An Herbal Spring Cleaning B
efore you clean your house, clean your body, so that you have the strength to power through. Start with the body’s “coffee filter”, the liver. Be cause we cannot throw our liver away and get another one, look for a liver cleanse/support formula with herbs like: 1,200 to 1,500 mg a day of dan- delion root, 300 to 700 mg a day of artichoke, and milk thistle standard- ized to 80 percent silymarin (active ingredient).
Next, focus on blood. In addition to oxygen and nutrients, blood carries waste to the liver, so our river of life needs a little help, too. Some popular herbs for this are 300 to 900 mg a day of red clover, 200 to 500 mg a day of sanguinaria and 500 to 1,500 mg of berberine a day. With all this cleaning going on, we need a good container to collect all the bad stuff and carry it away. So next up is fiber, one to three tea- spoons a day, which can sweep up all the junk and push/carry/scrape it to the door. Now fiber can be a great broom, but it can be a good plug, too.
So now that we are mobilizing, collect- ing and transporting all that garbage, a gentle laxative will open the door so that the trash can leave. Try 400 to 1,200 mg of magnesium oxide a day, or the 250 to 1,000 mg a day of the Indian herbal triphala, and of course lots of water; three to four liters a day. It is also important to know that cleansing can ask our immune system to do a lot of work, so plan to give it some love, as well. Try adding some general immune support like a com- prehensive mushroom complex, el- derberry and upping vitamin C intake. We can be adventurous and put all this together ourself or look for a detox kit that includes all or most of these suggestions. Remember, now that we have done all this great work for our body, don’t pollute it with toxic house cleaners. There are some great, truly natural, house cleaning products that don’t have to break the bank. For the DIY types, make sure to use organic ingredients in homemade cleanser recipes.
Dr. Evan Fleishmann, an expert in nu- trition and natural health, is a graduate of the National College of Naturopath- ic Medicine and a health food pro- fessional for more than 20 years. An author, formulator and consultant to industry and individuals, he currently serves as general manager of Organic Basic Foods, in Hoboken. See ad, page 27 and Resource Guide, page 50.
Celebrate April 22
Look in our
calendar for some great events!
See page 45
natural awakenings
April 2014
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