We’re all exposed to toxins, but if our inner terrain is healthy, our body can flush them out, so we won’t get sick. ~ROBYNNE CHUTKAN


Allergy and Kuopio University Hospital, Finland). Pets that venture outdoors bring healthy microbes inside; so does fresh air, which purifies poorer quality indoor air. Chutkan also warns of excessive bathing. “When we scrub


ourselves, we rub off microbes and naturally occurring oils; unless we’re filthy, we just need to gently rinse.” Marketers convince consumers that products with toxic ingredients are necessities, but coconut oil, apple cider vinegar and honey can effectively replace many toiletries.


Burn Fat Cells According to ayurveda, burning fat fuels detoxification because toxins from preservatives, pollutants, pesticides and other damaging chemicals are stored in our fat cells. When fat is metabolized and used as an energy source, the toxins are released, ready to be flushed out. “When we’re not burning fat, toxins can accumulate,


cause congestion in the lymphatic channels, overwhelm the liver and ultimately be deposited back into fat cells or stored in the arteries, heart and brain,” comments Certified Ayurve- dic Practitioner Dr. John Douillard, of Boulder, Colorado. He’s the author of Eat Wheat and a former director of player development and nutrition advisor for the New Jersey Nets professional basketball team.


Reboot with a Quick Cleanse To stimulate the body’s natural ability to burn fat, Douillard recommends a four-day, at-home detox cleanse. “The digestive system is responsible for delivering nutrients and escorting dangerous toxins out of your body; if you can’t digest well, you can’t detoxify well,” he says. Unlike drastic fasts and juice cleanses, which can deplete


nutrients, he recommends stimulating fat metabolism with a cleanse that starts each morning with melted ghee followed by a simple nonfat diet throughout the day. According to research published in Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, ghee, a clarified butter, has been proven to remove environmental toxins by attaching to toxic fats. Kitchari, the staple of the meal plan, is a nourishing and easy-to-digest, porridge-like blend of beans, rice and Indian spices. “When you eat a mono diet of just kitchari, your body can


transfer the energy that normally goes toward digestion into cleansing and healing other systems,” says Douillard. For those not ready to maintain such a limited diet, he recommends a polydiet with the option to add seasonal steamed vegetables, oatmeal and other gluten-free grains.


Few Snacks, More Water Work toward eating three meals a day—a light breakfast, big lunch and light and early dinner—without snacking in-be- tween, and fasting for 13 hours each night. Douillard notes, “This regimen should be maintained beyond the cleanse because it gives the body a chance to use up its carbohy- drates—its normal, go-to fuel—and switch to its calmer, more stable, detoxifying fuel—body fat.”


5 WAYS TO DETOX EVERY DAY by Meredith Montgomery


“A 1


s soon as we start eating healthier diets, our body is able to detoxify more efficiently and diseases begin


to be reversed,” says Dr. Michael Greger, a physician and creator of NutritionFacts.org. Follow these tips to enhance the detoxification process at mealtimes.


Eat broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables raw or chop them at least 40 minutes before cooking to maxi-


mize intake of the phytonutrient sulforaphane, which boosts detoxifying enzymes in the liver. For the time-crunched, Greger suggests adding a small amount of any type of raw cruciferous vegetables to the cooked ones.


2


Always choose colorful produce, with the exception of white mushrooms and cauliflower. “White foods are


stripped of nutrition,” says Greger. Pigment indicates the richness of antioxidants that keep the body functioning efficiently. He likes adding shreds of economical and long-lasting red cabbage as an everyday garnish.


3


Follow the seasons, because nature provides the ideal harvest for each season—heavier, denser foods in winter,


like wheat, dairy, roots, nuts and seeds; and cooling, high-en- ergy fruits and vegetables in summer. Dr. John Douillard, creator of the 3-Season Diet Challenge, remarks that research suggests that gut microbes are meant to change with local seasonal foods to optimize digestion, mood and immunity.


4 5


Avoid plastics by limiting intake of foods stored or cooked in plastic, especially cling wrap, which is made


of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a known carcinogen, according to the World Health Organization International Agency for Research on Cancer. Also avoid canned goods unless labeled bisphenol A (BPA)-free. “A lot of toxins enter our bodies through processed, overcooked and fried foods,” observes Deanna Minich, Ph.D. “As we replace these foods with nour- ishing options, we need to also minimize plastic packaging.”


Filter water because, “We are primarily made of water, so if we’re drinking and bathing in contaminated water,


it impacts health,” says Minich who recommends using a national testing laboratory to assess home tap water. The results can then be coupled with the Environmental Working Group’s buying guide (Tinyurl.com/EWG-Buying-Guide) to determine the most appropriate water filter to deal with the contaminants that may be present.


natural awakenings July 2017 39


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