The Benefits of Nutritional Cleansing
There are many benefits to nutritional cleansing. Many of the problems that we face with our bodies today can all be traced back to the nutrients, or lack thereof, that we are getting from the foods that we eat.
Something as simple as adding more protein, folic acid and vitamin C to your diet can get rid of hangnails. Dandelion (taraxacum officinal) root tea is a great substitute for coffee. It still smells and will taste like coffee, but it provides a lot more nutrients and it is traditionally used as a spring and winter detoxifying tea for the body.
Burdock (arctium lappa) is said to be one of the best blood cleansers there is. Combined with catnip (nepeta cataria), which helps calm the nervous system, burdock can be used to help with the symptoms of withdrawal when trying to quit smoking or with other drug addictions.
Catnip, however, is not recommended to be taken by pregnant women unless under the supervision of a trained professional as it is an emmenagogue. Herbs that have a specific action on the female reproductive system are known as emmenagogues. Vitamin C is one of the nutrients that both catnip and burdock root have in common. There are also a great many other herbs that are used for cleansing and healing the body.
Fasting is another way of nutritional cleansing. There are many different types of fasts, but one thing they all have in common is that they are designed to cleanse the body of toxic build up. One of the easiest fasts to do is simply choosing one day each week and just drink all your meals. This gives your digestive system one day each week to relax and clean itself out.
When you do this, your body has more energy to devote to other bodily systems since it does not have to use as much energy to digest the food you eat. Fresh juices also concentrate the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that occur naturally in the fruits or vegetables. It is not recommended, though, to mix fruit and vegetable juices. This is because it takes different digestive enzymes to break down each, which means that you end up getting fewer of the benefits from them than if you eat or drink them separately.
One of the most important and lasting components of nutritional cleansing is diet. If you do not give your body the building blocks it needs to work right, it cannot do so. Deficiencies in nutrients will show up first in the hair, skin, and nails. If you watch for these indicators, it can help you figure out what you are missing and what in your diet needs to be changed to bring your body back into balance.
Fruits and vegetables are some of the best sources of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that you can get. Some, like tomatoes, are better cooked since that concentrates their nutrients and makes them easier for the body to process. Others, like garlic, have healing properties that break down during cooking. They may still taste great but they can lose some of their nutritional value. In addition, if you are planning serious changes in your diet always consult a trained professional.
