Up until a few years ago, my beautiful friend Jess was one of my party pals. That was, until she was diagnosed with cancer. This is her contribution to my blog about the importance of detoxing...
I have had a long, complex and, up until just over a year ago, faithful relationship with alcohol. We fell in love when I had my first taste of a West Coast Cooler aged 14. Things got really heated when I was 15, 16 and 17, during the period my parents regretfully tout as “Jessica’s Binge-Drinking Phase.” What parent doesn’t like being called by the coppers while they’re in fancy dress at a toga party after their daughter has just been arrested for underage drinking in public? And resisting arrest?
When I turned 18 and was legally permitted to drink, we had a slight (and I mean slight) cooling off period. I was in my first year of uni, had a steady boyfriend, and liked to stay home and play house. But then when things with the boyfriend ended, alcohol and I picked up right where we left off, and we welcomed a few other recreational substances into the relationship.
After I finished uni and moved to Sydney to start my first real job as a social reporter for Nine to Five magazine, my courtship with booze matured. I was introduced to the wonderful world of complimentary champagne and cocktails and started drinking four or five nights a week. I still managed to make it to work the next day though (apart from one particularly fun party thrown by Social Diary where I threw up on the way to work and was forced to turn around and go home). It didn’t matter how trollied I got the night before, work was priority. Plus, there wasn’t usually anything a greasy bacon and egg roll couldn’t fix.
This all feels like it was another lifetime ago, and if you saw the way I live now you would swear I’m talking about someone else all together. Someone like my close friend and former party pal, Sara. Or one of the countless other PR and media people living the dream and feeding themselves a diet of champagne and canapés on the social circuit. This was me, until I was forced to change.
In 2008 I was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, and after realising that the only way to reverse and manage my disease was by overhauling my diet and lifestyle, I had to start living very differently. As much fun as it is to reminisce about the good old days, the point of this post is to alert you to the importance of detoxing your body.
We all have issues with our health, whether they come in the form of cancer, some other diagnosis or even something as seemingly unimportant as bad skin or constipation. I come across so many people who have trouble pooping. And if you can’t raise your hand for anything now, chances are you will in the future. That is unless you perk up, listen to what I have to say and start treating your body with the respect it deserves and needs to carry you through to your grey-hair years.
Don’t freak out, I’m not going to tell you to stop drinking or to give up all of your favourite foods. I’m also not going to recommend doing a two, three or even seven day detox where you would usually go back to indulging in old habits straight after. There’s no point in that. I’m just going to give you some tips and hints for balancing the bad with a whole lot more good. These are things you can integrate into your daily routine, so that when you do indulge it won’t be so bad. Your liver, kidneys and other vital organs will be given the support they need to cope with the myriad of unpleasant substances forced upon them. Doing things every day to cleanse your body will provide you with more energy, reduced headaches, weight loss, clearer skin, less bloating and a clearer, more focused mind. Among many, many other benefits.
Here are some things you can do to help clear out the gunk:
· 1. CHOOSE WINE. Particularly organic or biodynamic wine with no added sulfites. Wine is a lot easier on the liver than hard liquor like rum and tequila. Your next best bet is vodka.
· 2. EAT MORE WHOLE FOODS. You will eliminate a whole host of liver-straining toxins from your diet by switching from processed and packaged food-like substances to fresh vegetables, fruits and whole grains. It may take a little longer to prepare, but there is a bigger price to pay for convenience than you may think.
· 3. START YOUR DAY WITH A TEASPOON OF ORGANIC APPLE CIDER VINEGAR IN WARM WATER. The unique acids in apple cider vinegar can bind to toxins and help the body eliminate them more effectively. Another way apple cider vinegar aids detoxification is by breaking up mucus throughout the body and cleansing the lymph nodes to allow for better lymph circulation.
· 4. TAKE A MILK THISTLE SUPPLEMENT. This herb has awesome detoxifying and liver protective qualities. Research has shown that Milk Thistle can protect against some severe liver toxins.
· 5. DRINK DANDELION/CHICORY ROOT TEA. This stuff is so good for your liver. It stimulates the flow of bile (a good thing when it comes to helping your liver out), acts as a blood purifier, decreases inflammation and cleanses the kidneys.
· 6. LOAD YOUR PLATE WITH PLANTS. All of the important, liver-nourishing nutrients your body needs come from plants. Particularly cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussel sprouts, radishes and green leafy veggies like spinach, bok choy, kale and mustard greens.
· 7. DRINK FRESH VEGIE JUICES AND SMOOTHIES. The easiest way to inject your system with a nice, big dose of detoxifying nutrients is through fresh juices and smoothies. With juices the fibre is removed and with smoothies it is broken down, so the nutrients are delivered practically straight into your blood stream.
· 8. SOURCE A GOOD QUALITY VITAMIN C SUPPLEMENT. This vitamin is a powerful antioxidant for the liver and it reduces toxic damage caused by chemical overload. It also helps the liver to regulate cholesterol levels and improves immunity. It is much better to get vitamin C from our food, but because this important nutrient is destroyed by heat, many of us are deficient. Bottled, pasteurised OJ doesn’t count I’m afraid.
· 9. LOOK AT WHAT YOU'RE PUTTING ON YOUR SKIN. Commercial cosmetics and self-care products are usually loaded with toxic chemicals, all of which are absorbed through your skin, scalp and nails and are delivered into your blood stream and through to your liver. These are added poisons we just don’t need. Try to source certified organic, all natural products.
· 10. MAKE FRIENDS WITH COFFEE ENEMAS. Enemas are nothing to fear, so you can go ahead and unclench your butt cheeks. Coffee enemas are probably the best and most efficient way to detoxify your liver. Click HERE for more enema information. Bio: Jessica Ainscough is a Sunshine Coast based writer, blogger and holistic health coach. She is the founder of the online natural health sanctuary, The Wellness Warrior (www.thewellnesswarrior.com.au). In her spare time, Jess can be found on her yoga mat, on her meditation stool, at her juicer or in the bathroom.
