It’s Spring ~ Lets Cleanse & Rejuvenate our Body & Mind

It is spring and my thoughts and actions have turned to Detoxing my body…I call it “Spring Cleaning”.  Unfortunately, our lives are Toxic, sad but true, there are toxins in our food, our water, the very air we breath and our own bodies produce toxins as a result of the metabolic processes that keep our body in good working order.

There is much written about toxins and what they are..but just to recap…A toxin is any substance that creates harmful or irritating effects in our bodies, that undermine our health and impair our bodies proper function.  WOW!  Pretty scary….This is not to scare you, but to awaken you to information and techniques that will guide you so that you can  make educated decision to obtain balance and optimum health.  Some of the benefits of cleansing are: improved health; increased energy, better digestion, restful sleep, weight loss, better flexibility not to mention the mental and emotional benefits.

So what do we do??  We remember that food is our medicine and we do a gentle Detox….First, we look for signs that we need to detox…do we have aches & pains; allergies; anxiety; headaches; constipation; depression; and fatigue…these are just a few of the symptoms….does this sound like you????  If so you probably could  use a detox  but, ( always BEFORE you  detox, check with your primary care physician, as not everyone should do a detox because our bodies are all unique).  There are many ways to detox so it is important to listen to your body signals to determine the one you need that will best serve you.

For myself, I have chosen a gentle detox program…I am using a gentle Organic Cleansing Tea Blend consisting of Burdock, Oregon Grape, Dandelion root, Licorice root, Nettle, Peppermint, Ashwagandha root and Marshmallow root( this blend can be purchased at  A THYME FOR HERBS).  After my cleanse with the tea and juices for a day, I will then eat a diet of Organic greens, vegetables, fruits, vegetable soups, brown rice, some  Wild fish, small amounts of Organic chicken,  nuts and whole grains…I will be drinking lots of water so I do not get dehydrated.

Here a recipe for a Spring Tonic Soup (my adaptation from “14-Day Herbal Cleansing” ~~ Laurel Vukovic)

This is a delicious cleansing tonic soup that can be used all year long…very loving for your liver,  kidneys,  immune system and basically your whole body will love it.

1 small leak, sliced thin; 1/2 cup  sliced shitake mushrooms; 1/2 cup carrots, sliced; 1/2 cup bell peppers; 1/2 cup kale; 1/2 cup bok choy;  1/2 cup dried nettles or 1 cup fresh; 1 inch piece of fresh  minced ginger; 2 cloves minced garlic; 1/2 tbsp. Ashwagandha root powder; 1/2 tsp. tumeric;  2 tbsp.  extra virgin olive oil(EVVO);  5 cups veg. stock or water; 2 tbsp. light miso, or to taste; 1/4 cup chopped parsley; freshly ground pepper.

1.  In a large pot over medium heat, make sure your pan is heated, then add EVVO, and jus your pan starts to smoke (you will note that your oil kind of “winks” at you) then, saute leeks, shitake mushrooms, carrots,  bell peppers, kale, bok choy; fresh nettles (if you are using dried nettles, add later),  and garlic until vegetables have softened, usually takes about 5 minutes.

2,  Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for about 10 min.  Dilute miso in a small amount of hot broth and add to soup,  if you used dried nettles, add at this time,   add  Ashwagandha root powder, tumeric, cover and simmer for  1 hour.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes, add freshly ground pepper  and garnish with parsley.  Add a large pinch of Love & Gratitude…..Enjoy!

Note:  If you cut all your vegs. the same size, they will cook more evenly.

From My Heart to Your Heart, many, many Delicious Blessings,    Dixie