Herbs That Detox
- Chamomile tea helps cleanse the liver.
When your body is repeatedly exposed to toxins, it can become overwhelmed by impurities. Your system needs help to detox and return to healthy working order. According to Phyllis Balch, CNC, in the book Prescription for Nutritional Healing, toxins accumulate in your tissues, in your bloodstream and in your organs. When your body works to expel impurities, they are freed from the tissues and enter the bloodstream. At this point, you may experience stomach problems, headaches or depression. This is known as a "low cycle." Herbal detoxification helps to lighten the symptoms of a low cycle by speeding up the natural detox process. Use herbs during a cleansing fast to restore your system to health and to prevent the potential for serious ailments like colon disease, allergies and respiratory illnesses. - Rose hip tea can help you detox.
During a detox fast, Balch recommends drinking herbal tea while refraining from all solid foods. Different herbs aid the detoxification process, while other herbs relieve discomfort that may arise from fasting. In most cases, you may drink as many cups of herbal detox tea as you want. Drinking tea also helps to beat back hunger. To prepare an herbal tea, infuse one tablespoon of dried herbs or two tablespoons of fresh herbs in one cup of boiling distilled water. Steep for five to eight minutes. If desired, sweeten with a small amount of honey or add fresh lemon juice. Drink hot or warm.
Herbs to aid system cleansing include alfalfa, burdock, chamomile and rose hips. These help revitalize your liver and purify your blood. Drink echinacea and pau d'arco tea with cranberry juice to support and stimulate your immune system. Slippery elm eases inflammation of the colon. Peppermint calms nerves, indigestion and flatulence during a cleansing fast. - Peppermint tea calms you during a detox fast.
A detoxifying fast can last three, five or seven days. Do not begin a fast of longer than three days without the guidance of a physician. For two days leading into and coming out of a fast, eat raw fruits and vegetables to allow your system to adjust to pending changes.
During a detox fast, as Balch explains, your organs have an opportunity to refresh themselves. As you fast, you reduce your intake of toxins, lowering your body's overall toxicity level. Serum fats decrease and tissue oxygenation increases, allowing white blood cells to function efficiently. During a fast, Balch cautions that you may experience symptoms including, but not limited to, fatigue, headaches, body aches and irritability. To counter this discomfort, daily lemon juice enemas help flush impurities from the colon, and daily coffee enemas aid liver cleansing. After a fast your body should experience faster healing, improved kidney, colon and liver function, and a loss of excess water and weight. Your eyes may be clearer and your breath may be fresher.
