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Why You Need to Spring-Clean Your Body!

By Dr. Maoshing Ni

Human cultures through the ages have instinctively cleansed themselves and their living environment upon the arrival of spring each year. The reasons are well founded from two perspectives. First, there is the natural need to cast off winter blues and feel renewed and second, according to Chinese medicine, and confirmed by the science of Chronobiology, the liver is most active in detoxification process during spring.

Toxins from the environment are the biggest causes of cancer, degenerative disease, birth defects and genetic changes. With findings coming out daily in the media about exposures to cancer-causing substances in our environment and food supply, like the recent confirmation of the health dangers of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) which is found in all non-stick pans, it behooves you to be proactive in minimizing your exposure.

But getting rid of your dangerous pots and pans will not make you immune to toxins because other toxins are still prevalent elsewhere in your life. PCBs from plastic containers, pesticides and herbicides from produce, dioxins from bleached paper products, formaldehyde from carpets to eyeliner all absorb into your body and cause imbalance and harm to your health.

Typical symptoms and signs of toxic overload include:

• Fatigue
• Memory decline
• Difficulty focusing
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Allergies and frequent infections
• Irritability, anxiety and depression
• Difficulty losing or gaining weight
• Muscle and joint pain and weakness
• Skin rashes, eruptions and outbreaks
• Recurrent yeast and fungal infections
• Abdominal bloating, gas and indigestion

The necessity to rid your body of toxins on a regular basis is obvious. It is particularly useful for people trying to quit smoking, wean off drugs and lose weight. Many people have reported vast improvement in their symptoms and condition after going through a detoxification program. How then, do you begin an at-home Detox program or start a clinical Detox protocol? Below, I outline both.

At-Home Detox Program (start with a one-day program and increase to one week or more)

• Detox Diet: Eat mostly beans, brown rice, oat bran, vegetables, fruits, organic chicken or turkey
• Vegetable Juice: 24 oz. juice made from cabbage, cucumber, carrot/greens, celery, turnip, asparagus, beet/greens, parsley, apple, aloe vera. Split up into 3 portions and drink
• Vegetable Broth—24 oz. broth made from as many of the following items: collards, swiss chard, kale, mustard green, cabbage, dandelion, Brussel sprout, daikon radish, watercress, seaweed, shitake mushroom, cilantro, garlic, leek, fennel, anise, ginger, turmeric. Divide into 3 portions to consume.
• 1 lemon squeezed in 12 oz. hot water. Take upon waking first thing in the morning.
• Supplement with 1 tablespoon either flax seed oil or deep sea fish oil.
• Herbal Soak—20-minute bath daily during Intensive and weekly during Maintenance with infusions of Eucalyptus, Wintergreen, Peppermint, Fennel, Cinnamon and Epsom salt to help draw out toxins

Clinical Detox Protocol

As documented in the Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Medicine, early Chinese physicians recognized that toxins are processed and neutralized by one’s liver and gall bladder and expelled from the body through the spleen-lymphatic system, the skin, bladder and bowels. Detoxification and purification protocols were developed in response to naturally encountered toxins in food, environment and microbial infections. At Tao of Wellness, we have worked with toxicologists and studied these and other clinical detoxification protocols to distilled the best information into an innovative and comprehensive method that employed only natural modalities. We offer One-Week Intensive and follow up Maintenance Programs.

Tao of Wellness Detox Program

We invite you to discuss your detoxification needs with your practitioners. Spring may be the best time to cleanse your body and environment but you don’t have to wait until spring to start, because detoxification and cleansing is for all seasons.

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April 2006
Volume 4, Number 4

Why You Need To Spring-Clean Your Body

Being Green

Special Exercises for Eye Disorders

Recent Research

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