Dear Friend,
The first day of spring is right around the corner—and already, many of us are enjoying the welcome return of longer, warmer days. While it’s true that winter might still have a few surprises left for us, there’s no question that now is the time to start preparing our bodies for the budding new season ahead. In case you haven’t guessed, I’m talking about our annual spring detox.
Spring is a transitional season, carrying nature from the inert, conservative state of winter into the high activity of summer. And the goal of the spring cleanse is to lighten up our system and make it more suitable for these increased physical challenges and activities.
In Chinese Medicine, spring relates to the wood element and to the liver and gall bladder. As such, the liver is the focus of our spring cleanse. As we detoxify the liver, however, we also need to make sure that the other parts of our body—especially those involved in secretion—are functioning well and supported. Otherwise, we may experience backups with symptoms such as constipation, digestive disturbances, respiratory congestion, headaches and others.
With both of these goals in mind, the process of detoxification necessarily includes drainage and elimination. Drainage is the discharge of toxins and waste products from the organs into the system—while elimination is the actual removal of these waste products through the urine, feces, sweat, skin, and respiratory tract.
In this newsletter, I’ll offer the most basic ingredients of a successful spring cleanse. Depending on your personal goals, you may choose to make your own detox regimen more or less involved. Just remember that it’s important to begin any type of cleanse under the supervision of an experienced healthcare provider who can guide you in the process—especially if you have any health concerns or chronic ailments...
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