between the Chinese ruler Huang Di (the “Yellow Emperor”) and his prime minister, Chi Po. No one knows exactly how this ancient healing art was first discovered, but it has stood the test of time, existing for ten thousand years because it is remarkably effective for healing and pain reduction. Slight variations of it developed independently in China and India and among the ancient Aztecs. Compare this lengthy history to“modern medicine,” which has been around for only a hundred years or so.
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Thousands of research studies have proven the healing eff ects of needling the body in specific locations known as points or acupoints, but millions of people have experienced the proof that acupuncture works just by witnessing improvements in their symptoms. For those in need of scientific proof, engineers developed instruments called acupunctuscopes that prove the existence of the acupuncture points by reading the electrical frequency on the surface of the skin. Changes in electrical frequency occur in the exact location of the points on the body based on ancient texts and drawings.
These points exist in the body in connected lines known as meridians or channels. While many studies had proved the existence of the acupuncture points, until recently scientists still doubted that they were connected. Over a decade ago, French scientists went to work to prove or disprove the meridian theory.Taking two groups of people, they injected them with radioactive dye. One group was injected with dye in the exact location of the acupuncture points. Participants in the other group were injected in bogus points. The movement of the dye was monitored. Researchers were shocked to discover that where the dye had been injected into real acupuncture points, it flowed in lines in the positions of the meridians recorded by the Chinese millennia ago.Where the dye was injected into bogus points, the dye merely dispersed, without following any lines at all. Other studies have also confirmed the existence of meridians in the body.
Even the World Health Organization endorses acupuncture by publishing a list of dozens of illnesses that acupuncture eff ectively treats, including headaches and migraines; osteoarthritis, bursitis, tendonitis, sciatica, and other musculoskeletal disorders; neurological disorders; and countless others.
Essentially, the meridians are energy pathways in the body that, when flowing properly, ensure health and vitality. However, when a blockage occurs (which can be caused by any number of things including stress, physical injuries, emotional traumas, allergies, and
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poor nutrition) the flow of energy is disrupted and this disruption can cause a multitude of symptoms including pain, inflammation and virtually any health problem. Energy meridians are similar to a river. If a tree falls in the river, it may disrupt the flow of water through the river and may even affect any tributaries that get their flow of water from the river. A blockage is comparable to the tree, disrupting the proper energy flow throughout the body.
The acupoints are locations along the energy lines where the energy surfaces in the body. These are the locations that the Chinese (and other cultures) documented over five thousand years ago, and whose existence recent research has confirmed. These points, with their higher electrical frequency, respond very well to touch applied in the form of pressure or massage.
In China, acupuncture is practised widely in hospitals and medical clinics. In the West, however, it has taken longer to catch on. Perhaps this is due to our experiences with needles, which we associate with large, thick instruments used for drawing blood or delivering vaccinations—the kind that make you jump out of your chair from discomfort or fear. Unlike these needles, acupuncture needles are quite fine, much thinner than a pin, in fact.
How can this knowledge help you? You can use it to supercharge your cleansing efforts by applying a form of modifi ed acupuncture known as acupressure on yourself. Acupressure uses simple finger pressure to alleviate blockages in the body, without the use of needles. Both techniques are eff ective.
I have included specific acupressure for helping to cleanse and improve the functioning of your detox organs, which you will find in the appropriate chapters. For example, in Chapter 8, you will learn kidney acupressure points and in Chapter 10, you will explore acupressure for improving liver and gallbladder function.
Because the basic technique is the same and only the points vary, I am including it here. Although there are hundreds of acupressure
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points on the body, I will be including only the main ones for improving detox functions. The points are named after the organ meridian on which they appear. For example, Kidney 1, also referred to as K 1, is the first point of the Kidney meridian. Stomach 36 (St 36) is the thirty-sixth point along the Stomach meridian.
While proponents of acupressure often espouse specific approaches to pressing or rubbing the points, you can get great results from doing what feels right for you and not getting caught up in theory. You can either fi rmly hold the points or rub them in small clockwise circles, whichever feels best to you. I find that fi rmly holding the points typically gives better results.
I recommend that you not use massage oils or lotions when rubbing the points, as these will make your skin too slippery to hold the point for any length of time. In fact, you can be fully clothed while doing acupressure, making it easy to do anywhere. Some of the points are easily accessible and allow you to rub them on a bus ride or in the car (as a passenger, of course), or while watching television. If it is difficult for you to use your thumb or fingers to rub the points, you can also use your knuckle.
Avoid getting stressed about whether you’re finding the point precisely. Sometimes, there will be some discomfort at the site of the point, while other times there won’t be any noticeable sensation.
The points we will be using are located on both sides of the body. I recommend holding the points on both sides of the body (at the same time if you prefer) for best results.
When trying to locate an acupressure point, a general rule of thumb is if you find a point on your body that feels sore, apply firm pressure. You may have discovered an energy blockage. Pressing on the area will help to disperse any blockages you might have. Do not be overly aggressive while pressing the area or you may cause bruising. At the same time, apply enough pressure to really feel the acupressure.1
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If you are pregnant or have any serious health concerns, consult a qualified acupuncturist before proceeding. Acupressure is quite safe with no side effects that I am aware of. If you are pregnant, you can simply avoid the following points: Large Intestine (LI 4), Stomach 36 (St 36), Spleen 6 (Sp6), Kidney 3 (K3), Urinary Bladder 36 (UB36), and avoid massaging the abdomen. Avoid using acupressure during the first and last trimester of pregnancy as well.
Specific acupressure techniques are listed in Chapters 8, 10, and 11, depending on their use for cleansing. Use them during the corresponding phase of the program. For example, in Phase 1, you can incorporate the acupressure techniques listed in Chapter 8,“Targeting Your Kidneys and Intestines.”You may wish to continue using the acupressure to maintain your cleansing results after you are fi nished The 4-Week Ultimate Body Detox Plan. (Specific exercises appear under their respective phases.)
ENERGY BALANCING TECHNIQUES FOR CLEANSING As you learned from the studies mentioned regarding acupressure, energy exists in our body. Many other studies confirm this. Albert Einstein was one of the leading scientists who furthered our knowledge of energy when he created the mathematical equation, E=mc2. Although it is not essential to our cleansing program that you understand the meaning of this equation, suffice it to say that the “E” stands for “energy,” and Einstein said matter and energy are two different forms of the same thing.
Einstein was not the first to believe in the existence of energy. Throughout many cultures, the concept of a subtle force that fl ows through and around the body is not new. In China, the existence of energy is the foundation for acupuncture, which we now know to have existed for approximately ten thousand years. In the yogic tradition of India and Tibet, people have long understood the concept of energy, which they call prana. The Jewish Kabbalistic tradition refers
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to energy as yesod. In the Christian faith, energy is often called Th e Holy Spirit. The Lakota tribe of the First Peoples of North America called energy wakan. The Iroquois tribe refers to this subtle, yet powerful force as orenda.
Although most people cannot see energy, it nevertheless exists. It is comparable to electricity. We can see the wires and the end result of its existence, light or heat, but we cannot see electricity itself. Th e same is true of nuclear power. We do not see it, but we see the results, and we certainly see those results when things go wrong. Most people may not be able to see energy, but without its existence life would cease.
Einstein found that everything in the world is made up of energy, regardless of whether we are referring to animate or inanimate objects, human or non-human, living or supposedly non-living beings. Everything radiates energy. Energy flows through, between, and around every cell in your body. It therefore flows through every organ and organ system.We must help ensure a balanced flow of energy throughout the body to ensure properly functioning organs and organ systems.
The basic premise of energy medicine, the body of knowledge that manipulates energy for healing purposes, great health, and disease prevention, is that matter follows energy. Or, as Donna Eden and David Feinstein, two of the foremost energy medicine practitioners, state in their book Energy Medicine,“When your energies are vibrant, so is your body.”2 Since healthy energies precede great health, it is imperative that any good detox program incorporate energy balancing techniques.
I asked Donna and David to recommend some powerful energy medicine techniques, which they describe in their aptly named book Energy Medicine, for the purpose of cleansing the body and its various detox organs.3 Based on their suggestions, I have included numerous energy medicine techniques in Chapters 7 through 11, choosing the best technique for particular cleansing purposes. They will improve the flow of energy to, through, and around the organs to help them cleanse and rebuild.
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Phases 1, 2, 3, and 4 (Specific exercises appear under their respective phases [Chapters 8 to 11].)
In this chapter you learned
• You can increase your body’s ability to cleanse toxins and emotions using simple techniques that feel great • You can assist your lymphatic system to eliminate toxins using skin brushing, rebounding, hydrotherapy, a lymph-stimulating bath, lymphatic massage, and energy balancing techniques • You can assist with cleansing your blood using skin brushing, rebounding, hydrotherapy, and lymphatic massage • You can use acupressure techniques (which you will learn in the following chapters) to help cleanse your urinary and intestinal tracts, liver and gallbladder, lungs and skin • You can use various energy balancing techniques (which you will learn in the following chapters) to cleanse your urinary and intestinal tracts, lymphatic system, liver and gallbladder, blood, lungs, and skin References
1. Some of this material previously appeared in Michelle Schoff ro Cook, Healing Injuries the Natural Way (Toronto: Your Health Press, 2004). 2. Donna Eden and David Feinstein, Energy Medicine (New York: Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin, 1998), p. 17. 3. The energy medicine techniques in this book are reproduced with the permission of Donna Eden and David Feinstein. For additional information on these or other energy techniques, I suggest referring to their book, Energy Medicine. (see resources) Chapter .: Power-Packed Detoxification ...