As I mentioned in the entry about diets, I'm not a particular fan of fashionable "detoxes", but I recognize several useful ways to help the body with toxins, which are unfortunately ubiquitous in our food and the environment today.
It is best to do cleanses during the springtime, when it's not too cold. Spring is the perfect time for a fresh start – getting rid of not only the things we no longer need, but also those that burden our body. The second good time is autumn, when it's still quite warm outside.
⏳ Fasting for 24 up to 72 hours. Fasting is a great way to give your body a chance to clear itself of unnecessary and broken cells. When there is no food in the digestive system, the body begins to get rid of unnecessary ballast, which only consumes energy and does not provide anything beneficial. During fasting, remember to drink water with electrolytes, e.g. a bit of rock salt! However, it's worth not exaggerating the frequency of such fasts, because in excess they may cause, for example, vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Another good idea might be extending the window of time when we don't eat during the day, known as "intermittent fasting". It's worth doing that by eating an early dinner.
🍏 Liver cleansing. If you are familiar with the topic of large amounts of alcohol, drugs, contraception or medications, and even more so if you feel bad after eating very fatty meals, you are a candidate for liver cleansing. 😉 One of the most effective, although somewhat unpleasant, methods is cleansing using the Dr. Hulda Clark method. A description of the entire process can be found e.g. here. There are also more gentle versions of this cleanse and methods based on herbs (e.g. preparations by Energy Pentagram).
🥥 Kidney cleansing. We can also use herbal mixtures, e.g. with nettle or horsetail, but my favourite (although not very Polish in nature) is drinking large amounts of water from fresh coconuts, which very effectively dissolves stones in the kidneys. Some online stores that supply to Asian restaurants offer fresh coconuts, and they are sometimes also available in supermarkets.
🦠 Cleansing from parasites. Generally, parasites do not like to stay in healthy bodies, but each of us has at least a small amount of them and this is not abnormal. However, if you experience unusual irritability, sleep problems, or "brain freezes" during the full moon, there's a good chance you've grown quite a few of them. A sign of a high parasite load is also a high consumption of vitamin B12, so if you are deficient in this vitamin, it's also worth looking into this matter. To cleanse parasites, specific herbs are often used, e.g. a combination of wormwood, cloves and green walnut tincture (Dr Hulda Clark's method), but also fermented vegetables. An interesting way to cleanse for a few days using pickles and pumpkin seeds can be found on Barbara Kazana's Facebook page.
🐝 Cleansing from candida fungi. I mentioned this in the post about eating habits. A great way to deal with the excessive desire for sweets is to get rid of excess yeast from the body - e.g. with propolis tincture. Pour 50g of propolis (you can buy it from beekeepers) with 350ml of spirit and 150ml of boiled and cooled water in a jar, close it and leave it in a dark place for 2 weeks. You can shake the jar every few days. After this time, strain the solution into dark bottles. We use no more than 20 drops in half a glass of water (larger amounts may cause unpleasant detox symptoms such as rashes). Propolis has many other health-promoting properties, such as helping to remove heavy metals from the body.
🌿 Ayurvedic detoxes. These often involve eating large amounts of ghee (clarified butter), cleansing herbs/spices, and a rice and mung dal bean-based dish called kitchari. Personally, I love kitchari even as an everyday meal, so I'm posting the recipe below!
INGREDIENTS
- Mung dal beans, half a cup (you can use more)
- White basmati rice, half a cup
- Ghee, 2-3 tablespoons
- [ground spices:]
- Coriander, 1 teaspoon
- Turmeric, 1 teaspoon
- Cumin, half a teaspoon
- Asafoetida, half a teaspoon
- Caardamom, half a teaspoon
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- [whole spices:]
- Cumin, quarter teaspoon
- Mustard, quarter teaspoon
- Cardamom, 3 pods
- Fresh coriander leaves, a handful (parsley is also ok)
- [optional:]
- Vegetables, e.g. broccoli + carrot + sweet potato
LET'S DO IT
It's a good idea to soak rice and beans for a few hours before cooking.
If you're adding vegetables, cut them into small pieces of about 2 cm or divide them into bite-size parts.
Add the spices, apart from pepper and salt, to the ghee heated in the pot. When the mustard starts to pop, add thoroughly rinsed rice and beans and pour water over them (approx. 3 cups). Add the vegetables (if any) and season everything with salt. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes, until soft. Stir from time to time, making sure that the dish doesn't burn and add more water if necessary - the target consistency is risotto or thick soup, depending on your preferences.
Finally, season with pepper. Decorate the dish with coriander leaves on the plate. 💚
Enjoy!