Spring Cleaning Foods

Spring is coming and since the holidays, your family has probably been eating extra goodies, snacks, drinks and heavier foods. Unfortunately, several family members may have gotten sick. True I encourage cleansing, especialy at the beginning of seasons, but sometimes you need another alternative which is why I have created a list of foods that aid in naturally cleansing various organs in the body.

There is the natural tendency to blame these ailments on the cold weather and sick people we come in contact with. It is true that we are more prone to getting sick when the weather shifts and when others around us are contagious, but that doesn’t always mean that our bodies should not be able to fend off and adapt. The connection we most often miss is that our eating habits can dictate how our bodies react to germs and viruses. The foods most prevalent in the average person’s diet are also the same foods that break down the body, leaving it susceptible to illness. These foods/drinks can include sugar, butter, fast food, saturated animal fats, soda, caffeine, alcohol, tap/spring water, processed white flour and an overload of starchy foods. It is very difficult for many to avoid one or more of those types of foods during their week, however, feeling guilty can only break down the body more.

A more positive reaction is to realize that you can cleanse and detoxify your body with whole foods and alkaline water. Nature has provided whole foods which can help reverse the illness process, and aid in cleansing and detoxifying. It is not necessary to spend fifty plus dollars on an intense cleansing kit or starve your body on only water and lemon juice until summer. There are various healing foods which you can easily incorporate onto the breakfast and dinner table and into lunch boxes for a gradual cleansing. Let’s take a look at some specific organs in our body and see which foods and beverages are natural healers and cleansers….

LIVER Garlic, Seaweed, licorice root, turmeric, parsley, spinach, carrots, cucumber, celery, beets, cabbage, collards, kale, vitamin C rich produce (red bell peppers, tomatoes and citrus), cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower and brussel sprouts), wild fish, and organic eggs and chicken

KIDNEYS

Seaweed, oily fish (salmon & sardines), raw olive oil, lemons, whole grains, dark leafy vegetables, apples, celery, raw nuts, beans & peas, cranberries, parsley, cilantro, rhubarb, raw milk and goat yogurt, miso, dandelion greens, apple cider vinegar, black cherries, apples, apricots

STOMACH/COLON Fiber (fresh fruit, vegetables, legumes and whole grains), figs, prunes, onions, chili peppers, rhubarb, cruciferous vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage…), horseradish, filtered water, raw & sprouted nuts and seeds, whole & sprouted grains, sprouts, miso broth, ginger, fennel, leafy greens, Young Thai Coconut

THYROID(under active) Seafood, as many raw & enzyme-rich foods as possible (sea weed/kelp, fresh vegetables and fruits , coconuts, coconut oil, coconut milk, flaxseeds, wild fish, only organic and free-range meats, carrots, spinach, apricots, asparagus, avocados, cucumbers, onions, squash, tomato, watermelon

BRAIN Omega 3/DHA found in fish and flaxseed oil, blueberries, pumpkin seeds, almonds, apricots, bananas, beans, beets, black cherries, squash, dandelion greens, dates, eggs, figs, goat milk, leafy greens, lentils, parsley, walnuts, whole grains, natural olives

HEART Yams, Bell Peppers, Omegas in Fish, Flaxseed, Coconut, and raw Olive oil, garlic, mushrooms, pumpkins (including the seeds and oil), apples, onions, avocados, green tea, sprouts, almonds, brazilnuts, cruciferous vegetables, walnuts, coconuts, whole grains, raw goat cheese and yogurt

SKIN Miso, raw milk, goat yogurt, filtered water, raw & cold-pressed oils (coconut, olive, grapeseed, avocado, macadamia nut), avocados, raw nuts and seeds, wild fish (salmon), lots of raw veggies and fruits

PANCREAS Sweet fruits (apricots), tomatoes, root vegetables, organic vegetable juice, raw & cold-pressed oils, unrefined & whole salt (Celtic Sea Salt and Himalayan Sea Salt)

….and stay positive