Spring Cleaning for the Body

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Monday, March 20th marked the official first day of spring. And while our homes and offices always benefit greatly from decluttering of junk and a fresh start during this season, our bodies could use a spring cleaning of their own!

Every time we breathe, urinate, cough, sneeze, sweat, exfoliate, we are detoxifying. Our bodies are made to detoxify themselves through our organs. But we live in a world where we are constantly bombarded by pollutants in the air, in the soil, in our food, even within our homes. The journal Environmental Health Perspectives published a study from the University of California San Francisco, on pregnant women and their exposure to toxins, scarily found that “some of these chemicals [found in their bodies] were banned before many of the women were even born.” In addition, many of us partake in regular consumption of fast food / ultra-processed foods and alcohol, which burden our bodies even further. When the flow of toxins into the body exceeds the body’s capacity to eliminate them, we start to really feel it. We feel sluggish, gassy, irritable, and our skin looks dull. Acne is prevalent for some, while constipation and headaches are common for others.

While some people are skeptical of the need to help the body cleanse itself, David Sandoval, author of The Green Foods Bible says, “We know that our bodies cannot always detoxify themselves properly if we have seen the lungs of a smoker, the liver of a drinker, the skin of a predominantly fast food eater, or even what calcium deposits do to our kidneys…people die earlier than they should every day because their bodies could not detox or detox fast enough.”

One of the fastest and easiest ways to achieve better balance within your body is by drinking a variety of green food juices. A daily dose of a variety of green foods can be considered therapeutic for all the systems working within the body.

“Greens, green drinks, and vegetable concentrates can benefit us all. We are each at risk of losing our health to the onslaught of free radicals, pro-inflammatory chemicals, and from exposures like pollutants and the junk food indiscretions of our youth. By making high levels of vegetable intake one of your key nutritional strategies, you can help protect yourself from these dangers and gain longevity at the same time.” says Keith I. Block, MD.


Variety is the Spice of Life
It is ideal to get a wide variety of greens in your daily diet.  “Dozens of healing and cleansing substances can be found in green plants. One of the most studied of these substances is chlorophyll – the stuff that turns sunlight into energy and makes plants green…however, green foods not only contain chlorophyll, but over 1,000 other substances, including lightweight proteins, nutrients, and antioxidants. Many yet undisclosed are a treasure trove of healthy power.” Sandoval says.   

Alfalfa: The father of all foods, alfalfa has roots that reach up to 60 ft. into the soil to absorb trace minerals. Its lightweight proteins stimulate the rebuilding of tissues and strengthen the hair, skin, and nails. Alfalfa is the highest source of chlorophyll out of all land plants.
Barley green juice: Rich in calcium, iron and trace minerals, barley has been reported to relieve constipation, poor circulation, acne, and body odor.
Broccoli: A powerhouse of anti-carcinogenic compounds, broccoli is also rich in vitamin C and beta carotene.
Chlorella
: Nature’s richest source of chlorophyll, chlorella is a powerful detoxification aid for heavy metals and other pesticides.
Kale: Rich in all trace minerals and is recommended to prevent brittle bones. 
Parsley:
An excellent deodorizer, antacid, and anti-ulcer remedy. Parsley contains two types of unusual components that provide unique health benefits; the first type is volatile oil components (including myristicin, limonene, eugenol, and alpha-thujene) and the second type is flavonoids (including apiin, apigenin, crisoeriol, and luteolin).
Sea kelp: Known to contain over 96 different minerals and trace minerals. These foods (sea vegetables in general) are nature’s most potent mineral rich whole foods. Sea vegetables offer the broadest range of minerals of any food, containing virtually all the minerals found in the ocean – the same minerals that are in human blood.
Spirulina:
Containing over 100 synergistic nutrients, spirulina is nature’s richest and most complete source of total organic nutrition. Spirulina is so nutrient dense that it has been given the nickname “Mother Nature’s multivitamin.”
Wheatgrass: Clinics all over the world have been set up to administer the miraculous juices extracted from sprouted wheat plants. The intensive cleaning the chlorophyll and enzymes within wheatgrass provide are unsurpassed in its abilities to stimulate the immune response and instigate healing.

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