16 • March 2016 • UPBEAT TIMES, INC. Simple Spring Cleaning For Your Body


Petaluma, CA. ~ If you like to do spring cleaning for your house, then why not spring clean your body at the same time? Your body is the most important house you’ll ever have, and just like the place you live, it accumu- lates unnecessary things and needs a bit of deep cleaning every once in a while. How do you go about spring


cleaning your body? Te best way to cleanse your body is to optimize the function of your organs


that eliminate waste.


Tese organs are your liver, kidneys, intestines, lungs, and skin. When these parts of your body work at peak perfor- mance, it’s like having the pro’s clean your place up. Below are


ways to support each organ in their natural waste-removal process. Do as much as you can for at least two weeks and you’ll be good to go!


LIVER: Tis is the major organ of elimination, acting as a “filter” for, and detoxi- fier of, all the tox- ins that enter or are created in the


body. Terefore, it is the most important organ to take care of when you need some spring cleaning. Foods


that support


liver function include green leafy vegetables (kale, collards, mustard greens, spinach, dan- delion greens), cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, radishes), cucum- bers, beets, garlic, onions, ar- tichokes, sprouted seeds, and all raw and juiced vegetables.


Dr. Melissa DeForest, ND ~ melissa@northskyclinic.com


Roasted dandelion root tea is a great drink for helping the liver function at its best. Since the liver is so busy detoxifying, give it a rest from alcohol and pro- cessed foods for the time being.


KIDNEYS: Te best way to sup- port kidney function is to make sure you drink plenty of water every day to help flush out the system. For most people, the ideal amount is about 8 cups per day. Parsley is a great food to cleanse the kidneys, so add it to your soups or salads regularly.


INTESTINES: Chew your food well and do not drink much at mealtime because it dilutes your digestive acids. Stick to a whole-foods diet with plenty of fiber from vegetables to keep yourself regular. A clogged di- gestive system makes it really hard to eliminate unnecessary junk.


LUNGS: Add some deep breathing


every day. Inhale


deeply through the nose, allow it to push out your lower belly, then exhale slowly. You don’t need to set aside special time for this. Just find a way to get in around 100 deep breaths per day. Do it while at a stoplight, in traffic, while listening to mu- sic, etc.


SKIN: One simple thing you can do for your skin is dry skin brushing. Use short, very light, frequent strokes towards the heart using a dry natural brush, sponge, or loofa. Tis not only removes dead skin cells but also improves circulation to move out toxins from your skin.


About the Author:


Dr. Melissa DeForest is a naturopathic


doctor and owner of North Sky


Clinic in Petaluma, CA.


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Weird Facts & Fun Trivia - 6


The custom of eating ham around Easter actually goes back before Christianity, and had a practical origin. Ac- cording to ‘Imponderables’ author David Feldman, at the beginning of spring fresh meat was not readily avail- able. Pagans would bury fresh pork legs in the sand by the sea during the fall and winter. The pork was cured by the constant “marinat- ing” of the salt water. Come spring, the preserved meat was cooked over wood fires.


Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is a legume in the Pea Family. It is also know as lucerne.


Alfalfa is supposedly the oldest know plant used for livestock feed, with records of its use as early as 1,000 BC in the Middle East.


Seasons of


Change ... continued from page 12


Yes, he remembered. Tere was something about how he came from an ancient lineage of cit- ruses—lemons, oranges, limes, even the giant grapefruit. He heard some lovely sighs and murmurings. heavenly.” shape.” for.”


“Oh, he smells


“What an adorable “Tat color is to die “Someone should paint


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707.431.9663 • HealdsburgLumber.com 16 • March 2016 • UPBEAT TIMES, INC.


him—such a delightful subject for a still life.” Lemon sat back and relaxed.


Everyone was so cheerful and friendly. His body felt plump and full. His juices were re- stored—they flowed through his veins bursting with vitality. He wasn’t sure what would hap- pen next, but it was so pleasant here. Perhaps the seasons of change wasn’t so bad aſter all.


“Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.” ~ Ernest Hemingway


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