I also got to thinking that maybe I should share some of my own health challenges with you guys. It's not all hearts and flowers health wise on this end. More like congested liver, compromised bowel function and smelly emissions (Mommy, did you fart AGAIN?!?!)
When I was a little girl, people used to tell me my eyes were so black I looked like a little witch. Truly, you had to get right up on me to see my pupils in all that dark iris. I used to think it was pretty cool, a novelty, and I really liked witches. Now that I've studied iridology, I realize this wasn't such a great thing. All that darkness meant one seriously murky eye, what has even been called "sewage eye" (charming, right?) and what I did not know is that it would mean a long road of detox that's still ongoing today. But I am one of the fortunate ones. My irises now reflect the color of someone who isn't as full of shit (not literally anyway). I photographed my Mom and Dad's irises when they were here after Tomas was born. I knew when I saw the photos of my Mom's eyes that she would never live long enough to clear her color. Her eyes were as dark as mine were in childhood. I don't have any magic pill (as there is no such thing) or great formula for cleansing my body. I try to eat what I crave as long as that craving isn't unreasonable (see previous post), I eat a lot of raw food, I drink a lot of water, I exercise a few times a week, I try to get enough sleep, and I just listen to my body in general. Yours will tell you what it needs. This has been a long, slow road. Maybe it would go faster if I wasn't so fond of red wine and a cigarette at night after my kids go to sleep.
Here's the thing I have found though - the road has a LOT of potholes, nay SINKHOLES in some places! What have I experienced? A rash all across my belly, from my neck up to my face and in between my toes that itched like crazy and stuck around for about 3 months. Sores (ulcers) opening up on my arms and legs. Swollen knuckles that eventually cracked open. Hands so dry they cracked as well. Hair loss. Extremely dry eyes. Low, low, low energy. Probably more that I've wisely forgotten or I'd be saying screw it all and going out for Ben & Jerry's.
Let's get to the liver instead. The liver has a big job every day. Not only is it responsible for the breakdown and elimination of the by-products of basic metabolism, but it also has to deal with the extra load of all the toxic substances we encounter on a daily basis through pollution, pesticides, food additives, drugs, household
chemicals, the list goes on and on.
So back to detoxification. Let's talk a bit about what exactly is involved. I will try to keep this as simple as I can, but if something is confusing please feel free to post your questions! The process is generally divided into phase I and phase II. Think of phase I as the "breaking things down" phase and phase II as the "building new substances" phase. Not all raw materials go through both phases, but in order for a substance to enter phase II it must have first completed phase I. In phase I, cytochrome p450 enzymes move in and through a series of chemical reactions convert an extremely harmful substance into a more benign substance. Some of these materials become water soluble and can be eliminated through the kidneys, lungs or skin. In phase II, there are several pathways, each involving its on "special ingredient" that conjugates (binds) with the broken down p450 substance to create water soluble from fat soluble compounds. The problem with fat soluble compounds is that they can only dissolve in fat, making them particularly susceptible to storage in fatty tissues. This is why rapid detox is not a good idea - you have no idea what is stored in your fat cells, and if it all gets released too quickly it can completely overwhelm your detoxification pathways.Just for the sake of information, the pathways are: sulfation, glucoronidation, glutathione conjugation, acetylation, amino acid conjugation, and methylation. Overall, the main nutrients needed by these pathways are B vitamins (including folic acid and B12), magnesium, zinc, vitamin C,
sulfur, amino acids, essential fatty acids, and trace minerals as co-factors.
Foods that are good for the liver are bitter foods: any dark green leafy vegetables, beetroot, cruciferous vegetables, high quality protein, garlic, onions, and artichoke. Milk thistle is a great herb for liver cleansing and support. There are some great liver cleanse teas out there, but I gotta warn you - they are NOT nice tasting! They work, but don't expect good flavor!
Here's a little something I whipped up last night that fits the liver bill, sorry I don't have a photo...
1 beetroot, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
1 small onion, chopped
1 sweet potato, scrubbed and cut into bite-size pieces (I had to peel mine as the skin was a bit nasty)
handful of spinach
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon creamed coconut
Heat creamed coconut and coconut oil in a wok over medium heat. When they start to melt, add the beetroot and sweet potato. Cook covered for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding water if things start to stick. Add in the onion, garlic and ginger and cook for another 20 minutes or so, until the beetroot is a little softer. Uncover, add in the spinach and cook just long enough to wilt the spinach slightly. Spoon onto a plate and enjoy! I drizzled some apple cider vinegar and hemp seed oil over the top of mine. I also thought about adding in chopped dates, goji berries, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, and shredded coconut. I had to stop myself from making a huge portion!
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