Those of you who know me personally or follow me on Facebook know that I have made a big decision in my life around food choices. Like many others, I know that much of the foods available in grocery stores are not great for our physical health and well-being. Even some of the foods advertised as ‘pure’ or ‘natural’ have hidden things like sugar, colors or preservatives. It was so convenient to go on eating the way I was, but it just didn’t feel right.

Recently, it came to me that I was overwhelmingly ready to make changes in my life and take my health and well-being to a higher level. As I write this, I’m beginning my final week of a 28-day cleanse of raw organic fruits and vegetables, and I feel terrific! After making the commitment, I found it easier than expected, and incredibly rewarding. Many people who only see me occasionally notice a remarkable difference in the way I look. My body is trimming down and I’m looking more fit and alive with energy and vitality. The cells in my body are rejoicing with the change. What a wonderful sensation to feel this way!

For those of you who are ready to take your health to the next level, I’d like to share some of the details with you in hopes that you also experience this beautiful new life of health and well-being. The rewards are many!

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Did you know that besides your heart, your liver is considered the  hardest working organ in your body?

Your liver has a dual role as both the main organ for detoxing (naturally occurring at all times), as well as a digestive organ. These days, many people are over-burdening their livers and diminishing their health and well-being through their diets and poor food choices. All your hormones and any medications you take also are filtered through the liver.

When your liver is blocked or clogged with unhealthy fat, it’s called fatty liver, and when this happens, the cells become too swollen and the liver can’t screen out or filter the many substances being passed through it. Remember the liver functions to clean out used blood and return it to the heart. If this situation is not reversed you end up with recycled toxins entering your heart through uncleaned blood. This can damage your heart and immune system and lead to rapid aging.

If you have chronic pain, low energy, and poor sleep,  you should look at cleaning up your detoxification pathways. 

Here are some basic ways to help support your body’s detox.

Toxins are accumulating inside our bodies.
We’re commonly exposed to a myriad of toxins that invade the body with harmful, unnatural substances. From herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, mercury, heavy metals and other pollution in our air, food, and water, we are all at risk and that calls for taking steps to help achieve and maintain our health. Our livers were never designed to process the huge amounts of man-made chemicals we are now all being subjected to.

Most detoxification programs recommend removing processed foods and foods to which some people are sensitive, and eating mostly organically grown vegetables, fruit, whole gluten-free grains, nuts, seeds and lean protein.

One of the most effective ways to achieve vibrant health, is a systematic, holistic detoxification and cleanse. This holistic detoxification process is very gentle and simple to do.

Eat dark green and deep colored vegetables and herbs, lots of fruits, and green salads. A favorite liver cleanse diet includes lemons, garlic, flax seeds, turmeric, limes, and avocados.

The liver is best cleansed by including more liver-cleansing foods in the diet, such as garlic, grapefruit, green tea, leafy green vegetables, beets, carrots, apples, avocados, olive oil, broccoli and cauliflower, asparagus, brussels sprouts, cabbage, citrus like lemons and limes, spinach, tomatoes, walnuts, and garlic.

Drink fresh, organic, unpasteurized vegetable and fruit juices. Kale, celery, cucumber, beet, carrot, lettuce, ginger and lemon are all excellent choices. Another healthy example would be making smoothies out of Wild Maine blueberries, excellent for removing heavy metals.

Purified or distilled water with lemon is an excellent detoxer (and better than water with fluoride). Drink lots of purified water when detoxing to help flush out the fluoride faster. Cumin has been found to protect the kidneys from fluoride toxicity, and also fights fluoride toxicity by preventing DNA damage from fluoride present in the human lymphocytes.

Exercise. Natural sweating is very important, through moderate amounts of cardio exercise, wastes are removed through pores on the skin.

Sleep well. Sleeping causes your body to go into a state of cleansing and regeneration. Without proper and sufficient sleep, detoxification organs don’t get the full recharge they need to function at optimal levels. Aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night, in a dark, noiseless environment for optimal results.

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Note: As you begin a detox program¹, be sure you…

1. Drink adequate purified water to help your body flush toxins.
2. Consider a cleanse of the colon (using something such as Kyolic garlic or ginger). 
3. Eat healthy food, including fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, and some whole grains.
4. Eliminate harmful food and substances such as sugar, alcohol, non-prescription and recreational drugs, or anything else that may put an additional burden on your liver and kidneys.
5. Exercise moderately to improve blood and lymph circulation and promote easier toxin elimination.
6. Support the organs of detoxification such as the liver, skin, and kidneys.
7. Use multi-nutrient supplements to nourish and support your whole body during the colon and detoxification cleansing. ¹(Courtesy of Holistic Wellness)

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A toxin is any component that has adverse effects on the cell’s function or structure. Such toxins² include:

• Liver Toxicants: These include alcohol, drugs, food additives, pesticides and toxic chemicals, which usually lead to serious liver damage in the event of constant exposure.
• Heavy Metals: Mercury, lead, and aluminum usually accumulate in the kidneys, brain, and immune system.
• Microbial Toxins: Some of the toxins caused by yeast and bacteria in the intestines can really disrupt major body functions when absorbed.
• Protein Metabolism Breakdown Products: In case of excessive protein intake, breakdown products like ammonia and urea can put pressure on the kidneys leading to their dysfunction or failure.

It’s worth noting that exposure to herbicides, pesticides, food additives, solvents, and other toxic chemicals can lead to a variety of physical, psychological, and neurological symptoms. Those people suffering from conditions such as asthma, lupus, chronic fatigue, migraines, fibromyalgia, mental fog, weight gain, multiple sclerosis, and other infections, have had a reversal of symptoms at the end of a holistic detoxification and body cleansing process.   ²(Courtesy of Sound Body Life)