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Staying Healthy: Detox & Cleansing Tips

 

10 Tips for Spring Cleaning

  1. Become Current in your Life in this inspiring season. Embrace yourself honestly as you look at all of your habits and areas of your own life. Even with all the worldly concerns, care for yourself and your loved ones. Assess the various aspects of your life to see where stresses or weaknesses exist—your diet, exercise program, work or relationships as examples—and focus on the ones that need improvement.
  2. Look at your personal relationships and see how they affect you and how you affect them. Include your significant other, friends, or relatives to go along with you in a Spring Cleansing diet for their own good and for your support. For my cleanse groups, I find that personal support is extremely valuable for many people to achieve the success they want.
  3. Choose three habits that inhabit and likely undermine your health and life. How and when did they begin, and are you done with any? Which ones are most important for you to change or incorporate to create a healthier you? Do you need help or can you do this on your own? Mine are to eat more lightly at night so that I can digest more fully to be less full, to take more time for stretching and yoga, and to create with some other experts a nutritional plan to reverse some calcium plaque I have in my coronary arteries. It's easier to give stuff up if you start something new, like breathing more often, walking, dancing, romancing, and overall, making more time for health.
  4. Clean and organize your home—tis the season of Nature’s new year in clearing out the old and bringing in the new. I love this feeling of looking at my desk, my closet, and every nook and cranny around my house and office, and wanting to freshen it all. And it’s a good way to stay out of the kitchen (which also gets cleaner along with my frig) and look at other areas of my life. Of course, after all my years of accumulating and with all the communication and journals I receive, it’s harder to handle everything in my existence as it was in my earlier years of cleansing. Yet, I do what I can and sometimes have my support team keep moving things forward and recycling what we can. Then, my life feels and looks cleaner and lighter at the end of my Spring Cleaning, and has space for the new to land.
  5. Get outdoors and exercise—move your Body! Stay Fit and Stay Healthy. Friluftsliv is a Norwegian term for healing and de-stressing by going outdoors and exercising in the free and fresh air. Hike and explore your neighborhood and extended community or find a place you’ve heard about and wanted to visit. I love the lightness and easiness I feel when I am cleansing, and my body feels more flexible and able to do my aerobic exercise. A yoga class is a good experience to expand our flexibility. Breathe and relax as well. Play flute, dance, and make time for romance. Remember, it’s Spring!
  6. Look at your dietary choices. What do you choose to put in that mouth of yours? And what do you fuel your other “mouths” with—those areas of energy intake, like your eyes, ears, skin, and heart? Write down a few days of your typical diet, then assess it and write a new plan based on your knowledge of what’s right for your body. You may also wish to take a break from the TV, news, violent movies, and stressful people while you are purifying your life. It’s good to have a reference by taking a break, even with substances like caffeine and sugar (See The New Detox Diet book), to see how you feel and what level your dependence is on your favorite substances. I can assure you that it feels good to release yourself from those habits.
  7. Next look at your Emotional and Spiritual aspects. How do you feel usually? Are you low or depressed? Or more positive and energetic? Ideally, we can feel a wide range of emotions based on our daily life experience and not dwell on one particular emotion, which is the real problem. Embrace the whys of moods and energy levels with greater honesty of your true feelings—that’s the beginning of healing feelings. And I can tell you that many factors ranging from your diet and digestive health to your early childhood learned behavior patterns influence your mood, energy level, and emotions, and thus your Spiritual Well-Being.
  8. Do some Cleansing or Detox Program for 1-3 weeks this Spring. This could include juice cleansing, the New Detox Diet, or a period off sugar, chocolate, sodas, milk products, wheat, or whatever you believe undermines your health. To do this successfully, it helps to write out a plan and focus on what you will do and will eat, and not what you are leaving out. Make a list of your good foods, shop for them, and have them available whenever you are hungry. And drink lots of good water.
  9. Now let’s look at your Nutritional Supplements. What’s the best ones to use during a detoxification diet? I suggest, with a food-based Detox Program, a simple age- and gender-appropriate multivitamin/mineral along with additional antioxidants that include Vitamins C and E (mixed natural tocopherols), and selenium as the basic supplement plan. Also helpful for most people are herbs that stimulate bowel function, and blue green algae (like Chlorella or spirulina) for energy and Detox support. I also suggest drinking plenty of water and herbal teas. Calcium and magnesium before bed can help with relaxation and sleep or a buffered vitamin C formula with those minerals plus potassium help to alkalinize and cleanse the body.
  10. Make your Overall Plan and Commitments. Begin by looking at the key areas of life—Health and personal habits, Love and relationships, and Career or work. And if LOVE moves into all those areas, that’s all the better as you’ll care for yourself and your life, plus your relationships in a positive way. Human love is temporal for many, yet love in the Spirit is everlasting. We are all blessed to share this garden, this Earth, which needs our Love and Protection. We must take the time to Nurture Nature, in order to Nourish and Flourish.

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10 Tips for Spring Cleansing & Spiritual Renewal

  1. Feel the power of Nature all around you and within you. Know that this awesome force is available to you, and allow it to influence the course of your life and health. Identify the areas of your life that need some work and plan specific improvements that incorporate the changing seasons. Allow yourself to visualize your Perfect Life, and nourish that vision through your cleansing and renewal process.
  2. Spring is the time for renewing your life - letting go of what you don't need (physical, mental, and emotional habits that undermine your health) and bringing in what you need anew (accepting positive health habits that will satisfy your soul). Take a break from the TV to be more creative, or read by candlelight without the electrical vibrations at night, or just sit quiet to meditate and listen.
  3. Get more outside exercise and spend more time in Nature. Take hikes, plant a garden, or work in a community garden. Create a balanced fitness program or modify the one you are already following that will support your healthy, body/mind happiness. Working up a sweat helps you dump toxins; this will improve your health and lead to fewer doctor's visits. Also add some reflective practices such as stretching, yoga, or chi gong; these help support renewal by giving your body time to gently de-stress and deepen the changes you are making in your life.
  4. Consider a special and specific detoxification program. This could include substance avoidance (off sugar and caffeine, for example), The New Detox Diet, or a Juice Cleanse (with the warming of the weather), such as the Master Cleanser (lemonade diet), all discussed in my books and in several Articles on my website. Herbal remedies for detoxification can also be helpful.
  5. Renew all aspects of your Life. Go through your piles of papers, your clothes, and the corners of rooms in areas that haven't seen light for years. Don't be afraid to let go and let things flow. Give things away, have a garage sale, and recycle or re-circulate what you can. "Being simple, simply being." (Argisle-izm)
  6. Begin to gently, yet seriously, re-evaluate the key areas of your life - work (career), relationships, and health. Again, look at what undermines your potential in these worlds and allow clear guidance, suggestions, and actions to arise in your being. Try to be more aware of the subtle areas of life and the effects of foods. How does the food you eat make you feel. Increased vitality and improved health will change how you view your life and how much energy you have to create positive change for yourself.
  7. It is your healthy body that lets your Spirit fly more freely. Nutritional supplements (as the raw materials--vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids) nourish and support your body and mind, and this in turn enhances your higher dimensions. The cleansing process de-stresses your body and lets your energy rise and awaken your psyche. Freshly squeezed juices and herbal teas are vitalizing, high-vibration nourishment. Sprouts from seeds and grains are live, vital food. Aromatherapy and smelling the beautiful sweetness of the spring flowers will soother your soul as well.
  8. Be Earth-aware and Earth-friendly. Be conscious of where things come from and where they go - and the real cost of products you use - such as plastics and chemical products. Re-use and Re-cycle. Support more earth-conscious businesses and products. How do you vote with your dollar?
  9. Cleansing habits to incorporate include deep and relaxed breathing, yoga-type stretching, dry skin brushing, and wonderful walks in Nature. When was the last time you de-stressed, downloaded and digested your life experiences to catch up to the present? After my detox groups, people are usually more attuned and more aware of their habits, and have made long-term positive changes. It is crucial for most people in our busy society to take occasional food fasts (instead of fast foods), substance breaks, and even appliance (electromagnetic) and news/TV vacations.
  10. Do something that uplifts your Spirit, such as caring for a loved one or an elderly neighbor. Trust your heart and feed it joyful experiences. Put your Spirit on the line for what you believe. Doing for another is key to completing the circle of life, called Love. Building community is a positive change for Earth as well as for our Spirit.

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10 Tips on The Purification Process

  1. On Your Mark, Get Set, Let's GO! And grow, and know you can always embark on a healing journey. Start simply with an honest evaluation of your life and habits. How do you think each activity (or lack of it) contributes to your health (or might contribute in the future)? First look at your diet and the foods (and substances) you consume. You may not be able to change everything all at once. Look at your priorities and motivation and make the time to start. That's a beginning. Gathering a base of knowledge of what to do will help. Focus not on what you have to avoid or give up, but on what you can do to see results on the way to the new you. Let's start NOW.
  2. Make a plan for one week, one month, or for the entire year to make key changes to your lifestyle and health. What will it take to achieve your goals? What habits undermine your health? What do you really want to change? What has control of you? It helps to read and make notes for your plan so that you can refer back to it often. Don't be afraid to explore your own thoughts and feelings as you think about cleaning up your life. It is so important to health and healthy aging. Good choices in what we feed our brains and hearts are as necessary as good food. Reading the right stuff can provide you the know-how and give the inspiration and motivation needed to do this process in a way that works for you.
  3. Let's first look at the substances you use – the SNAACs, that is Sugar, Nicotine, Alcohol, Caffeine, and Chemicals. What are your issues and questions? Identifying and releasing your habits is a primary step in your purification. Read about each of these common substances more completely in my book, The New Detox Diet. It's typically not as hard as we think to let go of our coffee or sugar habit, for example, to see how we really feel without these artificial stimulants. That's the only way to truly assess how these substances affect us on a daily basis. Take a break. This does not mean that we should never drink coffee or eat sugar again; we just want to find the right and healthy relationship with each item we consume, or over-consume. Don't we want a healthy relationship with everything and everyone in our life?
  4. Follow The New Detox Diet book to help you undo these habits. Following the diet of fruit and whole grain each morning, with steamed vegetables at lunch and dinner will help you feel and look lighter physically and emotionally, and be clearer mentally. Chew your food thoroughly and take time to nourish yourself. This will lay the groundwork for healthier eating habits. You will be taking a break from your substance habits, which most everyone has, and be getting away from processed and junky foods and chemicals. Your body will feel relief, as thousands of people have experienced. You will have the option after your cleansing process to add items back into your life, but once you realize their effects more clearly, you not want to have them back.
  5. Many supplements and herbs help support the body in this healing process. During detoxification, it is helpful to use antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, the carotenes, selenium, and zinc. B-complex vitamins with extra vitamin C can help the body deal with the stress of change. Calcium/magnesium combinations are useful to calm the body, and at night, to sleep more soundly. Emergen-C packets are easy to carry and mix with water, which you should always have with you. I also use some fresh-water algae such as spirulina, chlorella, or blue-green for some extra amino acids and the physical and mental support I experience. Many herbs can help in the cleansing process. Keeping the bowels moving is crucial to healthy detoxification; herbs can help here. It's important for the bowels to move two to three times daily to feel good during this process called life. There are many herbal detox programs and mild laxative products, as teas and tablets, available in the stores. Use them all cautiously and start slowly, as everyone's experience is unique. If you pay attention, you will learn to apply the right products and processes to your body and life.
  6. The second key level of the Purification Process is to look at your diet, in particular the foods you consume on a daily basis. Many people, especially those people who are overweight or don't feel their best, have food reactions. The main culprits are what I call the Sensitive Seven – wheat, cow's milk products, sugar, corn and corn syrup, eggs, soy, and peanuts. Any food item that we focus upon or are attached to could be a culprit; other possible concerns are chocolate, tomatoes, oranges, shellfish, yeast, oats, potatoes, and the additives MSG and aspartame. See my book, The False Fat Diet, for a full explanation and appropriate food plans to discover and remedy these common reactions. Taking a two week break from the Sensitive Seven foods to see how you feel is a good test. It takes a little effort, yet once you get organized, it's not that difficult, and you may discover health secrets that could help you feel better for life.
  7. Supplements that support this program are those that reduce food reactions and allergies as well as those that support better metabolism. These include vitamin C and Quercetin, MSM, Coenzyme Q10, Essential Fatty Acids, and Digestive support with HCl, Enzymes, and Probiotics (healthy bacteria). Supplements that may energize metabolism include the amino acids L-carnitine and L-tyrosine, Chromium, and DHEA. Exercise is still the best for metabolic enhancement. Herbs that reduce reactions and support metabolism include Ma-huang, Licorice root, Ginger root, Horseradish and Cayenne pepper, Garlic, and Nettle leaf. There are discussions and guidelines for all of these in my book, The False Fat Diet.
  8. Regular exercise is an essential part of the purification process. A balanced program is wise. Aerobic activity helps strengthen the heart and improve circulation and endurance. Weight training builds muscle, and the more muscle tissue you have, the better your metabolism. This fact is an important one for people trying to lose weight. Yoga stretching and deep breathing can help you center and energize. One of the great benefits of exercise is body purification – the cleansing of the blood and all the body tissues. Sweating helps to eliminate toxins; steams and saunas are also cleansing. Slow and steady is the way to go for consistent results.
  9. The emotional issues around habits and foods are usually significant and must be handled to really correct problems. Emotional purification doesn't always come the way we want. Dealing with our fears and anger, learning about forgiveness of self and others, and understanding our own needs and cycles will keep us on the new path we create, rather than be undermined by our deprived inner little boy or girl. Have an inner caucus and work out a new balance to clarify your needs and recreate what really satisfies your body most healthfully. This helps you to stop feeding your emotional extremes that may drag your energies into a bottomless pit, and boring yourself and your loved ones repeating challenges over and over rather than creating space for solutions.
  10. Spiritual alignment and improved relationships to people, food, and self are a benefit of the purification process, as is the wide range of physical and mental improvements in energy, vitality, moods, and overall well being. What if you are in a limited work situation or relationship? Remember: There is nothing permanent except change and purification helps us create the change we are aiming for rather than allowing change to whelm us, by happening to us rather than through us. Most people in my groups make major and consistent changes that they are able to maintain long term. That's one of the major goals of this process – to come out the other side with better habits, making the best choices for your overall being and optimal health.

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10 Tips for Wise Sugar Use

  1. Sugar is found in so many foods that are now available in the modern grocery stores and even natural food stores. It goes into food primarily as refined cane sugar (including brown sugars) and high-fructose corn syrup (the new leader of sugar consumption). More natural sugars include honey, maple syrup, malt sugar, date sugar, molasses, and others. Foods that are high in sugars should be used only as occasional 'treats' in the diet, not as a main component of our food consumption. The best natural sugar may be the herb, stevia, also called sweetleaf. Some natural desserts include almonds, apples, and dates.
  2. Traditional Chinese Medicine views the desire for sugar, or the sweet flavor, as a craving for the mother (yin) energy, a craving that represents a need for comfort or security. In Western cultures, we have turned sugar into a reward system (a tangible symbol of material nurturing) to the degree that many of us have been conditioned to need some sweet treat to feel complete or satisfied. We continue the pattern with our children, unconsciously showing our affection for them by giving them sugary foods. We do not want to unconsciously reinforce the 'treat' pattern.
  3. For most of us, sugar is a symbol of love and nurturance. As infants, our first food is lactose, or milk sugar. Over-consumption and daily use of sugar is the first compulsive habit for most everyone with addictions later in life. Simple sugar, or glucose, is what our body, our cells and brain, use for fuel for energy. Some glucose is stored in our liver and muscle tissues as glycogen for future use; excess sugar is stored as fat for use during periods of low-calorie intake or starvation. If we don't exercise or take periods of low calorie intake, the fat never disappears.
  4. Our problem with sweets comes from the frequency with which we eat them, and the quantity of sugar we consume. The type of sugar we eat is also a contributing factor. Refined sugar or sucrose (a disaccharide made up of two sugars -- glucose and fructose) is usually extracted from sugar cane or sugar beets, initially whole foods. However, most all of the nutrients are removed and retained only in the discarded extract called molasses. When the manufacturing process is complete, the result is pure sugar, a refined crystal that contains four calories per gram and essentially no nutrients.
  5. Many nutritional authorities feel that the high use of sugar in our diet is a significant underlying cause of disease. Too much sweetener in any form can have a negative effect on our health; this includes not only refined sugar, but also corn syrup, honey and fruit juices, and treats such as sodas, cakes, and candies. Because sugary foods satisfy our hunger, they often replace more nutritious foods and weaken our tissue's health and disease resistance via stressing our immune system.
  6. The use of sugar in our culture sometimes resembles a drug, and can be treated as such. If you are 'hooked,' make a clear plan for withdrawal, while working emotionally to eliminate the habit. Our responses to certain flavors, and the feelings we get from them are usually conditioned. Self-reflection can be valuable when trying to understand these compulsions. To stop bad habits and see things clearly, we may need to talk these feelings through, transitioning from compulsion to a safe and balanced lifestyle. Talk to your hands and guide them to reach for healthier foods and snacks.
  7. From my discussion in the article about the Glycemic Index, quick-absorbing sugars are more of a concern with our blood sugar and energy. It may be helpful to consume some protein, such as a few nuts or nut butter, when eating some simple sugar like fruit, or easily assimilated carbohydrates like rice, bread, or potatoes. Remember to read those labels in the stores; there are loads of hidden sugars in items you wouldn't even think should have added sweetener, and concentrated sugars in some juice drinks.
  8. If we do crave sugar, there are several supplements that can help us utilize the sugar better as well as reduce our desire for those sweets. These include the B vitamins (25-50 mg of most twice daily), vitamin C (500-1,000 mg twice daily, calcium (250-500 mg), and magnesium (150-300 mg). Chromium helps our body utilize the sugars more efficiently; it is usually supplemented in 100-200 mcg twice daily, in the morning and about 3pm. Also, the amino acid, L-glutamine (500-1,000 mg 2 to 3 times daily), helps to feed the brain and reduce sugar (and alcohol) cravings.
  9. Drinking plenty of water is crucial to keep the body balanced and lessen cravings and addictions. An alkalinizing diet reduces cravings as well and helps with detoxification. Also, regular exercise does the same. Don't be afraid to move that body for fitness with active aerobics and weight training. Yoga stretches can also give you inner and outer strength to be your true self. Walking in Nature is another way to get in touch with your inner nature and gain your will power.
  10. There are usually emotional issues around excess sugar and carbohydrate consumption, and being overweight. Be open to explore these areas as you attempt to heal your habits and create a healthier body and weight. A support group or a counselor can help in this healing process. Good luck and make wise choices!

    Extra Info!
    SNACCs Review (Sugar, Nicotine, Alcohol, Caffeine and Chemicals)
    Sugar – Review above and when you crave those sweets, stop and ask yourself, "What do I really need?" Breakfast cereals are typically loaded with sugar, seemingly instant energy, yet setting up the drug effect. Check your labels.

    Nicotine – Cigarettes are treated with chemicals and sugar as well. In this season of the lungs, isn't this a good time to free them?

    Alcohol – How much can you handle? How do you feel the next morning after drinking? Be cautious and try to take breaks some days and use alcohol wisely for celebration. Choose organic drinks when possible.

    Caffeine – Is your cup of coffee chemically treated? What about what you add to your cup? How much sugar and milk do you use? Try some variations on your morning cup of Java? I have many listed in The New Detox Diet.

    Chemicals – They are everywhere. We are exposed in the stores where we shop, at work, around many homes, and when traveling. Be cautious and protect yourself with good nutrition and the right supplements. See my article on travel tips or my books, Staying Healthy with Nutrition or The Staying Healthy Shopper's Guide.

    Make a plan. Allow yourself a minimum of celebrating and spread it out over the upcoming months. Make sure you don't get tossed about on a sea of other's decisions, from which they may suffer and have you share their symptom profile after they have succumbed and damaged their own health, and yours too! This is your responsibility. Who and how you are is up to YOU!

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10 Tips for Healthy Detoxification

1. Follow a non-toxic lifestyle – eat wholesome, natural foods, drink good water, exercise regularly, and avoid junk foods and additives--to minimize the need to detoxify.

2. If you feel toxic or congested--from aches and pains, allergies and sinus congestion, sluggish digestion, or skin rashes – you might consider a detoxification program as outlined in The New Detox Diet.

3. If you have habits to any SNACCs (Sugar, Nicotine, Alcohol, Caffeine, or Chemicals) take a break occasionally to evaluate how you really feel. These short breaks can give you a new perspective. Is your habit an easy pleasure or is your body paying a price?

4. Detoxify your body and life in a way that feels right to you – through a combination of diet changes, juice cleansing, and supplements. Challenge yourself a little, but avoid the attitude, "No pain, no gain." The idea is to take extra good care of yourself.

5. Create the time and space to detoxify successfully. You may want to do a weekend fast. In this New Year, you might also consider a 7-10 day Spring Cleanse. In either case, starting on Friday gives you the weekend to transition in and out of your program.

6. My favorite cleanses are:

• The Master Cleanser (a lemonade diet described in my Spring Cleansing article).

• Fresh vegetable juices, and broths, with added Spirulina or other algaes.

• The Detox Diet, a very smooth and easy way to take a needed cleansing break.

7. Plan to include regular exercise in your life and create a balanced schedule of activity and rest, work and play. Take the opportunity to be outside – walking in the trees, by the ocean or a river. In the city, watch the sky to stay connected to Nature. Don't forget to relate to flowers, birds, and other natural life forms.

8. Do saunas, sweats, showers, and skin brushing to help detoxify. Drink plenty of good quality spring water or filtered water (8-10 glasses a day).

9. Make sure you keep your digestive track cleansed. Have a bowel movement at least once or twice daily – using fibers, herbs, salt water flushes, enemas, or colon hydrotherapy – so necessary for experiencing healthy cleansing. This is a very personal issue but necessary for experiencing vibrant health.

10. Be positive – drop at least one old habit this month. Even a change as simple as giving up wheat or dairy products, sugar or caffeine, could make a big difference in your health.

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10 Tips on Wise Alcohol Consumption

  1. Alcohol has been used as a special and sacred celebratory beverage over many centuries. Most native cultures have had fermented drinks for their rituals and ceremonies. This continues with traditions and celebrations of all kinds -- weddings, anniversaries, dates, ballgames, flying, and harvest faires. Alcohol does help to relax the body and mind and calm the inhibitions. However, many people feel the need to celebrate daily (now, that would be partying or escaping). Excesses over time lead to problems, yet occasional wildness may free the soul.

    "Reduce excesses, but not excessively." --Argisle

    If you are concerned about your drinking habits, consider keeping a "drink diary" for the next month. Write down when, how much, and in what circumstances you drink. How does it make you feel immediately and the morning after? Honestly look at how drinking affects your life. There are many healthy ways to celebrate life! Playing sports does this, as can drumming and dancing with your friends. While we used to have rituals, now people get drunk to deal with life, and then get in their "deadly" autos risking lives on their way. And many also use painkillers and other drugs to deal with their daily lives, which further affects their abilities. Or they overuse their credit cards and mismanage their lives and have their families suffer. Realize that drug problems of all kinds are diseases, and should be dealt with as such.
  2. In evaluating how alcohol affects your life, look at the following issues: Do you drink more when you're sad or upset about something? Do you mainly drink in social situations with friends? Does alcohol help you express yourself? How can you address these emotional issues without relying on drinking? Can you say NO when the time is not right for your personal imbibing? Healthy use would be a social drink or two with preparation before and balance after in terms of hydration (alcohol is dehydrating) with water and the right nutrients.

    "No is On Backwards." -- Argisle
  3. Consider the negative effects alcohol might be having on your health.

    Is drinking aggravating an existing condition, such as obesity, digestive problems, joint pains, or depression?

    Do hangovers affect your performance at work, or keep you from things that you want to do?

    Alcohol irritates the liver and the intestinal lining; it also lowers immunity, dehydrates the body, and impairs judgment and performance, as in operating machinery and driving a car. It also alters healthful participation in relationships. Alcohol is the number cause of traffic fatalities, especially of innocent people.

    What is your awareness and responsibility for your own body as an example to self, loved ones and friends?
  4. Alcohol may have some positive attributes as well. Doctors may recommend it to reduce heart disease risks, as it helps raise the good HDL cholesterol. However, it also raises total cholesterol and has more negative effects such that health conscious practitioners would not recommend regular consumption. Alcohol is also addictive. Thus, it takes some work, both physically and emotionally, to heal from this potentially destructive habit. For example, a liver transplant, if you could get it, is quite costly and painful.
  5. In terms of reducing your alcohol consumption, if you notice that you tend to drink at certain times of the day, plan other activities, such as exercising, during that time period. Consider ordering water or other natural drinks in restaurants, and during social occasions. Take a break for a couple days; if this is very difficult, you likely have a problem and help may be necessary. Contact your doctor, counselor, or look up the AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) chapter in your area. Know that it is usually difficult to give up something; it's better to add something healthful, like walking and breathing. It also helps to talk to others who have recovered from their addictions and see what they did with their extra energy; helping others often helps you as well.
  6. To take a break or break your habit, there are many things you can do nutritionally. Give your body plenty of support. In regards to diet, first begin with drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day to help flush toxins. Avoid sugary and fried foods. Don't substitute other addictive substances, such as caffeine or nicotine, for alcohol. Eat plenty of wholesome foods--fresh fruits and vegetables, grains and legumes, nuts and seeds, and fish--for the nutrients and fiber they provide. This helps with body support and elimination. A detoxifying diet very high in fruits, vegetables, and fresh juices can be very helpful in changing habits and cleansing the body.
  7. Supplements are helpful during alcohol use and during detoxification. (See my book, The New Detox Diet, for more specifics.) Definitely use the antioxidant nutrients such as Vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, plus zinc and selenium. The B-vitamins are also very important to alcohol metabolism as well as nervous system support. The amino acid L-glutamine (500-1,000 mg three times daily) may help reduce cravings for alcohol (and sugar). Calcium and magnesium help to calm the nervous system and reduce withdrawal. Flaxseed oil or olive oil also helps the body tissues. Taking in a tablespoon of oil before you drink may also slow the absorption of alcohol. Packets of Emergen-C with a full glass or two of water are very helpful to prevent hangovers and reduce dehydration. These supplements are also helpful during alcohol detoxification.
  8. Herbs may also be useful at supporting the body and preventing some of the ill effects of alcohol use. Ones that cleanse the liver include milk thistle and dandelion root. Chamomile and licorice root can help with gastric distress. Skullcap, valerian root, and other tranquilizing herbs are useful during alcohol withdrawal. There are many herbs that help with alcohol detoxification. See about this in The New Detox Diet book.
  9. Acupuncture and massage therapy may be quite helpful when one is going through the stress of changing habits. Acupuncture detoxification has become quite popular; talk to your local acupuncturist to discuss this. Exercise, walks in Nature, saunas and steams are helpful to clear alcohol from your system and during detoxification as well.
  10. Other Alcohol Issues: The process of fermentation uses yeast with fruits or grains, and the consumption of sugars and fermented products makes us more susceptible to Candida yeast problems. Many current and past alcoholics have yeast conditions, and this affects their digestion, energy, and moods. Another issue of alcohol drinks relates to the use of chemicals in manufacture, plus sulfites in wines, to which many folks have sensitivities.

    • Organic drinks are best, especially compared to chemical treated substances. Chemicals harm Nature's creatures, our water supply, and the air for generations to come. (See www.organicwineguild.com) The Bureau of Firearms oversees alcohol control. Does this come from the long-term association of whiskey with gunslingers? With so many choices, we can really do harm to our world and ourselves by supporting the wrong products.

    • Even though there have been some studies suggesting benefits to daily alcohol use, it isn't contrasted to those who drink only occasionally or not at all and who have many good health habits. Who sponsors these studies anyway? Also, alcohol may have some calming affect on a more toxic and stressful lifestyle. Common Sense is the rule: Do not drink and drive! We have clearly established that, after so much loss of life and financial destruction and high insurance rates. Now folks can't simply smoke anywhere they please and contaminate the rest of our lungs. We have laws now that protect others from us, but how can we protect ourselves? The answer is "only with wise choices."                                                                                                                                                                                        • Why do you drink? Ask yourself and begin to know what you are really aiming at – a bit of relief, a mind vacation, a bill-paying hiatus, a chance to become less inhibited so you and your partner can dance the love dance without encroachment by daily responsibilities? Yes, a bit of alcohol might inhibit your inhibitions and can be an aphrodisiac to life. Please consume alcohol wisely, especially during this upcoming period of celebration or coping with worldly and personal stresses. There are many healthier ways to relate to these situations. Be wise and live a long, healthy life.

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