Choosing to eat well for your body is one of the most essential and important things that we can do to promote our wellness as well as the wellness of our family. It's only the first step though. Our bodies are affected physically and emotionally by everything we inhale as well as what we touch and enters our pores then going into our bloodstreams. Along with the synthetic chemicals in our food, we must also be aware of our cleaning products, cosmetics, medicinal choices, and body care products. I will be doing a series over the next several weeks on how to rid our homes and families of toxins that we may not even be aware of that we use, touch, and inhale every day. I will make suggestions on more natural options that we can use instead from things we make ourselves to safer, more ecologically friendly pre-made products.
11 Household Items That Need to Be Ditched and Switched
1) Fabric Softener and Dryer Sheets
2) Store Bought Detergent
3) Deodorant
4) Bug Spray
5) Sunscreen
6) All Purpose Cleaners
7) Make-Up
8) Toilet Bowl Cleaner
9) Window Cleaner
10) Air Fresheners
11) Oven Cleaner
12) Hand Sanitizers
Clearing Toxins from the Body
In addition to making those switches, it is important to be cognizant that those synthetic chemicals linger and hang around in our bodies especially in adults because we've been using them for a long time. Our bodies have amazing filters, but they can only take so much. A disease is an outpouring of toxic overload from the environment, emotions, and poor eating. There are natural, safe ways to help clear out those toxins from the body and support natural body function.
1) Exercise (enough to break a sweat)
Our wonderful Creator gave us a body so that we could move. Our sweat glands are extremely important and need to be used. When we sweat our body releases stress as well as toxins. You do not have be drenched, but if you see or feel moisture that is a really healthy outcome. Never wear antiperspirants that deny the body of sweating. Ideally, choose a movement that will not wear down the adrenal glands such as constant pounding like running. It's okay to run occasionally, but longtime running daily is very hard on the body. As a regular choice integrating high-intensity short burst workouts and even hot yoga are positive options. If you break a sweat while intensely walking that works as well.
2) Dry Brushing/Skin Brushing
If you have never heard of dry brushing or skin brushing it is a simple practice that anyone can do, is very supportive, and free after the cost of the brush. Use a brush with natural bristles. I dry brush every time before I shower. Some advise it daily, but to support my immune system I do not shower daily. Dry brushing is not a new practice. It dates back as far as Hippocrates and the early Greeks.
The benefits are support for the lymphatic system and natural cleansing from the skin and reduction in cellulite. While our blood brings in our nutrients, the lymph takes out the trash from our bodies. This is one body system that tends to need extra help because of how much junk it deals with today.
Ideally, you would do this in the morning with more vigorous strokes because it is warming and energizing to the body. You can do it at night. If so, you do need to do it at night then you would take a little extra time and do it slowly so that it is more relaxing than stimulating. The best place is to do it in the shower completely naked before the water is turned on because your body will shed skin when you do this and then you rinse off the dead skin. Always do this with completely dry, unmoisturized skin. You do not need to push too hard, you are not trying to break the skin.
There are actually several different versions of how to skin brush properly. As a health coach, I would say if you decide to skin brush, pick a method that works for you, and be consistent at brushing at least twice a week because overall it is beneficial.
You will want to clean your brush occasionally. You can use Young Living Thieves or Lavender Foaming Hand Soaps or Dr. Bronners Unscented Castille soap with a few drops of Young Living Thieves or Lavender essential oil. You can get your Young Living products here. Feel free to email to ask questions about purchasing options.
I have personally created a simplistic version of the two methods that I do twice each week before showering. I will put that video below.
Dr. Bernard Jensen (USA Method)
You begin low at your feet and brush all the way up your body in short strokes. Do make sure to carry the strokes upward toward the heart for healthy blood flow. Once you get to your abdomen you can rub the brush in a clockwise motion several times over the intestines, then from the bottom of your ribcage to the top do several strokes, and then resume strokes on your arms starting at your fingertips going up your arms. The only time other than your abdomen that the direction of the strokes will change from your upward strokes is once you reach your shoulder the stroke will go down toward your heart over your chest.
Dr. Bruce Berkowsky (European Method)
This method is more intricate and follows the lymphatic path in the body. You will do each set of strokes or circular motions 7 times. Start on your left side because that's where the most lymph glands reside. Then you will repeat on the right side.
- Lift your arm to reveal the pit and brush in a circular clockwise motion 7x's
- Then the top of shoulder down through the center of the chest 7x's, then take the brush down and around the breast to the armpit 7x's, then under the same breast out to the armpit again 7x's
- Placing the brush in the middle of the shoulders on the back take the brush up and over the shoulder down to the chest 7x's
- Place brush on the back of the neck and take it around to the front under the jar 7'xs
- Go to the hand and start at the fingertips in a circular motion all the way up to the wrist 7x's
- Flip the hand over and do the other side 7x's
- Turn over the hand again and brush each finger individually then up to the wrist 7x's
- Place the brush at the elbow and do long strokes to the shoulder all around the arm 7x's
- Place the brush at the wrist and go up to the elbow all around the arm 7x's
- Place the brush by the groin area and do circular motions up to the hip bone 7x's
- Place the brush on the belly button and in a clockwise motion cover the whole abdomen 7x's
- Place the brush on the spot where it ended and go in a reverse motion to end back at the belly button 7x's
- Place brush on the lower back and go up to the shoulder blades 7x's
- Place brush on the heel of the feet and go in circular motions, then on the ball in circular motions 7x's
- Place brush on the top of the foot on the toes up to the anke in circular motions 7x's
- Go from ankle to knees in long strokes all around the leg 7x's
- Go from knees to top of thighs in long strokes all around the leg 7x's
3) Water
Our kidneys' job is to flush out toxins from the body. If we do not drink enough water then our kidneys are not about to work properly and then those toxins stay inside us. Read here to learn more about the importance of water. Water also lubricates our intestines and softens the stool to leave our body.
4) House Plants
We could not live without plants, no surprise there. They are an extremely important part of the daily diet. Another incredibly important factor is plants give us oxygen and cleanse the air. When the air is cleaner our respiratory system thrives and we can actually exercise and move better. If you don't have any or many houseplants this is a great incentive to get some. Certain plants even remove specific pollutants. If you are new to plants, then start with spider plants and peace lilies. Read the official NASA study on air pollution reduce by plants here.
5) Essential Oils
They make my heart beat and are truly my passion. I remember first learning about Thieves essential oil from Paul Nisan in 2010, natural health and raw food guru. I was fascinated by how he described the type of immune support it could provide. I had used products with lavender it in before, but that was the extent of my knowledge. As my passion grew I began to experiment and use them often, and eventually even teach classes about them at my part-time job. The truth was that I never received the results I was looking for from any of the brands or varieties I used. Something told me not to give me on them. I'd no idea about quality or the deception in this industry until using the bottles of Young Living Essential Oils that my best friend from CA sent to me. I opened those bottles in May of 2013 and never used another brand again. These are the only ones I recommend due to high quality, testing, and standards.
As far as natural cleansing in the body there are many oils from the Young Living Vitality line that can assist the body in healthy, natural cleansing processes. I would only trust Young Living Essential Oils internally. One drop of lemon oil in your water each day can support the liver, one of our most important filters. You get triple duty when diffusing essential oils because they cleanse the air, reduce stress, and help the body resist break down from positive ions that deplete our systems (more to come in another blog). I like to diffuse blends like Purification, RC, and Raven for happier air quality. Due to the fact that essential oils are lipid soluble, meaning they go into our fatty areas well in the body, and many toxins, especially heavy metals like to settle in our body's fatty deposits, that means that high-quality therapeutic grade essentials oils can have a conversation with those toxins and tell them to move out. Adding essential oils like lavender, cypress, and black spruce to a combination of Himalayan salts, baking soda, and Epsom salts is an easy enjoyable way to promote cleansing. Contact me with questions about bringing Young Living into your home.
6) Himalayan Salt Lamps
Real salt is a natural purifier in an of itself. Halotherapy is an old practice of inhaling the air when surrounded by chunks of pink, Himalayan salt used to reduce or eliminate infections, unhealthy skin conditions, and more. Many people with different conditions will visit salt caves today. A way to take part in this therapy is using a salt lamp. Through the warmth of the lamp the salt attracts the water vapor in the air and the water vapor that contains any toxic elements, pollutants, or mold is then eliminated or severely reduced. Again anything that contributes to increased air quality allows the body to operate at a higher functioning level. Some say that negative ions are released from the salt as well there reducing the negative effects of electro-magnetic waves, but not enough conclusive studies have been done to prove this to be true.
You want to choose an authentic Himalayan salt lamp. There are unfortunately phonies on the market that are far less beneficial. Make sure your lamp is certified and comes with a return policy. They are not durable or strong, they break easily, so if yours takes a hard tumble and doesn't crack or break, be suspicious. Real Himalayan salt comes from mines in Pakistan, so look for that on the certification.
The lamps come in different sizes, so if you have a large room, choose a larger lamp. Do not place the lamps near water or essential oil diffusers. They can be in the same room as a diffuser, but not too close in the same space. They are sensitive to moisture and it can make it break down too quickly.
Many doctors, such as Dr. Mercola, today are suggesting saunas be used to eliminate toxins out the body by sweating, utilizing the largest organ in the body, similarly to exercise. Here is one study discussing the high amounts toxins especially heavy metals excreted when the body perspires. Heavy metals do not contribute to the health of human beings at all, but rather deliver disease and disorders. Saunas are essentially recreating the natural process of the body having a fever. When the body is trying to rid itself of an unfriendly virus or bacteria, often times it will create heat causing a fever or spike in temperature in an attempt to push out the invader by causing the body to sweat. Since many toxins as mentioned earlier set up residency in our lipid or fat tissues and heat raises the metabolism, the sauna therapy allows the toxins to dissolve by burning fat.
Conclusion
There are other options that can be done like chelation and cryotherapy, but I chose to discuss these ideas above because anyone can have access and utilize most of them methods. Do you already participate in any of the methods above?
Please let me know how the information blessed you,
Marie Brock, HHC
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