"I feel
FAT! CRabby! Dried Out! Tired! and did I say Crabby???"
It must be
spring and time for a spring cleaning! Grandma called it a
"Spring Tonic". Today we call it detoxing. All winter
we have sat inside where it is warm and poked in Christmas
cookies, New Year's drinks, Super Bowl junk food and cheap
Valentine's Day candy. After a long hard winter the body needs
to prepare for Spring, sunshine and fresh alive foods.
Detoxing
involves the entire systems of the body, the digestive, the
respitory, circulatory and nervous system. I'll give you some
simple ways to help the detoxing process.
1. Decide what
day you are going to start your detox program. Pick a day where
you won't be around a lot of activity.
2. Begin
knowing that you will have to drink at least eight 8 oz glasses
of distilled water. The reason for flooding yourself with water
is that it lowers or thins the "fats" in the blood and
helps to carry them on out. This is where chemicals, pesticides,
drugs are hiding , in the blood serum or "fats". The
increase of water also increases the oxygen to the cells.
3. Begin the
day with some real fruit juice (avoid orange juice and tomato
juice) and some raw fruit. You are trying to take the load off
of the digestive process today. It takes alot of energy to
digest grits, eggs and bacon. Herbal tea can be consumed freely
during the day... suggested teas are Rooibos, Honeybush tea,
chamomile & red clover, dandelion, and peppermint. You may
eat raw fruits and vegetables during your meals. You can follow
this routine for 2 days if your general condition warrants.
4. To detox the
skin... salt glow and bath tea! Create a salt glow using sea
salt and sweet almond oil. Patchouli and lemongrass essential
oil added create a heavenly scent and will help to clean and
soften the skin. Use a detox bath tea for 2 days in a row.
(c/s is "cut and sifted")
Glenbrook's
Detox Bath tea
4 tablespoon of
epsom salt
1 tablespoon of ginger c/s
1 tablespoon of fennel seeds crushed
1 tablespoon of ginkgo leaf c/s
1 tablespoon of lemongrass c/s
1 tablespoon of yerba mate
1 tablespoon of oregan grape root c/s
1 tablespoon of rosemary leaf
This will make
2 bathes. Fill one of our large 3x5 teabags and toss in the tub.
Next is the
face. It takes the most abuse during the winter months.The skin
dries out and wrinkles .
5 Flower
Herbal Steam Facial
Throw into a bowl
of boiling water
1 tablespoon of chamomile flowers
1 tablespoon of elder flowers
1 tablespoon of jasmine flowers
1 tablespoon of rose petals
1 tablespoon of calendula
Allow the face
to steam 15 minutes or so. I even rub the spent flowers on my
face for a light abrasive action to help remove dead skin cells.
This detox
program can be done once a month to help your body fight the
free radicals that cause aging. Beauty has to come from the
inside in more ways than one.
About
the Author:
Lucinda Jenkins of Glenbrook Farms is a soapmaker, business
owner, and herbalist. You can purchase the needed teas and herbs
on her website Glenbrook
Farms Herbs and Such. Glenbrook Farms is our source for all
of our herbal supplies, soaps and more.
