Spring Cleaning!

by Ana Nozari, BSc, ND

Naturopathic Doctor

After the long and harsh winter we have had this year we are all looking forward to spring, for warmer weather and seeing nature renew itself. Spring is also a great time for us to cleanse our bodies from all the waste and toxins which accumulate over months of inactivity and breathing stale indoor air.

Many of you are aware of our main organs of elimination and detoxification like liver, colon and kidneys which work hard round the clock to process and remove the endogenous (produced in the body from metabolic processes) and exogenous toxins (from what we ingest). Our secondary organs of elimination like skin, lymphatic system, and lungs are also important in removing unwanted toxins. Skin is our largest organ of elimination, but it also can be a route for toxins getting into our body by topical application of cosmetics, lotions and detergents. Therefore, it’s important to be very selective with what we put on and in our bodies to reduce the toxic load.

So what are some of the ways we can help our body cleanse itself this spring?

Watercress Cleanses the organs and system.

Nature gives us the answer as always! Some of the plants and vegetables that come around spring time have a great ability to stimulate and support our detoxification organs. These wonderful plants include dandelion greens, fiddleheads, watercress, cilantro and parsley which help our liver and kidneys to remove toxins more efficiently. So try to load up on these plants or use them in a vegetable juice cocktail.

Other than the specific supplements that may also be recommended to you by your naturopathic doctor, you will need to make sure to take extra fiber and clean filtered water to help with the elimination process, and avoid released toxins from recirculating in the body.

As the temperatures are rising try to get outside more and do deep breathing exercises to get more oxygenated blood to your tissues. Also open the windows to aerate your home or use good quality air filter to remove air toxins and pollutants.

Last but not least dry skin brushing and infra red sauna are great ways of aiding our lymphatic system and skin in the elimination process. Make sure to use a natural Bristol brush and gently brush your skin from extremities toward the centre daily before you take a shower.

If your seasonal allergies stop you from enjoying spring consider NAET treatments available at Pinewood. This therapy is very effective in eliminating environmental and food allergy/sensitivities.

Dr. Ana Nozari treats many different health problems using the principles of naturopathic medicine. She has a special interest in the areas of women's health and fertility, allergies, food and environmental sensitivities, as well as pain management. She focuses on prevention and health maintenance.